UNPACKING THE MUSIC OF
OLD FRIENDS AND ADVERSARIES
Celebrity conductor and music educator Rob Kapilow provided an entertaining evening of commentary and explication in his exploration of the music of the songwriting-and-singing duo of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel last night in Jordan Hall as part of Boston’s Celebrity Series. Kapilow’s signature approach of providing biographical and recording history while breaking down musical elements with an accessible mix of erudition and humor was supported by vocalists Michael Winther and Manu Narayan and Ann Klein on guitar.
Kapilow progressed chronologically, discussing Simon and Garfunkel’s on “For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her,” “The Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson,” “America,” and “Bridge Over Troubled Waters.” We learned about the transformation of the original acoustic “The Sounds of Silence” into a folk-rock hit as the result of unauthorized overdubbing of drums and electric guitars. At this point, Klein was joined on stage by a drummer, an electric guitar, and an electric bass. These musicians played isolated passages to illustrate Kapilow’s discussion, culminating in a full performance of the complete song.
As Kapilow’s discussion progressed through the increasingly lush arrangements of “Mrs. Robinson,” “America,” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” these musicians were joined by the Rasa String Quartet and Edmar Colón on soprano sax. Kapilow pointed out influences such as Vivaldi, Bach, and gospel music on Simon’s compositions, as well as the importance of The Wrecking Crew, and particularly of Larry Knechtel, Wrecking Crew keyboardist and bass player who was central to many of the arrangements of Simon’s compositions.
Following a masterful rendition of the anthemic “Bridge over Troubled Water,” Kapilow recalled the late 1960s era of war and assassinations that produced the song and concluded with a wish that the music of Simon and Garfunkel—and music in general—might function as a source of comfort and inspiration in our own troubled era.
The evening concluded with Simon and Garfunkel’s feel-good classic, “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy).”
The Songs of Simon & Garfunkel
What Makes It Great: With Rob Kapilow
presented by Celebrity Series of Boston
New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, 50 Gainsborough Street in Boston
reviewed April 5, 2025
