Sourland Symphony Presented by The Hopewell Arts Council Hopewell Theater
Sponsored by The Hopewell Arts Council; A special concert, The Sourland Symphony Live! 9 Musicians and visual effects. "The Sourland Symphony" 2025 Sourland Symphony, by James Popik, is a soaring suite of acoustic instrumental music in joyous tribute to Sourland Mountain in central New Jersey (though at 568 feet above sea level, Sourland has earned the title of "mountain" only because it pops up from flat farmland).The symphony of nine original compositions reflect the landscape in various seasons; it features, besides Popik's 6 and 12-string guitars, a slew of instruments and musicians in an exhilarating mix (just listen to the instruments chasing each other on "West Mountain"). Popik's guitar playing, a blend of rock, classical jazz, and blues, is electrifying throughout. Almost all the pieces are standouts, among them "Green Mountain Melting" and "Headwaters," which feature Joe Deninzon's violin, Mark Amentt's bass, and Aaron Minsky's cello. "Southside Springs," the longest piece at eight minutes, is a masterpiece. It opens with a set of vibrant harmonics, which repeats at times throughout, enlivened by percussion and hand pan drums by Karttikeya Arul, then moves through many shifts in mood and melody. Popik breaks out into an improvisational single-note section at about the six-minute mark that especially highlights his virtuoso playing. Other favorites include fun-loving "Shagbark Shuffle" with screechy bluesy guitar, spikey "Devil's Half-Acre Blues" with dissonant elements, and atmospheric "Roaring Rocks," featuring the interplay of soulful cello (Dan Kassel) and guitar, with Popik alternating between propulsive strumming and dazzling jazz and flamenco fingerwork. Sourland Mountain must be quite something to have inspired music this exceptional. © Céline Keating