Lee Walter Associates presents John Hersey High School in Review

Lee Walter Associates presents John Hersey High School in Review

John Hersey High School Symphonic Orchestra, Choral Ensembles, and Symphonic Bands
Sara Michael, choral conductor; Thomas Beckwith, Concert Band conductor
Scott Casagrande; Symphonic Band conductor; Joshua Stewart; Symphonic Orchestra conductor
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York
April 1, 2016

 

Music is alive and well in the Land of Lincoln. For the second time in two weeks, a concert featuring the talents of high school students from the state of Illinois took place on the main stage of Carnegie Hall. The collective programs (choir, band, orchestra) from John Hersey High School had the honors on this date. Interested readers can refer to the prior week’s review for my thoughts about high school music programs- Click here.

Before anything else, I must comment on the duration of this concert, which was (through no fault of the young players) prolonged to the point of becoming exasperating. While I understand the motivation to maximize the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pack in as much as possible, I was less enchanted with the revolving door of conductors (eight in all), and the four (yes, four!) long pauses for shifting chairs and stands, by which nearly an hour was added to the concert’s total length. Given an 8pm start time, it was well after 11pm before the final assemblage was on the stage to end this concert. Thankfully the hall was filled with family and friends, because otherwise the exodus of departing souls would have been in the hundreds. I would have preferred the sight of empty chairs and stands with a single set-up to allow continuity and flow, rather than all this fussiness.

(For the sake of completeness, the eight conductors, in order of appearance, were Sara Michael, Ollie Watts Davis, Thomas Beckwith, John Casagrande, Scott Casagrande, Stephen Peterson, Joshua Stewart, and Donald Schleicher.)

Now, with that off my chest, it is time to get to the music. The choral group led off with Randol Bass’ Gloria. Complete with brass choir and percussion, it is a work that showcases the talents of younger and developing performers. Good balance with smart brass playing (reviewer’s note: Thank you for tuning to Bb!) made for an excellent start to the night. No Time (arranged by Susan Brumfield) and Robert’s A. Boyd’s Blessing were both done with sensitivity. The high point was Rest, by V. Michael McKay. With the soaring voice of soprano soloist Ollie Watts Davis (who also conducted), it was a journey of gospel styles that in the words of Dr. Davis, “promises relief and release from besetting conditions that affect soul, body, and spirit.”

The Concert Band (the Junior Varsity to the Varsity Symphonic Band) showed how deep the layers of talent are at John Hersey. A skillful arrangement of Ravel’s Laideronnette, impératrice des pagodes from his Mother Goose Suite (Ma mère l’Oye), by Brian Beck, was played with confidence. My one quibble was that there was a need for slightly more clearly articulated passagework in the woodwinds. Wayne Oquist’s A Solemn Place (a wind arrangement of his vocal work O’ Magnum Mysterium) had remarkable subtlety and depth, and a fun-filled His Honor March by Henry Fillmore ended their selections on a happy note. The Symphonic Band wasted no time in putting their cards on the table with a first-rate performance of Frank Tichelli’s Blue Shades. I could scarcely believe this was a performance by a high school ensemble. These young players made it all seem so easy, but it is assuredly anything but easy! Special kudos to the (uncredited) clarinet soloist. Gershwin’s Catfish Row Scenes from Porgy and Bess, with Dr. Davis returning to the stage as soprano soloist, was another example of how accomplished these young players are. I have heard many young ensembles, but this one was among the very best without a doubt.

I was puzzled by the Chamber Orchestra’s offering of the first two movements of Dmitri Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110. It came off as some sort of “sampling” (i.e. The DSCH motif and some quotes from earlier works). As there is a complete version for chamber orchestra, it would be preferable to do all five movements or none at all. In any case, one must admit that it was very well played.

The Symphonic Orchestra offered three works – a polished and moving rendition of The Awakening (with the choir) by Joseph Martin, a spirited first movement of Haydn’s Symphony No. 104 (“London”), and a fiercely passionate Carmen Suite No. 1 from Georges Bizet. The latter brought the audience to their feet in a long and loud standing ovation. Howard Hanson’s Song of Democracy, with members of every group filling the stage, ended the long night in triumph. The players and conductors should all be proud, as John Hersey High School has an excellent music program that could be the envy of many schools around the country. Congratulations to all.

Share
by Jeffrey Williams  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY
Rolling Meadows High School Music Department presents Music from the Land of Lincoln in Review

Rolling Meadows High School Music Department presents Music from the Land of Lincoln in Review

Rolling Meadows High School Music Department in association with Bob Rogers Travel
Rolling Meadows High School Bands, Choirs, and Orchestra
Christopher Butti, Band director; Caitlyn Walsh, Choir director; Patrick Sullen, piano; Kevin Carroll, Orchestra director
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall. New York, NY
March 24, 2016

 

It is no secret to any regular reader of this journal that this reviewer has a particular interest in band performances (“wind ensemble” if you prefer), especially those with young players. On March 24, 2016, at Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, the Rolling Meadows High School Music Department (Band, Orchestra, Choir) from Illinois was on hand to showcase their talents. Watching the young people file onto stage transported me back to those long ago days when I was a youngster, myself, getting ready for concerts. I was especially taken by the sight of one wide-eyed young lady walking out with her hand covering her mouth as if saying to herself, “I’m on the stage of Carnegie Hall!”

A concert with high school players presents a number of challenges to a reviewer – does one adopt a “one size fits all” standard, or does one make allowances for the age and experience level of these performers? It is my belief that constructive criticism, tempered with regard to age, is what is appropriate. I have the utmost respect for high school music directors and the challenges they face, such as the vast range of abilities of the players, the difficulty in maintaining a solid foundation of players when the personnel is constantly changing, too many/too few of particular instruments, finding music that is level appropriate yet sounds sophisticated, and trying to maintain “law and order” with a large number of teens. On the other hand, this does not mean that a wholesale “free pass” is being issued. Intonation, balance, and precise articulation are non-negotiable items.

Leading off was the band, directed by Christopher Butti. I was immediately intrigued by the multi-note tuning (first A, then F), something I have not encountered before. That being said, it has always been my belief that tuning for junior high/high school bands should center on Bb instead, as using A (a notoriously sharp note for Bb Trumpets) has a tendency to bring the overall pitch toward the flat side later. I was curious to see how this was going to work out (or not) in practice.

Let’s get the criticisms out of the way first. The set-up of the instruments was at odds with the acoustics of the hall, which made the percussion section sound much too loud (through no fault of the percussionists), which also “muddied” up some of the rapid passages. Intonation issues occurred throughout, some jarringly severe. There were numerous missed and cracked notes in solo passages. Of course one can factor nerves into the equation, but this is an issue very common with younger players, who mistakenly approach some notes from the bottom up instead of aiming slightly above (which allows the player to “slide down” if necessary, while trying to “pull up” almost always causes cracks or just plain missing of the note).

Now, let’s get on to the many good things. There was much to praise in the overall ensemble playing – the balance (making allowances for the acoustics) was nicely done, individual players showed a lot of talent and promise, and Mr. Butti is to be commended for choosing works that were of a level that was right for his ensemble, and which showed them to the best advantage. I’ve heard too many young groups “crash and burn” on Grade 5 works, when there are so many terrific Grade 4 works that they could really shine in.

The band offered four selections. Phillip Sparke’s Merry-Go-Round is aptly called a mini “Concerto for Band,” with the melody making its way around the instruments. Other than the acoustical issue, it was a playfully fun opener. Selections from John Williams’ Lincoln was given a solid reading. The highlight of their selections was Elements by Brian Balmages. Subtitled Petite Symphony, this four-movement piece (Air, Water, Earth, Fire) is a highly-effective Grade 4 work that these young players put their collective all into, and it showed in a wonderful performance. They ended with a medley of hymns from the five branches of the Armed Forces that earned them a nice ovation.

The choir followed, led by a very animated Caitlyn Walsh. Ms. Walsh had prepared her choir well in what were well-conceived and tight performances. The joy of the South African hymn Siyahamba was clear, and the “spoken chorus” work, Geographical Fugue by Ernst Toch, was well done (though simply a “diversion” according to the composer). The touching Susan Brumfield arrangement of No Time and Joseph Martin’s The Awakening were excellent. Well done, Ms. Walsh and Choir!

After intermission, the orchestra took to the stage, led by Kevin Carroll. Mr. Carroll addressed the audience, thanking them on behalf of himself and his colleagues for their support in making this concert in a “hallowed ground of music” possible. They led off with Aaron Copland’s An Outdoor Overture. Written with young ensembles in mind, this work has all the hallmarks of the Copland style while being within their technical grasp. There were intonation problems in the exposed sections, but the overall effect was good, and the balance issues that vexed me earlier were no longer in evidence (different seating plan!). Percy Grainger’s Irish Tune from County Derry (which most will recognize as “Danny Boy” or Londonderry Air) was wistful, but needed more “lift” from the string players. Selections from the popular musical Chicago followed and was delightful, with the raunchy growls of the trumpets and jazzy elements coming through with panache.

The combined forces joined together for the World Premiere of Fanfare and Fantasia on Illinois, commissioned by and written especially for Rolling Meadows High School, by Don Owens. With quotes from the Illinois State song, the Rolling Meadows High School alma mater song, and other Illinois related themes, it is an effective work that should figure highly in concerts for years to come from Rolling Meadows. The audience filled with family and friends gave their “stars” a standing ovation, a fitting end to a night that these young people will cherish for a lifetime.

Share
by Jeffrey Williams  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY
Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Vocal Colors in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Vocal Colors in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Vocal Colors
The Music of Ivo Antognini
Ivo Antognini, visiting composer
Distinguished Concerts Singers International from Lee’s Summit High School Concert Choir and Kearney Chamber Choir (Missouri), Jerry McCoy, director
Khorikos, Alec Galambos, assistant director
Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, New York
March 22, 2016

 

Khorikos, are you listening? I don’t mean to each other, I mean to me . . . I’m a huge fan! Previous to this concert, I had not known of your work. You had me at “Christ,” the first word of the first selection, Bach’s chorale Christ ist erstanden, BWV 276. What ecstatic excellence poured out of this small group, which stood in a humble semicircle of two rows, in front of the risers. They sang selections from six centuries of a cappella music, in six different languages, with such purity and passion. I can’t recall the last time I attended a vocal event this good—and I’ve been swimming in a spring season full of choral concerts, all of which have had their “moments.”

Ranging from the Renaissance to the twenty-first century, their repertoire is perfectly rendered at all times. There is an interesting nuance they do a lot, consisting of a note (or chord) that “travels,” what I mean by that is, it doesn’t hold still on a white, pure sound, but a sort of urgent crescendo is placed on it, which varies according to the needs of the composer, text, and/or phrase. It could have become mannered, but was deployed with such musical wisdom that I now wonder why all choirs don’t do this.

The Rautavaara Avuksihuutopsalmi had a wonderful choral glissando (in an upward direction) that occurred in each verse. If you’ve never sung in a choir, you have no idea how difficult that is to execute with everyone landing on the desired chord in tune.

The two Italian works (Monteverdi and Gesualdo madrigals) were stunning. They were followed by American composer Samuel Barber’s rarely heard Three Reincarnations, the first and third of which were conducted by an uncredited man other than Mr. Galambos. The third, The Coolin, was particularly moving. Guillermo Martínez’s No llora, paloma mia was a tour de force, with discreet narration and all manner of vocal effects. Khorikos closed with a lively number (unusual for Arvo Pärt), and the audience leapt to its feet.

After intermission, two high school choirs from Missouri took to the risers, and were conducted by the excellent Jerry McCoy. They sang music of only one composer: the Swiss Ivo Antognini, who writes in a conservative idiom, but with high-quality, spiking his choral music with juicy clusters and smudges of tone and usually resolving everything by the final chord. In fact, my only (minor) suggestion to Mr. Antognini would be to vary his endings a bit more. I’d love to hear something “less” triadic as an ending, maybe more dissonant, more questioning . . .

The selections were mainly sacred, with five in Latin and two in English. His Ubi caritas, a classic medieval text that has been set notably by Maurice Duruflé and Paul Mealor, was stunning. Mr. McCoy delivered a verbal program note that it was dedicated to the “people in Belgium” in light of the previous day’s attack.

Throughout each work, the choir performed so well, it would have been the envy of many a professional group. Every nuance was audible, and the dynamic range was well-varied and large; so often massed-choirs fall victim to a generic loudness.

The Victorian-era paean to self-reliance and perseverance Invictus, which is hard for me to stomach as a poem, but did offer comfort to Nelson Mandela during his long years of imprisonment, was actually very convincing in Mr. Antognini’s setting. Perhaps I need to re-examine the poem!

The group closed with Canticum Novum (Sing unto the Lord a new song, Psalm 98), with energy, excitement and beauty. What a gift DCINY gave us on Tuesday night!

 

Share
by Frank Daykin  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY
Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Sounds of a New Generation in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Sounds of a New Generation in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Sounds of a New Generation-An Evening with James Martin High School, Arlington, TX
Martin High School Chorale, Kay Owens, Director; Martin Wind Symphony, Brad McCann, Director; Martin High School Symphony Orchestra, Michael Stringer, Director
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
March 21, 2016

Maybe everything really is bigger in Texas, including the hearts of high-school musicians and their music educators. Such a fine evening of choral, band, and orchestral music was presented on Monday, March 21, and it was supported throughout by loud acclamation from parents, friends, and co-students that filled Carnegie Hall in what will certainly remain a vivid memory for their whole lives.

The concert began with the Martin High School Chorale, under the expert leadership of Kay Owens, a thirty-three year veteran of choral music. Brent Pierce’s Hosanna in Excelsis provided the perfect opening, energetic and glamorous, but with nuance, announcing the credentials of the group.

Other highlights were: By the Waters of Babylon by Edwin Fissinger, the moving text involved whispering, which imparted a mysterious quality to the whole. Dúlamán by Michael McGlynn followed, using only the male voices. It is an Irish seaweed-gathering chanty from the potato-famine era. Then the female voices had their turn with Hope Is . . . by Randy Jordan, its Emily Dickinson poem sensitively rendered. By the way, the choral diction was crystal clear all evening, no small accomplishment.

This part of the program closed with the inspirational It Takes a Village by Joan Szymko, with a small ensemble of boys taken from the choir to solo, and also using a few traditional African percussion instruments.

After DCINY’s famous “brief pause,” the Martin High School Wind Symphony, conducted by Brad McCann, tackled one of the pillars of the repertoire: Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber. Although from where I was seated the first section (Allegro) was a bit cloudy in texture, I didn’t know whether to blame Hindemith or the young players. However, the second and fourth movements were absolutely crisp and exciting, and the somber third movement was also very good.

After intermission, the Martin High School Symphony Orchestra appeared, although it wasn’t conducted by its billed music director until the third selection. First, an uncredited woman led the group in Dvořák’s well-known Carnival Overture. I did feel it was played too fast for clarity in the hall’s acoustic, but the second theme area showed astonishing maturity in the phrasing of the strings and the overall burnished tone one usually finds only in professional adult groups. The quiet central section, scored more like chamber music, gave ample opportunity for solo wind players to shine.

A different woman then took the stage and led the orchestra in a string rendition of Puccini’s pop-iconic aria for tenor, Nessun dorma, from his opera Turandot. Yes, I know Aretha Franklin sang it at the Grammys one year, but this prospect of an aria shorn of its words I was not looking forward to. However, once again, those strings showed a great maturity and passion in what they were given to work with, although one missed the squillo of a fine Italian tenor (and the expansion of the tempo) for the “Vincerò!” exultant cries at the end.

Finally, Michael Stringer came out to direct the Finale from Rachmaninoff’s ill-fated and not often performed Symphony No. 1 in D minor, Op. 13. This work caused such consternation in Rachmaninoff’s teachers and peers that it almost caused him a complete nervous breakdown, and did lead to a several-year hiatus from composing. The orchestra played the difficult passages and abrupt transitions with which this music abounds with rhythmic clarity. Even their enthusiasm couldn’t help it totally though, and I found myself at times agreeing with Glazunov that it was incoherent. But let me add that’s not the fault of Martin High, who delivered completely appropriate high-wattage bombast.

James Meaders, conductor and now associate director of DCINY then led the group, plus full choir in two movements (The Spheres [Kyrie] and Sunrise [Gloria]) of Ola Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass, the second time I’ve heard this work in less than one month. This must be Mr. Gjeilo’s “moment,” and it’s a good thing. As I sat listening to music that was now familiar to me, I couldn’t help but marveling: was I really hearing a better performance than the one earlier in the month by adult choirs and a professional orchestra? By golly, I was! The choral singing was superb, and the blend of orchestra and choir was perfect. Dynamic shadings were stunning, and the whole enterprise held up the promise of mystical involvement not only with religion, but with all of nature.

A final, sort of “built-in” encore was the Gloria by Randol Alan Bass, which despite committed playing and singing sounded rather trite after the glories of the Gjeilo.

The concert was dedicated to the memory of Taylor Renee Helland, a 19-year-old cancer patient (and 2014 graduate of Martin High), who just passed away in February. Her mantra was “choose joy” and that’s what the musicians did. What a beautiful tribute for her friends to make music with such youthful passion. Thank you, Martin High.

Share
by Frank Daykin  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY
Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Total Vocal in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Total Vocal in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Total Vocal
Deke Sharon, conductor and host
Chrissie Fit and Hannah Juliano, guest soloists
Andrew Fitzpatrick, guest vocal percussionist
The Filharmonic, Vocalosity, Highlands Voices, Stay Tuned, featured choirs
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
March 20, 2016

The second installment of Total Vocal made its energetic appearance on Sunday, March 20 at Carnegie Hall. Deke Sharon, the affable leader of this enterprise, is the pre-eminent arranger, conductor, and promoter of contemporary a cappella choir singing in this country. All but one of the arrangements belonged to Mr. Sharon. His skill is as boundless as his youthful energy, bouncing on stage in his sneakers: he seems as young as the high school kids he works with. Capitalizing on the success of The Sing-Off, the Pitch Perfect movies, and even Glee, the growth of these groups nation- (and world-) wide has been explosive: from 200 when Mr. Sharon began (twenty years ago), to over 3000 today.

The program fell into two parts: that prior to intermission featured a younger-age massed choir made of groups from all over the country and Canada. Their music was, one might say, relentlessly cheerful, with a certain sameness to a lot of it, perhaps a limitation of their age. But their enthusiasm knew no limits whatsoever, and the high-energy was electric. Their bodies were wonderfully free, moving along with all the music, even when they weren’t singing. A slight flaw to me was that the amplification of the female soloists made a lot of them sound alike. A group of 11- to 16-year olds called Chamber Bravura did a fine rendition of “Mercy.” The all-female “Key of She” group was very moving in “True Colors.” The song “Try,” with the excellent Chrissie Fit and the Highlands Voices and Stay Tuned groups, finally revealed some adolescent angst about the dangers of selling out just to fit in and be liked.

After intermission, the massed choir shifted its demographic slightly older, to include young adults and professionals. Choirs from Google (Googapella), Facebook (The Vocal Network), and Twitter (Songbirds) played key roles, with Mr. Sharon remarking that there is in fact time (even for the workaholics of Silicon Valley) to make music. A marvelous summation of the history of a cappella music (another Sharon arrangement) took place disguised as a medley of Beatles songs. Hannah Juliano was the super-strong soloist in Adele’s first hit “Chasing Pavements”: her proud mother (in the audience) was also an a cappella choir singer, back when Deke Sharon was just starting out.

The “tech” groups mentioned above scored a timely message with their version of “Video Killed the Radio Star,” which was updated to the “Internet,” and featured the choir members taking the unavoidable selfies of each other while singing.

Not to be forgotten: the amazing “vocal percussion” (commonly called beat-boxing) of Andrew Fitzpatrick, also known as 80Fitz. There would seem to be no sound he can’t make with this mouth, lips, and throat. Truly, a one-man orchestra. This carried over into many of the arrangements as well, lest one think that in a choir it’s all “just singing,” they utilize any sound that can be made without instruments other than the human voice.

Although Mr. Sharon called the song “Close to You” and the Carpenters “cheesy,” I’d remind him that it was Bacharach/David who wrote it; and the velvet-voiced (but tragic) Karen Carpenter wasn’t cheesy. The female side of the choir sang it with beautiful sensitivity, and Mr. Sharon dedicated the performance to his wife, who couldn’t attend.

Mr. Sharon himself soloed in front of his well-trained group (who had only worked with him for two days prior to the concert) in a deep-jazz, complex arrangement of one of Sinatra’s biggest hits, Jimmy Van Heusen’s “Come Fly with Me.”

Another sensation, the all-Filipino male group The Filharmonic sang “Flashlight” with flair, showing why they did so well in the Sing-Off. That was followed by the male side of the choir rendering John Legend’s (formerly John Stephens) “All of Me.”

For a stomping conclusion, Sharon led the choir AND audience in Lionel Richie’s “All Night Long,” with choir members from the first half coming down all the aisles and leading everyone. A built-in encore was the audience’s rendition of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”

It is so good to see young people engaging their musical and emotional skills in this way. Keep it up, America, and Mr. Sharon: Bravo!

 

Share
by Frank Daykin  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY
New York Concert Artists and Associates presents Pianist Gábor Farkas in Review

New York Concert Artists and Associates presents Pianist Gábor Farkas in Review

New York Concert Artists and Associates presents Pianist Gábor Farkas
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
March 10, 2016

 

NYCAA (New York Concert Artists and Associates), under the direction of Klara Min, has had a record of discovering some highly interesting musicians to present in debut, and Hungarian pianist Gábor Farkas is no exception, though he may have too many credentials already to be considered a “new discovery.” Born in 1981, and having earned an impressive list of appearances and accolades, as well as a doctorate from the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Mr. Farkas is already enjoying an active career – but it may be that the best is yet to come.

His program included Scarlatti (two Sonatas – E Major, K. 531, and A Major, K. 533), Schubert (Impromptu in G-flat Major, D. 899, No. 3), and Schumann (the Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13). After intermission came an all-Liszt group. The bill of fare may not sound remarkable, but the interpretations were distinctive.

From the opening Scarlatti Sonatas, the mark of the pianist’s individuality was apparent in the treatment of texture. Seemingly free from performance practice constraints, some sections were handled with generous harmonic blending (with pedal) juxtaposed with a much drier sound elsewhere. Some say that any Scarlatti played on a modern piano is a transcription of sorts, so rules can be cast aside. Most pianists, though, strive for some consistency of texture, if not actually approximating the sounds of the harpsichord and clavichord. Mr. Farkas seemed unconcerned with any such conventions, bringing out the piano’s wide range of timbres and the compositional uniqueness of each disparate phrase as it appeared to suit him.

Throughout the first half of the program, one couldn’t quite decide whether to embrace this individuality, a rarity in a sea of generic pianists, or to challenge the rather freewheeling approach to architecture, tempo, and other musical considerations. Mr. Farkas’ phrasing was intriguing, particularly in some subito piano surprises and expressive changings of course. His interpretations overall were also always thought-provoking, even when the reasoning behind some of his decisions eluded one. On the other hand, there were some liberties that jolted, some unsettling tempo fluctuations, and some perplexing pedaling at times.

Schubert’s Impromptu in G-flat was compelling, with the appealing vocal qualities one wants in Schubert. Mr. Farkas was not at all afraid to stretch a phrase in poignant ways. With such a well-known piece, it was refreshing to hear it as if for the first time. Now and then the stretching became a tad fussy, but that was hardly a steep price to pay for the overall profusion of ideas and beautiful highlights. There were many inspired moments.

Where the alternate stretching and pushing became detrimental to the music for this listener was in the Schumann Symphonic Etudes, particularly the finale, where a unified march-tempo is the underpinning, despite the sequential episodes that break the fanfare. There is plenty of excitement without pushing the speed each time the march re-ascends – and in fact, rushing undercuts the excitement that mounts to the work’s grand finish. There are many such moments in this well wrought work, where the composer has all the drama “baked in the cake” – needing little help from the performer beyond patience, stamina, and an identification with the inherent drama and lyricism.

Mr. Farkas’ more mercurial approach to Schumann works ideally with that composer’s sets of smaller character pieces such as the Davidsbündlertänze or the Fantasiestücke, which I would be interested to hear him play. He is simply overflowing with his personal brand of interpretive energy – a quality some may find overwhelming or intrusive to the score, but others will find the best reason to go and hear him play.

Works of Franz Liszt filled the second half, two of which were transcriptions based on works by other composers, first the Waltz from Gounod’s Faust and then the Danse Macabre of Saint-Saëns, quite a bravura pairing. Mr. Farkas projected all the requisite drama and virtuosity, showing ample strength and pianism through both. Liszt’s own Ave Maria, S. 182, sensitively handled, gave a breather of sorts before (Liszt’s) Totentanz, the virtuosic closer.

Totentanz, or (“Dance of Death”) a tour de force of octaves and pyrotechnics, is a work one doesn’t see performed every day (thankfully, in this reviewer’s opinion), but it was given a rousing reading. Mr. Farkas’ sense of diabolic drama and color was in full play, alternating wicked impish staccato figures with menacing tritones, blistering octaves, and still more octaves (have I mentioned that there are octaves?). Even as a staunch defender of Liszt against the usual charges of excessive flash, I couldn’t help thinking afterward that there must be works worthier of a fine pianistic talent in his prime, as Mr. Farkas is.

The audience gave a very noisy standing ovation and was rewarded with a mellow rendition of the Schumann-Liszt Widmung as the encore.

Share
by Rorianne Schrade  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY
Legato Arts presents Lin/Castro-Balbi Duo-20th Anniversary Celebration “From the Old World” in Review

Legato Arts presents Lin/Castro-Balbi Duo-20th Anniversary Celebration “From the Old World” in Review

Legato Arts presents Lin/Castro-Balbi Duo-20th Anniversary Celebration “From the Old World”
Jesús Castro-Balbi, cello; Gloria Lin, piano
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
March 6, 2016

 

A large and appreciative audience came to hear an excellent cello/piano duo recital on a chilly late winter Sunday. Gloria Lin, pianist, and Jesús Castro-Balbi, cellist, are married, and each of them teaches at Texas Christian University. Whether or not being spouses assisted in the perfection of their ensemble, it certainly didn’t detract from it. They have been playing together for twenty years now. The husband graciously gives primacy to his wife in having the first name of the duo.

This was a sort of “reverse” recital, with the second part longer than the first part. In fact the only work prior to intermission, though not “small,” was Chopin’s Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 65. To my ears, the only miscalculation was the use of the short stick on the piano. I know cellists fear balance issues, but the glorious piano writing had a muffled quality, never truly achieving fortissimo climaxes when needed, or even (gasp!) over-balancing the cello. Yes, in this piece by an avowedly awkward writer of chamber music, but who was the greatest pianist of his time, sometimes the piano actually needs to predominate. Both players spun out the dense late-Chopin textures with purpose and, usually, elegance. Mr. Castro-Balbi’s phrasing was very personal and convincing; he possesses a beautiful vibrato and legato, with ample use of slides. In fact, I wished he had used the legato more, as there were some odd moments of detached playing, where a longer singing line would have suited better. The third movement: Largo, was a gorgeous, meditative gem in their hands.

After intermission, it seems a different, looser, more dynamic duo took the stage. The pair played Martinů’s Cello Sonata No. 2, H. 286. Here, Ms. Lin provided crisp, clear, exciting, and meticulous articulation in the difficult first movement, and throughout. This performance made a somewhat difficult work easily graspable to the many listeners who I’m sure had never heard it before. They achieved tragic grandeur in the slow movement.

Joaquín Nin’s Seguida Española is not often heard, but it should be. It’s charms are based on folk songs and dances, and although some of it seemed derivative of de Falla’s Siete canciones populares españolas, one regretted the brevity not only of each movement, but of the whole. Beautifully done.

The duo concluded with Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s difficult riot of a romp based on the famous aria from Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia: “Largo al factotum.” Although this aria even wound up in a Looney Tunes episode, there was nothing cartoonish about the rendition here. In fact, not only was the technique and ensemble perfect, but the players exhibited an all-too-rare quality in many of today’s music makers: genuine wit.

They favored the enthusiastic audience with an encore from the aforementioned de Falla folk song set: the poignant “Nana,” which had everything, haunting in its spontaneous phrasing by Mr. Castro-Balbi. Here’s to twenty more years at least!

 

Share
by Frank Daykin  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY
Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Between Heaven and Earth in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Between Heaven and Earth in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Between Heaven and Earth
Distinguished Concerts Orchestra and Distinguished Concerts Singers International
James M. Meaders, DCINY Associate Artistic Director and Conductor, Tom Shelton, Guest Conductor, Richard Sparks, Guest Conductor
Jolaine Kerley, soprano; Timothy J. Anderson, narrator
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
March 7, 2016

The massed-choir events presented by Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) generally have a very high level of music making and popular success. Monday’s concert was quite a mixed-bag, gathered under the title mentioned above. The singers come from eight states and six foreign countries and are prepared by their individual local conductors before traveling to New York to combine with many other choirs.

The first one-third of the evening was devoted to seven selections for a huge youth choir, containing all age groups from small boys up to high schoolers. They were led efficiently by Tom Shelton, who also made some of the rather slick arrangements. The selections were not performed in the order listed on the program, and one was left out entirely. Perhaps I shouldn’t evaluate this performance with the same rigor I would apply to a professional choir. Surprisingly, the enormous group had trouble actually projecting, except when the vocal writing allowed the voices to soar to higher notes, where one could enjoy the characteristic gleam of such an age-group. The repertoire extended from modern sacred, to Baroque, folk-inspired (Stephen Hatfield’s moving Family Tree), even Italian madrigal. The exciting Ritmo by Dan Davison involved not only singing, but clapping, stomping, finger-snaps, chest thumps, and marching in place—a veritable encyclopedia of eurhythmics, accompanied by piano four-hands (the very capable Matthew Webb, assisted by his page turner).

Several instrumental solos were featured: trumpeters Anna Roman and Jesdelson Vasquez; and flutist Tamar Benami, as well as a fearless (uncredited) choir member for the concluding Go Down Moses. The performance certainly brought pleasure to the many parents and friends of the singers in the audience, and it is good to see young people (a) learning music at all, and (b) working together on something instead of the relentless isolating march of the cell phone.

After the infamous “brief pause” to shift huge choirs (only ten minutes this time), conductor Richard Sparks led a new chorus, narrator, and soprano, with a small ensemble of piano, organ, two oboes, two French horns, and a percussion assemblage, in the New York premiere of Toronto-based composer Allan Bevan’s Nou Goth Sonne Under Wode. The composer also played his own organ part. This work takes many of the sentiments in the traditional crucifixion scene Stabat Mater and ramps up the grief until a sort of transfiguration occurs to Mary, who then sings a concluding Alleluia. The choral writing relies too heavily on musical clichés of mourning, aiming for monumentality, but the whole was very sincere. The O Vos Omnes section was particularly successful. The part for narrator was a bit odd, sometimes too soft despite amplification. There were other moments when the chorus, narrator, and soloist were drowned out, despite the small instrumental ensemble size. The valiant soprano was the very good Jolaine Kerley, whose clarity and expression were top-notch. She wisely chose to just stop singing the climactic loud high D-flat (her last note) before it gave out entirely, just keeping her mouth open and letting the choral resonance fool you into thinking she was still singing it. Smart lady, this trick was sometimes employed by the likes of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf.

After intermission, James Meaders, one of DCINY’s associate artistic directors, conducted yet another two-hundred-plus singers and large string orchestra in the Sunrise Mass by the young Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo. This was by far the most beautiful and intriguing work on the program. He set the traditional Latin texts of the Mass, but gave each section a title having to do with the (usually) natural world: The Spheres (Kyrie), Sunrise (Gloria), The City (Credo), Identity (Sanctus) & The Ground (Agnus Dei). His use of tone clusters and overlapping chords makes the musical language seem more modern than it really is, but very beautiful. In The Spheres, motives that are first heard “smudging” into each other are later presented cleanly as a melody by the choir. The work is also cyclic, that is, themes heard are reused elsewhere in the work, a time-honored technique and one that gives unity. There is perhaps a bit of over-reliance on stock “minimalist” gestures in the string parts. The final chord of the piece, on the word Pacem (peace) was stunning in its hushed quality, held for a very, very appropriate long time.

Perhaps music is what’s “between heaven and earth.”

Share
by Frank Daykin  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY
Legato Arts presents Sean Botkin in Review

Legato Arts presents Sean Botkin in Review

Legato Arts Presents Sean Botkin, piano
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
February 24, 2016

Beauty and frustration are often lifelong companions of the artist—and also of the reviewer. Thus were my thoughts last evening at the powerful performance given by pianist Sean Botkin. I will confess that when I saw the program, including four mainstream composers, I was afraid it might be unimaginative. However, Mr. Botkin did program two rarities by two of them: Prokofiev’s First Sonata and Rachmaninoff’s First Sonata. The Russians clearly suit his type of pianism, and he has an affinity for them.

Every time I tended to get annoyed by a patch of sound that was too unrelievedly massive or too loud, then something sublime would occur, and I could forgive all. If I had any suggestion to make to this obviously well-equipped pianist, it would be: It is more interesting to “draw the listener in” to your sound world and the music, rather than to “push the music out” to them. This type of over-projection reminds me very much of “old-school” Juilliard thinking.

Mr. Botkin began with the Prokofiev, his Opus 1, written at age sixteen, revised a couple years later, and obviously well-thought of enough that it is included in his complete sonata corpus. Botkin played with controlled passion—there was lovely elasticity in the cadences and where the composer has indicated ritardando. The tone quality was beautiful, never bangy, and his architectural sense made this uncharacteristic work sound better than it actually is, albeit a bit blustery.

Mr. Botkin then followed with one of the great middle-period Beethoven sonatas, the G major, Op. 31 No. 1. It was in the Adagio grazioso middle movement that some of the loveliest playing of the whole evening occurred. He handled the extravagant pre-Rossinian operatic lines and accompaniments with sensitivity and elegance—his trill ability is miraculously even. However, in the first movement, he didn’t seem to emphasize the parodic element: Beethoven was either mocking a string quartet whose first violinist played before everyone else, or a pianist whose hands couldn’t play together, inverting the usual “left-hand before right.” It lacked impish humor. “However” however: he did scrupulously observe every single phrasing and articulation marking, even the ones that are less than convenient for the interpreter. The Rondo finale, was played too fast for a true Allegretto, despite Schindler’s unreliable testimony (as always) that it was to be played Allegro.

The first part of the recital concluded with a headlong performance of Chopin’s Fourth Scherzo, Op. 54 in E major. Here, in the sorrowful middle section, was the other highlight of the evening for me—absolutely gorgeous, intimate, lyrical playing. The outer sections lacked transparency and, for lack of a more politically correct word: “anima.” It was aggressive rather than elegant, and the harmonic shifts were not savored with sufficient sensuality.

After intermission, Mr. Botkin tackled the daunting and huge First Sonata by Rachmaninoff, the one the composer himself said that no one would ever play. Mr. Botkin has recorded it, and his mastery is evident in every passage, as is his clear point of view, again emphasizing power, volume, and big-line architecture over other aspects. Rachmaninoff had originally underscored the music with thoughts of a “program” dealing with the Faust legend: with Faust, Gretchen, and Mephistopheles symbolized in the three movements. It is a sort of concerto or symphony “manqué,” with all the unwieldiness that implies.

Mr. Botkin took a freely improvisatory approach to the beginning, with a sort of giant feeling of “leading-in” instead of a metrical obedience. Certainly this is one viable way to do it, however, one wonders if the basic rhythm of the “Faust motto” would have benefited from more discipline. Also ignored (I’m sure it was intentional, all part of his concept) were numerous dynamics, all on the softer side. Where I was sitting, there wasn’t much played below mezzo-forte, and all the louder passages were “scaled up.” This sort of sound tires the ear after a while, and the piece is long. This is not to say that he didn’t have beautiful lyrical moments, because he did. He was playing so strongly however, that the unisons of the piano’s strings were progressively going out of tune (first noticed in the Chopin, it got a lot worse later). I feared that he wouldn’t have anywhere left to go for the true fff on the final page of the last movement, but by golly he did. The sound impressed a lot of people, but to me it seemed like the distortion when a stereo is turned up too loud.

I predict good things for Mr. Botkin. I certainly don’t wish him to take my detailed listening habits and preferences for anything definitive or negative. But please, do think of varying your sound palate even more. There is incalculable charisma in charming the listener’s ears, and always making people think that you have something in reserve, that you are never at the outer limit of what you can do. And thank you for providing a correct program with program notes. Next time: an encore?

 

Share
by Frank Daykin  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY
MidAmerica Productions presents Pavel Šporcl with New England Symphonic Ensemble in Review

MidAmerica Productions presents Pavel Šporcl with New England Symphonic Ensemble in Review

MidAmerica Productions presents Pavel Šporcl with New England Symphonic Ensemble
Pavel Šporcl, Violin
New England Symphonic Ensemble; Maple Mountain High School Choirs
Giuseppe Lanzetta, David R. Thye, and Cory Mendenhall, conductors
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
February 13, 2016

On what was a marathon of a concert sponsored by MidAmerica Productions, the New England Symphonic Ensemble performed a brisk and polished account (aside from a few horn/wind entrances) of Beethoven’s Fidelio Overture and later gave grand presentations of Vivaldi’s choral work Gloria and John Rutter’s Magnificat. One also witnessed the unique violinist Pavel Šporcl performing two different styles of music.

Pavel Šporcl is a virtuoso of the first order. If you want to hear a violinist facing the utmost challenges of Paganini, he is the one. Mr. Šporcl has tremendous flair and an unbelievably impressive technique. These attributes are ideal for late-Romantic and modern works, along with more contemporary popular styles. According to his biography, he likes to go beyond classical music and work with non-classical artists. His gypsy band projects “Gypsy Way” and “Gypsy Fire” have been seen in many countries in nearly 300 concerts. Mr. Šporcl plays on a blue violin built at his request by Jan Spidlen in 2005.

On this particular occasion, Mr. Šporcl’s main presentation was Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, Op 64. Most memorable here was the remarkable technique and brilliance he exhibited in the last movement. It seems to me with an orchestra of this chamber size and the possibly little rehearsal time allotted, the well-known Mendelssohn was the practical choice. However, I very much look forward to hearing Mr. Šporcl play virtuosic, cutting-edge concertos by Prokofiev, Stravinsky, and Shostakovich, and with Mr. Šporcl’s Czech heritage in mind, I’m sure he would give an exquisite interpretation of Dvořák’s melancholy and ethnically zesty concerto. His gypsy and pop selections will interest audiences greatly. Mr. Šporcl’s blue violin is indeed a visceral stand-out. It does not possess the warmth of other violins I’ve heard in this hall–and this is a main reason Mendelssohn wouldn’t be my first choice for this artist. In the first two movements, some of his notes lacked a classically pure expression or vibrato, and had a raw sound one associates with 20th century or pop/rock repertoire. When tempos pushed, conductor Giuseppe Lanzetta didn’t always anticipate Mr. Šporcl’s thinking, and the orchestra was behind at times. In the third movement, however, Maestro Lanzetta was prepared for the rapidity of speed, and both soloist and orchestra were unified. The last movement had as fast a tempo as you’ll ever hear, but it was performed with precision nonetheless.

Mendelssohn’s blazing finale perfectly segued to Mr. Šporcl’s encore, the Paganini Caprice No. 5. In addition to the audience, many orchestra members were studying Mr. Šporcl’s performance with awe. Thanks to a few persistent concert-goers, we actually got to hear this Paganini showpiece, as the bulk of the audience–not knowing the traditions of classical concerts–ceased clapping before Mr. Šporcl’s return to the stage. It was with the Paganini that Mr. Šporcl’s strengths worked the best: excellent intonation, a brilliant technique and bow-arm, a colorful sound with wide-ranging variety, and a flashy, tireless energy. It was already recording-ready (hopefully it was recorded–microphones were present). He is a unique artist that should get a lot more visibility on New York’s contemporary arts scene.

 

Share
by Anthony Aibel  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY