Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Mozart’s Requiem in Review
Bradley Ellingboe, composer/conductor; Robyn Woodard, piano
Russell L. Robinson, composer/conductor; George Hencher, piano
Kenney Potter, guest conductor
Diana McVey, soprano; Teresa Bucholz, mezzo-soprano; Chad Kranak, tenor; Damian Savarino, bass; Gabriel Evans, organ
Distinguished Concerts Singers International
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
April 29, 2023
Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presented a concert entitled Mozart’s Requiem at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium on the evening of April 29, 2023. In addition to the Mozart, the world premiere of Bradley Ellingboe’s A Place Called Home and the music of Russell L. Robinson were also featured. The Distinguished Concerts Singers came from Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oregon, Florida, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Washington DC, Australia, Germany, and “individual singers around the globe. “
Bradley Ellingboe took to the podium to open the concert. He spoke to the audience about his new work A Place Called Home. The theme of his work is climate change and its impact on our world. In his written notes, Mr. Ellingboe states “[I believe] people respond better to stories than a recitation of statistics.” A Place Called Home tells this story with the goal of spurring people to action before it is too late. The text is by Charles Anthony Silvestri, whose name many regular readers of New York Concert Review will recognize due to his frequent collaborations with Eric Whitacre. The ten-movement work is scored for chorus (with soloists), violin, cello, oboe (doubling on English Horn), piano, and a battery of percussion.
The text portrays a highly idealized “everytown” (think Grover’s Corner with a splash of Norman Rockwell) and its gradual degradation into a polluted victim of the local factory amid the economic wreckage wrought by the wheels of progress. There’s obviously more than just climate change in there, but I am not going to wade into the social debates- that is far beyond the scope of this review. However, on a musical level, any commentary on socioeconomic issues is an ambitious undertaking, and I am not entirely convinced on this occasion that it was completely successful.
The chorus filed onto the stage “in street clothes, as if attending a town meeting.” I’m sure this was to accentuate the “everyman.” It would have been a bit more meaningful if the people had interacted (handshakes, hugs, “conversations”) instead of just taking their places on the risers.
Enough of that, let’s get to the music and the performance. Mr. Ellingboe is a skilled composer, who has both a sense of dramatic flair and a use of harmonic language that is accessible without being cloyingly sweet and simplistic. He is also an excellent singer, as his powerful voice filled the hall in the fourth movement I Wonder. He brings energy to the podium, which in turn is reflected back to him by the chorus. My main objection was that there were many instances of weak vocal projection, mainly with the various soloists. One should not have to strain to hear from any part of the hall, certainly not in the closest seats to the stage, where this listener was situated. The diction was excellent (when the sound itself could be heard clearly) and the ensemble was commendable. Highlights for this listener were I Wonder, Birdsong, My Hometown (soloist Alexandra Martinez-Turano), and the anthem-like final movement A Place Called Home. Kudos to the unnamed members of the orchestra for their outstanding work. The soloists were Susie Tallman Yarbrough, Bonnie Pachanian-Finch, Robert Finch, Richard Macklin, Shelly Ley, Solveig Nyberg, Curtis Storm, Jennifer Coleman, Shiyah Serna, Alexandra Martinez-Turano, Quynh Truong, and Sharlotte Kramer. The audience gave Mr. Ellingboe and the performers enthusiastic applause.
After a short pause to reset the stage, Russell L. Robinson took the podium to conduct “The Music of Russell L. Robinson” part of the evening. That title is something of a misnomer, as only two works were composed by Mr. Robinson- the remaining six were arrangements of his (three of which were “world premieres”- while factually accurate, was a bit hyperbolic). The chorus consisted of Middle and High School students.
The reviewer knows he is not dealing with professionals here, so there will not be any pointed criticisms that would be inappropriate for singers at this level. That’s not to say “anything goes” – issues can and must be acknowledged. We are going to address those issues straightaway. As is common for this age set, the ladies outnumbered the gentlemen in a ratio approximately 3:1, and the ladies’ voices are better developed and project with greater resonance, which often can (and did) cover the male voices. The soloists all needed to be microphoned – it was an unreasonable hope to think that these young voices could somehow fill the hall without amplification. The piano often overwhelmed not only the soloists, but the chorus itself (and the pianist was not overplaying by any means), until Mr. Robinson was able to cue the pianist to dial it back a few notches.
Also Sprach Grinchathustra. Now to the good stuff. Mr. Robinson knows how to write for young singers. His arrangements are effective and lend the singers the veneer of sounding more advanced than they are. He is an avuncular presence on the podium, which is ideal for younger singers. It’s easy to conduct the pros and bask in that, but it is a person with a special gift that works with the youngsters to help them grow and develop their talents. Who knows what stars of tomorrow were on the stage tonight? Highlights were Carrickfergus (Traditional Irish) with an angelic voiced (and sadly, unnamed) young lady, Yesu Ni Wagu (traditional Swahili), complete with African drumming and swaying and hand gestures, and the anthem-like When I Sing (text by Charlotte Lee), written by Mr. Robinson and given its world premiere. It’s always touching to see young performers giving their all and having the time of their lives on one of the most famous stages in the world. It’s something I never tire of, regardless of how many times I witness it (and it’s been a lot!). Their supporters gave their stars a loud and extended ovation.
After another break, the final work of this marathon concert, Mozart’s Requiem, K. 626, was led by guest conductor Kenney Potter. Commissioned by Count Franz von Walsegg as a memorial to his late wife, it was unfinished by Mozart at the time of his death in 1791. His student Franz Xaver Süssmayr completed the work, using various sketches Mozart had left and his claim of being familiar with Mozart’s wishes about the composition. The question of how much of the work is Mozart and how much is Süssmayr is still being debated to this day. Tonight’s performance had, in lieu of a full orchestra, two violins, one viola, one cello, one bass, and organ (more about that later).
Much praise is due to the directors of the individual choirs that comprised the full chorus. They came prepared, and it showed in a dynamic performance. The projection was strong and clear, the diction was precise, and the ensemble was top-notch. The soloists, Diana McVey (soprano), Teresa Bucholz (mezzo-soprano), Chad Kranak (tenor), and Damian Savarino (bass) were all at the top of their game, with perhaps some extra kudos for Mr. Savarino, who was a powerhouse!
What detracted from this otherwise wonderful performance was the meager sound of the “orchestra,” though through no fault of the players, who are obviously fine musicians. A prime example was the “burn it all down” of the Confutatis. It was rendered more like the flickering of a Zippo lighter than the stoking of flames from hell. The Carnegie “organ” is never going to strike terror in any hearts, being a portable electric model that can be wheeled on and off the stage. Even with all this, the Requiem was still far and away the highlight of the evening. Mr. Potter led with meticulous attention to detail in an understated manner. The audience roared its approval, capping off the night.
