A huge crowd showed up last night at the Mabee Farm on the south side of the Mohawk River on the second stop of the Albany Symphony's westward tour (it started Sunday at Jennings Landing on the Hudson in downtown Albany, and is now heading up the Erie Canal). It's the 200th anniversary of the canal, and the 300th of Handel's Water Music, an 18-minute version of which starts off their free nightly program. The second part is a different contemporary piece at every stop, then they wind up with some "Americana" (including a wonderful singalong of Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal mashed up with the Handel theme), and fireworks (celebrating the 241st anniversary of the USA).
Tonight, they're in Amsterdam's beautiful Riverlink Park. Go early to walk the new pedestrian bridge over the Mohawk, and catch the pre-show by Alex Torres and his Latin Orchestra (rooted in Amsterdam and Puerto Rico, and my favorite Capital Region band). Wednesday, the Symphony performs in Little Falls, then westward on other stops to Lockport.
