TV REVIEW : Moore, Solti Demystify the Symphony

Say this for it, the exclamation point is not inappropriate to “Orchestra!” This series, ostensibly demystifying the symphony orchestra and its music, is from the breathless school of documentary-making, all sound bites, quick cuts and perspective-shuffling dissolves.

First shown in this country in 10 30-minute segments on Showtime, the series has been repackaged as five 60-minute programs. The first installment airs at 10 tonight on KCET Channel 28, with the other four following weekly at the same time.

Produced by Jonathan Hewes and directed by Declan Lowney for Britain’s Channel 4, “Orchestra!” takes the people approach to its subject. It revolves around Dudley Moore as interviewer, raconteur, pianist and cheerleader interacting with Georg Solti and anonymous members of the youth orchestra of the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival.

Moore seems to be having fun in his multiple, omnipresent roles. The constant self-deprecation begins to sound a little bitter at times, however, and the longest and most reflective portion of the opening show consists of his musings about moving into a classical concert career.

That should tell you something right there about whether “Orchestra!” is for you or not. The music comes in excerpts of varying length, with the members of the orchestra asked to provide self-conscious evaluations of Moore, Solti and their own chosen instruments as much as to play. The most suggestive and really open remark goes undeveloped--why, asks one of the young players, are so many great musicians such jerks, if great music is supposed to be so spiritually elevating?

The program jumps into the middle of the action, with Solti--prompted by Moore--leading the musicians through the beginning of Richard Strauss’ “Don Juan” section by section. Subsequent shows focus on the different orchestral sections, bringing them all together on the series finale for a complete performance of the Strauss tone poem.

The composite performances don’t sound bad, and the repertory is wide-ranging enough, from Bach to Lutoslawski. The notion that flashing stage lights make this the MTV of classical music is certainly naive, however. The visual effect of the faux concert sequences, in fact, is exactly that of Hollywood Bowl in its Cabaret Cahuenga mode.