When you hear the word ‘collide’ you might conjure up feelings of hurt, of moving objects gaining momentum and crashing into another object. In the instrumental, “Collide” you might say two flutes melt together into the basin of a piano bed. Nothing but airy, weightless tones come over you. “Collide” from flutists Steve Markoff and Patricia Lazzara and featuring pianist Allison Brewster Franzetti is a new interpretation of the Howie Day original pop song.
This song absorbed me. Maybe it’s the flute or the way the piano trickles in-and-out of the scene, but the instrumental version of “Collide” is full of surprises. The flute sound projects an innocence. I felt like it was expressing a story about love from afar. The two aren’t able to be in the same town, but they can look up at a sky full of stars and feel each other’s presence. Markoff, who plays alto flute, and Lazzara, who plays concert flute, provide an almost symbiotic performance. What’s even more interesting is that Markoff used to be a student of Lazzara’s. I think knowing that little tidbit gives the song an extra oomph of celebration.
You want to champion Markoff because of his work and his acceleration in the classroom. Lazzara must be a very proud teacher and now colleague. It’s such a unique and natural sound that the flutes inject that it’s like being outdoors and feeling the wind at your face. It hits you and makes you feel alive with every breathing moment. Where the guitar and drums have a sense of urgency in other songs, only the flutes and the piano in this track yield the senses. It’s a great reminder to stop and really listen and feel the music.
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Franzetti, a Grammy-nominated pianist, is also exceptional. She delivers a performance that makes the listener feel so comfortable and at ease. The piano can be almost dainty at times. I think this particular performance would lend itself perfectly to the concert stage. These three instruments all come together for such a unique performance. I can just envision this being played outside at the Griffith Observatory as a salute to science, humanity and music. This instrumental really bridged all those gaps for me.
Maybe in a way, this song is like listening to the Northern Lights. The piano and the flutes – representing the waves of colors and audacious images. It’s almost ethereal in nature. “Collide” has a wildly imaginative feeling about it. It checks a lot of boxes – it hits the heart when you need a comforting tone and it also excites the heart when you need something happier. You can definitely put a smile on your face when you’re humming to this track.
The verdict? “Collide” is a sweet escape. I do think it’s a triumph and I would be hard pressed to debate that it might surpass the original. I think pop music can get a bad rap in the classical world, but in this case, “Collide” seamlessly transfers itself into the instrumental world. It’s a beautiful song.
Claire Uebelacker
The music of Steve Markoff & Patricia Lazzara has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division. Learn more https://musikandfilm.com