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Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Wind Songs in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Wind Songs

Olathe North High School (KS) Symphonic Band, Percussion Ensemble, and Wind Ensemble

Justin W. Love, Director of Bands; John Wickersham, Assistant Director of Bands

Kingwood High School Band (TX)

Destry Balch, Director; Tyler Morrison, Assistant Director

Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium, New York, NY

March 12, 2017

One hears so much about cuts to the arts these days, so it is heartening to note that there is a lot of really good music education taking place in the heartland. Two high schools, one from Kansas, the other from Texas, sent their best band players (and conductors) to show us just how comfortable they are with tricky wind instruments and myriads of shifting rhythms. They provided pleasure to the proud family members and friends who attended, and it was good to see an audience younger than customary, including many very small children, perhaps being exposed to the concert experience for the very first time.

First up were the players from Olathe, Kansas. Conducted by John Wickersham, they played Pierre La Plante’s American Riversongs, which could have been crisper, but contained a beautiful cornet solo of Shenandoah in its interior section. I believe they switched the order from that printed in the program and did Michael Markowski’s The Cave You Fear next. Based on an idea from Joseph Campbell, the comparative mythologist, the piece indeed had a spooky, adventuresome atmosphere. Finally, Randall Standridge’s Kinetic Dances displayed how well-versed the students are in rhythm. (Is there such a thing as a non-kinetic dance?) A small group of percussionists then played Alarm! by Brian Blume, showing off how much variety can be obtained from such a limited set of sonorities.

The Olathe music director, Justin W. Love, then took over conducting duty for Gustav Holst’s well-known Second Suite in F for Military Band, which was phrased nicely. Brian Balmages created moody blends in his Rippling Watercolors, which the band played beautifully. They finished the first half of the concert with Rossano Galante’s Transcendent Journey, which sounded very Star Wars-ish in the beginning, then settled into a quasi-Copland sound, alternating between the two—an attractive piece, maybe not transcendent, but definitely on its way somewhere heroic.

After intermission, the much-larger Texas group from Kingwood High School took the stage. Their director, Destry Balch, conducted the brief Festive Fanfare by Robert W. Smith. He then yielded to his assistant, Tyler Morrison, who conducted another sort of fanfare called . . .Go, by Samuel R. Hazo, followed by Hazo’s Autumn on White Lake, whose clusters created a gorgeous atmosphere inspired by autumn in Michigan. This group concluded with James Swearingen’s Blue Ridge Saga, replete with folk feeling, if somewhat conventional. It was played with excellent attention to contrasts of texture.

I can’t resist a bad pun, so I must say “Destry rode again” (I’m certain he’s tired of hearing that!). He returned to conduct two pieces by Balmages that framed a really good account of Paul Dukas’ war-horse Le Sorcier apprenti (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice), which is forever linked with Mickey Mouse because of the 1940 Disney movie Fantasia, but was written in 1897! These young players managed to get a good French wind sound from their instruments and, despite the lack of “softening” provided by a string section, they made the piece sound really radical again, which was a pleasure.

The first Balmages work was Summer Dances, effective enough, but the real gem was the second work . . . Not Afraid to Dream ,which closed the entire program. Sadly, the occasion for the piece was the accidental death of a Minnesota high school band player in 2004. The work was designed to allow his friends and family to have some sort of closure about that loss (at least in part). It proceeds from solemnity, the ringing of bells and dark lower-brass chords (he was a tuba player), to fragments of the hymn tune Lift High the Cross, to a more joyous energy that reflects his optimism and the joy he brought to all who knew him. A beautiful tribute, well-played!

by Frank Daykin for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Key Pianists presents Terry Eder in Review

Key Pianists presents Terry Eder, piano

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

March 2, 2017

A musician’s musician is the phrase I kept returning to mentally during Terry Eder’s distinguished Weill Hall recital, the second of this season’s Key Pianists series. She is a pianist with utter seriousness of conception, beauty of tone, lyrical sensitivity, never any “grandstanding.” It is so important that we hear artists like this to remind us of what matters musically, and to balance the seemingly endless parade of flashy virtuosi.

The evening began with Bartók’s Fifteen Hungarian Peasant Songs (1914/18). In a 1907 letter to Stefi Geyer, Bartók modestly stated (not without patriotic bitterness),“As regards myself, I desire a little happiness for a few—to serve the society of run-to-seed princelings called the Hungarian intelligentsia by collecting national songs and so forth.” Here one witnessed just how total was his success in revealing the true spirit of a people, rather than the falsified notion that had long been accepted of “gypsy” (really Westernized café-music) music as “Hungarian.”

Schubert’s Drei Klavierstücke (D. 846) belong to the family of his astonishing late works, if death at thirty-one can be considered “late.” There used to be some speculation that they had been destined for another set of four Impromptus, though that seems to have been settled by scholars in the negative. Thank goodness however (as with all of Schubert’s oeuvre) that they survive, for they contain some of his most rapturous writing for the piano. I refer particularly to the B major hymn/prayer middle section of the first piece and the entire second piece (which I consider Schubert’s Venetianisches Gondellied), in which Ms. Eder reached mystical flights of vision, with just the right amount of freedom and beautiful color changes. The third piece, which many find “less than” the first two, nevertheless tied in to Ms. Eder’s general theme of music from the Austro-Hungarian empire, with its decidedly “Bohemian” rambunctiousness.

Two of her recital groups were absolutely revelatory- the Dohnányi Six Pieces, Op. 41 and the Bartók Improvisations, Op. 20. Aside from reading the sheet music and hearing it on recordings, I had never previously heard a live performance of the Dohnányi, a composer sadly underrated even in his own time, partly because of his great virtuosity as a performer, and his reluctance to participate in the most progressive “isms” of the early twentieth century. In Cloches (Bells), the last of the six pieces, (a memorial to his son who died as a Russian prisoner of war), we hear some of the blending of impressionism, and in Cascades, the rushing of water summons echoes of Liszt. Ms. Eder’s rendition of Canzonetta (the third piece) was ravishing, and she brought out the ironic humor of Ländler (the fifth piece), a decidedly retro dance that had not been performed since Schubert’s time.

In the Bartók Improvisations (eight pieces based on Hungarian folk songs), Ms. Eder was absolutely magisterial and inspired, revealing every melody with the appropriate parlando/rubato that was so important to Bartók, and keeping every bit of the often complicated surrounding accompaniment on its own clear level. One of the chief rules of the Hungarian language is that the first syllable of the word carries the stress or tonic accent. There is a strong musical/linguistic correlation to this in the folk materials collected and transformed by Bartók (this phenomenon was also clearly articulated as a compositional strategy by Janáček). Bartók stated of the Improvisations– “The peasant melody has become purely a symbol, and the essential thing is its setting. The melody and all that we have added to it must give an impression of inseparable unity.” Ms. Eder clearly enabled us to hear the motivic thread that unites all the sections. I always found it curious that the opening Improvisation should have such a solemn tone when the words are about cake-baking and a kiss in the garden. In Ms. Eder’s hands the death-haunted third Improvisation was perfection itself. On such a windy day/night in New York, the fourth Improvisation’s message that “poor people are always hurting when the wind blows” was especially apt.

Ms. Eder finished with a wonderfully refined account of Liszt’s arrangement of the Schumann song Widmung (“Dedication,” poem by Rückert), which is usually trotted out as a sort of guilty-pleasure encore by less-thoughtful pianists. Here, Ms. Eder never lost sight of the original as a German Lied (art-song), her phrasing followed the accented and unaccented syllables of the words perfectly, which allowed me to really enjoy it!

She favored her enthusiastic audience with an energetic account of the sixth of Bartók’s Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm from the last volume of Mikrokosmos.

Ms. Eder, who is the generous patron of, and visionary behind, the Key Pianists series, showed us why she is herself “key.” Brava!

by Frank Daykin for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

The Alexander & Buono Foundation presents Thomas Nickell and Orchestra of the Swan in Review

The Alexander & Buono Foundation presents Thomas Nickell and Orchestra of the Swan

Thomas Nickell, piano

Orchestra of the Swan

David Curtis, conductor

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall

February 26, 2017

The collaboration of pianist Thomas Nickell and the Orchestra of the Swan, under conductor David Curtis, was a decidedly unorthodox and mostly refreshing change from the quotidian standard of current concert performances. In essence, this was an introduction to two entities, soloist and ensemble, who met at the juncture of two concerti, a standard from the repertory, and a fairly recent work by the English composer David Matthews.

Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 12 in A major, K. 414/385p proved to be a savvy choice for an opener, as it allowed us to view the strengths of all the performers in a familiar, beloved work. Both the pianist and orchestra solved the acoustical challenges of the room and of the instrument to produce an overall warm, yet precise sound. Mr. Nickell is a composer as well, and his approach to the piano bespeaks a keen ear for harmony and structure. In much of this performance he chose to stay inside the piece, blending rather than competing with the strings. It worked like a charm. Perhaps in a nod to period practice, his cadenzas had a rhythmically flexible, somewhat improvisatory nature. Though not always entirely accurate, they were intelligent and thoughtful. For their part, the Swan paid close attention to nuances of phrasing and dynamic, providing beautiful and affectionate accompaniment for the soloist.

David Matthews’ Piano Concerto, op. 111 (2010), a terrific work in four movements, was the centerpiece of the program after intermission. The composer’s biography mentions Benjamin Britten as an influence, and this concerto was indeed reminiscent, in the best possible way, of the great English composer. While maintaining a strong, original voice, Mr. Matthews uses simple, lyrical melodies and folk dance rhythms to frame the individual movements of this work. His string writing, assured and inventive, was handled quite nicely by the Swan players, particularly the passage in harmonics at the close of the first movement. Mr. Nickell was again both partner and protagonist, showing a clear understanding and delight in this work.

As a bonus for Sunday’s audience the Orchestra of the Swan took their own solo turn in an impressive reading of Britten’s Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, Op. 10. Their conductor, David Curtis, prefaced the performance with an impromptu address in which he declared the orchestra’s love of New York City and of the piece they were about to play. No declaration was needed. The orchestra’s adherence to high standards and joy in playing was already abundantly apparent, and it was even more so apparent in the Britten. Despite the unforgiving acoustic in Weill Hall, where every lapse in intonation and ensemble stands out, the players succeeded in delivering a vibrant and richly colored set of variations, highlighted by a gossamer Romance and a thrilling, gutsy Aria Italiana. I must also mention the excellent solo contributions of both concertmaster and principal viola here, and in general throughout the concert.

Apart from the three orchestral selections, the remainder of the program featured Mr. Nickell in solo works by Messiaen, Cowell, Liszt, and himself. Of these, the four Messiaen preludes fit the pianist’s temperament like a glove. Messiaen’s explorations in harmony, color, and the spaces between music were beautifully evoked. His liberal use of both the sustain and una corda pedals was most effective here, and in the Cowell, a piece that is more difficult to bring off than it seems. Mr. Nickell’s own composition, entitled Sympathy, followed the compositional path of Messiaen, Arvo Pärt, and Toru Takemitsu. In a constricted range of dynamics from mezzo piano down to pianissimo and lower, silence played as large a part as sound. Again, Mr. Nickell’s radical approach to pedaling created some truly striking effects.

While the twentieth century piano works benefited from Mr. Nickell’s conceptualization, I feel the Liszt transcription of Wagner’s Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde was a misfire. The pianist’s self-effacing qualities were a handicap here, as he was frequently building up steam only to shift back into low gear. A more rhythmically propulsive and emboldened reading would have boosted it to another level. The only other concern regarding this program had nothing to do with the performances, but with the structure of the program, which was somewhat imbalanced, an impediment to an otherwise thoroughly professional and artistic venture.

Musicians such as Thomas Nickell and the Orchestra of the Swan, who place integrity and enjoyment above all else, are a rarity and a pleasure to encounter. I hope to hear them again soon.

by David La Marche for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Philip Petkov in Review

Philip Petkov, Piano

The Consulate General of Bulgaria

New York, NY

February 23, 2017

Far from the madding crowds of New York’s larger venues, in an elegant second-floor room at the Consulate General of Bulgaria, a gathering of music lovers enjoyed a recital of piano music that felt in some ways like a throwback to an earlier day. The concert, which seemed scantily publicized but drew a warm, appreciative group of listeners, showcased the artistry of Belarussian-born pianist Philip Petkov, who studied in Bulgaria and now lives in the United States. His playing, including well-loved selections of Scarlatti, Chopin, Scriabin, and Gershwin, matched the surroundings in its unassuming elegance.

Mr. Petkov opened with two Scarlatti Sonatas, the very popular E major, K. 380, L. 23 (a favorite of Vladimir Horowitz, among others) and the perhaps equally well-known C major (K. 159, L. 104). One was struck immediately by Mr. Petkov’s meticulous attention to each tone and his delicacy of articulation – a joy to hear. Liberal flexibility of tempo, some inspired subito piano moments, and other surprises bespoke a free and unabashedly Romantic approach. The omission of repeats kept things flowing.

A Chopin group followed, starting with the Polonaise in C-sharp minor Op. 26, No. 1. Many pianists tend to gravitate towards the more bravura works – like the “Heroic” Polonaise (Op. 53), the “Military” (Op. 40, No. 1) – so Mr. Petkov’s more lyrical selection was refreshing. What emerged in the playing as well was Mr. Petkov’s sensitivity to each harmonic turn and his careful shading. In a city where pianists abound, this should not be an unusual quality to find, but many pianists do steamroll right over the nuances. There still is, in Chopin’s tonal world, such unplumbed depth that, even after generations of commercial over-exposure of so much of his music, there is always more to hear; it does however, take sensitive musicians to find it. Mr. Petkov did admirably.

The Polonaise was followed by both pieces from Op. 64, the C-sharp minor Waltz and the D-flat (“Minute”) Waltz. These were played with the requisite fleetness and charm (despite the occasional glitch), though one sometimes wanted greater sheen to the more obvious upper line and less absorption in the interesting tonal discoveries beneath. Mr. Petkov has the lithe technical control to do both.

Moving on to a larger-scale work, the program proceeded with Chopin’s Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52. If one had characterized this pianist as chiefly a player of delicate miniatures, one was corrected in short order. Mr. Petkov showed ample power and stamina for its many demands and showed us the beauty of holding power in reserve until it is absolutely time to unleash it, which he did to powerful effect. The infamous coda was navigated well, at a rather measured tempo, but with plenty of intensity.

Two of Scriabin’s loveliest Etudes followed, the gentle Op. 8, No. 4 in B major and Op. 8, No. 5 in E major. They were again sensitively played, with the E major enjoying some highly skillfully rendered legato octaves.

The recital was capped off with Gershwin’s Three Preludes, played with gusto. It was a joy to witness the relish that Mr. Petkov took in the first Prelude’s syncopations and in the guttural expressiveness of the central blues Prelude. The third Prelude brought the concert to a fiery close, inspiring hearty applause and the audience joyfully into the reception hall. It was a highly fulfilling evening, and I look forward to hearing this sensitive player again.

by Rorianne Schrade for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Keys to Romance in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Keys to Romance

Christina Kobb, piano

Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

February 24, 2017

As part of their Artist Series concerts, Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presented Norwegian pianist Christina Kobb in a concert entitled Keys to Romance. Featuring works from Schubert, Grieg, Liszt, and Robert and Clara Schumann, it was a thought-provoking evening, both intellectually and musically.

Christina Kobb is currently working toward a PhD degree at the Norwegian Academy of Music. The focus of her study is the reconstruction of 19th century piano technique from the exploration of treatises and manuals of that time. The goal is to create performances that would sound to us today as they sounded originally. Kobb has lectured about her research, most notably at Harvard in 2016. She was also the focus of an 2015 article in the New York Times that one can read by following this link- New York Times 7/21/15 article. Ms. Kobb has even re-tooled her playing technique to mirror that of her research.

I’m not going to spend a lot of time delving into Ms. Kobb’s thesis – this is a matter that can be left to the academics and performance practice enthusiasts. I could not help wondering, though, whether, if the goal is more authentic performances by using the prevailing technique, it would not also be proper to use the same instrument that was in use at that time, rather than a modern Steinway grand. Perhaps the venue would not allow it.

Ms. Kobb’s program notes were among the best this reviewer has seen. Her style is that of the storyteller, and while she presents musical analysis, it is nothing beyond the grasp of most, regardless of their level of music education. Even though the love story of Robert and Clara is well known, Ms. Kobb recounts the events of their courtship (and roadblocks, courtesy of Clara’s father) with the skill of a novelist that had this listener eagerly awaiting the musical depiction.

The one thing that is immediately apparent about Ms. Kobb is her no-nonsense approach. If one wants extravagant gestures, flashy dress, and indulgent readings, they need to look elsewhere. Ms. Kobb is all about the music. Taking the stage, she sat down at the piano and launched right into Liszt’s transcription of Robert Schumann’s Widmung, which was a clever opening of the love story – present the “happy ending” first (that is, the marriage of Robert and Clara). Ms. Kobb played this much-loved work with a measured passion, of which much may be attributed to the adopted technique. It was a promising opening. Moving on, we heard the A minor Sonata, D. 537, by Schubert, a composer whom Robert Schumann greatly admired (even “discovering” and subsequently enabling the publishing of Schubert’s 9th Symphony). Ms. Kobb offered a well thought out and precise reading.

After the Schubert, Ms. Kobb offered three early works of Edvard Grieg, Drei Fantasiestücke (a Mazurka was added later, and the set published at his Opus 1). Composed in 1861 when the composer was eighteen, these works are heavily influenced by Schumann, a sort of “Grieg before he was Grieg.” I’m not sure what the connection to Robert and Clara was, but it is understandable that a Norwegian would wish to honor Norway’s greatest composer. In any case, Ms. Kobb treated the audience to a reverent performance that in this listener’s opinion exceeded the musical value of the pieces. She ended the first half with two selections from Clara’s Opus 5, the charming Romance, and the Berlioz-like Scene Fantastique: Le Ballet des Revenants. Written in Clara’s early teens, these works make one wonder what Clara’s trajectory as a composer would have been if she had lived in a different time. We can be grateful for her guiding hand in Robert’s works. Ms. Kobb again came fully prepared in an accurate reading.

After intermission, Ms. Kobb offered Robert Schumann’s Sonata No. 1 in F-sharp minor, Op. 11. This work is a musical love letter to Clara. Schumann takes two themes from Clara’s Op. 5 and combines them into a single melody in the first movement – which Clara could have not missed as she played this work. Some couples spoke to each other in letters, but Robert and Clara spoke to each other in music. This was the highlight of the evening for this listener, as Ms. Kobb played this love story with passion while maintaining complete control.

If one wanted to make a suggestion, it would be that Ms. Kobb might play with more spontaneity, even despite the rigors of her special technique. It seems counterintuitive that such romantic works are played with such a cerebral quality. This quibble aside, Ms. Kobb is first and foremost a scholar who does not seem to present herself as a typical touring virtuoso. It is clear to this reviewer that she should excel in lecture recitals, particularly to audiences of academics even more than to lay audiences. She believes wholeheartedly in her mission, and that belief will take her far.

The filled hall gave Ms. Kobb a standing ovation at the end.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Adrienne Haan presents Between Fire and Ice—A Diabolical Weimar Berlin Cabaret in Review

Adrienne Haan presents Between Fire and Ice—A Diabolical Weimar Berlin Cabaret

Adrienne Haan, chanteuse

Feinstein’s/54 Below, New York, NY

February 22, 2017

Adrienne Haan brought her unique passion for and devotion to the cabaret repertoire of 1920/30s Germany to the elegant room that is Feinstein’s/54 Below on February 22, 2017. In the several times I’ve heard her, her art has deepened—that includes this occasion in particular. Never have the bawdy, politically-charged themes of the material seemed more apposite, given the recent political shifts and conflicts here and abroad. Plus ça change.

She sang a generous program, and one would never have known, until she announced it, that she was appearing with a last-minute substitute pianist: the excellent Howard Breitbart ( her usual music director, Richard Danley, had a medical emergency). Their coordination was superb; she has appeared with Mr. Breitbart in Washington, D.C. previously, though not with this program.

Tonight, she brought extra undertones of sadness and fragility to her renditions. She sang a great deal in English, often turning to German for the refrains once the song was familiar. I assume this was done to increase the understanding of the largely monolingual audience. I found her instantly more expressive and idiomatic in her native German (true of classical art-song singers as well). She has precedent in that no less severe a figure than Arnold Schoenberg wanted his vocal works performed in the language of the audience.

Ms. Haan opened with the wonderful anthem to corruption “Alles Schwindel” (It’s All a Swindle). She never allowed her contemporary opinions to become heavy-handed to the point of making her evening unentertaining, but it was clear where she stood at all times. She circulated among the audience playfully, ruffling the hair on the heads of a few men, and, to be fair, sitting on the lap of a woman as well, during her saucier numbers. All this was done with the great ease of a natural performer. Her patter between songs was effective without being over-long.

Other highlights included: “Ich weiss nicht zu wem ich gehöre” (I Don’t Know Who I Belong To), “Medley zur Emanzipation der Frau” (Medley to the Emancipation of Woman), “Das Lila Lied/Maskulinum-Femininum” (The Lavender Song/Masculine-Feminine), and a forceful, haunting account of Kurt Weill’s well-known “Seeräuberjenny” (Pirate Jenny). In Ms. Haan’s tributes to Marlene Dietrich, such as “Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuss auf Liebe Eingestellt” (Falling in Love Again), she sang expressively, but without the weary “used-up” quality that Dietrich could summon so effortlessly.

A well-deserved encore was the staple “Lili Marlene,” with its own complicated history: words, by a WWI trench soldier, set to music only in 1938 on the eve of the next world war, which became an anthem of sorts for soldiers of both sides. At the risk of repeating myself, my wish-list for Ms. Haan would be for her to delve more deeply into the bitterness, anger, even fear, of this era (she came closest in the Pirate Jenny, which was spooky); and seek out more unusual repertoire to weave into her narrative. Nevertheless, she provides a wonderfully committed, very engaging window into this specialized world, one whose message we must never forget. Chapeau, Adrienne!

by Frank Daykin for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents The Music of Dinos Constantinides in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents The Music of Dinos Constantinides

Featured Artists: Yova Milanova, Mariana Todorova, violins; Sandra Moon, soprano; Maria Asteriadou, piano; Athanasios Zervas, Jeremy Justeson, saxophones

Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

February 21, 2017

Greek-born Dinos Constantinides is the head of Composition and Music Director of the Louisiana Sinfonietta at Louisiana State University. He is presently Boyd Professor, the highest academic rank at LSU. Mr. Constantinides has composed over 300 works, including six symphonies, two operas, and music for a wide variety of instruments and voices, and has a long list of prizes won and excellent reviews worldwide. His writing style is all-encompassing, from the simplest of forms to the ultra-complex, and from the strictly tonal to the acerbically atonal and serial. He is especially adept in his use of Greek influences, such as Greek poetry from both ancient and modern sources, and Greek modal harmony. With the help of six exceptionally talented colleagues, his audience was privy to a broad survey of his varied style, in nine works. This concert was the ninth occasion that Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) has presented the music of Mr. Constantinides.

Let’s get the negatives out of the way. Very often, concerts of this type (survey of a composer with a long career), try to offer as many works as possible to cover all periods, etc. The net effect is a concert that is overly long, an unfortunate thing, as those persons without the stamina to endure often miss out on works they probably would have enjoyed. In today’s world, with people’s shortened attention spans, it is imperative to consider this in programming works.

Now, let’s move on to positive things. Mr. Constantinides is a master of form, and I am sure his composition students benefit greatly from his expertise. In particular, it is his Greek-influenced works that stand above the rest, as if they are a natural extension of his being. It was those works that took from Greek themes that this listener found to be the most compelling.

The six featured artists were all superb interpreters of Mr. Constantinides’s compositions. We heard violinists Yova Milanova and Mariana Todorova, soprano Sandra Moon, pianist Maria Asteriadou, and saxophonists Athanasios Zervas and Jeremy Justeson. While it would be beyond the scope of this review to speak of each piece, I would like to offer highlights of each performer. Ms. Milanova offered a nuanced reading of Four Interludes for Violin Alone, LRC 136. Lazy Jack and His Fiddle, LRC 199, with its virtuosic demands, was tossed off by Ms. Todorova with panache. Ms. Milanova and Ms. Todorova joined together in a light-hearted reading of the charming Family Triptych for Two Violins, LRC 182I. Ms. Moon was a force in Listenings and Silences for Voice Alone, LRC111, with text from the prominent African-American poet Pinkie Gordon Lane (1923-2008). Ms. Asteriadou played the 2016 arrangement of Dreams, Earth, and Heaven, LRC101, with great understanding, bringing out the various Greek influences, ancient and modern, with devotion. The clever interplay of Music for Two Saxophones, LRC 173d was realized with consummate skill by Mr. Zervas (soprano sax) and Mr. Justeson (tenor sax), in what was a fun end to the concert.

At the end, Mr. Constantinides joined his colleagues on the stage to offer them his congratulations. He spoke in a humble fashion to the audience, thanking all, including LSU officials, for their support. It was quite touching to witness. It was then announced by one of the LSU officials in attendance that the composer and his wife had endowed a Dinos Constantinides New Music Ensemble, a continuing legacy of his fifty-three years (and counting- he’s still going strong at age 87!) at LSU. Congratulations, Mr. Constantinides, and may you have another fifty-three years of music making!

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Mercer University at Carnegie Hall in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Mercer University at Carnegie Hall

Mercer Singers

Stanley L. Roberts, conductor; Carol S. Goff, accompanist

McDuffie Center String Ensemble

Amy Schwartz Moretti, director and violin

Olivia McMillan, soprano

Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

February 19, 2017

The nightcap of the President’s Day weekend concert doubleheader presented by Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) featured the talents of musicians from Mercer University, located in Macon, Georgia. William Underwood, President of Mercer University, came to the stage to “throw out the first pitch” by welcoming the audience, talking briefly about Mercer, and expressing his pride in the Mercer music department. He thanked all for coming, asked all to enjoy the concerts, and then left the stage.

The Mercer Singers, led by Stanley L. Roberts took the stage to open the concert. They offered six works in a wide range of styles, highlighting their versatility. Things got off to a good start with the Kenyan folk song Wana Baraka. Complete with the singers swaying to the music, it was moving in its simplicity. Eric Whitacre’s Lux Aurumque followed. This work is deceptively simple, but it requires extreme precision in ensemble balance and intonation, or else the overall effect is ruined. There was no danger of that here, as the balance was superb, with the close intervals precisely rendered. It was an excellent performance. Special mention goes to the soprano soloist, whose voice soared in a way I have not encountered in this work. After this, the Mercer Singers delivered an “adrenaline shot” in the form of Brent Pierce’s Hosanna in excelsis, a two-minute jazz influenced, rhythmically power-packed piece. Faire is the Heaven, by William Henry Harrison, followed with refinement, and Dan Forrest’s setting of Lead, Kindly Light, was the highlight of their selections to this listener. Ending with Moses Hogan’s show-stopping The Battle of Jericho, the Mercer Singers brought the audience to their feet with a rollicking performance.

After intermission, the McDuffie Center String Ensemble took the stage. Led by Amy Schwartz Moretti, who also plays violin in the ensemble, the Mc Duffie Center String Ensemble is composed of twenty-four full scholarship students of the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings, and five faculty mentors. This gives the young players the opportunity to play with and learn from experienced veterans who play with some top-notch ensembles. They offered two selections, Edward Elgar’s Serenade for String Orchestra, Op. 20, and the fourth movement finale from Felix Mendelssohn’s Octet.

The conductor-less ensemble, with the violins and violas playing standing, proved to be a exceptional group. The benefits of playing with accomplished mentors lent wings to the younger players in what were inspired performances. The Elgar was played with polish throughout, but I must give preference to the second movement Larghetto, which was simply sublime. The Presto of the Octet followed – the finale of a masterpiece from one of the greatest prodigies in the history of music, Mendelssohn having written this work at age sixteen! It was played with considerable brio. It was not perfect, to be sure, but the bold approach was something this listener always appreciates, and was worthy of the work. I would in fact like to hear this ensemble play the entire Octet. The audience gave the players a richly rewarded standing ovation.

After a short break, the Mercer Singers joined the String Ensemble (both with the help of some “Friends and Alums”) for the finale work of the night, John Rutter’s Requiem. This seven-movement work was inspired in a large part by Rutter’s editing of a new edition Fauré’s Requiem in 1983. It can be said that Rutter’s study of Fauré led to the creation of an equally serene and beautiful work. Rutter used texts from the Latin Requiem Mass, the 1611 Bible, and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

There was much to commend in this performance, but I will mention above all the heavenly Pie Jesu, highlighted by the sheer radiance of the voice of soprano soloist Olivia McMillan. The audience, who broke convention with applause after each movement, gave a prolonged standing ovation at the end. Congratulations to all for a fine evening of music.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents The Glory to Freedom: A Concert to Honor Our Veterans in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents The Glory to Freedom: A Concert to Honor Our Veterans

Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra

Distinguished Concerts Orchestra, Distinguished Concerts Singers International

Erin Freeman, DCINY debut conductor, Lee Nelson, guest conductor

Suzanne Karpov, soprano

Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

February 19, 2017

On an unusually warm February day, with temperatures in the mid-60’s, and pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training to kick off the baseball season, I was reminded of the legendary Ernie Banks. “Mr. Cub” never lost his zest for the game. “Let’s play two,” was his motto. So why not have two concerts on the same day? Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) served up just such a doubleheader. The first (and the subject of this review) was entitled The Glory of Freedom: A Concert to Honor Our Veterans. It featured the talents of the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra and Singers International. Chorus members were from Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Virginia, the United Kingdom, and individual singers from around the globe.

The Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, led by Dr. James Mick, took the stage to open the afternoon. Established in 1970, this group offers talented young players the opportunity to come together both to further their development and to enjoy the enriching experience of making music. I was immediately intrigued by their unusual seating scheme, a double-pyramid, with the upper pyramid inverted, with the brass players and double reeds on risers that are normally used for singing ensembles. I’m sure that Dr. Mick had a specific purpose in mind, but I can’t say that it enhanced or detracted from the overall sound.

Opening with Wagner’s Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, the young players had a slightly nervous start, with some “push-pull” tempo issues at the onset, but the attentive Dr. Mick got things back on track without any difficulty. I would like to see a more consistent approach, especially in the brass sections. When they were good, they were very good, but at other moments, the playing was tentative, with the expected results. Boldness, especially in this work, is always called for, regardless of the dynamic marking. To be fair, these issues are quite common for the developing players, and should not be considered a stinging criticism. All in all, these issues aside, the playing was commendable. It was bright and cleanly articulated, with good intonation throughout.

The all-around good start had me anticipating an upward arc of excellence, and I was not disappointed. The third movement of Gustav Mahler’s 1^st Symphony (often referred to as the “Funeral March”) was played with a maturity beyond the ages of the players. Too often, Mahler’s sometimes ironic approach is rendered with exaggerated effects that can become almost cartoonish. There was none of that in this performance. It was far and away the highlight of their selections to this listener. Closing with Danzón No. 2 by Arturo Marquez (made popular by the early advocacy of Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela), the ensemble offered a vibrant reading of this work. The watchword was “fun.” I particularly admired the principled restraint and build-up, which I have missed in other performances of this piece. The audience loved it and rewarded the players with a nice ovation.

After intermission, DCINY debut conductor Erin Freeman took the podium to lead Francis Poulenc’s Gloria. As Ms. Freeman writes in her excellent program notes, Gloria is a twenty-five minute, six-movement work that is a musical depiction of the composer’s life story. Complete with tribute to Stravinsky, reminiscences of Les Six, and his religious feelings, Gloria is the culmination of Poulenc’s mastery.

Ms. Freeman was well-prepared and energetic in her conducting. She led the large forces with meticulous detail to the many challenges of this work. The chorus sang with excellent balance and clear diction, not always a given with such large forces. The star of the performance was soprano Suzanne Karpov, whose angelic voice filled the hall. The audience was so moved that they broke convention and applauded enthusiastically between each movement, offering a standing ovation at the end.

After a brief pause, guest conductor Lee Nelson took the stage to conduct Randall Thompson’s choral work, The Testament of Freedom. Written in 1943 to celebrate the bicentennial of Thomas Jefferson’s birth, The Testament of Freedom uses text from Jefferson’s writing. With its dramatic setting of Jefferson’s powerful prose, this work has become a staple of the male chorus repertoire. Regardless of contemporary assessments of Jefferson the man, the power of his words is undeniable, and the truths he stated in 1775 are every bit as powerful in 2017. Some cynics have dismissed this work as jingoistic and musically reactionary, pronouncements for which this listener has no patience. I am always pleased to hear this work, and today’s performance was especially fine. The all-male chorus, with forces so large as to spill out onto the sides of the stage, was first-rate, and Mr. Nelson proved to be an able leader. The audience gave the performers a long, enthusiastic standing ovation.

Congratulations to all. Stay tuned for part two of this doubleheader of music!

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Karwendel Artists Gala Concert in Review

Karwendel Music Festival Faculty and Alumni: Javor Bračić, piano, Xi Wang, Sarah Kuo, Sven Stucke, and Rimma Benyumova, violin; Liyuan Liu, viola; Konstantin Bruns, cello; and Guest Artist, James Kim, cello

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

February 16, 2017

If you haven’t heard of the Karwendel Music Festival (KMF) in Mittenwald, Germany, don’t feel embarrassed, as it only had its inaugural season in 2016; you may, however, want to learn the name, as it seems headed to become a fixture among music festivals. Founded by vibrant young violinist directors, Xi Wang and Sven Stucke, the festival, which takes place in the latter part of August, has already enjoyed an auspicious start. According to the program notes for their recent New York recital, they’ve presented seven concerts, plus workshops, masterclasses, lectures, and panel discussions, “showcasing 10 internationally acclaimed artists and 18 fellows representing seven countries and four continents.” Perhaps just as meaningfully, they’ve awarded a €20,000 French violin bow made by Claude Thomassin to an outstanding alumna to use free for a year.

Ms. Wang is a persuasive spokesperson for the KMF mission, and she introduced their program by expressing the founders’ and directors’ desire to “give back” and help younger musicians, putting resources at their disposal. “We’ve been there,” she explained. It was striking to hear these words from a musician who seems so young herself!

Youthful vibrancy characterized the entire evening. Opening with just the first movement of the ever popular Café Music (for piano trio) by Paul Schoenfeld, violinist director Xi Wang joined pianist and KMF faculty member Javor Bračić and guest cellist James Kim to show they know how to put the “festive” in “festival.” It was saucy and stylish, just as it should be.

Following in extreme contrast to this jovial opening, but equally au courant was a solo cello work by Gerald Resch (b. 1975) entitled Al Fresco, inspired by the music of Syria and the beginnings of the Arab Spring in 2011. KMF Alumnus, Konstantin Bruns, played this tour de force to the hilt. The piece is improvisatory in feel, starting with a lone desolate pizzicato, inflected tonally to evoke sounds of the oud, and becoming powerfully rhapsodic with extended cello techniques, bending of pitches, glissandi, percussive strikes of the fingerboard and elsewhere, as well as foot-stomping. All of this was easily within the artistic range and abilities of Mr. Bruns, a highly imaginative performer, who also relates well to his listeners. Sensing their rapt attention as he tuned prior to the performance, he paused and quipped, “that is just the tuning.”

More traditional virtuosity followed in the form of Pablo Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen played by KMF alumna, Sarah Kuo with her excellent collaborator Javor Bračić. It was an engaging performance by an outstanding young violinist. She navigated the piece’s challenges with impressive ease.

Brahms’ Sonatensatz (Scherzo from the F.A.E. Sonata) followed, pairing up another excellent KMF alumna, violinist Rimma Benyumova, with Mr. Bračić. Ms. Benyumova plunged into the music with total immersion, and with just the intensity that the piece warrants.

After intermission we heard the Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34, bringing Mr. Stucke, Ms. Wang, Mr. Kim, and Mr. Bračić returning to the stage with excellent violist Liyuan Liu. On paper, the Brahms is the perfect second half to any program; on this occasion, though, to these ears, it could have been more cohesive. As a disclaimer, for this reviewer, it is one of those hypothetical “desert island” pieces, so a less than ecstatic reaction may be explained by an excessively high bar.

To analyze what one wants in such a work, one wants first a burnished collective sound. Admittedly, that can take years for a string quartet to achieve, but without it, even the great works become a mere alternation of thematic turns by four soloists rather than a unified expression from a single musical heart – that of Brahms, here. Brahms composed this magnificent work as an organic entity – and the work’s several incarnations (including one for two pianos) support this. One probably should not even be thinking “what an excellent violist” (as one did here) more than one should think, “that pianist has a great left hand thumb.”

One heard four fine string players who had clearly done their homework and sorted out their respective thematic entrances, but the entrances were showcased at times so prominently (abetted by the others’ receding) – that it reminded one of a tap dancer stepping out of an ensemble for the center stage moment.

Speaking of center stage, one did want more from the pianist, and having the lid on the half-stick was not ideal. Having heard this pianist before in a highly successful debut, one can safely say that there should have been no problem in his matching the quartet in power – so perhaps some group decision was at play. At any rate, the bass of the piano can pair so beautifully with the cellist in this piece, sometimes as a growl, sometimes as a throbbing pulse – and one wanted more of these qualities. Instead, the upper strings dominated, and some sections were strident rather than voluptuous or powerful. In matters of tempo as well, the strings seemed to take flight without regard for the fistfuls of notes in the piano part, which thus at times seemed glossed over in haste. The work is just as exciting –actually more so – if allowed time to build the surges, waves, and peaks with substance and intensity. There was indeed excitement in a virtuosic sense, but there could have been more.

It may be unfair to set such a high bar for what was probably an ad hoc collaboration, assuming the quintet may have suffered some of the last-minute travel-related personnel changes that Ms. Wang mentioned in her opening words. One could only guess which program selections were affected by the visa woes of the three absent performers from China, but the very stress of such matters in a way makes the entire evening seem miraculous.

The group is, all in all, to be congratulated for such an evening of variety and brilliance. The audience seemed to agree, and a final standing ovation earned a reprise of the Scherzo from the Brahms Quintet. Kudos to all for their concert – and also for such an important undertaking as the Karwendel Music Festival.

by Rorianne Schrade for New York Concert Review; New York, NY