Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Requiem À Deux in Review
Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Requiem À Deux
Distinguished Concerts Orchestra; Distinguished Concerts Singers International
Jonathan Griffith, Music Director/conductor
Iris Derke, flute
Craig Jessop, conductor laureate
Erica Miller, soprano; Stephen Lancaster, baritone; Leah de Gruyl, mezzo-soprano
Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
June 7, 2015
Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) is well known for their presentation of theme-related concerts. The concept of multiple requiems in a single concert is one DCINY has used before, in fact, the very first concert I reviewed for New York Concert Review, Requiem X 2, featuring Mozart and René Clausen, used this plan. On June 7, 2015 at Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, Requiem À Deux, with requiems from Gabriel Fauré and Maurice Duruflé, including a New York premiere of Dinos Constantinides’ Homage – A Folk Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, was the program. With singers from California, Hawaii, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, British Columbia, Ontario, France (including Ensemble Vocal Maurice Duruflé!), Mexico, Spain, and “individuals from around the globe,”(the program listed 433 singers!) it was an impressive assemblage.
The first half opened with Homage- A Folk Concerto for Flute and Orchestra (1988) by Greek-American composer Dinos Constantinides (b. 1929). As I had written in an earlier review, Mr. Constatinides is a stylistically eclectic composer, but one who is particularly adept in his Greek-influenced writing. This characteristic showed to great advantage in the Homage. Scored for flute soloist and string orchestra, plus two oboes and two French horns, the three-movement Homage draws on folk-like material of the Greek Islands (without using any actual folk material). The writing is highly idiomatic for the flutist. DCINY Co-founder and General Director Iris Derke was the flute soloist. Ms. Derke has an impressive list of appearances as a soloist throughout the world, and after hearing her performance, it is easy to understand why. Ms. Derke handled the challenges with ease, with quick passage work precisely articulated, rapid descending figures rendered with clarity (and not with the quasi-glissandi effects that one often hears from less skilled players), and excellent intonation, especially in the “danger zone” of the extreme high register. The second movement, Idyll, which is basically an extended cadenza, was the highlight of her performance, but the third movement, Dance, was a very close second. Conductor Jonathan Griffith was an able and attentive collaborator, showing that he excels with small ensembles as well as the large. The composer joined Ms. Derke and Maestro Griffith on-stage, and all took their bows to the applause of the appreciative audience.
After a short break, the stage was set for Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem. Fauré began writing the Requiem in 1877, but did not complete it in its final orchestration until 1900. One of the best-loved works in this form, Fauré’s vision of death as a “happy deliverance…rather than a mournful passing,” did not find favor with his employers at La Madeleine, one of the largest churches in Paris. One of the clerics there tartly remarked, “Monsieur Fauré, we do not need these novelties. The Madeleine’s repertoire is quite rich enough.” No doubt his omission of the fearful Dies Irae, the core of the Latin requiem mass, had something to do with this remark. One can say that Fauré won in the end, as this serene work continues to enchant listeners with its beauty.
Conductor Laureate Craig Jessop took the podium. He was tasked with leading a chorus of over 200 singers, which he did his utmost to do, coaxing the maximum from them. One has to note that, in spite of his efforts, there were still problematic issues. Intonation from the sopranos in the more exposed sections of the Introitus et Kyrie was at times quite shaky, and their ensemble in the same section suffered from a lack of a cohesive feeling. Perhaps it was jitters, but nonetheless, it was an uneasy moment that periodically recurred throughout the entire work. Maestro Jessop did show excellent rapport with the orchestra, with the Sanctus and In Paradisum being especially well done. Soprano Erica Miller voice soared in the Pie Jesu, and baritone Stephen Lancaster projected the pathos of the Libera me with great strength.
The overall performance was solid – the orchestra taking the lion’s share of the kudos along with the soloists. The chorus was uneven, and this is what made what had the potential to be an outstanding performance into what was merely a good one. I do not wish to be overly critical, but I truly was hoping for more. The audience did not share my reservations, as many of them responded with a standing ovation.
After intermission, Jonathan Griffith returned to the podium to conduct the Requiem, Op. 9, of French organist, pedagogue, and composer, Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986) in the original 1947 version. Like Fauré’s Requiem, this serene work is largely devoid of the fearsome elements of the requiem mass (it also omits the Dies Irae).
Whatever misgivings I might have had about the Fauré were more than offset by the first-rate performance of the Duruflé. The orchestra playing was excellent, but especially bold and decisive in the Domine Jesu Christe in a way that filled the hall with sound, which was a thrilling thing to hear! Mezzo-soprano soloist Leah de Gruyl captured the beauty of the Pie Jesu with her exquisite voice, and baritone Stephen Lancaster was back to deliver the Libera me with power as in the Fauré. The chorus was outstanding as well. Once again, one must tip one’s hat to Maestro Griffith, who “delivered the goods” in what this reviewer has come to expect as the norm when he conducts the large DCINY forces.
The last notes of the In Paradisum had barely faded away before the audience sounded a loud and immediate standing ovation that went on for close to five minutes. It was a justly deserved reaction for a truly superior performance.
