Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Who Are The Brave in Review
Distinguished Concerts Orchestra; Distinguished Concerts Singers
Joseph M. Martin, composer/conductor; Mack Wilberg, composer/conductor
Robert Istad, Christopher W. Peterson, guest conductors
Sasha Grossman, boy soprano solo
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall at New York, NY
February 17, 2020
Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) continued their President’s Day concert series February 17th with a concert entitled Who Are The Brave, with a serving of Americana paired with masterpieces by Leonard Bernstein and Howard Hanson. Singers from Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Canada, Australia, and individual singers from around the globe took the stage in what was to be evening of both joyful and profound musical performances. For any hearing-impaired audience members, four “signers” were on stage to sign the lyrics of the works.
DCINY favorite Joseph M. Martin (in his ninth appearance with DCINY) took the podium to lead in a selection mainly of his own works, either in arrangements or original compositions. All were short in duration (the longest was about 8 minutes). Mr. Martin brings an abundance of energy and a winsome personality to the stage, and he uses those qualities to bring out the same from the choruses and orchestra. This night was no exception. One could feel the excitement radiating from the large chorus, the faces full of joy as if they were having the time of their lives. It’s an image this reviewer never tires of seeing. So powerful is this that one can be ‘”coaxed” into being less critical about the actual music. Mr. Martin and his orchestrators, primarily Brant Adams, know what their listeners want and never fail to deliver, but there is something of a “blueprint” often used that makes many works sound overly similar. To be sure, the large audience did not seem to mind one bit. High points included E Pluribus Unum, which had a Latin flavor mingling with a contrasting mysterious quality, perhaps to suggest the “melting pot” concept, ending with a Picardy third. Music in The Morning (a World Premiere) was filled with Appalachian spirit and the bustling energy of a revival. Who Are The Brave is Mr. Martin at his best, imparting an emotional heft worthy of the noble text by lyricist J. Paul Williams. There were no glossy veneers or trite compositional tricks. An aptly described “Festival Edition” of America, the Beautiful closed this part of the concert to the loud cheers of the audience.
Who Are The Brave. Photo Credit, Dan Wright.
After a brief pause, Robert Istad took the stage to conduct Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. Mr. Istad is artistic director of the Pacific Chorale (in Orange County, CA), and a professor of music and director of choral studies at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). Eleven-year-old Sasha Grossman was the boy soprano soloist.
The legendary status of Bernstein the conductor overshadowed his remarkable ability as a composer. One can only wonder what might have been had he dedicated himself more to composing, but we can be thankful for what he did – some of the finest works in the American canon. I’m not going to give a musical analysis of this much-loved (and much-performed) work; there has been plenty written elsewhere that any interested reader can find with little effort. Suffice it to say that the writing is eclectic, ingeniously melding the sacred texts with jazz infused rhythm and harmony.
Mr. Istad (and the directors of the participating choruses) prepared the singers thoroughly and it showed. There are dangers abounding in the opening movement with the large intervals and the parallel sevenths between tenors and basses, but these dangers were overcome without any apparent difficulty. This was a good sign of things to come. Let’s not forget the orchestra – they came ready to play, and play they did! This was one of those times when a reviewer could turn off the meter for the moment and enjoy.
Sasha Grossman was a star. Such incredible poise for such a young performer is noteworthy, but on reading his biography one learns he is already an old pro, with performing credits beginning at age five! His voice was angelic, his diction outstanding, and his intonation was excellent. Thankfully, he was provided a microphone to help project his sound into the large hall. The four other (unmiked) soloists (Jasmine Powell, Meghan Ropelle, Anthony Apodace, and Michael Fagerstedt) were at times covered by the orchestra. Perhaps this was due to their placement behind the piano instead of front and center. Credit goes to Mr. Istad for quickly adjusting the orchestral volume to allow these fine singers to be heard as the work progressed. The audience enthusiastic response was, if anything, a bit more understated then one would have expected. This might have been one of those rare occasions where the reviewer was more impressed than the general listener. Kudos to all the performers – this was the highlight of the evening for me.
Christopher W. Peterson, also a professor of music at CSUF, took the stage to conduct Howard Hanson’s Song of Democracy. Set to the poem of the same name by Walt Whitman, Song of Democracy is a twelve-minute work showcasing Hanson’s gift for dramatic effect with his unmatched skill for accessibility for all listeners. As the same group of choruses were on stage, it was a safe assumption that the high level of preparation would equal that of the Bernstein, and, of course, it was. Especially striking was the extended a cappella section. Often when there are so many singers there is some loss of vocal clarity, but this was not the case here. The triumphant close brought the audience to their feet. It was a fine end to this segment of the concert.
After intermission, Mack Wilberg took the podium to conduct his arrangements of folk songs and hymns. Dr. Wilberg is the director of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square (formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) and is responsible for all musical and creative aspects of the choir and orchestra. Beneath these impressive credentials is a modest and seemingly bashful man. His conducting style is effective but spare. He would leave the podium after each work, and present the orchestra and chorus for praise, all the while with his back to the audience. The closest he came to a bow before the last work was a nearly imperceptible nod of the head.
Make no mistake about it, Dr. Wilberg knows his craft. He is expert in conveying the qualities of the texts musically, be they sacred, soulful, nostalgic, or simply joyful. My Song in the Night had a luminescent quality that was remarkable. Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing started a cappella and built in grandeur (without any hints of clumsiness or brashness), in a way that matched the text perfectly. The folk song Cindy was easily the favorite of the audience and this listener. The description “a la hoedown” was completely apt. There was a-plenty of hootin’ and hollerin’ from the chorus in what was unbridled fun, bringing smiles and laughter to all. Ending with a majestic My Country, ’tis of thee, the performers and composers were rewarded with an extended standing ovation. Congratulations to all!
