Young-Ah Tak, Pianist in Review

Young-Ah Tak, piano
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall
March 8, 2012

Young-Ah Tak

There was a buzz in the air preceding this concert. Was this just an excited audience of friends and colleagues, or was there something about the pianist I didn’t know? My curiosity was peaked. And just a few moments into Young-Ah Tak’s New York debut recital, one realized that something special was happening; we were in the presence of an extraordinary pianist. The program began with a brilliant performance of Muzio Clementi’s Sonata in B-flat Major, Opus 24, No. 2. Here we first heard the characteristics which were to make this a most memorable recital – crystal–clear articulation of rapid passages, beautifully phrased legato melodies, note–perfect octaves. Even the trills, sparkling and energetic, were notable. As you read on, you will see that I was very, very, very impressed by every aspect of Ms. Tak’s playing. But although I want this to be considered a rave review, I must chide her for not repeating the exposition of the first movement of Clementi’s sonata. This repeat is not ad libitum, and leaving it out trivializes the movement, upsets the balance and distorts the structure. I urge her to think about this when performing similar movements in the future.

Next we heard the New York premiere of Judith Lang Zaimont’s “Wizards – Three Music Masters.” Commissioned in 2003 as the required work in the San Antonio International Piano Competition, it is a work which exploits many aspects of pianistic color. Even though—to this listener—this piece was just another example of a 20th/21st century work in which one has no idea why one note follows the other, Ms. Tak’s playing was so convincing that I was sure she was playing exactly what was written in the score. Ms. Zaimont could not have asked for a better performance.

This was followed by scintillating performances of Liszt’s delightful transcriptions of two Schubert songs, “Gretchen am Spinnrade” and “Ständchen von Shakespeare.” Although I would have liked a bit more rhythmic clarity in the left–hand accompaniment of “Gretchen am Spinnrade,” Ms. Tak easily mastered the more difficult Lisztian virtuosic additions to both songs. What fun! The first half ended with a convincing performance of Leon Kirchner’s Piano Sonata No.1 (1948).

The entire second half was devoted to Schubert’s Piano Sonata in C Minor, D.958. Of three magnificent piano sonatas written in the last year of the composer’s all too short life, this dark and strange work is the least performed. And what a pleasure it was to hear Ms. Tak’s superlative rendition. Instead of writing a rhapsodic paragraph, I think my reaction will be made clearer if I just quote from the notes I took during the performance:

First movement: clear left-hand accompaniment during the second theme – so difficult ravishing pp (pianissimo) scales again didn’t repeat exposition
Second movement: singing legato melody with clear rhythmic accompaniment – beautiful!
Third movement: danced, great tension during silences
Fourth movement:thrilling!

After prolonged and well-deserved applause, Ms. Tak’s encore was a mesmerizing performance of Schubert’s Impromptu, Opus 90, No. 3. This was a recital I will long remember.

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by Harry Saltzman  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) in Review

“MESSIAH…REFRESHED!”
Jonathan Griffith, conductor
Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center
November 27, 2011

Distinguished Concerts International New York has long been bringing large choruses to this city to perform in concerts with soloists and a fine freelance orchestra. I have heard them before, usually presenting very exciting performances of contemporary works. And today’s performance of Handel’s “Messiah,” entitled “Messiah…Refreshed!”, did have a 20th century component, as it utilized the Eugene Goosens re-orchestration for full symphony orchestra commissioned by Sir Thomas Beecham in 1959. I was very excited to hear this orchestration again, for I remember enjoying it with great guilty pleasure during my college days. This review will contain no discussion of Baroque performance practice, for this orchestration unashamedly does not care about such things. Historical accuracy was of no interest to Sir Thomas. As he said: “A musicologist is a man who can read music but can’t hear it.”

The performance did not turn out to be a slavish recreation of the 1959 recording by Sir Thomas Beecham. Just as a realistic painter, once he has mastered the rules of perspective and can no longer create convincing primitive landscapes, a fine musician such as Maestro Jonathan Griffith could not allow himself to use the often lugubrious tempi stipulated by Thomas Beecham. Neither could the soloists forget all they have learned about ornamentation. So although the performance was an inconstant recreation, it was far more musical than the original.

The members of today’s chorus, the Distinguished Concerts Singers International, were drawn from choruses located in seven of the United States and two foreign countries. I have been most impressed by the DCINY choruses that I’ve heard in the past. But they never had to negotiate the quick coloratura passages which today’s chorus was called upon to perform. Although their performance of chordal sections was often stirring–on the words “wonderful, counselor” in the chorus “For unto us a child is born”, for instance–the same cannot be said for the sixteenth-note runs which each section is called upon to sing in this and many other movements. I am reminded of another statement by Sir Thomas Beecham, said to have made while exhorting a chorus during a rehearsal of “For unto us a child is born:” “Ladies, please think of the joy of conception, not the pain of childbirth.”  Save for the coloratura sections, the choral singing was more than adequate, what one would expect from over 200 people singing “Messiah.”

The soloists were successful to varying degrees. Countertenor Nicholas Tamanga stood out with his beautiful tone and attention to the meaning of the words. But the use of a countertenor instead of a mezzo-soprano/alto was anomalous, something which didn’t fit into this souped-up-retro-version of “Messiah.” Tenor Ryan MacPherson performed his solos with ease, exhibiting a fine tenor voice in all parts of his range. Bass Michael Scarcelle also sang well, but at times had trouble keeping together with the orchestra. I’ve rejected all of the words which I’ve thought of to describe the singing of soprano Sara Jean Ford, as I don’t want to seem unkind. She was just not up to performing this great Baroque work. Her singing was expressionless, distant, and uncommunicative.

The mighty orchestra was fine, although the timpanist seemed a bit overzealous at times. I chuckled at the cymbal rolls on the words “for he is like a refiner’s fire.” And guiltily enjoyed the flute obbligatos in “O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion.” It is interesting to note that, since in this orchestration the trumpets and timpani were playing a good deal of the time, their impact in the few movements in which they appeared in Handel’s original score was weakened. But the overall sound was thrilling.

I can fully understand why–at the end of the performance–the audience responded with fervent and heartfelt applause. Those who knew members of the chorus were thrilled to hear their friends, neighbors and members of their family performing this great work in a New York concert hall with a huge orchestra under the direction of a fine conductor. For most of the audience, matters of Baroque performance practice were not concerns. Most of the things I have discussed in the preceding paragraphs meant nothing to them, and rightly so; they heard a well-paced performance of a beloved masterwork with a Technicolor orchestration, and they responded accordingly. A good time was had by all, including this reviewer.

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by Harry Saltzman  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Cuarteto Rústico in Review

George Anthony Figueroa, violin
Ariadna Buonviri, violin
Cassandra Stephenson-Sulbarán, viola
Jorge Espinoza, cello
Hosack Hall, New York Academy of Medicine
December 9, 2011

This concert was presented by Musica de Camara, one of whose missions is to present concerts in non- traditional venues, so as to bring great music to under-served communities. Who knew that the New York  Academy of Medicine, located just south of the Museum of the City of New York at Fifth Avenue and E 103rd  Street, housed a wonderful auditorium? And although the armchairs and movie screen at the rear of the stage  indicted that music was not the primary focus of Hosack Hall, I found it a perfect place in which to hear this  fine performance by the Cuarteto Rústico.

The members of the quartet all have Latin American roots (Chile, Columbia, Venezuela and Puerto Rico) and  state as their mission “to promote the origins, history and culture of the Americas through its music.” They  also state that “folk, popular and classical music from Latin America is at the heart of their repertoire.” And  tonight’s concert was true to their mission. It began with a spirited performance of Silvestre Revueltas’ Sting  Quartet No.4, “Música de Feria.” In four quite short movements, this work is “a brash and rowdy picture of  a Mexican rural fair.” Yes, it is brash, rowdy and contains Mexican rhythms and melodies, but I found it a  typical example of quite forgettable twentieth-century “classical music.” I was, however, most impressed by the
playing of this fine quartet – a focused sound at all dynamic levels, beautiful phrasing, a perfect balance among  the instruments.

We then heard the String Quartet No.1 by Heitor Villa-Lobos, the Brazilian master whose music is anything  but forgettable. His harmonic language is unmistakable and quite beautiful, as heard in the first movement,  titled “Cantilena.” Many string quartets strive for a consistently blended, homogeneous sound, and when a  homophonic texture called for it, we heard such a sound from Cuarteto Rústico. But what I liked most about  the quartet’s playing was that each instrument retained its own color, making crystal clear the polyphonic web  which was present in so much to tonight’s music.

Popular music followed; an arrangement for string quartet of Antonio Jobim’s bossa nova, “Chega de  Saudade.” During this work, which went on just a bit too long for this listener, the quartet played with the same  intensity, clarity of texture and fine sound as in the previous “classical” works. The first half ended with Astor  Piazzolla’s “Fuga y Misteri,” an excerpt from the composer’s tango opera “Maria de Buenos Aires.”
After the intermission we heard the concert’s longest work, Mozart’s String Quartet in C Major, K.465. By the  way, it was erroneously listed on the program as String Quartet No.6. It is, however, the composer’s twenty-  second string quartet. The mistake arises from the fact that it is also the last of the six quartets Mozart dedicated  to Haydn and had published in 1785 as Opus 10, No.6. I felt that the tempi in the first and last movements  were too fast, which made for moments of insecure playing. And strangely, although they didn’t repeat the  first movement’s exposition, they did so in the fourth movement. (For my strong feelings about repeating the  exposition, see the second paragraph of my review of the Nov 3, 2011 concert by The Stone River Chamber  Players.)

The concert proper concluded with a wonderful performance of Jorge Figueroa’s jazzy “Salsa Clásica” for  String Quartet. It was followed by an encore recognized by most of the audience, Carlos Gardel’s “Por una  Cabeza.”

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by Harry Saltzman  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Aglaia Koras pianist in Review

Aglaia Koras pianist in Review
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
November 29, 2011

Aglaia Koras

A large and most enthusiastic audience was on hand for this very demanding recital by Aglaia Koras. Works spanning over 150 years of music history, from Bach to Rachmaninoff were performed. She began with Mozart’s Fantasy in D minor, K. 397. My first impression was “too romantic,” as she used lots of pedal and much rubato. The “fantasy” aspects of this piece are built in and don’t need to be exaggerated to be clear. The final D Major section, however, was played with crystalline classical clarity. My curiosity was aroused. What would happen next?

And next were two Impromptus from Schubert’s Opus 90. In the first, No.3 in G-flat Major, we heard an example of a quality of Ms Koras’ playing which, for this listener, was the most memorable aspect of the recital – her beautiful legato playing of lyrical melodies. In addition, the left hand accompaniment, which is so often the weak point in performances of works by Schubert, possessed the same clarity we heard at the end of the Mozart.

What would be Bach’s Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D minor be like? It was thrilling, one of the best performances I’ve heard of this work when played on the piano. In my notes I wrote of the Ms. Koras’ playing: “clear craziness.” I could have done without the exaggerated ritard at the end of the fantasy, but the fugue, which often sounds anticlimactic after the wildness which it follows, was played so that every line in the polyphonic web was clearly delineated – no mean feat.  Towards the end, however, things began to rush and seemed to get out of control, a problem which returned in some of the following works.

The first half concluded with Beethoven’s “Appassionata” Sonata No.23 in F minor, Opus 57. The first and last movements suffered from rushing the already much too fast tempi. My notes said: “out of control.” So on the first half of the recital we saw both positive and negative aspects of Mr. Koras’ playing: beautiful singing legato melodies and clear passage work in both hands vs. rushing and choosing tempi which are so fast as to make everything a blur.  What would the second half bring?

During the Brahms Rhapsody in B minor, Opus 79, No.1 both the good and the bad were again present: a beautifully played middle section with its soft legato melody and clear accompaniment was preceded and followed by quite a mess. The following Chopin Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Opus posthumous was beautifully played, as one would now expect of a soft, lyrical piece on this recital. This is not to infer that Ms Koras does not have the technique to play loud and fast music. To the contrary. In many of tonight’s works she showed that when she chose a tempo that remained within the parameters suggested  by the structure of the music, she played forcefully with no loss of beauty in her sound or control over the clarity of the texture. In the Schubert E-flat Impromptu her finger work in rapid passages was perfect. She made a crescendo in the same Schubert that was breathtaking. But it was her choice of tempi (much too fast) and her inability to control them (rushing) that brought her to grief in the Beethoven, Brahms and in the recital’s final work, Chopin’s Sonata in B-flat minor, Opus 35. And yet, in the b section of the sonata’s funeral-march-third-movement we heard the evening’s most exquisite very, very soft and legato playing. The other movements just didn’t make sense.

Three Chopin encores (a waltz, the “Revolutionary” Etude and the Fantasy Impromptu) followed a tumultuous standing ovation.

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by Harry Saltzman  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

The Stone River Chamber Players in Review

The Stone River Chamber Players in Review
Lynn Rice-See, piano
Andrea Dawson, violin
Christine Kim, cello
Todd Waldecker, clarinet
Steinway Hall, New York, NY
November 3, 2011

 
 

The Stone River Chamber Players is an ensemble-in-residence in the School of Music at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in Murphreesboro, Tennessee. Four of the eighteen members of the ensemble performed on tonight’s concert, which was called “An Evening in New York.” It was the ensemble’s New York debut and was attended by many MTSU alumni, who were celebrating the University’s 100th anniversary.

The concert began with the first of the evening’s three piano trios, Beethoven’s Trio in B flat Major for Clarinet, Violoncello and Piano, Opus 11. The performers, clarinetist Todd Waldecker, cellist Christine Kim and pianist Lynn Rice-See all exhibited a fine sense of ensemble, a trait we heard throughout the evening. Mr. Waldecker and Ms. Kim also played with fine intonation. I was quite surprised when the first movement’s exposition was not repeated. These repeats are not ad libitum, but are an essential part of the musical structure; eliminating them throws the balance of the movement out of kilter.  So often, repeats are omitted because of doubts as to the audience’s attention span. But a performer’s primary responsibility is to the composer, and doubts about an audience cannot justify ignoring the composer’s explicit instruction. The opening theme of the second movement was beautifully played by each of the performers. The third movement is a set of variations on the aria “Pria ch’io l’impegno” (“Before I go to work”) from an opera then popular in Vienna by Joseph Weigl. I found the variations quite funny, with sweet, angry, mock serious and heroic treatments of the tune. But the performers didn’t bring out the humor I think Beethoven intended, and gave a technically proficient but bland performance. By the way, a translation of the entire first line of the aria is “Before I go to work, I must have something to eat.”

Aram Khachaturian’s Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano (1932), a pleasant work full of orientalisms, followed. During this work violinist Andrea Dawson played with fine intonation and exhibited the same strong sense of ensemble as did her colleagues during their playing of the Beethoven.

After a short pause came the evening’s longest work, Schubert’s monumental Trio in B flat Major for Violin, Violoncello and Piano, D.898. The performers played the opening theme with great passion. But again, the exposition was not repeated.  In the second movement, a study in the use of the appoggiatura, in most phrases the string players gave more weight to the final consonant note than to the dissonant note which preceded it. This is backwards – one leans upon (Italian: appoggiare) the dissonant note and relaxes on the final consonance. Not doing this weakens the arch of the phrase. And in the third and fourth movements, the music just didn’t dance enough.

The audience loved the performances by these obviously excellent instrumentalists.  But I would have hoped for more inequality to the weight of the downbeats, more shape (forward thrust followed by relaxation) to the phrases.  It should be noted, however, that the vast majority of most audiences are not consciously aware of the things I felt warranted what I hope will be taken as constructive criticisms. This is an example of the disparity which often exists between what the musically trained reviewer writes about and what the audience experiences. It also should be noted that while one can praise in a few words, criticisms rarely take less than a few sentences to express.

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by Harry Saltzman  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Michael Kelly, Baritone in Review

Michael Kelly, Baritone in Review
Jonathan Ware, pianist
Merkin Concert Hall, New York, NY
October 24, 2011
Michael Kelly

Michael Kelly

After the first of the five Schubert songs which began this recital, it was easy to see why Michael Kelly was Joy in Singing’s 2011 Award winner. In “Hoffnung” he exhibited all of the qualities one looks for during an evening of song – a strong and communicative stage presence, beauty of tone in all registers, clear diction and, most important for this reviewer, careful attention to expressing the meaning of the words. This latter skill was especially evident during the strophic songs, that is, songs in which Schubert sets each verse of a poem to the same music (“Drang in die Ferne,” “Frühlingsglaube,” and the aforementioned “Hoffnung.) Mr. Kelly’s subtle changes of tone color, volume and articulation made the meaning of each verse clear.  During the fourth song, “Versunken,” pianist Jonathan Ware shone with his crystal-clear rapid scales. His subtle accompaniments were equally impressive during the other songs. It was during this fast fourth song that Mr. Kelly exhibited a slight flaw that I find present in many a baritone Lieder singer – it was often hard to tell the pitch of many of the loud fast notes, as they sounded more “barked” than sung. This sound is acceptable when it is used sparingly to express a word or a thought.  But it happened too often for that to be the reason. This was, however, a tiny flaw in what was a beautifully sung program.

I always arrive at concerts early so that I can have time to decompress after the subway journey and then read the program notes before the concert begins.  Upon reading the notes written by Mr. Kelly it became clear that his sexual orientation, his “journey to self-acceptance,” his coming out, his feelings of solidarity with others who have experienced what he has – all of these influenced his choice of the music for this concert. Whether it is appropriate to express such personal matters in the program notes of Joy in Singing’s 2011 Award Concert is not going to be part of my review. But I’m afraid I must comment about a statement Mr. Kelly made about Schubert – “I combed through nearly all of his over 600 songs to find poems that could express my journey to self-acceptance and eventually the ability to love in the way my heart was demanding.” All well and good, but it should be noted that the subjects of the poems set by Schubert are universal – love, loss and loneliness, for instance. Mr. Kelly continues – “In collecting these songs I often wondered if Schubert himself chose these poems for the reason I did.” To this reviewer, such speculation about the sexual orientation of a dead composer is prurient and irrelevant.

“Love Remained,” a setting by Ben Moore (b.1960) of three speeches by men active in the gay rights movement and a poem by Mr. Kelly followed. It was given an impassioned performance.

 After the intermission we first heard six songs by American composers. Two of them, “Fur” and “George,” were from William Bolcom’s “Cabaret Songs.” As the name of the collection infers, they were in a very accessible pop-style, as was Kurt Weill’s “Schickelgruber.” By the way, I think any song about Hitler (he changed his name from Schickelgruber) is in very bad taste. Isn’t that the premise of Mel Brook’s “The Producers?” And Mr. Kelly’s program note (“I chose this song as a reminder that power is wielded over others based on how they are perceived more than how apt they are to use it.”) did not change my mind. All three of the light songs were sung with the same high level of musicianship and fine sense of style as were the evening’s more serious songs. Mr. Ware was again an equal partner in the performances. The evening’s one overtly homoerotic song was Ned Rorem’s setting of a selection from Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass.” The most moving performances in this set were of two slow songs, Ben Moore’s “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” and Erich Korngold’s “Tomorrow.”

 The concert concluded with Francis Poulenc’s “Tel Jour Telle Nuit,” settings of nine poems by the symbolist poet, Paul Eluard. After very long and fervent applause we heard two beautifully sung and beautifully played encores, both slow and expressive – Rachmaninoff’s “In the Silence of the Secret Land” and Samuel Barber’s “Oh Boundless, Boundless Night.”

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by Harry Saltzman  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

The Mirror Visions Ensemble in Review

The Mirror Visions Ensemble in Review
Merkin Concert Hall, New York, NY
October 23, 2011
Mirror Visions Ensemble

Mirror Visions Ensemble

The name “mirror vision” refers to the ensemble’s initial interest in performing multiple settings of a single text. One such “mirror vision” was performed on this concert. We also heard two commissioned works, something which has become an important part of the ensemble’s mission. Many of The Mirror Visions Ensemble’s concerts have a unifying theme; tonight’s program was called “Aphrodite and Athena: A Portrait in Music of Isabella Stewart Gardner.” It was introduced by the ensemble’s artistic director, Tobé Malawitsa. As is most often the case with pre-performance speeches, it was too long, and was delivered in a somewhat disorganized fashion which did not compare favorably with the well-prepared musical performances which followed. In addition, some of the comments were just a rehash of the program notes. But I am happy to report that the comments and readings which Ms. Malawitsa offered between the concert’s sets were interesting, cogent, and skillfully delivered. On the other hand, I am not happy to report that throughout the concert the house lights were so low as to make it almost impossible to read the texts and translations in the printed program. It is strange that, after going to the trouble of printing the texts and translations, a little time during the dress rehearsal wasn’t set aside to make sure that there would be enough light in the house so that the  audience could comfortably read  them. It is also strange that, after attempting to break down the “wall between audience and performers” with a chatty pre-concert speech, the “wall” was reconstructed by performing on a brightly lit stage to a darkened audience.

 The four members of The Mirror Visions Ensemble (soprano Vira Slywotsky, tenor Scott Murphree, baritone Jesse Blumberg and pianist Alan Darling) are all wonderful performers, as we heard during the recital’s solo songs. Not only do all the singers have fine voices and clear diction, they use these attributes skillfully in communicating the meaning of the words. However the lack of light, which made reading the translations impossible, effectively foiled their valiant efforts. I loved the way they worked as an ensemble during the concert’s three commissioned works (two by Christopher Berg and one by Scott Wheeler) and in Mr. Wheeler’s “The Stairway of Jade.” Most impressive was how, during consonant chordal passages, they eliminated the warm vibrato which served them well as soloists so as to enable us to hear with clarity what chords they were singing. And Alan Darling is an extraordinary accompanist – both supportive and, where called for, virtuosic. His playing during Henri Duparc’s “Le gallop” and Joaqin Nin’s “Malagueña” was especially memorable.

The concert began and ended with commissioned works by Christopher Berg. We first heard “Incominciam,” a setting of part of Canto II of Dante’s “Inferno.” It is skillfully written in an accessible, mildly dissonant language which is leavened by consonant chords. I especially enjoyed the concert’s closing work, Mr. Berg’s “En Paz,” a setting of a poem by Amando Nervo. Built on an ostinato bass, which the composer told me “wanders,” its rhythmic and harmonic language delightfully reflects the poet’s Mexican heritage.

The other commissioned work was Scott Wheeler’s “Letters to Isabella,” settings for solo singer and piano of letters to Ms. Gardner. The first, from Henry James, was recitative-like while the second and third were rather cute settings of whimsical letters from the poet Paul Bourget and Ms. Gardner’s spiritual mentor, Kakuzo Okakura. This was followed another work by Mr. Wheeler, ”The Stairway of Jade,” a setting of a poem by Mr. Okakura. Both Mr. Berg and Mr. Wheeler are very kind to singers as they write idiomatically for the voice.

Care must be taken when putting together a program with a theme, because one is often tempted to choose pieces just because they fit the theme rather than for their musical merit. Of the eighteen works we heard tonight, only four are, in my opinion, of lasting musical interest. (I exclude the works of Mr. Berg and Mr. Wheeler because, as Zhou Enlai said when asked about the impact of the 1968 students’ riots in Paris: “It’s too soon to say.”) The others are ok, but four out of fifteen is not the ratio I look when attending a concert.

And as to the four works of lasting musical merit, the evening’s finest solos were Jesse Blumberg’s masterful performances of “Die Mainacht” by Brahms and “Im Abendrot” by Schubert, and Vira Slywotsky’s rendition with thrilling high notes of Debussy’s “Musique.” The concert’s highpoint was Monteverdi’s “Zefiro torna,” performed with verve and technical precision by Scott Murphree and Jesse Blumberg. No mind that it was too fast (the syncopations in the bass ostinato were not clear at the chosen tempo) and that Mr. Darling’s virtuosic continuo realization (in the transposed key of G flat!) was not quite baroque. This was memorable music making.

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by Harry Saltzman  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

SongFusion in Review

SongFusion in Review
Christ Church, New York, NY
October 7, 2011

SongFusion

For this concert, the five members of SongFusion (sopranos Victoria Bowers and Mary Mackenzie, baritone Michael Kelly, pianists Liza Stepanova and Kathleen Tagg) were joined by seven guest artists in a program titled “Uncommon Prayer, An Evening of Art Songs Exploring Spirituality Around the Globe.” From beginning to end we heard fine performances by thirteen highly skilled musicians who had clearly worked very hard to put together and rehearse this well-constructed recital. 

In the printed program we read that “SongFusion is a New York-based ensemble dedicated to presenting a wide range of art song repertoire in innovative ways.” The key word here is “innovative.” The first two of these innovations – “programs that explore familiar themes from unexpected angles” and “collaborating with instrumentalists…” – have been part of many art song recitals for quite a long time, and do not create a radical break with earlier traditions. Three other types of collaborators were listed – dancers, actors and visual artists –but none of these were present on tonight’s recital.

 The first set of the evening was called “Religious Songs,” and began with a performance of Maurice Ravel’s “Kaddish,” a setting in Hebrew of the mourner’s prayer. Baritone Michael Kelly performed the work from the left side of a darkened stage which was lit only by candles. This led me to expect that lighting effects would be an important part of the “innovative” nature of this concert. But attempts at “dramatic lighting” only appeared during the six “Religious Songs.” Mr. Kelly, accompanied by pianist Lisa Stepanova, gave us a heartfelt performance of “Kaddish.” His voice is expertly produced with beautiful colors in all parts of his range. Unfortunately, the house lights were also out, making it impossible to read the well laid-out texts and translations in the printed program.

Three songs by Hugo Wolf, arranged for soprano and organ by Max Reger, followed. Quite diatonic, I would never have guessed that these works were by Wolf. But they gave a chance for guest performer Ryan Jackson to show us what the Christ Church organ can do. They were sung with warmth and poise by soprano Mary Mackenzie. The first set concluded with two selections from “Four Hymns” for tenor, viola and piano by Ralph Vaughan-Williams, performed by guest artists Brenton Ryan, tenor, and Edward Klorman, viola, with SongFusion pianist Kathleen Tagg. Although Vaughan-Williams is thought to have what many think is a rather bland harmonic style, I found these pieces far more interesting than the Wolf songs. Mr. Ryan sang beautifully, with confident and well-produced high notes. The sense of ensemble between the various performers in this and all other works on this concert was of the highest quality.

The rest of the first half was called “A Portrait of Composer Libby Larsen.” We heard “Saints Without Tears” (1976) performed with fine diction and sparkle by soprano Victoria Bowers and guest artists Henrik Heide, flute and Heungwon Oh, bassoon; “Lord. Make Me an Instrument” (1996) performed by Michael Kelly and Lisa Sepanova, and “Donal Oge” (2011) performed by Mary Mackenzie and Kathleen Tagg. This was the New York premiere of this last work, commissioned by SongFusion. This set was preceded by a rambling and effusive paean to the composer, delivered by a member of SongFusion. I know that performers have been urged to “break down the barrier” between themselves and the audience by speaking between musical numbers. Unfortunately, this evening, these intra-performance speeches were embarrassingly amateurish, in contrast to the thoroughly professional singing and playing. And although the performances of Larsen’s music were up to the standard of that of the previous works, I find her music uninteresting. But the house lights were finally raised so that from now on we could read the printed texts.

The major set of the second half was called “The Spirit of Foreign Lands.” Although the texts of two of the three sets of songs, Karol Szymanowski’s “Songs of the Infatuated Muezzin” (Arabia) and John Harbison’s “Mirabai Songs” (India) fit in quite well with the concert’s theme of “Spirituality Around the Globe,” I’m not sure how the erotic, anti-colonialist, exotic texts of Ravel’s “Chansons Madégasses” belong. But no matter, as this was one of the concert’s high points. Guest artist mezzo-soprano Naomi O’Connell’s rich voice beautifully conveyed the sensuality and passion of these wonderful Ravel songs, and she was ably supported by flutist Henrik Heide, cellist Andrew Janass and SongFusion pianist Lisa Stepanova.

A short Epilogue, the vocal quartet with piano: “Two Priests” from John Musto’s “Book of Uncommon Prayer,” brought the concert to a rollicking conclusion.

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by Harry Saltzman  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Birmingham Symphonic Winds in Review

Birmingham Symphonic Winds in Review
Keith Allen, conductor
Alice Tully Hall; New york, NY
April 17, 2011

Birmingham Symphonc Winds

 

 In the last three years I have reviewed three superb choral ensembles brought to New York by Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY.) The high standards of DCINY were again reflected in this performance by the Birmingham Symphonic Winds (BSW). Founded in 1992 by conductor Keith Allen, this forty-five member English group was begun to “meet the demands of players in the area to perform with a high quality wind ensemble.” And one couldn’t ask for higher quality playing. From beginning to end, this very youthful ensemble played with perfect intonation and beautiful blend. The conducting of maestro Keith Allen was unobtrusive and precise. And his comments between movements created a warm bond with the very enthusiastic audience.

 Titled “Atlantic Crossing,” the concert featured eleven works by British and American composers. It opened with a rousing performance of “Second City Ceremony” by Phillip Sparke, the title alluding to Birmingham’s relationship to London, England’s “first city.” Designed as a concert-opener, this work was one the five BSW commissions we heard this afternoon. Upon hearing the fortissimo opening fanfare, I worried that the sound produced by the ensemble at full throttle was too loud for Tully Hall. And although this feeling returned once or twice during the concert, these loud sounds were never harsh or even edgy. They were unforced and viscerally exciting, if at times a bit too much for this listener’s ears

 Another commission followed, Nigel Hess’s “Shakespeare Pictures.” The first movement used the same jazzy language we heard in “Second City Ceremony,” the second featured lovely playing by the solo woodwinds, while the third juxtaposed perfectly blended sounds by the brass and woodwind choirs, something which we would hear throughout the afternoon. “Prelude from 49th Parallel,” part of an orchestral film score written in 1941 by Ralph Vaughan Williams, was then performed in a transcription for band by Leroy Osmon. During this work I found the BWS’s playing to be wonderfully expressive.

  Although a bit more dissonant than the works by Sparke and Hess which preceded it, Guy Woolfenden’s “Divertimento for Band” featured more of the same jazzy language and, in the last movement, a similarly easy-listening-melody. Emma Stockdale’s second movement flute solo was quite beautiful. Mr. Sparke’s “A Weekend in New York” then called on all the big-city clichés, including bent minor thirds. I found the performance a bit stiff, especially the sections which should swing.

 A fourth BSW commission ended the concert’s first half, and what an ending it was! Martin Ellerby’s “The Canticle of the Sun”, a work for solo percussion and concert band composed in 2006, was written for this afternoon’s soloist, Simone Rebello. While a piano soloist sits at a keyboard and a violinist stands in one spot, Ms. Rebello moved between the many instruments which stretched from one side of the stage to the other. She used a violin bow on the vibraphone, she expressively played chords on the marimba using four mallets, she perfectly executed very rapid scales on the xylophone, she played drums, cymbals and crotales. It was a pleasure to listen to and a thrill to watch.

The oldest work on the concert began the second half, a transcription for wind orchestra (sic!) of “Jupiter” from “The Planets” by Gustav Holst. Although it was composed almost one-hundred years ago, it seemed to me that many of the more contemporary works heard on the first half of this concert, save for being a bit more dissonant, utilized a similar musical language. Next we heard two movements from another work with soloist, Karl Jenkins’s “Euphonium Concerto,” featuring David Childs. I have a soft spot for the euphonium, having always marveled at its ability to sound like singing. And that’s just what Mr. Childs accomplished during his performance of the Romanza as his expressive phrasing was the kind that you would hear in song performed by a great baritone. And yes, in the last movement we heard him play at a speed that even a trumpet player would have difficulty reaching. The audience marveled at this display, but I found the rapid line to be blurry. This was not the performer’s fault – it’s the physics of a very long tube.

After the concert’s first American work and another BWS commission, the regular program concluded with John Philip Sousa’s “Humoresque on Swanee.” These humorous variations on George Gershwin’s first big hit, followed by an encore, Gershwin’s “Strike up the Band,” brought this wonderful concert to a rip-roaring happy conclusion. 

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by Harry Saltzman  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Stavanger Symphony Orchestra in Review

Stavanger Symphony Orchestra in Review
Fabio Biondi, Conductor and Soloist
Stern Hall at Carnegie Hall
March 23, 2011

 

The first movement allegro of Vivaldi’s Concerto in G minor for violin, two oboes, two flutes, bassoon and strings, RV 577, which began this evening’s concert by the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, was preceded by an allegro entrance on to the stage by the orchestra’s Artistic Director for baroque and classical repertoire, the violinist and early music conductor Fabio Biondi. Here you sensed someone in complete control who was very eager to get to the work at hand. And his work was both as violinist and, using his bow and body, conductor. After hearing the Vivaldi, it was clear that the orchestra, although playing modern instruments, had mastered the elements of baroque style and had presented a performance of which any early-music band would be proud. There was, however, a problem of balance which continued throughout the evening, and it wasn’t the fault of an instrumentalist or his instrument. In the vastness of Carnegie Hall, one just couldn’t hear the harpsichord when anything else was going on, even when sitting in the parquet. (I had experienced the same problem the night before while sitting in the balcony during the Bach Collegium Japan’s performance of Bach’s Mass in B minor.)

Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 4 in D Major, BWV 1069 followed. I especially enjoyed the middle three movements. These baroque dances are a special test for the conductor, in that one has very little leeway as to tempo and mood. The performances were perfect. And in a smaller hall, the two outer movements would have been perfect also. But in Carnegie Hall, the tempo of the 9/8 section of the first movement was just too fast, and many details, even when played by such a superb orchestra, often sounded blurred. By the way, the stratospheric trumpets were flawless!

The first half ended with excerpts from Johan Helmich Roman’s “Music for a Royal Wedding at Drottningholm 1744.” Roman (1694-1758) is considered to be the first important Scandinavian composer, thus I can understand including his music on this concert. It received the same beautifully wrought and stylistically correct performance as did all the other works, but it’s just not in the same league with the music of Vivaldi, Bach, Haydn and Mozart. That not withstanding, I think it might have made a stronger impression if it had been programmed before and not after the Bach 

After the intermission we heard Haydn’s Violin Concerto No.2 in G Major, and in this early Haydn work Maestro Biondi shone in his other role as soloist.  This is not the place for a long discussion of the use of a lute or harpsichord continuo in works of the classical era, but let it be said that the lute, beautifully played by Giangiacomo Pinardi, was audible and very effective during the slow second movement. But during other movement’s forte passages, no sound reached the audience. While Mr. Pinardi left the stage before the Mozart Symphony No. 36 in C Major, K.424, the harpsichordist stayed and remained, as before, inaudible. This performance of Mozart’s “Linz” Symphony was for me the high point of the concert, especially the elegantly played second movement. What a perfect tempo!

So often, today’s symphony orchestras pay lip service to stylistically correct performances of baroque and classical music by just playing these works with reduced forces. Kudos to the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra for realizing that this is just not enough. It would be a shame, with all we have recently learned about the proper way to perform this music, if more symphony orchestras did not follow the Stavanger model.

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by Harry Saltzman  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY