NYCB 2/8/15 Matinee Performance

SUNDAY MATINEE, FEBRUARY 8, 3:00 PM [Conductor: Sill]  
PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION: Mearns, *Lovette (replaces T. Peck), *Woodward, *Hyltin, Smith, T. Angle, Danchig-Waring, Garcia, Ramasar, Gordon [Solo Piano: Grant] 
RODEO: FOUR DANCE EPISODES/PECK (WORLD PREMIERE): *Mearns, *Ramasar, *Ulbricht, *Garcia, *Veyette Suozzi
MERCURIAL MANOEUVRES: T. Peck, J. Angle, *Segin, *Huxley, *Adams [Solo Piano: Moverman, Solo Trumpet: Mase]

*Debut in role on Tuesday, February 4th, NEW COMBINATIONS evening

The New Combinations program each Winter season at New York City Ballet is always built around new choreography -- in honor of George Balanchine's birthday on January 22nd.  This year the program opened with Alexei Ratmansky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition' -- which premiered during the Company's Fall 2014 season -- see my comments here:

http://zylopho.blogspot.com/2014/10/new-york-city-ballet-thursday-october-9.html

With Wendy Whelan's retirement at the end of the Fall season her role is now danced by Sterling Hyltin.  Since Tiler Peck was dancing the female lead in 'Mercurial Manoeuvres', her role in 'Pictures' was danced by Lauren Lovette on Sunday afternoon and Indiana Woodward danced the role originated by Abi Stafford.  The rest of the cast remained unchanged from last October.

Sterling Hyltin has the regrettable task of taking on roles created or otherwise imprinted by Wendy Whelan.  At the Sunday, February 1st, matinee she was completely successful in taking on The Novice in Robbins' 'The Cage' -- a role which Whelan owned for nearly two decades after learning it from Robbins himself.  Here, undertaking Whelan's role as the woman in gold Hyltin had the right angular airiness in the pas de deux with Tyler Angle, but lacked gravitas for the 'Dances at a Gathering' moment near the end when the character bends down to touch the stage.  In fact, I think that Ratmansky would be wise to rethink that moment -- without Wendy it seems even more cliched.

Amar Ramasar, Sterling Hyltin and Sara Mearns in Ratmansky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet.

Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar continue to provide eloquent performances in their pas de deux, their solos and their participation in larger group passages.  Lauren Lovette and Gonzalo Garcia looked great together in their duets and Lauren added her dark-eyed vivacity elsewhere.  Though Indian Woodward is mostly seen as part of the ensemble in this work, it is nice to see her stepping out of the corps.  She uses the opportunity here to demonstrate her unique musical qualities and hoydenish stage presence.

Although the use of Kandinsky-like design elements distinguishes 'Pictures', it continues to feel like Ratmansky's tribute to (or rip-off of) Robbins' 'Dances at a Gathering' -- a collection of short piano pieces (played eloquently by Cameron Grant) and a cast of ten deployed in a communal round of dances -- even more than his 'Russian Seasons' had (at least that ballet had a singer and hats).  To me, much of Ratmansky's oeuvre for NYCB seems derivative of earlier and better repertory.

Justin Peck's 'Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes' uses the orchestral suite that Aaron Copeland created from his ballet music for Agnes DeMille's 'Rodeo' (1942).  The suite is in four movements which Justin labels 'episodes'.  Justin uses a cast of 16 -- a principal couple (Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar); three men (Daniel Ulbricht, Gonzalo Garcia, and Sean Suozzi -- replacing the injured Andrew Veyette); five men (Taylor Stanley, Craig Hall, Daniel Applebaum, Andrew Scordato, and Allen Peiffer); and six men (Messrs. Coll, Nelson, Prottas, Janzen, Walker, and Villarini-Velez) -- that's 1 woman and 15 men.

Amar Ramasar lifts Sara Mearns above 12 of the men in Justin Peck's 'Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

The costumes are by Reid Bartelme, Harriet Jung and Justin Peck.  They give the entire cast a high school jock vibe.

Costume sketches by Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung for Justin Peck's 'Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes.

The 'five men' are in costumes that resemble rugby uniforms -- dark brownish shorts, long sleeved matching shirts with a wide pale blue band across the chest and blue, brown and white striped knee-length leg warmers that look like rugby socks.  In the two outer movements the rugby players mix with the other 10 men who wear long pants and T-shirts or tank tops in various shades of brown with the same wide chest band. 

Five men in the Second Episode of Justin Peck's 'Rodeo: Four Dance Movements'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

The second episode features just the 'rugby team' in a gorgeous adagio for five men that is the heart (and possibly the soul) of the ballet.  Taylor Stanley with his taut line stands out in this group, while Craig Hall is the strong steady anchor and the entire team works together to create sculptural stage images that capture the viewer's eye and beautifully complement the laconic Copland music.

Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar in Episode Three of Justin Peck's 'Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar have a generally contemplative duet in the third episode.  Mearns is mostly in prom queen or head cheerleader mode, but she gives the lone woman a wonderful calm joy that plays well against Ramasar's out-going, hopeful jock.

In the two outer episodes, all of the men are in jock mode -- racing across the stage from the left wing in a long diagonal as the curtain opens, then cavorting in groupings of three, four or five.  The three lead men could be gymnasts -- competing in leaps and pirouettes.  Peck makes striking use of the athleticism of all 15 men.  They seem to belong in the great American West -- where there is plenty of room for their expansive, space-filling exhuberance.

Here's a link to three brief clips from the ballet on the Company's website:

http://www.nycballet.com/Ballets/N/New-Copland-Peck.aspx

The sharp-eyed can pick out Justin Peck in the first clip -- dancing in place of Andrew Veyette as he did in some sections on opening night.  

Peck has given the Company a wonderful new piece, filled with hope and vigor and the wistful innocence of youth.  I would only change the coyly arch spelling of 'rodeo' in his title -- it's too clever for this very appealing work.

Christopher Wheeldon's 'Mercurial Manoeuvers' was created in April, 2000, for the Diamond Project using Dmitri Shostakovitch's 'Piano Concerto #1'.  The original cast included Miranda Weese and Jock Soto with Edwaard Liang.  On Sunday it was lead by Tiler Peck and Jared Angle.  Anthony Huxley, Kristen Segin and Sara Adams made debuts in their featured roles the previous Tuesday.

The opening is a coup d'theatre that never fails to impress -- the male soloist (Huxley) stands alone at the back of the stage in a red unitard against a red background flanked by dark translucent panels as the mysterious opening section of the concerto begins.  

Joaquin De Luz as the 'man in red' in the opening of Wheeldon's 'Mercurial Manoeuvers'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

The shadowy figures of the twelve-member female corps  appear behind these dark panels arrayed in two rows of three on each side.  As the man moves forward the panels slowly begin to lift, revealing the women on either side of him.  The means are so simple, but the effect is dazzling.

Anthony Huxley is an impressive dancer with his own arrow sharp technique, but he is quite different from Edward Liang -- who originated the role -- and from Daniel Ulbricht and Joaquin De Luz who have danced it more recently.  Huxley makes it less overtly flamboyant and more elegantly articulate.  Wheeldon's choreography has enough elasticity to embrace each of these dancers as individuals.

Tiler Peck and Jared Angle in the pas de deux from Wheeldon's 'Mercurial Manouevres'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Tiler Peck and Jared Angle were wonderfully fluid as the central couple -- no mean feat given Wheeldon's penchant for difficult, off-center partnering.  Kristen Segin and Sara Adams were perky as the two female soloists.  Wheeldon marshalls the corps of 12 women and four men effectively in complex and interesting patterns.  As with many Wheeldon ballets there are too many entrances and exits -- and an overall sense of busy-ness.  But that haunting and brilliant opening sequence sticks in the mind.  And the central pas de deux -- when it is executed with the confidence and finesse that Tiler and Jared brought to it -- can be a stunning display of partnering pyrotechnics.

The Shostacovitch Piano Concerto was beautifully played by the piano soloist, Alan Moverman, with brilliant trumpet solos by Raymond Mase.  In fact, the music on Sunday afternoon was top notch under the direction of Andrews Sill and with the excellent Cameron Grant as piano soloist in 'Pictures at an Exhibition'.

This program proved a delightful celebration of Balanchine's 111th birthday and a reminder of the mission of NYC Ballet to continue to bring new chorography to the stage.

Comments on 'Ballet 422'

We saw 'Ballet 422' Friday afternoon at the Film Society of Lincoln Center's Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center -- a classy venue with a nice 'take-out' cafe, Indie, and $9.00 tickets for seniors -- $3.00 less than the nearby multiplex.

Poster for 'Ballet 422'

'Ballet 422' is a documentary film about the making of Justin Peck's 'Paz de la Jolla' -- the 422nd ballet created for New York City Ballet -- which premiered during the 2013 Winter season.  Unlike many documentaries, it does not use either voice over narration or on-camera interviews.  A few stark chapter headings let the audience know where we are in the timeline to the premiere which starts two months before the opening night.

At the time, Justin was still a relative choreographic neophyte.  His ballets 'Year of the Rabbit' (October, 2012) and 'In Creases' (July, 2012) preceded 'Paz de la Jolla' into the Company's repertory.  At 25, Justin was still a member of the Company's corps de ballet.

Justin Peck working on 'Paz de la Jolla' in the studio.  Photo: still from 'Ballet 422' by Jody Lee Lipes

'Ballet 422' simply watches as Justin goes through the days leading up to the premiere.  For his music he has selected 'Sinfonietta la Jolla' by Bohuslav Martinu a score for small orchestra and piano soloist from 1950 which was commissioned by a small musical group from La Jolla, CA, a suburb of San Diego -- where Justin grew up.  The selection of the music seems to lead to the ballet's design -- the beach at La Jolla in 1950.

Justin is working with a cast of 18 -- three principals (Sterling Hyltin, Tiler Peck, and Amar Ramasar), 10 corps women and 5 corps men.  The thematic idea of trios -- two women and one man -- seems to occur throughout the ballet as it develops.

The film shows Justin working on a solo with Tiler Peck and a duet with Sterling and Amar in the studio.  For a young corps dancer, he seems both assured and circumspect -- coaxing and coaching them in dancing the passages as he has envisioned them.  There is a nice sense of give and take between Justin and the dancers to achieve what is either possible or comfortable for them within the framework of his creative vision.

With the corps dancers, Justin seems a bit more assertive, going over movements until they are done to his satisfaction.  With all of the cast, Justin knows what he wants and seems to have the knack of getting it from each of them.  The film shows a humorous moment as Justin works out a move when Tiler and Sterling have to brace Amar as he falls back.  Initially the ladies apply unequal strength, causing Amar to slip sideways.  It takes several tries before they get it to Justin's satisfaction without dissolving in giggles.  

Albert Evans is the ballet master working with Justin on 'Paz de la Jolla'.  At one point Albert halts a rehearsal to give Tiler a 5-minute break -- required by the dancers' and musicians' union contracts.  At other points, as Justin develops the piece Albert is there to record and remember the sequences, since he will be responsible for restaging the work and rehearsing other dancers who may take over from the original cast.  Albert also gives Justin a sounding board for his notes and thoughts as the rehearsals proceed.

Sketch of costume for Tiler Pack by Reid Bartelme & Harriet Jung from the NYC Ballet archives.

Justin is seen with the lighting designer, Mark Stanley, and his lighting crew working out the lighting that will give the ballet the on-stage atmosphere he's looking for.  Justin goes over costume ideas with the designers Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung and interacts with them and Marc Happel, the head of the Company's costume shop.  Later some of the dancers try on the costumes to make sure that they give Justin the look he's after while still allowing the dancers to dance the steps he's created for them.  Each dancer has a different costume to give the effect of a crowded summer day at the beach circa 1950.

Costume designs for 10 of the 15 corps dancers by Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung from the NYC Ballet archives.

Cameron Grant, the Company's principal piano soloist, is a presence throughout the creative process -- playing for studio rehearsals as the ballet is developed and then in the pit as piano soloist for orchestra rehearsals with Andrews Sill conducting the orchestra.  Just before the final rehearsal, Grant suggests that Justin give the orchestra a pep talk to thank them for their efforts and rev them up for the premiere.  Following the rehearsal Justin asks the conductor for time to say a few words.  It is a touching moment as the neophyte takes the advice of a mentor (Grant) to get the orchestra's buy-in to his creative process.

While the creation of the ballet proceeds, the rest of Justin's life goes on in parallel.  He takes company class, dances in the repertory, goes home to an empty apartment in Morningside Heights.

Finally, the night of the premiere of 'Paz de la Jolla' arrives.  Justin dons his dark suit, white shirt and tie, puts on his round horn-rimmed glasses and mingles with the Company's benefactors before the premiere.  He takes his seat in the second ring and watches 'Paz de la Jolla'.  Justin seems pleased with the result.  When the curtain comes down he rushes down to the stage to take part in the curtain calls.

Then, negotiating the deserted hallways backstage to his dressing room, he takes off the suit, puts on his costume and make-up and goes on stage to perform in the corps for the last work of the program -- Alexei Ratmansky's 'Concerto DSCH'.

'Ballet 422' was directed and photographed by Jody Lee Lipes.  Lipes is the husband of Ellen Barr, a former New York City Ballet dancer, who is now the Director of Media Projects for the Company and one of the film's producers.  To me, it was a surprise that Peter Martins doesn't appear in the film and gets minimal coverage in the credits.  Did Peter really stay that far in the background?

Banner for 'Ballet 422'

You can watch the trailer for 'Ballet 422' here:

http://www.magpictures.com/ballet422/

But you really should just go see the movie while it's in town.  It really does take you behind the curtain at New York City Ballet to see how the pieces of a very complex puzzle fit into place and to get a sense of how a young choreographer goes from 'let's put on a show' to actually getting the show onto the stage in something like his original vision.  Despite all of its insight it leaves you wanting to know even more.  It also leaves you wanting to see and savor 'Paz de la Jolla' in a live performance now that you know a bit about how it came into being. 

Of course, Justin Peck has gone on from 'Paz de la Jolla' to create even more ballets for New York City Ballet and other companies.  Just this week, his new ballet to Aaron Copland's orchestral suite from 'Rodeo' opened at NYC Ballet -- we'll see it on Sunday, February 8th.  He has been promoted from corps de ballet to soloist and has been named the Company's resident choreographer.  Benjamin Millipied, the director of dance at the Paris Opera, just announced that Justin will create a work for them in 2016.  This film is a glimpse at the creative process of one of the 21st century's most promising choreographers.  

NYCB 2/1/15 Matinee Performance

SUNDAY MATINEE, FEBRUARY 1, 3:00 PM [Conductor: Sill] 
SYMPHONIC DANCES: *Reichlen, *Catazaro 
THE CAGE: Hyltin, *Kikta, *J. Peck, Suozzi 
ANDANTINO: Bouder, Veyette [Solo Piano: Walters] 
CORTÈGE HONGROIS: Kowroski, *Janzen, *Pollack, *LeCrone, Pazcoguin, Hall

* First Time in Role on Friday, January 30th

It's hard to imagine a more disheartening New York City Ballet program on paper than the one we attended on Sunday afternoon.  Subtitled 'Hear the Dance: Russia', it consisted of second rate works by Peter Martins and George Balanchine flanking a masterpiece and a slight but glistening pas de deux by Jerome Robbins -- all to Russian music.  Fortunately, there were several dancers who had debuted in their roles on the previous Friday evening to add some novelty and hopefully some energy to the afternoon.  Super Bowl Sunday is an odd time to be at the ballet I suppose -- the theater was only about 60% filled (no-one in the fourth/fifth ring and lots of empty seats lower down).

It began with Peter Martins' energetic, but generally uninspired 'Symphonic Dances' to the music of the same name by Sergei Rachmaninoff.  Danced by a principal couple, four demi-soloist couples, and 8 corps couples, it was created in 1994 for Darci Kistler and Nicolaj Hubbe.  Teresa Reichlen and Zachary Catazaro (who had debuted in the roles on Friday, 1/30) seemed poorly matched and generally cautious.  Martins choreography for couples is often so difficult and awkward that it is impossible to say if there were actual slip-ups or just planned but ungainly partnering moves.  Kistler and Hubbe could mask such treacherous terrain, but Reichlen and Catazaro in their second performance in these roles often looked clumsy and exposed.

As usual, Martins choreographs brilliant entrances and exits for the large cast, but if they stay on stage for any length of time the moves and patterns become repetitious and unexceptional.  Especially, the four demi-soloist men (Harrison Ball, Joseph Gordon, Spartak Hoxha and Peter Walker) are given some wonderful, explosive entrances.  

Santo Loquasto's costumes are problematic.  The demi-soloist couples are beautifully dressed in teal and rust outfits that look like Russian nobility masquerading as serfs -- although why two of the four men had differently patterned tunics is a mystery.

Demi-soloist couples in Santo Loquasto's costumes for Peter Martins' 'Symphonic Dances'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik

The corps is similarly attired in slightly less brilliant shades of aqua and peach -- the women with less elaborate Russian style headdresses.  The principal couple wears the palest aqua and peach costumes with little decoration and only a few jeweled clips holding up Reichlen's hair.  Near the end she suddenly appears with a ponytail -- looking almost as if she's getting ready for bed.  She and Catazaro just fade into the background when the entire ensemble comes on stage for the finale.

Jerome Robbins' 'The Cage' is danced to Igor Stravinsky's 'String Concerto in D'.  Robbins created 'The Cage' in 1951 for the great dramatic ballerina Nora Kaye as The Novice.  The scenario is clearly derived from the second act of 'Giselle' -- a band of female creatures led by a queen with two henchwomen is initiating a novice when their precinct is invaded by two male intruders in succession and the queen and her band encourage the novice to dispatch them.

Emily Kikta was sensational as The Queen.  Probably the tallest woman in the company, Kikta has long arms and legs and an incredible extension which give her commanding authority in The Queen's opening solo.  Sterling Hyltin was intense and predatory as The Novice -- emphasizing the weirdly nonhuman aspects of a creature learning to tantalize and victimize her prey.  She makes quick work of the first intruder, Sean Suozzi, barely giving Sean time to make an impact.  By the time she gets to the second intruder, Justin Peck, Hyltin has learned to entice and toy with her victim. There is a wonderfully angular and lustful pas de deux before he too is killed.

Justin Peck and Sterling Hyltin in Jerome Robbins' 'The Cage'.  Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Kikta and Peck had debuted in their roles on Friday evening.  Both made a considerable impact and the audience reacted with an extended ovation for the entire cast.

After a pause, Ashley Bouder and Andrew Veyette danced Jerome Robbins' 'Andantino'.  Robbins created 'Andantino' to the Second Movement (Andantino-semplice--Prestissimo) of Tschaikovsky's First Piano Concerto in 1981 for the Company's Tschaikovsky Festival.  Susan Walters played the solo piano part which is mostly contemplative, unlike the more bombastic outer movements of that concerto.

Ashley Bouder and Andrew Veyette danced this pas de deux with refinement and attention to detail.  There is little opportunity for technical bravado, but their well-honed technical skills were put in service of elegance and beautifully controlled unison passages and partnering.  This brief (8-minute) work was like a refreshing shot of ice-cold premium vodka in the midst of a long, heavy Russian banquet.

Balanchine created 'Cortege Hongrois' in 1973 as a parting gift for Melissa Hayden who retired at the end of the 1973 Spring season.  It was also a sort of apology for having ignored Ms. Hayden in favor of younger ballerinas, particularly Suzanne Farrell, for much of the previous decade.  It is not among Balanchine's finest work -- it is mainly a rehash of Petipa's 1898 choreography from the original 'Raymonda'. 

The music is from the third act of 'Raymonda' by Alexander Glazunov -- a melodious score that Balanchine turned to frequently throughout his career ('Pas de Dix' in 1955 and 'Raymonda Variations' from 1961 which is still in the active repertory).  The ballet that Petipa choreographed in 1898 is about Raymonda, a countess loved by a Hungarian crusader knight, who is seduced by a Saracen but ultimately stays faithful to the knight.  The third act celebrates Raymonda's wedding to the knight.  

'Cortege' is for a principal classical couple (Maria Kowroski with Russell Janzen on Sunday) backed by a classical corps of eight couples; and a principal Hungarian character couple (Georgina Pazcoguin with Craig Hall) backed by a corps of eight Hungarian couples.  The costumes by Rouben Ter-Arutunian are white decorated with gold for the four principals and white decorated with gold and emerald green for the corps.  The character men wear white boots (for stomping) and puffy 'Hungarian' hats.  The overall effect is garish and somewhat silly.

Rebecca Krohn and Sean Suozzi in the ridiculous Rouben Ter-Arutunian costumes from 'Cortege Hongrois'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Janzen had debuted in the role on Friday evening and his partnering and solo work were still somewhat tentative.  With his height, he is an ideal partner for Kowroski and they look good together.  Kowroski was regal and cool in her solos.  Somehow, she makes the Hungarian mannerisms of her variation seem tacked on rather than integral to the choreography -- perhaps because Balanchine just tacked them on.

Pazcoguin and Hall led the stomping, heel-clicking Czardas with charisma and authority.  Brittany Pollack (a Friday evening debutant) was radiant in the first classical variation, but Megan LeCrone (also new on Friday evening) seemed distracted and pinched in the second.

'Cortege' relies for impact on its courtly parades and massing of dancers in serried ranks.  Instead of innovative choreography one settles for warmed over Petipa with half-hearted Hungarian appliques -- but done to a suite of first rate Glazunov ballet music.

Finale of 'Cortege Hongrois' with Jon Stafford and Maria Kowroski flanked by Sean Suozzi and Rebecca Krohn.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

The real pleasure of an uninspiring program like this is in seeing favorite dancers undertaking new roles.  Certainly, Russell Janzen and Brittany Pollack in 'Cortege'; Emily Kikta and Justin Peck in 'The Cage'; and Teresa Reichlen in 'Symphonic Dances' fit that description -- although they accommodated the roles with varying degrees of success.  When the choreography doesn't provide surprises, I can always search the corps for familiar faces -- Silas Farley in both 'Symphonic Dances' and 'Cortege' is always totally in the moment with his elegant, stretched lines and exceptional height; Lydia Wellington and Megan Johnson also in 'Symphonic Dances' and 'Cortege' can always be counted on for anchoring lovely moments of corps dancing; Mimi Staker with her sparkling dark eyes was vivacious in the Czardas corps of 'Cortege'. 

Silas Farley dancing the lead in 'Cortege Hongrois' in School of American Ballet's 2012 Workshop Performances.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for SAB

And it's always good to see the pros -- Bouder, Kowroski and Veyette -- in almost any context.  As an alternative to the Super Bowl this was still a super afternoon.

Thoughts on the movie 'Whiplash'

Saturday afternoon we went to see the movie 'Whiplash' at the Bowtie-Chelsea Theaters.  It is the first time we've been to the Bowtie-Chelsea since they started a 'reserved seat' ticketing program.   Although we had been skeptical about how such a program might work in a multiplex, the automatic ticketing machine exhibited a seating plan showing the available seats in Theater 4 and allowed us to chose two reserved seats that we liked.  The Bowtie staff member who had cleaned the theater after the previous show was available to assist audience members in finding their seats.  There didn't seem to be any confusion or any complaints.  Of course, the ticket price has gone up by a $1.00 since the completion of the renovation and the implementation of the reserved seat policy. 

Banner for 'Whiplash'

'Whiplash' is written and directed by Damien Chazelle.  It revolves around the twisted relationship of Andrew Neimann, a young jazz drummer (played by Miles Teller), and Terrence Fletcher, his mentor and professor at Shaffer Conservatory (played by J. K. Simmons).  Shaffer Conservatory is supposed to be the finest music school in New York City (a fictional stand-in for The Julliard School or the Manhattan School of Music).  Fletcher conducts Shaffer's jazz band which plays at competitions and concerts and can act as a conduit to professional jazz groups like Wynton Marsalis' Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Fletcher torments his students -- turning one against another, belittling them in front of the band, picking apart tempos and pitches -- to 'make them better' musicians.  Andrew (whose idol is Buddy Rich) initially responds to Fletcher's sadism with fiendishly intense practice sessions that go on so long that his fingers and hands blister and bleed.  Nothing satisfies Fletcher for long though.  He sets up a three-way competition between Andrew and two other student drummers for the spot of 'core' drummer in the band, but then sabotages their self-esteem and betrays their confidences.

There is no question that J. K. Simmons plays this sadist with exceptional skill -- he has won the Golden Globe and SAG awards for best supporting actor.  Simmons seems to relish every opportunity to make Fletcher ever more unlikeable and manipulative.

I was impressed by Miles Teller's performance as Andrew -- trying to read and react to his mentor's goading and taunting.  There are also nice performances by Paul Reiser as Andrew's father and Melissa Benoist as Andrew's girlfriend.  

This is really a boxing story set in a jazz milieu.  It ends (as it must) with Miles triumphant at Carnegie Hall -- besting Fletcher after he has committed one more act of harassment.

The drum work throughout, but especially on the final piece -- 'Caravan' -- gave me a much better appreciation for jazz drumming which I've always equated more with noise than music.  This is a movie to admire, but hardly one you can love.