The Gurdjieff Ensemble, Leading Group Specializing in Ancient and Medieval Music, set to Make Debut American Tour

The Gurdjieff Ensemble, Leading Group Specializing in Ancient and Medieval Music, set to Make Debut American Tour

Gurdjieff Ensemble to Perform in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, Presented by AGBU

The Gurdjieff Ensemble, one of the leading groups in the world specializing in ancient and medieval music from the East, will be making their first American Tour to three major cities this September sponsored by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU)

The internationally acclaimed Gurdjieff Ensemble was founded by Armenian musician Levon Eskenian in 2008 with the intention of bringing the music of the Armenian philosopher, author and composer Georges I. Gurdjieff back to its ethnic inspirational sources.

The Ensemble consists of Armenia’s leading musicians playing traditional instruments. Their debut album on ECM Records, “Music of Georges I. Gurdjieff,” was widely acclaimed, and won prestigious awards including the Edison Award in the Netherlands.

They have been touring the world with sold out appearances at major festivals and concert halls in Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Russia and South America, and will bring their music to American audiences for the first time in September with concerts in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

G.I. Gurdjieff, born in Armenia, is known to many in the West as one of the major spiritual figures of the 20th century.  He was a musician, philosopher, choreographer, and writer, and his extensive musical repertoire was based on the music he heard while traveling in Armenia, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and many parts of Central Asia, India and North Africa, where he witnessed a myriad of folk and spiritual music, rituals and dance traditions.

With their second album, “Komitas,” also on ECM Records, the Ensemble turned their attention to the music of Komitas Vardapet (1869-1935). Composer, ethnomusicologist, arranger, singer and priest, Komitas is popularly held to be the founder of contemporary music in Armenia, and in his work as a collector he explored the connections that uniquely bind together Armenian sacred and secular music.

“This year we mark the 150th anniversary of Komitas and the AGBU Performing Arts is presenting the Gurdjieff Ensemble from Armenia for a debut tour in the biggest cities of America.  We are extremely excited for the chance to share this special music with the US audiences,” said Eskenian.

Eskenian collected piano and vocal works and arranged them for traditional instruments, thereby enhancing and preserving their authenticity. The resulting music allows the Gurdjieff Ensemble, performing on more than 16 traditional Armenian and Eastern instruments, to illuminate the deep roots of Komitas’s and Gurdjieff’s works.

Tickets can be purchased at https://agbu.org/events/.

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Edward Auer and Junghwa Moon Auer: Schumann CD in Review

Edward Auer and Junghwa Moon Auer: Schumann CD in Review

Edward Auer and Junghwa Moon Auer: Schumann CD in Review
Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 12 – Junghwa Moon Auer, Piano
Schumann: Fantasie, Op. 17 – Edward Auer, Piano
Producers: Edward Auer and Junghwa Moon Auer
Culture/Demain Recordings (no catalog mumber)
Total timing: 59:27

Edward Auer is a Juilliard graduate who serves on the faculty of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. Junghwa Moon Auer, his wife, a graduate of Yeonsei University in Korea and the New England Conservatory, is coordinator of the Edward Auer Piano Workshop at the Jacobs School, and a member of the artist faculty at Roosevelt University.

This new CD shows the Auers to be pianists of polish and refinement who both understand the idiom of Schumann’s music. The piano sound is good, and both pianists play with marvelous tone throughout.

Junghwa Moon Auer’s performance of Des Abends, the first piece in the Fantasiestücke, has a lovely calm, and subtle use of rubato. In Aufschwung, she brings out the contrasting moods of the different sections, such as the stately part in B-flat major, as opposed to the threatening buildup which leads to the return of the dramatic first  theme.

Warum? is, perhaps, a bit slow, but has some beautiful soft playing, and an intriguing interplay of the voices. Grillen is slightly understated, yet jocular. (The marking does say Mit Humor!)

The night can be scary, and Ms. Auer shows this in In der Nacht, though, with her sensitivity to different colors, the F major middle section is a wonderful  “escape” from the tension and tumult of the rest of the movement. Fabel, another piece of contrasts, is very effectively played. Traumes Wirren, which in some performances throws sparks all around, strikes this listener as light-hearted, but a bit sedate. The last movement, Ende vom Lied, is very fine, with a strong beginning, an energetic middle section in B-flat major, and a peaceful end.

After the loud, swirling beginning of the first movement of the Fantasie, Edward Auer plays a bit slower than one might expect, but everything “works.” The F major theme is eloquent, and the syncopated section which follows sounds appropriately improvisatory. There is a natural sounding emotional underpinning to everything he does in this movement. The last section, in C major, is slow, expressive, and deep.

The second movement is played at a strong, moderate tempo. Parts of the middle do seem a bit slow. The coda is certainly well-played, though some pianists take a more daring tempo.

Mr. Auer’s playing of the last movement is a spacious and calm unfolding of the material. In addition to the dynamic contrasts, which are effectively brought out, there is a sensitivity to coloristic possibilities as the work modulates. There is a very fine buildup in the last section, and then Mr. Auer goes “back down the other side of the mountain” to a beautiful, soft conclusion.

Donald Isler for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

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Adrienne Haan’s Voluptuous Weimar – A Tribute To Berlin’s Golden Age in Review

Adrienne Haan’s Voluptuous Weimar – A Tribute To Berlin’s Golden Age in Review

Adrienne Haan, Cabaret Singer
Richard Danley, Musical Director
Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks
Joe’s Pub, New York, NY
October 17, 2018

 

 

Cosmopolitan actress and singer Adrienne Haan presented her exciting, stimulating, and inspiring show, Voluptuous Weimar – A Tribute To Berlin’s Golden Age at Joe’s Pub in Manhattan for a one night engagement on Wednesday, October 17 to an enthusiastic packed house. Accompanying Ms. Haan was not only her superb musical director/ pianist Richard Danley, but the astounding Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks. Ms. Haan made her entrance onstage to thunderous applause. In true Weimar fashion, she wore a sleeveless, shimmering short red dress. In addition, she sported a very short hair style with a headband complete with a beauty mark and accentuated eye makeup. Ms. Haan began her program with the very bouncy yet topical song Alles Schwindel (It’s All a Swindle). In that opening number, Ms. Haan quickly ingratiated herself with the audience not only with her beauty and charm and her wide, diverse vocal range, but also with her complete knowledge and understanding of the material she was interpreting. In that opening song, one heard her lovely soprano voice, but she also proved that she could project that well-known guttural sound so associated with legendary artists as Marlene Dietrich and Edith Piaf. Immediately after finishing the song, Ms. Haan smoothly segued into her next number, Sex Appeal , by giving a brief description as to what the theme of her show was about – Berlin’s Golden Age beginning directly after the first World War in 1918 when Germany’s economy collapsed. By 1923 the situation became so desperate that decadence became more prominent in Berlin. Social and sexual values were changing and, in Ms. Haan’s words, “millionaires had become paupers”.

Then by the mid-1920’s, the women’s movement and the gay movement had made their presence well-known in Berlin, especially in the artistic world where creative geniuses like Kurt Weill, Fritz Lang, and Josef Von Sternberg were flourishing. She then sang Ich bin die fesch Lola (They call me naughty Lola), the Friedrich Hollaender song made famous by Marlene Dietrich in the classic 1930 Von Sternberg film The Blue Angel. In her version, Ms. Haan began the song with a slow tempo and then gradually drifted into the more rowdy way audiences were used to hearing Dietrich sing it. Ms. Haan then sang what later became Dietrich’s most famous song, Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuss auf Liebe eingestellt (Falling in Love Again), also from The Blue Angel, while seductively sidling up to her pianist Richard Danley on the piano bench. She began the song in sprechgesang (spoken singing) form, and then when she reached the chorus she sang it full-out in German and English. Saxophonist Dan Levinson and violinist Andy Stein were featured very effectively in this number. The next song, Jonny, wenn du Geburtstag hast was also written by Hollaender for Dietrich. In setting up the song, Ms. Haan said that by the early thirties, Berliners loved anything American – Jazz, Josephine Baker, and Hollywood, particularly Johnny Weismuller. As a result, at that time, all Berlin girls called their lovers “Jonny”. In her interpretation of the song, Ms. Haan blithely walked through the audience like a charming free spirit and playfully flirted with a few men by kissing them or playfully tousling their hair. She also sang the song in both German and English.

Before singing Irving Berlin’s Blue Skies, Ms. Haan mentioned that Josephine Baker’s recording of that song was so popular that it resonated throughout France and Germany, and was played in all of the dance halls in both countries. It was a lovely upbeat version with Vince Giordano, himself beautifully soloing on bass saxophone. She followed up with another Irving Berlin song, Cheek to Cheek. In both songs, Ms. Haan’s lovely soprano voice was beautifully showcased. Note: Even though Ms. Haan saluted both Dietrich and Baker by singing their songs or songs they made popular, she wisely made no attempt at imitation, but made each selection her very own. She then mentioned that in 1932, when Cole Porter’s song Night and Day reached Germany, it became very popular in Berlin. Her rendition evoked not only the lovely lush melody that was so representative of the early thirties, but also the impending shadow of Nazism that was just about to take over Germany and, later, most of Europe. For the novelty song, Ich bin ein Vamp (I am a Vamp) , Ms. Haan referred to the big cabaret club in Berlin in the 1930’s, El Dorado. It was there she said that one looked for the pleasures of “one night”. Another Friedrich Hollaender number written for Dietrich, Ich Weiss nicht zu wem ich gehore (I don’t know who I belong to), was a lovely torch song in which Ms. Haan again showed off her fine range and dramatic talents.

Then in a complete change of pace, Ms. Haan, Mr. Danley, and Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks pulled out all the stops with a dynamite version of the classic Big Band number Sing, Sing, Sing. Before presenting this song, Ms. Haan revealed that the German youths admired anything American and British, and this number proved to be so popular that when the song reached Berlin in 1939, the Swing Youth Group was formed in Hamburg, however the group had to be circumspect and kept “underground,” because any swing music was considered Entartete Musik (degenerate music) in Nazi Germany. In her interpretation of this number, Ms. Haan sparkled, bubbled, shimmied, and percolated all over the stage with sex appeal and sensual abandon looking like she was ready to explode with excitement. The number also showcased Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks especially the marvelous Paul Wells doing masterful work on percussion. It was electrifying. Ms. Haan and the musicians followed that volcanic excitement with a delightful treatment of the 1932 song Bei mir bistu shein with Ms. Haan singing in both German and English. This was another song that was embraced by the Swing Youth Group, who were captivated by the Andrews Sisters’s recording. In Ms. Haan’s hands, the number was not only of one of the many highlights of the evening, but was also a wonderful showcase for trumpeter Mike Ponella.

In singing These Foolish Things, Ms. Haan said the song was also very much a favorite of the Swing Youth Group. She sang it very soulfully, digging deep into its lyrics and showing the tenderness, longing, and beauty in the song. It was very moving and touching – and thankfully, quite original!!

Puttin’ On The Ritz proved to be the perfect ending to an enchanting, enlightening, and overall, a most enjoyable and entertaining evening of cabaret. It was a fun version with Ms. Haan and her musicians obviously enjoying themselves and each other. For her encore, Ms. Haan sang another song strongly associated with Marlene Dietrich, Lili Marleen (later Lili Marlene). However it was not originally written for Dietrich. The music was actually composed during World War I and the lyrics were not written until 1938 on the eve of World War II. In her many appearances entertaining the troops during World War II and later in her concerts, it became Dietrich’s second most popular song next to Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuss auf Liebe eingestellt (Falling in Love Again). Again, Ms. Haan made her version of this song her very own and sang it with the right amount of love sentiment, sadness, and hope.

Kudos to Richard Danley and Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks for their brilliant accompaniment and musicianship. And most of all, huge kudos to Adrienne Haan for giving us so much pleasure and joy in the wonderful songs she sang and for her superb artistry as a sterling and riveting cabaret performer. I do hope that Joe’s Pub brings this inspired and innovative show back again. More!! More!! Bravo!!

Richard Holbrook for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

 

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SubCulture presents Ian Hobson: Sound Impressions: The Piano Music of Claude Debussy & Maurice Ravel in Review

SubCulture presents Ian Hobson: Sound Impressions: The Piano Music of Claude Debussy & Maurice Ravel in Review

Ian Hobson, piano
SubCulture, New York, NY
February 7, 2018

 

Ian Hobson continued with the third of his six-concert complete presentation of Debussy and Ravel works for solo piano, and on this occasion it struck me that his spirit was much more aligned with the material than it had been back in November. He created many ravishing moments, mainly due to his excellent fleet technique. My “wish list” for him would be that he explore the pianissimo (and lower) dynamics more—I didn’t feel like I really heard enough utterly soft sounds; and that he take more time, don’t push every tempo (this I had said previously). Where this need for speed succeeded brilliantly however, was in the final piece of the Images triptych: Mouvement (which is French for tempo, after all!). This was given a wonderful clear reading, and the whole-tone “disappearance” at the end was stunning.

The hall was full, so word is getting around what an achievement this cycle is, and the average age of the audience was substantially lower than one customarily sees at “classical concerts.”

The recital opened with two (of the six) pieces commissioned by the Revue musicale to be composed on the musical spelling of the name HAYDN: 1909 was the Haydn death centenary year. A fine rendition of Ravel’s poignant Menuet, with all its clever permutations of the name (upside down and backward), preceded Debussy’s Hommage, a wistful melancholy waltz followed by a scherzo-like dash, all using the name theme. Mr. Hobson followed this with Ravel’s groundbreaking Jeux d’eau, which when performed by the composer for his fellow-Apache artist group was described as “iridescent fire.” The title is often mistranslated as The Fountain, but really means Water Games, or The Play of Water. The manuscript bears an epigram by one of Ravel’s favorite authors, Henri de Régnier: “Dieu fluvial riant de l’eau qui le chatouille…” (River god laughing as the water tickles him), and Ravel was very strict with his few piano students about the piece sounding happy and playful, never sad. Mr. Hobson dispatched it very well in all its glory.

Then came one of the beloved “early” Debussy works, the famous Rêverie, which wasn’t quite dreamy enough for my taste.

A major work of Ravel was next: the Valses nobles et sentimentales, a suite of seven waltzes and an epilogue, inspired by certain sets of Schubert dances. It was premiered at a notorious “anonymous” concert in 1911, at which all the names of the composers were blacked out on the program, and the audience had to guess whose work was whose. Even Ravel’s previously ardent supporters had a hard time recognizing the author of the Valses, so obsessively was the work focused on strong dissonances. Ravel himself, when describing the piece, always analyzed it in straightforward harmonic terms with “passing notes.” The brash opening (which must have seemed really radical, with Sacre du printemps still two years off) was beautifully conveyed by Mr. Hobson. I wish the “sentimentales” had been more leisurely. The seventh waltz, described by Ravel as the “most characteristic,” lacked lift and lilt. There seemed to be quite a few errors or memory lapses- audiences really need to know what a high-wire act being a pianist is!

The evening closed with the two major Debussy groups: Images (first book) and Suite bergamasque. Reflets dans l’eau craved more pianissimi, but the fluidity was perfect. Hommage à Rameau was appropriately regal and somber, and as I mentioned above, Mouvement was perfection. Three of the four movements of the Verlaine-inspired Suite have been overshadowed by the once-ubiquitous Clair de lune, which is a shame, since they are excellent. The Prélude was a bit hectoring, lacking delicacy, but the Menuet was beautifully crisp, if too loud, in Mr. Hobson’s hands. He avoided the trap of over-sentimentalizing the Clair de lune, and his Passepied was very good.

This cornucopia of French variety passed by in a too-quick hour, and we look forward to his next installment on February 28, 2018.

 

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Hayk Arsenyan at Steinway Hall, Save the Date

Hayk Arsenyan at Steinway Hall, Save the Date

Pianist Hayk Arsenian plays rarely performed sonatas and fandango from 18th-century Catalan composer Antonio Soler.

Hayk Arsenyan published a performance guide to Soler’s sonatas in 2009, and has performed in Europe, Asia and America, at venues such as Carnegie Hall (New York), Palais d’UNESCO, Salle Cortot (Paris), Tchaikovsky Hall, the Kremlin (Moscow), Petranka Mozarteum (Prague), Auditorio Delibes (Valladolid), Assad Opera House (Damascus), Sala Cervantes (Havana), Myra Hess Series (Chicago), Phillips Collection (Washington DC) among others.

At the age of 11, Arsenyan performed his own requiem with the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra, and at 17, debuted as a soloist with the Radio France National Philharmonic Orchestra, where he was also awarded a platinum medal by the City of Paris.

ABOUT ANTONIO SOLER

The works of Spanish composer Antonio Soler span the late Baroque and early Classical music eras. He is best known for his keyboard sonatas, an important contribution to the harpsichord, fortepiano and organ repertoire. He is probably the most significant Spanish musician of the eighteenth century, both for the rich and varied of his compositions, for his contributions to musical theory and for the innovative character of his genius.

Sunday, April 02, 2017 at 2:30 pm @ Steinway Hall, New York, NY

VENUE

Venue map

Steinway Hall, 1133 6th Ave, New York, NY 10036
212-246-1100

ADMISSION

Buy tickets ($25)

 

 

 

 

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Unlocking Beauty: A conversation with pianist Terry Eder, founder of “Key Pianists”

Unlocking Beauty: A conversation with pianist Terry Eder, founder of “Key Pianists”

A remarkable act of musical and financial philanthropy is taking place in one of New York City’s loveliest jewel-box concert halls, the intimate Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. The series is known as Key Pianists, and 2016/2017 marks the second season of its existence.

Detroit-born pianist Terry Eder had the idea that there were certain pianists of merit who were being passed over, as it were, by the musical system. They play with “wisdom, insight, and sensitivity” and they deserve an opportunity to be heard to their best advantage, and audiences deserve to hear them, in an intimate, small hall with clear acoustics and good sight lines.

Ms. Eder, whose own musical accomplishments make her “key,” taught herself Hungarian, a notoriously difficult language, and studied the composers with whom she is closely identified: Bartók, Kodály, and Dohnányi, at the famed Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest.

Last year, to begin her enterprise, she presented the renowned Beethoven interpreter Peter Takács, a former teacher of hers, in a three-concert overview of Beethoven’s music (including chamber music): early, middle, and late. The concerts were very well-attended and received. Interested readers can access my reviews by clicking on the following links: Early Beethoven/ Middle Beethoven/ Late Beethoven.

Encouraged to continue, this season will have three concerts as well, each with its own pianist, the legendary Chopin specialist Ann Schein, Ms. Eder herself, and Sara Davis Buechner in a Japanese/French “fusion” recital.

Ms. Eder and I conversed over lunch recently. She is a petite, vivacious woman, with great passion for the piano and the experience of live music. After some years following a different career path (lawyer), she has returned to her first love. Her energy radiates; she practices four hours a day (quality instead of quantity); and she is now studying Mandarin Chinese.

To put it as succinctly as possible- Ms. Eder believes in the immediacy of the live concert experience, coupled with performers who possess not just great ability, but who also have charisma—the ability to create the chemistry of rapt attention among the audience. For this to happen, a small hall is ideal, thus Weill is the perfect location.

Ms. Eder wishes to change a general perception of the “third” hall in the Carnegie complex as merely a venue for debutant artists by presenting a high-quality, important series of events: Key Pianists. She stresses the importance of the live concerts as a communal activity of utmost value, especially in a technologically driven era like ours (the ubiquitous cell phone, social media, etc.).

A frequent attendee of the major piano series in New York series, Ms. Eder became troubled by the sameness of many of the presentations in the big halls—as well as the too-trendy avant-garde locations that are sprouting at a great rate. She is constantly searching for pianists who would fit the “key” quality. She stated that this is, by nature, quite subjective. She is looking for what she calls “sincerity with every note.” When I asked her about a “dream list” for the future, she ventured Janina Fialkowska, not often heard in the United States, let alone New York.

I mentioned philanthropy in paragraph one. These events are entirely financed by Ms. Eder herself, an immense tribute to those invited to perform, and a true commitment to bringing beauty to New York. For more information, follow this link: Key Pianists Series 2016/2017

Come hear what makes a Key Pianist, and unlock some beauty for yourself!

 

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Sayat Nova International Composition Competition – 2016

Sayat Nova International Composition Competition – 2016

In 2006, AGBU France launched the Sayat Nova International Composition Competition, a biennial contest open to composers of all backgrounds. Requiring contestants to submit compositions for an ensemble combining traditional Armenian and Western instruments, and integrating the works of the Armenian poets Sayat Nova and Daniel Varoujan, the competition is designed to introduce Armenian traditions to a wider audience. Since the start of the competition in 2006, submissions have arrived from over 30 countries, including Ghana, Mexico, Russia and Korea in addition to Armenia and the United States. This year, composers will be utilizing the work of 10th-century poet Grigor Narekatsi, a canonized saint who in 2015 was declared by the Vatican as a Doctor of the Church.

 

screen-shot-2016-09-07-at-8-50-19-pm

In addition to cash prizes, the top three winners will get their winning works published by Composers Union of Armenia’s Armusic Publishing House. The first place winner of the Sayat Nova International Composition Competition will receive two special awards: the Carnegie Hall Award and the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra (ANPO) Award. The Carnegie Hall Award gives the winning composer the honor of having his or her piece premiere at the AGBU Performing Artists in Concert at the Weill Recital Hall in December 2017. As the recipient of the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra’s (ANPO) Award, the first place winner will also be commissioned to write a 10-minute piece that will premiere by the ANPO during the 2017/18 season.

 

 

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The Clarion Orchestra And Mario Chang, Tenor; Steven Fox, Conductor

The Clarion Orchestra And Mario Chang, Tenor; Steven Fox, Conductor

THE CLARION ORCHESTRA AND MARIO CHANG

Rossini – Overture and Arias from Il barbiere di siviglia
Donizetti – Arias and Duets from Le duc d’Albe, L’elisir d’amore and Lucia di Lammermoor 

Mario Chang, tenor
The Clarion Orchestra
Steven Fox, conductor

Rising star and ‘born bel canto tenor’ [The New York Times] Mario Chang joins The Clarion Orchestra and Steven Fox for an evening of sparkling Rossini and Donizetti overtures and arias from the Romantic age of opera.

This concert is a Landmarks50 Alliance event, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the passage of the NYC Landmarks law.

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Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Life and Remembrance in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Life and Remembrance in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Life and Remembrance
Distinguished Concerts Orchestra; Distinguished Concerts Singers International;
Mark Hayes, composer/conductor; Mark Gilgallon, baritone
Pepper Choplin, composer/conductor; Gabriella Barbato; Don Davidson, narrator
Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, New York, NY
May 25, 2015

 

On Memorial Day, May 25, 2015, Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presented a concert entitled Life and Remembrance, featuring Mark Hayes’ Requiem and the New York premiere of Our Father: A Journey Through the Lord’s Prayer from composer Pepper Choplin. With singers from Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and “individual singers from around the globe,” the stage was set for what proved to be a poignant evening of music.

In honor of those who have served or are serving our nation, DCINY offered all U.S. Military Veterans and Active Servicemen and Women complimentary tickets for this concert, a gesture that this reviewer very much appreciated, and one that reflects honor on this fine organization.

Composer Mark Hayes took the podium to conduct his Requiem. This reviewer was present at the World Premiere of this work (May 27, 2013), so I was curious to hear if Mr. Hayes had made any changes to his work, and if a second hearing would have any effect on my already favorable opinion. For background information about the work and my impressions, interested readers can read the review Mark Hayes-composer/conductor in Review. As for the first question, there were no changes in the work. As to the second, I found my initial impressions to be largely unchanged (the beautiful Agnus Dei is still my favorite movement), however, I gained a deeper appreciation for this work, as there was no doubt that this performance of the Requiem was in all ways was superior to the one I had heard prior. There were many melodic and harmonic nuances captured that were missing in the earlier performance. The orchestra playing was warm and full-bodied in lyrical sections and crisp and decisive in the sinister Dies Irae, the chorus was well prepared, and the diction was much clearer (especially in the Dies Irae). Finally, Mr. Hayes himself showed increased confidence at the podium in what was an outstanding performance.

Baritone Mark Gilgallon wrung every last drop of emotion in his solo work in the Dies Irae. His voice captured the pathos and despair with his dynamic delivery. At the peak of the movement, his voice cut through the large forces behind him like thunder, but without any loss of clarity or straining in his voice. Finally, he retreated into a pleading tone, asking for eternal rest at the close.

As the end of the Lux Aeterna quieted to silence, one could hear the proverbial pin drop. Mr. Hayes held his baton until every bit of sound had faded away. The large audience was moved by this excellent work, letting the silence wash over the hall for a minute or so before breaking into loud applause. It was a justly deserved standing ovation for Mr. Hayes and the performers. A recently released recording of the Requiem, with the Beckenhorst Orchestra and Singers, and Mr. Gilgallon, is available for purchase at the composer’s website www.markhayes.com

During the intermission, in what has become a DCINY Memorial Day concert tradition, The Patriot Brass Ensemble entertained the audience with patriotic tunes from the balcony, beginning their set with a medley dedicated to each branch of the Armed Forces. The veterans, servicemen and women in attendance were asked to stand when their respective hymn was played. Some were young, some in uniform (including a music loving sailor in the city for Fleet Week), others older, but all stood proudly. Our nation is grateful for their service.

After intermission, Pepper Choplin took to the stage to conduct the New York premiere of his cantata Our Father: A Journey Through the Lord’s Prayer. As Mr. Choplin stated in his thoughtful program notes (click to read), he had spent countless hours setting the lines of the Lord’s Prayer and contemplating the power of its words. It is at once obvious that Mr. Choplin has poured his soul into this work, a music testament of the power of his faith, unashamedly so in this nine-movement blockbuster work. Overflowing with life, light, and praise, Our Father: A Journey Through the Lord’s Prayer truly is a journey through Matthew 6:9-13, probing the seemingly simple text for deeper meaning.

There is much to praise, but I will mention what I considered to be the highlights of the work – the big sound of the anthem-like Our Father in Heaven, the poignant and nostalgia-tinged Holy Be Thy Name, the driving energy of Let Your Kingdom Come where the sun breaks through the clouds of doubt, the beautiful, heartfelt Forgive Us, and the uneasy tension of sinister-like chant in Lead Us From Temptation.

Narrator Don Davidson read what might best be called brief homilies between each movement, and the audience was invited to recite the Lord’s Prayer before the final movement, which many did. While these were touches that enhanced the experience, they could be removed for performances of a more secular nature without any negative overall effect. Soprano Gabriella Barbato sang with child-like innocence and beauty in her featured solos.

The ebullient Thine is the Kingdom brought the work to a rousing close. The audience barely waited for the last notes before leaping up into a prolonged standing ovation for Mr. Choplin and all the performers. Congratulations to all.

 

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