Musicians Club of New York in Review

Musicians Club of New York in Review
Music by Paul Kirby and Jon Liechty
Liederkranz Club; New York, NY
March 1, 2011

Paul Kirby

 

In an evening filled with anecdotes and a variety of styles, Paul Kirby’s works often inspired and entertained. And he played well at the piano too. In “Remembrance,” from Songs without Words, Kirby’s delicate strands were reminiscent of the tender song “Time to Remember” from “The Fantasticks.”   His next work could not have been more different. “Theme and Variations for Violin and Piano”, which began in 1967 during student days, is a meticulous 12-tone composition for violin and piano. It also has its own bluesy, lyrical appeal–some of that music written much later–as late as 2008. The contrast in styles, which reflects the ever-changing direction of music in the last forty years, was interesting indeed. The violinist was Elliot Rosoff, and Kirby continued at the piano. They blended extraordinarily well–even in tricky spots. Although the venerable Rosoff had some bow control issues, he sustained the audience’s attention with his stage presence and devotion to the music. 

In a return to more theatrical music, Kirby’s “Would She Remember,” from Musical Theatre Songs, was charming and eloquent. Philip Anderson sang his lovely tenor with deep involvement and charisma. 

Jon Liechty’s Trio for flute, violin and piano had lovely moments, although the last movement entitled “ A Last Goodbye” droned on a little too long. The music was also a bit too simplistic with its arpeggiated writing in the movement “Solemn Reply”. Liechty played well at the piano and was joined by flutist Enrico Sartori and violinist Mario Gotoh, who lent fine support. Liechty’s playing was more mechanical in his work “Crash Test”, but then it had to be. The work, which is hard-edged and robotic/computer-like, has a very repetitious nature. But as evocative as the piece is, it does grow rather tedious. 

Kirby’s “Markings” from 1992 varies stylistically based on the text. The work is lovable, although it has moments that lack originality. In “Tired and Lonely,” for example, you feel the presence of Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” for too long a period. But in other sections, Kirby was quite innovative, such as when he used a wind machine while sitting at the piano. Other places hinted at Berg, Prokofiev and Kurt Weill–but only hinted, which is good, for you can see Kirby does have his own voice. Philip Anderson certainly has his own voice too, as his high tenor is sweetly distinct, and here–even though he was sometimes covered by the piano set at full stick–he again brought out all the mood changes with conviction.

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

Texas Christian University Wind Symphony in Review

Texas Christian University Wind Symphony in Review
Bobby R. Francis, conductor
Texas Christian University Jazz Ensemble
Curt Wilson, conductor
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall
February 24, 2011

 

Texas Christian University brought its wind, brass and percussion players to Carnegie Hall, and I for one was pleasantly surprised regarding the extremely high quality of these young players. When the first-rate American Brass Quintet appeared on stage as guest artists, for example, they didn’t put these students in their place by comparison; on the contrary, everyone blended in so well that it was difficult to differentiate between the students and the pros.

Joseph Turrin’s excellent “Jazzalogue No. 1” from 1997 opened with a finely tuned, polished sound. The contrapuntal entrances were well placed and the balance was very clear. Jeremy Strickland, guest conductor, deserves kudos for preparing them so thoroughly. Patrick Williams’ Rhapsody for Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble was equally excellent, as guest conductor Curtis Wilson did a splendid job coordinating the many entrances.

John Mackey’s “Hymn to a Blue Hour,” composed last year, is a beautiful, stately, solemn work that was performed with deep commitment and excellent intonation. Here, guest conductor Brian Youngblood deserves credit for the preparation. Anthony Plog’s “Concerto 2010” is a solidly structured work with often pungent harmonies and raw melodic voicing. The percussion has a lot to do, and they were excellent, except that the xylophone was ahead of the brass in spots.  The harmonic style changes a bit too abruptly, but not nearly as much as in David Maslanka’s amateurish and eclectic Symphony No. 8 from 2008. Not only is it cliche and basic in its tonal language and counterpoint, the chordal changes and sectional transitions were often shockingly random.

In any case, these young musicians and their conductors deserve much credit for their topnotch performances of all the works on the program. They made a great impression.

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

Continuum in Review: Music at the Crossroads/Composers of Central Asia

Continuum in Review: Music at the Crossroads/Composers of Central Asia
Merkin Concert Hall; New York, NY
February 13, 2011

 

Continuum’s “Music at the Crossroads” concert featured composers of Central Asia, and the program successfully combined ancient traditions with modern ones. Continuum’s exploration of rarely-heard music is sometimes a result of its travels to remote parts of the globe. In this case, the ensemble has toured several times to Central Asia, most particularly to Uzbekistan, but also to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. The strong musical traditions and the creativity of composers there obviously made an impact on the talented group of directors and performers that form Continuum.

The concert featured Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky, who is from Uzbekistan. Yanov-Yanovsky has worked tirelessly on behalf of his country’s cultural life as professor of composition and founder/director of the Ilkhom Festival, an innovative annual international event. Highly regarded in Europe and the former Soviet Union, he recently spent two years at Harvard University on a special fellowship invitation and currently is teaching in the Chicago area.  Continuum programmed three of his works: “Chang-Music IV” (1991), a work for string quartet which emulates the Central Asian cimbalom; “A-S-C-H” (Hommage to Alfred Schnittke for ensemble – 2004); and “Five Limericks by Edward Lear” (2005) for mezzo-soprano and piano trio. Each work and every musician captivated the audience at hand. Another fascinating work from Uzbekistan, “Music for Chamber Ensemble” (2004) was composed by Yanov-Yanovsky’s former student Jakhongir Shukurov; this was a smart addition to the program.

Throughout the evening, the music hinted at its unique ethnicity, but also pointed to the region’s ancient music. The Kazakh composer Aktoty Raimkulova’s “Alatau”, for ensemble (2011), and written specifically for this concert, reflects her country’s folk music. The title refers to the majestic mountains hovering over her city, Almaty. Continuum brought the usual spark and polish to the performance. The country of Tajikistan, while currently desperately poor and underdeveloped after a long civil war, has a rich musical heritage. Central Asian influences were heard in the works of Tajikistan-born Farangis Nurulla-Khoja: “Blind Flower” for mezzo-soprano and ensemble (2008), and Benjamin Yusupov’s “Haqqoni,” both written for and premiered previously by Continuum. Nurulla-Khoja now lives in Montreal, and Yusupov immigrated to Israel during Tajikistan’s civil war. “Haqqoni” combines a live ensemble with vintage recordings of ritualistic chanting—plus singing from his family’s Bukharian tradition.

All the performers were excellent: Rachel Calloway, mezzo-soprano; Tanya Dusevic Witek, flute; Moran Katz, clarinet; Renée Jolles and Airi Yoshioka, violins; Eva Gerard, viola; Claire Bryant and Chris Gross on cello; Jared Soldiviero, percussion; Cheryl Seltzer, piano and Joel Sachs, conductor. Continuum has chosen just the right music and performers for a memorable—and thought-provoking occasion.

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

Continuum in Review

Continuum in Review
Northern Exposures II: Canadian New Music—The Trailblazers
Americas Society
December 13, 2010 

Left to right: R. Murray Schafer, John Weinzweig, Ann Southam, Claude Vivier, Barbara Pentland, Gilles Tremblay, Diana McIntosh

In the second concert of a series featuring Canadian music, Continuum went back into time to present music from an older generation (works mostly from the 70’s and 80’s) and entitled the program “The Trailblazers”.  (The first concert in this series featured Canada’s more contemporary composers.) This program—like the first—did not disappoint, as the music was gripping, daring or sweetly pastoral; and it was once again varied, enlightening and well-prepared.

The concert opened with harpist Bridget Kibbey’s magnificent performance of R. Murray Schafer’s “The Crown of Ariadne”. The work, which asks the harpist to play percussion in addition to the usual duties, was as captivating as the performance itself; it was innovative from start to finish. Barbara Pentland’s Caprice for solo piano was short but sweet—superbly rendered by pianist Cheryl Seltzer. Next on the program was John Weinzweig’s monumental “Trialogue” for soprano, flute and piano. Although composed without any sense of real tonality (whispers, laughter and shrieking abound), this entertaining theater piece laced with psychological undercurrents engages the audience as well as a classic Broadway show. The audience loved the performance, which was presented in a memorable comic-dramatic style by soprano Mary Mackenzie, flutist Fiona Kelly and Pianist Joel Sachs.

Ann Southam, who sadly passed away about two weeks prior to this performance, wrote a haunting piano quintet seemingly in her own memory, as its hypnotic and tender opening piano chords seem to ring in eternity. Seltzer did a lovely job of letting the music speak simply and lie in its own serenity. The work fades repeatedly as it began, but in the middle, the string writing is contrapuntally complex, and violist Stephanie Griffin, violinists Renee Jolles and David Fulmer, and cellist Claire Bryant played with technical finesse and commitment.

Diana McIntosh’s appealing and more conventional “Nanuk” was a workout for violist Griffin—who played it with conviction and superb command of the instrument, while Gilles Tremblay’s “Cedres en voiles—Threne pour le liban” is much more cutting edge modernity—with marvelous effects for the solo cello. It was played brilliantly by Bryant. Claude Vivier’s “Pulau dewata” for variable ensemble—this time in an arrangement for piano trio by Henry Kucharzyk—is completely original in concept and material.

With this marvelous program of Canadian composers, Continuum has once again proven that we should be more and more exposed to the music of the North.

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

“Amahl and the Night Visitors” :In Review

The Transfiguration Camerata and Choir of Men and Boys
“Amahl and the Night Visitors” and other selections
An Arnold Schwartz Memorial Concert
The Church of the Transfiguration (“The Little Church Around the Corner”)
December 17, 2010

Colin DePaula as Amahl . Photo Credit: Juliet DePaula

Although “Amahl and the Night Visitors” was a highlight of the evening, there were other welcome selections that began the Transfiguration Camerata and Choir of Men and Boys concert on December 17th. Three pieces from Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols” began the program with good vocal diction and excellent harp playing by Francis Duffy. Faure’s beautiful “Cantique de Jean Racine” continued with some lovely solo singing, and “Il le ne le divin enfant”, expertly arranged by Victor Kioulaphides, contained more fine solo contributions—but now with the best choral singing of the evening, as it was tailored perfectly for the boys’ range. The few choral problems in the Britten and Faure were a result of the music going a bit too high for the boys at hand; their intonation was sometimes off the mark, and their collective singing often lacked expression and color at the top.

In “Amahl and the Night Visitors”, the young Colin DePaula as Amahl was superb and charismatic from start to finish. His voice is pure-pitched and very expressive, and he was always in character. He’s a real find and a talent to watch. Aside from a false start to the opera—it had to begin again after the singers missed their entrance—this was an enjoyable “Amahl”. For one, the small orchestral ensemble was excellent, well-assembled by conductor/pianist Claudia Dumschat. They were always in tune, even in the long last chord which features the strenuous, often inaccurate low range of the oboe. The three kings sang with refined pitch and vocal quality in their harmonizations, and Charlotte Detrick played the part of the mother quite well.  Some of the choral singing was tentative, especially when it was a cappella, and some of the kids didn’t always know the lyrics.

This archaic, venerable church is a treasure. In terms of a performance space, upstage center singing in “Amahl” lacked the resonance you might expect. In addition, the visual experience was sometimes frustrating (especially with regards to Lynn Neuman’s attractive choreography on house right) because of columns and the absence of performer platforms or elevated audience seating—although director Richard Olson did make inventive use of the aisles and the back of the audience. In any case, the full-house in attendance seemed to enjoy each work on the program; although they were captivated by it all, the most memorable of the night was Amahl—and by that I mean Colin DePaula in the title role.

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

The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony in Review

The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony in Review
“Baroque Celebration”: Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” and Gloria
David Bernard, Music Director and Conductor
David Chan, Violin
Florilegium Chamber Choir; Nicholas DeMaison, Director
All Saints Church, New York, NY
December 12, 2010
 

David Bernard leading the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony from the harpsichord continuo in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with soloist David Chan, Concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Photo Credit: Claire Stefani

In an all-Vivaldi concert, the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony got in the holiday spirit with the composer’s Gloria in D, RV 589 and his eternally famous “Four Seasons”. The orchestra’s violin soloist was Metropolitan Opera Concertmaster David Chan, who inspired a riveting and stellar performance on all fronts. Music Director David Bernard, who led the performance while playing the harpsichord, did an excellent job of maintaining solid ensemble-playing and consistently driven tempos in what was a crisply articulate, high-energy account.  To top it off, there was a brief poetry reading prior to each season, read with poise and clarity by All Saints Church Music Director Cynthia Weinrich; this was a great idea. Chan played at the highest level possible—with both sweet-toned polish and gutsy intensity—bringing a romantic air of expression to the piece, as one should when there is such detailed, innovative tone-painting (musical descriptions) in the music.

Because “The Seasons” was given such a memorable performance, it could easily have been on the second half of the program. And all four seasons (four concertos with several movements each) are in fact longer and more epic in stature than this Gloria. Naturally, one can understand why Bernard chose the Gloria to conclude the concert; choral works with numerous performers—a visual as well as an aural delight—usually do provide for an emotionally or spiritually satisfying conclusion. But since the superior Vivaldi opus and performance was “The Seasons”—I would have preferred the save-the-best-for-last approach and conclude with that work instead.

Bernard conducted the Gloria from memory and with an astute ear for phrasing and color. My peeves were the sometimes less-than-polished solo singing—although soprano Nina Riley sang beautifully—some out of tune trumpet playing, and the fact that The Florilegium Chamber Choir was sometimes tentative and difficult to hear (especially in lower registers). When I could hear them, however, diction was clear and the phrasing was elegant. Principal cellist John Yakubik’s solo playing was also appealing.

Another reason I can see why the Gloria was indeed placed on the second half was because it led nicely to a Holiday Sing Along, in which Bernard placed the chorus antiphonally on both sides of the church. Here, the voices came through loud and clear—although it didn’t hurt that the large audience at hand lent their voices to what was a robust reading of several Christmas Carols. It is a credit to David Bernard that he has such enthusiastic followers in his audience. Usually you can hear it in applause, but this time it was through the music itself.

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

Opus Two in Review

Opus Two in Review
Leonard Bernstein: From Concert Hall to Broadway
William Terwilliger, violin
Andrew Cooperstock, piano
Le Poisson Rouge; New York, NY
November 23, 2010
 

Opus Two

 
 

Leonard Bernstein, who passed away 20 years ago, would have been pleased with this program, as it exhibits some of his less familiar, serious music alongside his more well-known. Three quarters of the program were arrangements, with his 1939 violin sonata serving as the only original composition. That violin sonata—oddly enough—came across as the least successful of the four works on this program; not that you can blame Bernstein for being somewhat artistically immature at 21—his age when he completed it. The music isn’t always idiomatic for the violin; William Terwilliger had some difficulties with intonation at the top of the violin’s register in awkwardly-written passages.

Terwilliger’s arrangement of Bernstein’s clarinet sonata is ironically more idiomatic for the violin than Bernstein’s own violin sonata. Because the violin sonata isn’t one of Bernstein’s best works in the violin repertory (his 1954 Serenade for Violin and Orchestra remains one of his most acclaimed pieces), it is valuable to have this clarinet sonata in a transcription for violin; the tunes are buoyant, inspired and fun. Although the 1940s big-band sound and style comes through more clearly on the clarinet (think Benny Goodman), violinists deserve to have this excellent arrangement at their disposal.

Two ‘House’ Songs, Bernstein vocal selections cleverly assorted by Eric Stern, were sung by Stern’s daughter Madeline, and they were a lovely addition to the program. “My House”, from Bernstein’s obscure “Peter Pan” (1950), is a charming little gem, and “Take Care of this House” from “1600 Pennsylvania Avenue” is a delightful extraction from an otherwise forgettable show. The two songs were performed beautifully by the young Madeline Stern, who only recently began her conservatory training; a fruitful musical future awaits her, no doubt.

Four Moments from Bernstein’s “Candide” (1956) were arranged by Eric Stern to include some of the musical’s most memorable and contrasting selections: “I Am Easily Assimilated”, “You were Dead, You Know”, “Glitter and Be Gay”, and “Make Our Garden Grow”. They were arranged in a way that preserves the enchantment of the original, but also shows off the violin and piano admirably. Terwilliger and Cooperstock form a terrific duo with Opus 2; their program was equally engaging.

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

The Mirror Visions Ensemble in Review

The Mirror Visions Ensemble in Review
‘Concert a la Carte’
Merkin Concert Hall, New York, NY
November 9, 2010

The Mirror Visions Ensemble

In a most delectable concert, the Mirror Visions Ensemble presented an evening of music as it relates to cuisine. The program opened with soprano Vira Slywotzky, tenor Scott Murphree and baritone Jesse Blumberg appearing from behind the audience and walking down the aisles—a lovely touch—sentimentally and endearingly singing Cole Porter’s “Come to the Supermarket in Old Peking.”  The vocal trio sang beautifully in tune and with great unity of humor.

After the Porter, the trio rotated in a series of solo numbers. The composer Christopher Berg was present for his “Carrot Jingle”—lyrics by Joan Van Poznak—and he could not have received a better performance by Scott Murphree. The trio reconvened for a performance of “Bread” from “The Baker’s Wife” by Stephen Schwartz. They were stellar once again, as the exaggerated diction at the ends of words like ‘bread’ brought great character and clarity to the song, and the heavenly falsetto chord at the finish was perfectly on pitch.

Other highlights included a sassy reading of “Riesling d’Alsace at the Brasserie” by Yehudi Wyner and Bernstein’s “Rabbit at Top Speed”, sang with polish and commitment by Murphree and Blumberg. Slywotsky’s interpretation of “Daliah’s Soup”—with charming music by Martin Hennessy and lyrics by a New York City School student—combined to make a memorable performance.  

It was smart to exclude an intermission, as there would be limitations to a full program about food. The length was just right. Richard Pearson Thomas’ “Tuna Supreme” was fun—if somewhat repetitious with regards to text, and his larger work “Know thy Farmer,” which received its world premiere, was a great success. Here, to add some needed variety to the evening, Thomas added a trio of instrumentalists to the trio of vocalists: violinist Harumi Rhodes and cellist Alberto Parrini (along with Thomas himself on piano). The music was well-played and well-balanced, as the piano trio stayed sotto voce and emerged only when they needed to. There were Brahmsian/ Neo-Romantic touches in the “Passacaglia and Chorale: Pasture”, and complex and exciting fugal passages in the finale: Clean Plates Don’t Lie”—and other moments of sincere expression or excitement that didn’t always go with the partly mundane, simple text—but therein lies some of this work’s humor; some selections were from menu listings, after all.   

 The audience came out in droves for this terrific concert by The Mirror Visions Ensemble, and everyone seemed to leave the hall happy… and hungry.

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

Aglaia Koras, Pianist in Review

Aglaia Koras, Pianist in Review
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
October 25,2010
 
 

Aglaia Koras

During the 2009-2010 season, pianist Aglaia Koras continued her Beethoven and Chopin Plus Series at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall for the fifth consecutive season, sponsored by MidAmerica Productions. She performed her first all-Chopin 200th Birthday Tribute, also produced by MidAmerica Productions, in May 2010. And continuing her celebration of Chopin, she performed an All-Chopin program at Carnegie Hall on October 25, 2010. The program included the Nocturne in C-Sharp minor, Op. Posth.; the Mazurka in A minor , Op. 7, No. 2; the Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No.1; the Fantasy in F minor, Op. 49; the Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op. 60; the Nocturne in B-flat minor, Op. 9, No. 1; the Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20; the Etude in C minor (“Revolutionary”), Op.10, No.12; the Nocturne in D-flat major, Op. 27 No. 2; the Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53; the Waltz in C-sharp minor, Op. 64, No. 2; and the Sonata in B-flat minor, Op. 35 (“Marche Funebre”). Koras played considerably well throughout, but was at her best in the Nocturnes, Mazurka and slow movements, where her imagination, expansive expression and respect for tradition led the way. Pedaling was tasteful, and the phrasing was lovely. These moments were also filled with attractive dynamic contrasts and shading.

MidAmerica Productions was founded by Peter Tiboris in 1984. Now in its 27th season, MidAmerica is an independent producer of classical concerts, presenting soloists like Ms. Koras, choral concerts, and instrumental ensembles from around the world in New York’s Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, and at Lincoln Center. To date, MidAmerica Productions has produced more than 1050 concerts, including 320 in Weill Recital Hall. An interesting addition to Koras’ Weill recital program biography points out that Ms. Koras’ musical lineage can be traced to Chopin, as her teacher Horszowski’s mother (who taught Horszowski in his early years) studied with Mikuli, who was a student of Chopin. This all-Chopin program was a welcome survey of his works, a lovely addition to the year-long commemoration of Chopin’s birth. One can only hope that the people of Poland and France (where he is buried) are doing such prolonged, complete tributes.

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

“Crossing Waves”

“Crossing Waves”
Keziah Thomas, Harpist in Review
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
October 16, 2010

Keziah Thomas

English harpist Keziah Thomas, who divides her time between London and New York City, devised the project ‘Crossing Waves’ in order to use her transatlantic connections to promote the harp repertoire of British and American composers. She commissioned a new work by British composer Andy Scott especially for this project. Taking Thomas’ project title as the title for his commission, Scott’s “Crossing Waves” was given its world premiere at the Forge, London on September 26, 2010. The piece is inspired by the exploits of Roz Savage, who rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 2005. Savage was present at the concert and spoke a bit to the audience, which brought us additional insight. The music breaks down into three main sections: the first reflects the uneasiness of the journey’s beginning, the second section represents the serenity of the ocean waters mid-way, and the final section transmits the tremendous optimism and excitement regarding the outcome of the journey. Ms. Thomas’ journey in commissioning the work, as well as Mr. Scott’s experience writing this piece has had a most successful outcome as well, as “Crossing Waves” is a most stupendous work for solo harp. The work is very idiomatic for the instrument and constructed perfectly, and the innovation is remarkable—while at the same time, the melodic strands and rhythms are catchy and memorable.

Keziah Thomas’ journey to Carnegie Hall has also been successful. The idea of pairing British and American composers is a most natural one for her. Her program was well thought-out and varied; for example, her opening work—the Suite for Harp by Britten—was followed by the remarkably exotic “The Pearl Divers” by the American Douglas Gibson, who was born in 1976, the year of Britten’s death. Thomas played with a Kyoto-like delicacy in the latter work. Elie Siegmeister’s “American Harp” has a bit too much of Copland’s “El Salon Mexico” and the Bernstein influence to be called original, but it was nonetheless entertaining in the hands of Ms. Thomas. Thomas speaks most eloquently to the audience when introducing the works, and her other selections also brought joy to the audience, but the highlight of the evening was clearly Mr. Scott’s “Crossing Waves”, a totally original and engaging composition which should be performed on many future harp recitals—in this country and across the ocean.

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