Lviv National Orchestra of Ukraine in Review

Lviv National Orchestra of Ukraine in Review

Lviv National Orchestra of Ukraine

Theodore Kuchar, Principal Conductor; Stanislav Khristenko, Piano

Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

February 15, 2023

Last night I attended a most memorable concert. It was both heart-warming and heart-rending. I came home both invigorated and exhausted. Driven out of their homes by Putin’s brutal invasion, these excellent musicians have miraculously regrouped in the U.S. They are showing the world that Ukraine is as rich in music as it is in bravery and resilience. I missed the first piece, Yevhen Stankovych’s Chamber Symphony No 3 for Flute and Strings, and entered just in time for Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 1, featuring the consummate pianist, Stanislav Khristenko. Mr. Khristenko flew over the keyboard with ease, tossing off virtuosic passages and soothing us with his warm sound. For an encore he amazed and enthralled us with Horowitz’s Variations on a Theme from Bizet’s Carmen, a highly entertaining and fiendishly difficult piece.

In the second half the orchestra, led by its principal conductor Theodore Kuchar, came to the fore in a thrilling performance of Dvořák’s New World Symphony. The first thing that struck me about this performance was the very long pause after the initial theme in the strings. What potent silence! Almost over the edge but not quite, making the subsequent reiteration of the theme in the woodwinds all the more gratifying. This was a foretaste of what was to come. This performance was not only technically excellent, it was also individualistic and imaginative.

At the symphony’s conclusion there was a long ovation. At this point it is usual for the conductor to give solo bows to principal players. At first, it felt a little disconcerting that this didn’t happen, but then I realized that this was truly democracy and equality in action. Any individual recognition might have detracted from the feeling of group unity. Nevertheless, I felt a little disappointed that I didn’t get to cheer as loud as I could through my K95 mask for the most eloquent and poignant playing of the English horn solo I have ever heard. It was especially touching because this theme, which was adapted into the spiritual-like song “Goin’ Home” (often mistakenly considered a folk song or traditional spiritual) by Dvořák’s pupil William Arms Fisher (who wrote the lyrics in 1922), must have surely resonated with the performers and, by extension, with the empathetic audience.

For an encore we were treated to the Ukrainian composer Anatoliy Kos-Anatolsky’s Chasing the Wind from his ballet,The Jay’s Wing.  This rollicking dance was performed with great verve and abandon. There ensued a long ovation in the sold-out hall during which a large banner, which was a combination of both the American the Ukrainian flags, was unfurled by brass players at the back of the orchestra. It brought a tear to the eye and a strange joy laced with pain.

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Pro Musicis presents in Review Solange Merdinian, mezzo-soprano; Laetitia Grimaldi, soprano; Ammiel Bushakevitz, piano; Ciro Fodere, piano in Review

Pro Musicis presents in Review Solange Merdinian, mezzo-soprano; Laetitia Grimaldi, soprano; Ammiel Bushakevitz, piano; Ciro Fodere, piano in Review

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

October 11, 2022

Founded in 1965, the prestigious arts organization, Pro Musicis, is a Paris and New York based non-profit which stresses internationalism and diversity. Their mission, as stated in the printed program, is to “awaken the human spirit,” and their artists are chosen for both their “high level of performance and their passion for social outreach.

Tonight’s concert featured two singers and two pianists, all multi-national and multi-lingual. Mezzo-soprano Solange  Merdinian in (who won a 2019 Pro Musicis International Award) is an Armenian-Argentinian-American; soprano Laetitia Grimaldi (who won a Pro Musicis International Award in 2017) was born in France and grew up in Lisbon and London; pianist Ammeil Bushakevitz (who also won a Pro Musicis International Award in 2017)  was born in Jerusalem, raised in South Africa, and studied in Leipzig and Paris; and pianist Ciro Fodere is from Uruguay and now lives in the United States.  The performers’ multi-national backgrounds led to a most interesting and unusual selection of music.

This program of mostly unfamiliar music was bookended by two very familiar vocal duets- the Flower Duet from Lakmé, by Léo Delibes, and the Barcarolle from Les Contes d’Hoffmann, by Jacques Offenbach.  As the two women launched into the Flower Duet, I was immediately struck by how well the two voices blended and how perfectly in synch they were in terms of both dynamics and tempo.  Without looking at each other they executed the small ritards and diminuendos as if with one voice.  Their voices are well matched in terms of size and timbre, Ms. Merdinian’s strong mezzo balancing Ms. Grimaldi’s higher but equally rich soprano.  I thought they must have been singing together for years.  Not so!  I found out later that, although they were good friends, having once lived in New York at the same time, and having long nursed a desire to collaborate, this wish was unrealized until October 10, 2022, the very day before this concert!  Here is the story: Ms. Grimaldi now lives in Paris and Ms. Merdinian in Miami.  Plans were made to meet in New York City several days before this concert to rehearse.  However, Ms. Grimaldi’s air travel plans went awry, as happens so often these days, and it wasn’t until noon on October 10, one day before the concert that her plane touched down at Kennedy Airport.  They met at a studio in Manhattan and rehearsed that afternoon.  On the afternoon of the day of the concert, just a few hours before their performance, they had their dress rehearsal in the hall.  Forget about jet lag! Forget about resting the voice before a big performance!  The show must go on!

After a soothingly lovely performance of the Flower Duet, Ms. Merdinian left the stage, and Ms. Grimaldi and Mr. Bushakevitz performed three songs by Rachmaninoff: Spring Waters, How Peaceful It Is Here, and What Happiness.  Ms. Grimaldi’s exciting voice projects well throughout her registers.  In the songs of Rachmaninoff the piano writing is often virtuosic. The composer is considered to have been one of the greatest pianists of all time.  A smaller voice might have been overpowered, but Ms. Grimaldi held her own as the brilliant Mr. Bushakevitz flew through the difficult passages with panache.  There was one problem, however.  As is customary, the texts of the songs were printed in the program.  This is of the greatest importance because, without this aid, the listener doesn’t know what the song is saying; the title gives only a general idea.  But it was too dark to comfortably read in the audience area of Weill Recital Hall! This happens frequently in song recitals, and it implies a lack of appreciation for the poetry.  Singers spend a great deal of time thinking about and analyzing texts and then working to reflect their subtleties with voice and gesture.  I would recommend that the performers, who put in all this work, make a point of letting the house know that the lights should be bright enough for the texts to be read with ease.  For, although Ms. Grimaldi sang with commitment and passion, there were, no doubt, subtleties in her delivery which I, who speak no Russian, could not perceive. 

For the next set, Ms. Merdinian, accompanied by the always excellent Mr. Fodere, sang four Armenian songs: The Rose, by Romanos Melikyan, (1883-1935), The Sad Little Girl, and My Sweet Harp, by Khachatur Avedisian, (1926-1996) and Song of Merriment, by Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978).  These folk-like songs, alternately sad and joyous, are obviously dear to Ms. Merdinian’s heart, and her compelling and plangent voice was a perfect vehicle for them.

The balance of the first half of the program was given over to music by women.  Ms. Grimaldi and Mr. Bushakevitz returned to the stage and gave a fine performance of Clara Schumann’s Lorelei.  Then Ms. Grimaldi lent her lustrous soprano to Songe (Dream) by the little-known French Composer, Mélanie Bonis, commonly known as Mel Bonis. To end the set, stormy seas were evoked in After the Squall, by the English composer Ethel Smyth (1858-1944).

The concert’s first half concluded with both singers, accompanied by Mr. Bushakevitz, performing Titania’s Lullaby from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by the Argentinian composer Lucia Caruso (b.1980).  This duet was composed for a concert in Stratford-upon-Avon honoring the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.  It is an attractive tonal piece with a few well-placed dissonances.  The fine diction of the two women was gratifying as they exhorted spotted snakes, newts, spiders, beetles and worms to “come not near our fairy queen.” 

Ms. Merdinian and Mr. Fodere began the second half with short songs by six composers: the Spaniard, Fernando Obradors (1897-1945), the Argentinians Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000), Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983), Carlos López Buchardo (1881-1948), Pablo Ziegler (b.1944) and finally, another Spaniard, Jerónimo Giménez (1854-1923).  A typically Spanish mood prevailed with frequent imitations of guitars in the piano part and sultry vocalizing and seductive gestures by the singer.  The last song of the set, La Tarantula, by Giménez, brought down the house as Ms. Merdinian ended it on a high note with her hands above her head.  Her childhood in Argentina was not wasted!

Neither was Ms. Grimaldi’s Lisbon upbringing, as was evidenced in the next set.  She was accompanied, as before by Mr. Bushakevitz in Brazil’s Heitor Villa-Lobos’s Melodia Sentimental, from Florets do Amasonas, Villa-Lobos’s foray into movie music.  Two works by Obradores followed and then, in a delightful twist, we heard the French composer Delibes’s take on Spanish music in Les Filles de Cadix.

 The well-loved Barcarolle from Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann gently completed the program.  The happy audience, with loud applause and cries of bravo, leapt to its feet and was then rewarded with Vidila, a duet by Carlos López Buchardo. 

 

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International Violin Competition of Indianapolis presents Richard Lin, Violin and Thomas Hoppe, Piano in Review

International Violin Competition of Indianapolis presents Richard Lin, Violin and Thomas Hoppe, Piano in Review

Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

June 24, 2022

Richard Lin.  Remember the name.  For he has everything required to take the world by storm.

It was one of those magical evenings music lovers live for.  A new artist, supremely talented, fully formed, takes the stage.  For a couple of hours the healing elixir of beautiful sound comforts and invigorates, and all is well with the world.  When it is over, those who were lucky enough to have borne witness feel compelled to talk about it.  How fortunate I am to have this platform!

Richard Lin is the Gold Medalist of the 10th Quadrennial International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, which took place in September of 2018.  This Carnegie Hall debut was part of the prize, along with $75,000 and a recording contract.  Mr. Lin’s accompanist was Thomas Hoppe, who was described in the program as “one of the finest piano partners and chamber musicians of his generation.”  I agree: he is a masterful pianist and a sensitive musical partner.  He is a Professor of Piano Chamber Music at the Folkwang University in Essen, Germany.

Before a note of music was played, Mr. Lin charmed the audience as, with a look of joy in his eyes, he perused the hall from his position center stage.  He gazed first at the balcony, moved down to the dress circle, the second and first tiers and the parquet.  Soft laughter showed the audience’s understanding of Mr. Lin’s appreciation for this revered space.  We were all happy to be there together.

The program began with the Chaconne inG minor of Tomaso Antonio Vitali (1663- 1745).  This piece has a rather unusual lineage.  Its original manuscript was found in Dresden in 1800. It consisted of a violin part and continuo line.  In 1867, Ferdinand David, a violinist and composer, wrote a piano accompaniment and embellished the violin part.  In 1911, David’s version was rearranged by Léopold Charlier, who added virtuoso passages to the violin part.  This is the version which we heard.  The piece began with the pianist’s left hand playing the chaconne’s familiar pattern of descending fourths. The noble melody soon entered, played with simplicity and grace by the violin.  As the piece progressed, we were mesmerized by Mr. Lin’s tonal beautyrapid finger-work and compelling phrasing.  When listening to the ease with which Mr. Lin flew through the fast passages, one felt that he had thoroughly displayed his technique.  This was wrong: there was much more!

There followed the Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 18 by Richard Strauss. This sonata was started in 1887 and finished in  1888, as Strauss began to expand his harmonic vocabulary to incorporate that of Richard Wagner.  It contains more than a whiff of the exuberant tone poem Don Juan, Op. 20 of 1888.  This piece allowed Mr. Lin’s many and varied tone colors to shine and his technical mastery to be exhibited even more fully than before.  Especially memorable were the second movement’s very long lyric lines where bow changes were completely imperceptible.  After intermission, the Sonata for Violin and Pianoby John Corigliano (b. 1938) was performed.  This piece consists of four short movements, each with a unique mood.  Originally titled Duo, the violin and piano work more in dialog than as soloist and accompanist.  Mr. Lin and Mr. Hoppe obviously enjoyed playing with, and off each other. In turn tender and virtuosic, this primarily tonal piece is both accessible and entertaining. 

The last piece on the program was Igor Frolov’s Concert Fantasy on Themes from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.  Music indeed seemed to be a “universal language,” as we heard a Taiwanese-American violinist and a German pianist performing an arrangement by a Russian composer of music written by an American Jew based on the rhythms and tonalities of African-American jazz and spirituals!  Frolov made no effort to transform the familiar songs harmonically or rhythmically, as one would do in a theme and variations.  Rather the tunes were strung together with minimal connective material.  It was a delightful romp, with moments of both intimate tenderness and great bravura.

The audience wasted no time in leaping to its feet with tumultuous applause and shouts of bravo.  This somewhat jaded critic was among them.  We were rewarded with two contrasting encores: an arrangement of the gentle Debussy song Beau Soir and Kreisler’s wild Tambourin Chinois. Before he left the stage, the lithe and graceful Mr. Lin bent down and kissed the floor of the beloved Stern Auditorium,-Carnegie Hall’s main stage.

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Returning Home in Review

Returning Home in Review

Joanna Hyunji Kim, Soprano and E-Na Song, Piano

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

June 16, 2022

The young Korean /American soprano Joanna Hyunji Kim presented an impressive recital at Weill Recital Hall on June 16, 2022. Dr. Kim studied at Ewha Woman’s University in South Korea and the Eastman School of Music. She called her recital “Returning Home,” in response to her belief that, in her words, “there is always an ultimate home for us all to find true peace.” This recital was postponed two years because of the pandemic.

Lovely and graceful in ivory satin, Dr. Kim radiated inner as well as outer beauty. Her voice is rich and powerful, her interpretation sensitive and intense, and her musicianship impeccable.

The evening began with Schubert’s charming song, Seligkeit. The piano dynamic at the beginning of the second verse of this strophic song was particularly effective. Although the texts of all the songs were translated, this title, which means “Happiness” was not- a small oversight. Further along in the program this happened again with Vilse, by Sibelius.

Next we heard a heartfelt rendition of Schumann’s of Heiss mich nicht reden, from Goethe’s Mignon. It was a pleasure to hear Schumann’s setting of this famous poem, which is more dramatic than Schubert’s more frequently performed version of the same text. Another Mignon song, Kennst du das Land, this time in Hugo Wolf’s setting, concluded the set. The bravura piano part gave the excellent pianist, E-Na Song, an opportunity to shine

We moved from Lieder to Chanson for a set of Baudelaire poems set by Debussy. There was another glitch in the program, which I feel obliged to point out. The set was titled Cinq Poèmes de Baudelaire, although actually only four songs were performed. Dr. Kim’s sensitive musicianship and convincing acting were displayed in these atmospheric compositions.

The first half concluded with four Sibelius songs, sung in Swedish. Their tunefulness was a pleasant contrast to the ethereal harmonic vocabulary of the French set.

 After the intermission came a group of three songs by Tom Cipullo (b. 1956) on poems by Lisel Mueller (1924-2020) from a set of six songs titled Of a Certain Age. In these poems, a woman of mature years looks back on a life richly lived. The texts range from the bittersweet and nostalgic to the humorous and tragic. The well-wrought music is compelling, at times moving, and at other times witty. The middle song, Fugitive, was one of the high points of the evening, employing the extremes of a soprano’s vocal and dynamic range (including whispering) and operatic dramatic intensity. Unlike many singers of foreign birth, Dr. Kim’s English diction was flawless and could be understood even without the aid of the text provided in the program.

After this impressive English set Dr. Kim left the stage and returned with violinist Soo Yeon Kim and cellist Heewon Lee. The four women performed an enjoyable set of contemporary songs listed in the program as Korean Art Song, which were sung in the original language. The program tells us that Dr. Kim’s doctoral lecture-recital was on Korean diction and art song. This lecture-recital was presented in 2020 at the Harvard Graduate Music Forum Conference. The first two songs were by Wonji Lee (b. 1979) and the third by Kyu-Yung Chin (b. 1948). Destined, by Lee, which began the set was particularly gripping. The ninety minute recital ended with Un- Young La’s setting of the The Lord is My Shepherd (Psalm 23). So effective was this composition that even without any knowledge of Korean, this listener knew where she was in the familiar text. Ms. Kim’s adoring audience gave her and her colleagues a well-deserved standing ovation.

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Pro Musicis presents Catherine Gregory in Review

Pro Musicis presents Catherine Gregory in Review

Catherine Gregory, flute; David Kaplan, piano; Mihai Marcia, cello; Ian David Rosenbaum, marimba
Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
November 21, 2019

What a pleasure it is to attend a performance by a stellar musician who brings to her performance a lifetime of practice, study, thought, imagination, and scrupulously arranges every detail. The more I consider Catherine Gregory’s flute recital, the more impressed I find myself.

She began with Charles-Marie Widor’s Suite for Flute and Piano, Op. 34- a perfect opener. Flute-playing enjoyed a golden age in Paris in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, and there was a group of composers who wrote pieces to challenge and showcase the virtuosity of the players. One of the most interesting of these composers was Widor (1844-1937). Now known mostly for his organ compositions (he was a famous performer on that instrument ), he also wrote operas, symphonies, and other vocal and instrumental music. The Suite starts in a most unusual manner. A strikingly dissonant beginning makes the piece sound as if it was written long after 1884, the year of its premiere. Soon, however, it settles into a gentle tune, followed by a more animated section, and then returns to the graceful mood of the first section. I was particularly taken with the third movement, Romance: Andantino, whose lyrical beauty which shows the flute in all its glory. To show off the flutist’s technical skills, the last movement, with its rapid triplet 16th notes, first loud, then very soft, did the trick. Having convinced us of her tone, technique, intonation, and phrasing with a typical showpiece of the old school, Ms. Gregory moved on to the very new – Steady Gaze, by Timo Andres (b.1985).  Mr. Andres wrote, “Steady Gaze is a catalogue of hundreds of different ways – from offhand to effusive – of saying the same thing.” This piece contains some beautiful moments and deserves to enter the repertoire.

Having presented both the old and the new, Ms. Gregory chose to end the first half with a work from the late twentieth century’s now rather passé avant garde. In 1971, George Crumb’s music was quite the rage. His wide use of extended techniques, electronics, lighting, even his themes (whales in this case) fit in with the happenings, psychedelics, and general mayhem of the years which succeeded the rigidity of the 1950’s. I didn’t expect to see him revived, but who knows? Hindemith was recently resurrected at a well-attended concert of the New York Philharmonic, something I certainly didn’t anticipate. Crumb’s Vox Balaenae (Voice of the Whale) for Three Masked Players (Electric Flute, Electric Cello, and Amplified Piano) rounded out the first half.  First, the lone stagehand moved the bells, microphones, speakers, and blue lights into place. The performers then entered wearing black masks, which reminded me of those worn in old cowboy movies.  But according to Crumb, “the masks, by effacing the sense of human projection, are intended to represent, symbolically, the powerful impersonal forces of nature.” The piece began with Ms. Gregory’s combined singing and flute-playing, that is, vocalizing as she played.  Although I have never really cottoned to this technique, which to me only diminishes the beauty of both instruments, Ms. Gregory did it well and with great conviction. Whether or not it actually sounded like a whale, as was Crumb’s stated intention, is something I am not qualified to say. The piece, which consisted of Vocalise, Sea Theme with five variations, and Sea Nocturne (…for the end of time), went on a little too long for me, but it did contain some captivating moments. The whoosh of the stroked piano strings was highly evocative of ocean waves, and Mihai Marica’s skillful execution of the very high cello part was eerily effective. There was also some fine whistling. I’m not sure who did it (the blue-lit stage was too dark to see clearly),  but I think it was Ms. Gregory. Whistling! Now there’s a neglected instrument!

After intermission, Ms. Gregory showed a fine stroke of inspiration. As she emerged from the back of the hall, she said, “Imagine you are in Arcadia,” and went on tell the story of Debussy’s Syrinx. One of the greatest pseudo-improvisations in all of music, this piece sounds different with every player. The trick is to convince the audience that you really are making it up on the spot. Ms. Gregory did this, and her performance was enhanced not only by her introduction, but also by her walking down the aisle as she played, and then gracefully sitting on the edge of the stage towards the end.

Next came Kembang Suling (Flute of Flowers) for Flute and Marimba, by Gareth Farr (b.1968.) What a perfect pairing! The marimba is intrinsically a much more compatible partner for the flute than the piano, the harpsichord, or even the harp. (Composers take note!) Ian David Rosenbaum is, like all the performers on this concert, a virtuoso. His ensemble with Ms. Gregory was uncanny to point that one wasn’t always sure which instrument was playing which note. The piece exploited this lovely union while imitating Balinese gamelan music, the sound of the Japanese shakuhachi (a kind of flute),  and the complex rhythms of South Indian music.

Prokofiev’s famous, and famously difficult, Sonata in D major, Op. 94 ended the concert. It was refreshing to hear the fine David Kaplan play with full force and no hint of pussyfooting around to make way for the flute. Ms. Gregory and Mr. Kaplan nailed every virtuoso passage and played the entire piece with heroic abandon. The encore was Fauré’s  Morceau de Concours. It couldn’t have been played more beautifully.

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Vissi D’arte management presents Tamara Radjenović and Djordje Nesić  in Review

Vissi D’arte management presents Tamara Radjenović and Djordje Nesić  in Review

Tamara Radjenović, soprano; Djordje Stevan Nesić, piano
Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
November 9, 2019

On November 9th the twenty-four-year-old Montenegrin soprano Tamara Radjenović, accompanied by Djordje Nesić, gave an unusual and rather uneven recital of mostly opera arias. When I saw the printed program, I was taken aback. I asked the usher where the texts and translations were. “This is all there is,” I was told. It is considered a given that at vocal recitals the texts and translations of all the songs on the program are distributed along with the program. I personally think that this should be the case even when the songs are in English, but not to do so for songs in a foreign language is unacceptable. In addition, we are usually supplied with program notes, which were missing. Ms. Radjenović’s biography was full of grammatical errors and awkward wording.

The program listed the first song as Sposa son disprezzata by Vivaldi. No information was given about the opera in which the aria appears. My investigation revealed that it is part of a pasticcio (an opera consisting of music by many composers) compiled by Vivaldi and entitled Bajazet. A Wikipedia article states that Sposa son disprezzata was composed by Geminiano Giacomelli for his opera Merope. However, another source claims the composer was Francesco Gasparini. In any case, it was not by Vivaldi! I found this aria to be a surprising choice for the beginning of a recital, as one usually begins with something easily singable. Sposa son disprezzata, a slow and tragic aria sung by an abandoned wife, places great demands on breath control and dynamic contrast. Ms. Radjenović, a talented actor, was dramatically convincing. The vocal challenges, however, were somewhat beyond her.

The next selection was “Deh vieni non tardar” from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. This popular aria is well suited to Ms. Radjenović’s charming persona and youthful voice. The next two arias, Prendi, per me se libero from L’eliser d’amore by Donizetti and O! quante volte from Bellini’s I Capulete e i Montecchi, are well-known soprano warhorses, perhaps somewhat overly ambitious for the young Ms. Radjenović. There followed a pleasant and soothing rendition of Chopin’s Nocturne No. 20 in C-sharp minor played by Mr. Nesić.

After intermission, Ms. Radjenović performed Quando me’n vo, from Puccini’s La Boheme. As her appearance suits this role, one could easily imagine her being cast in it at some future point. After all these operatic arias, this listener was glad to hear four works actually written for voice with piano accompaniment. The first three were by the Spanish composers Fernando Obradors and Joaquin Rodrigo. The last of the set, L’énamourée, by Reynaldo Hahn with its lovely simplicity, was particularly effective. Which brings me to my main reservation about this concert. Opera is the very most demanding technically of all vocal music. It demands that one’s vocal technique be fully in place. This is rarely the case when one is twenty-four years old. Even the most experienced opera singers, when giving a vocal recital, usually concentrate on music written originally for voice and piano. It is my opinion that Ms. Radjenović would have more success in performing art songs carefully selected to showcase her artistry as it now stands. Her present accomplishments are not slight. She imparts sincerity, vulnerability and true loveliness of sound in her middle range.

After the Hahn selection, Mr. Nesić continued in the soothing French realm with a beautiful rendition of Debussy’s Clair de Lune. The concert ended with a lively rendition of Je veux vivre from Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette. In response to a standing ovation, her encore was a lively rendition of  Luigi Arditi’s waltz song “Il Bacio.”

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Lynn Spurgat in Review

Lynn Spurgat in Review

Lynn Spurgat,soprano; Jason Wirth, piano
Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
November 5, 2019

I can’t remember a concert that provided as much sheer fun as did the recital performed by Lynn Spurgat and Jason Wirth on November 5 in Zankel Hall. Ms. Spurgat loves nothing better than to have a good time and will spare no effort to assure that her listeners do too. No wonder she draws such large audiences! (See her review from last year in this publication-Lynn Spurgat in Review May 2, 2018) Along with the merriment was fine music-making and tonal beauty. Lynn Spurgat possesses a voice lined with velvet and a charming stage presence.

The program presented five sets of songs, each in a different language. We heard Italian, Russian, French, Spanish, and German. Four selections from Rossini’s Soirees Musicales began the program. Singers often like to begin a recital singing in Italian, as its vowel sounds are highly compatible with vocal production and get the voice into its “groove.” Probably due to nerves, a few of the pitches in the fast arpeggiated passages of the first song “La Pastorella dell’Alpi” were slightly off. Soon, however, Ms. Spurgat’s voice settled in. By the last song, “La Danza” the good times were rolling. This well-known song is a tarantella, whose words exhort people to dance. As the tempo accelerates it becomes increasingly excited. At the end are the words frinche, frinche, (faster, faster) and finally Mamma mia, si saltera (saltera means “will jump”). Ms. Spurgat milked it for all it was worth, raising her arms above her head at the end. The audience laughed and cheered. I hate to throw a wet blanket on such happiness, but I feel I must. After every song in the concert (with one exception – more about that later) the audience applauded. I understand this impulse, of course, but it really should be thwarted. We don’t pay money to listen to sound of clapping. The majority of concert-goers know to wait until the end of the set, but in this matter the minority wins out every time. Let’s start a movement to print the words “Please hold your applause until the end of each set of songs” in a prominent position on the program. Thomas Quasthoff used to make this request from the stage, to my delight.

The rest of the first half was devoted to six songs by Rachmaninoff. What a treat to hear these beautiful works. In this country conservatories make sure that singers are well versed in Italian, French, German, Latin, and sometimes Spanish. Even English diction must be studied. In addition a singer must acquire acting and presentation skills – movement and gesture. Most important, of course, are vocal and general musical skills. Performing the music of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Prokofiev, et al. is no problem for instrumentalists, but for a singer it is a entirely different matter. There just isn’t time to do everything and learning Russian is no easy task. For this reason, the great Russian song repertoire is unjustly neglected by American singers. Her sumptuous voice sounded beautiful and her phrasing was just right for these passionate melodies.

I couldn’t wait for intermission to end to find out what new surprises lay in store. They weren’t long in coming. The audience gasped and applauded when Ms. Spurgat swept onto the stage in a different (and equally beautiful) gown, from the one she wore for the first half. This is common practice among divas, and I applaud it. The visual aspect of a concert is extremely important and having a new beauty upon which to rest the eyes is a joy. But this wasn’t all! Behind Ms. Spurgat came Mr. Wirth, looking dapper in a pink shirt and, as I recall, a vest and bow tie. Hurrah for sartorial equality! As they bowed together, the audience and performers shared a moment of happy laughter at this latest surprise.

Poulenc’s popular and frequently performed Banalités began the second half. Ms. Spurgat made the most of the rather broad Dada comedy of these pieces without crossing the line into over-acting. The fifth song of the set, “Sanglot,” (Sobs) is entirely different. It is full of genuine pathos and tragedy. The contrast with the silliness which precede it made it all the more heart-rending.

After the Poulenc we traveled to Argentina for Cinco Canciones Populares Argentinas by Ginastera. These songs, composed in the midst of political unrest in 1943, make wide use of folk elements and simple melodies, with dance, so often an element in the music of Latin America often stepping to the fore.

For the last set Ms. Spurgat and Mr. Wirth were joined by a chamber ensemble consisting of viola, flute (doubling on piccolo,) trumpet and percussion. Schoenberg’s Cabaret Songs were written in 1901, before his embrace of serialism. Unlike his later works, they are completely tonal and immediately accessible. They were arranged for this ensemble by Colin Britt. Mr. Wirth conducted from the piano. These songs gave Ms. Spurgat opportunities to make use of her well-managed chest voice. During “Bum, bum” of Langsamer Waltzer,  she almost levitated. The audience began to applaud, but was shushed by a drum roll which segued into the last song. As soon as it ended, they sprang to their feet, clapping and whooping. I was the one lonely soul shouting the antiquated bravi.

I have spoken a great deal about Ms. Spurgat and now I must say some words about Jason Wirth. I have heard Mr. Wirth on several occasions and have always been highly impressed. He is a first-rate pianist, a musician of depth and knowledge, and a generous collaborator. A lively encore brought this entertaining evening to a happy close.

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Carnegie Hall presents: “For Justice and Peace” in Review

Carnegie Hall presents: “For Justice and Peace” in Review

Sphinx Virtuosi; J’Nai Bridges, mezzo-Ssoprano; Will Liverman, baritone; Damien Sneed, piano; Chorale Le Chateau
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
October 11, 2019

A packed Carnegie Hall greeted the Sphinx Virtuosi for their annual New York concert on October 11. The program, entitled “For Justice and Peace,” consisted of seven pieces, all of which were in some way related to injustice, protest, and the hope for a better future.  The eighteen -member ensemble more than lived up to its name: the performance  of every composition was on the highest level.

The Sphinx Organization is one of the brightest lights in the cultural firmament of this country.  It was founded twenty-two years ago by Aaron P. Dworkin, who at the time was an undergraduate at the University of Michigan.  He was distressed by the underrepresentation of people of color in classical music and decided to do something about it.  His success has been  phenomenal. The programs under the umbrella of the Sphinx Organization span education initiatives, annual competitions and scholarships, professional performance opportunities, and leadership training and career development. From the beginning violin students in Detroit and Flint elementary schools to the extraordinary recipients of the $50,000 Sphinx Medals of Excellence, Sphinx has empowered musicians of color to succeed onstage and off.

Friday’s program started off with Fuga con Pajarillo,  by the twentieth-century Venezuelan composer Aldemaro Romero. The beginning sounded like Bach, but after a while the Latin rhythm of the pajarillo, a Venezuelan dance form, appeared. After the performance, the concertmaster (and excellent soloist) for this piece, told us that it was  programmed  to celebrate the great musical tradition in Venezuela, his native country, which is presently going through very difficult times.  It was performed with expertise and aplomb, getting the program off to a fine start.

Next we heard the final movement Allegro assai from Bartók’s Divertimento for Strings of 1939. As the program explained, Bartók was an immigrant, fleeing Europe after the rise of Hitler, and hoping to find justice and peace in this country.  He wrote this piece shortly before his departure from Hungary.

After a fine display of virtuosity in the first two selections, there was a calming respite in Philip Herbert’s Elegy: In Memoriam – Stephen Lawrence. Mr. Lawrence was a British man who was killed in a racial incident.  This beautiful work employed harmonic and melodic material from both Barber’s Adagio for Strings and Ravel’s  Pavane for a Dead Princess. And why not? Homage is a respected technique in musical composition, and has been employed  by the greatest composers.  This Elegy was beautiful in its own right, and no doubt drew a tear from more than one eye.

I was intrigued by the title of the next piece, Global Warming. Climate change is certainly a hot topic today, but how could one compose a piece about it?  The answer came from the woman who introduced it- each  composition, after Fuga con Pajarillo,  received an introduction from the stage by one of the performers. Composed shortly after the fall of the Berlin wall, it refers not to climate change but to the “celebration of divergent cultures through their own folk music.” Written with a warm sense of hopefulness about the planet and global relations, it was one of the first works by an African- American composer to be performed by the National Symphony of South Africa after the election of Nelson Mandela. Irish fiddling encountered Middle Eastern modality to their mutual benefit.  For this listener, though, it went on a little too long.

The next piece, from which the concert took its title, was For Justice and Peace, for Violin, Bass, and String Orchestra by the Sphinx Virtuosi’s composer-in-residence and bass player, Xavier Foley. Co-commissioned by the New World Symphony, Sphinx Organization and Carnegie Hall, tonight’s performance marked its New York premiere.  Mr. Foley wrote ,“I felt it was my job to illustrate how the issues of justice and peace remain critical to our society today.”  On this occasion, the Sphinx was joined by the excellent Venezuelan violinist Rubén Rengel, 22,  winner of the 2018 Annual Sphinx Competition.  Mr. Rengel and Mr. Foley, on bass, showed off their great virtuosity on difficult solo lines.  The sound of a gavel, struck by one of the violinists, and quotations from spirituals added to a portrayal of the  justice system and, in Mr. Foley’s words, “certain challenges it faces.”  This deeply affecting work earned a standing ovation.

What could follow this heartfelt tribute? Very fast Schubert, of course!  Shortly before composing the Death and the Maiden Quartet, it turns out, Schubert, along with some rowdy friends, was arrested by the Austrian secret police for “insulting and opprobrious language.” According to the program notes, having this blot on his name was a hindrance to his activities.  Hence Herr Schubert’s anti-oppression bona fides. The final movement, Presto, from the aforementioned quartet was performed with urgent intensity.

The last piece on the program was Our Journey: 400 Years from Africa to Jamestown. This was the first performance of the opening of the opera We Shall Overcome by Damien Sneed.  Two excellent young singers, mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, and baritone Will Liverman, the small but sonorous Chorale Le Chateau, and Mr. Sneed on piano joined the Sphinx for a moving description of the arduous Atlantic crossing, the opening of Mr. Sneed’s opera.  This four-minute excerpt made me want to hear more of this work, which combines African rhythms, spirituals, gospel, jazz, and European musical techniques.

Indeed my only slight reservation about this concert was the short length of all its works.  Besides the Sneed excerpt, the Schubert offering was one movement from a quartet, and the Bartók was a movement of a divertimento.  The average length of a piece was less than eight minutes. As a frequent concertgoer, I am used to hearing at least one work of a substantial length from a Carnegie Hall concert.  Even vocal recitals organize single songs into sets.  There were other unusual aspects to the program as well.  There was no intermission, and midway through the concert a screen was lit and a short film about the Sphinx Organization was shown. Afterwards, the President and Artistic Director, Afa S. Dworkin gave a speech. Then we returned to the music.

Any reservations of mine about the unusual format of this concert were not shared by the audience.  The evening ended with a long and ecstatic ovation.

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Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Lust & La Femme Mystique: Carmina Burana and Music in Celebration of International Women’s Day in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Lust & La Femme Mystique: Carmina Burana and Music in Celebration of International Women’s Day in Review

Lust & La Femme Mystique: Carmina Burana and Music in Celebration of International Women’s Day
Distinguished Concerts Orchestra, Distinguished Concerts Singers International
Hilary Apfelstadt, conductor; Vance George, Conductor Laureate
Penelope Shumate, soprano; Dillon McCartney; tenor; Keith Harris, baritone
Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center; New York, NY
March 10, 2014
 

International Women’s Day was celebrated by Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) with a concert in Avery Fisher Hall employing four hundred sixty-nine choral singers, sixty-three instrumentalists, and three vocal soloists. The first half was a pleasing selection of contemporary pieces for and about women sung by the combined forces of ten choirs from all over the world. And what fine choirs they were! Beautiful sounds, with excellent diction, and near perfect intonation. Clearly these women and their conductors were dedicated to this music, and the music was worthy of their labors. The first piece was Guy Forbesʼ gorgeous Ave Maria. Written for a cappella women’s chorus, this piece should become a classic. It is immediately accessible without being in any way predictable or saccharine. It was followed by another lovely song praising the Virgin Mary, Eleanor Daley’s I Sing of a Maiden, also an a cappella composition. Like all the music on the first half, it was tonal but contained interesting harmonic twists and turns. For the next two songs we were transported south of the border. The Brazilian composer Eduardo Lakschevitzʼs jaunty Travessura was followed by Cancion de los Tsáchilas which is a compilation of four folk songs, cleverly arranged by Michael Sample. The energetic performances of these two works were, unfortunately marred by the loud footsteps of a very large group of audience members who incomprehensibly were allowed to enter while the music was going on. A violin and a cello joined the singers and pianist for two pieces depicting women in moments of reflection, Joan Szymkoʼs Always Coming Home and Jocelyn Hagen’s In the Lavender Stillness of Dawn. Nancy Telferʼs The Blue Eye of God employed breath sounds and whispers. Joy by John Muehleisen brought the first half to a happy conclusion. The ten choir directors are to be applauded for their fine work in preparing their choirs, and kudos to conductor Hilary Apfelstadt for pulling it all together in what must have been a short rehearsal time.

 
DCINY Carmina  Burana

DCINY Carmina Burana

 

The second half was devoted to one of the biggest crowd-pleasers in the choral repertoire, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. Once more the large chorus was the star. It was comprised of two hundred seventy-two singers from seven international choruses, none of whom sang on the first half. The biggest challenge in singing this music is learning the words, which are in Latin and an ancient form of German, and which often must be articulated in rapid fire manner. It takes hours of drill. It was obvious that these choruses and their directors had done their job well. They performed with commitment, confidence, tonal beauty and fine intonation. The large group was alternatively sensitive and powerful. The difficult men’s sextet “Si, Puer cum Puella,” written for solo voices, was wisely performed by all the men. This resolved the intonation and tessitura problems so often encountered in this piece. The women sang the lovely, tender middle section of “Floret silva nobilis” with delicacy and perfect ensemble. I was especially impressed by the splendid Brooklyn Youth Chorus. They sang as one, in perfect tune with beautiful sound. Undaunted by language difficulties, they performed by memory. How wonderful it is to hear the young people of our city demonstrate such musical accomplishment! Their conductor, Dianne Berkun, is surely one of our city’s treasures.

Unfortunately the soloists did not attain the high level set by the choruses. Baritone Keith Harris has a very beautiful voice, but often it wasn’t loud enough to cut through the orchestra. He also tended to sing flat in the soft passages. Soprano Penelope Shumate looked stunning in her strapless red gown as she sauntered provocatively across the stage. However, her high soprano voice was not ideally suited for “In Trutina.” This beautiful, simple, expressive song lies in the low register where her voice isn’t at its best. She was better suited for the high “Dulcissime,” where her tones rang out loud and clear. Before the concert began an announcement was made that the tenor soloist was sick but would nevertheless do his best. As New York City is full of singers, one would think that a healthy high tenor could have been found to serve as his replacement. Fortunately he has only one song, “Cignus ustus cantat” (“The roast swan”) He attempted to compensate for his vocal problems by hamming it up, pretending to conduct, and interacting with the chorus, When his singing voice gave out, he spoke his lines. He did manage to get out a few notes which showed what a lovely instrument is at his disposal on a better day. The forgiving audience applauded his effort.

The conductor, George Vance, held his huge forces together admirably, and the orchestra supported the singers with conviction and fine ensemble. This was a well-paced and exciting performance, which the large audience obviously loved. They leapt to their feet as soon as the lasts notes of the final “O Fortuna” had finished resounding.

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MidAmerica Productions presents: Romance: German and French Romantic Music for Flute and Piano in Review

MidAmerica Productions presents: Romance: German and French Romantic Music for Flute and Piano in Review

Romance: German and French Romantic Music for Flute and Piano
Patrick Gallois, flute; Maria Prinz, piano
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
March 6, 2014
 

MidAmerica Productions is one of the busiest concert presenters in New York, indeed worldwide. In my experience, their concerts are always on a high level and their audiences substantial. Weill Hall was almost full for this recital, no small accomplishment for an instrumental recital in which the performers are not household names. The concert focused on that most beloved musical era, the Romantic period. The first half was focused on German music and the second half, French. The stated goal, according to the program notes, was to “bring listeners to explore another atmosphere in another world.”

First we heard Three Romances, Op. 94, by Robert Schumann. Originally written for oboe, Mr. Gallois, needed to change only a few notes to make them work for the flute. These pieces were presented by Robert to his wife Clara in 1849 as a Christmas present. These lovely “songs without words” no doubt made a hit with their recipient. As we are reminded in the distinctly romantic program notes written by Ms. Prinz, Robert and Clara Schumann’s relationship was ”one of the most famous love stories in music history.” These exquisite, tuneful pieces remind one of Robert Schumannʼs Lieder and could probably be successfully performed on any treble instrument. The second, in the major mode, is especially beautiful. All three were given a sensitive and shapely performance.

The remainder of the first half was devoted to Carl Reineckeʼs Undine Sonata, Op. 167. In addition to being unquestionably “romantic” in style, this piece is distinctly programmatic. Undine was a water spirit who fell in love with a human, was betrayed by him, gave him a fatal kiss and then returned to the water. In the first movement the waves and undulations of the water were clearly depicted in the flute line, played with limpid fluidity by Mr. Gallois, and by the arpeggiated chords in the piano, sensitively executed by Ms. Prinz. The sparkling second movement begins with rapid staccato notes in the flute (Undine is getting excited!) followed by dotted rhythm of the piano (the knight has arrived!) The third movement is a beautiful love duet, played with great feeling by Mr. Gallois and Ms. Prinz. Then, in the fourth movement, the Sturm und Drang of betrayal and retribution are portrayed in rapid scale passages and diminished seventh chords. At the end of the piece we return to the rocking 6/8 meter of the first movement as, like a good Rhine maiden, Undine returns to her original home.

After intermission we heard a lovely Romance, Op. 37, by Camille Saint-Saëns. The flute’s tender melody was played beautifully, and its rapid scales and octave passages were tossed off with aplomb. Next we heard Charles-Marie Widorʼs Suite, Op. 34. The beautiful third movement, entitled Romance, was captivating, and the technical challenges of the finale were deftly managed by both performers. Its second movement is evidently a most effective Scherzo, as it elicited delighted chuckles from the audience.

The last piece on the program was Gabriel Piernéʼs Sonata, Op. 36. Originally this piece was written for violin, however it is often performed on the flute. Indeed, the original sheet music mentions that it can be played by either instrument. During this work, the flute was sometimes overbalanced by the piano, especially towards the end. Perhaps this problem would have been alleviated if the lid of the piano had been moved to the short stick. The lid was fully open for the entire program, but there were no balance problems in previous works.

The audience was obviously enchanted with everything Mr. Gallois and Ms. Prinz did and rewarded them with fulsome applause. The encore was Maurice Ravelʼs “Kaddisch,” from the composer’s Deux Mélodies hébraïques. Originally written for voice and piano, the voice part was transcribed for flute by Mr. Gallois.

 

 

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