Eric Whitacre, composer/conductor

Kelly Yu-Chieh Lin, piano

Sara Jean Ford, soprano

Jad Abumrad, special guest

Distinguished Concerts Singers International

David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center, New York, NY

April 15, 2018

Fierce rain, wind, and tax deadlines could not stop throngs of music-lovers and fans of Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) from coming to hear the music of Eric Whitacre and friends at David Geffen Hall, Sunday April 15, at 8pm. Nor could the fact that the same program (with different choirs) was heard the previous week at Carnegie Hall (for that review, go to DCINY The Music of Eric Whitacre April 8, 2018). In fact, thanks to the concert being live-streamed on Facebook, there was little to prevent virtually anyone (no pun intended) from hearing it, though nothing tops the unique excitement of live music, especially under the leadership of someone as charismatic as Eric Whitacre.

This reviewer first had the pleasure of hearing and reviewing the music of Eric Whitacre back in 2009, when New York Concert Review was still a print periodical rather than an online one. Mr. Whitacre was already in great demand but there was clearly much more coming. My description of his music as “ingenious” and “inspired” is as true now as then, and expectations that his musical commentary “could make him a real Pied Piper” appear to have been fulfilled and surpassed (not that any special credit is claimed for these observations – rather like observing that water is wet).

Mr. Whitacre (b. 1970) is a bit young to be having anything resembling a retrospective, but this concert allowed his fans to hear music spanning nearly three decades, some “greatest hits” alongside some newer works, plus a few friends’ works and arrangements tossed into the mix. Adding to the firepower were the Distinguished Concerts Singers International, unfailing collaborative pianist Kelly Yu-Chieh Lin, fine soprano Sara Jean Ford, radio host and sound designer Jad Abumrad, and some five-hundred singers hailing from Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Canada, and (as DCINY’s written material states) “individual singers from around the globe.”

Mr. Whitacre’s entrance with the pianist, Ms. Lin, was greeted with cheering, as one expects from rock stars, and with characteristic energy he leapt puckishly to the podium. As an opening greeting, he led the choir in his own arrangement of The Star-Spangled Banner by John Stafford-Smith. The gesture was appreciated by many in the audience who stood up, with hands on hearts. Some traditionalists might not take to all of it – this listener is still on the fence – but it was certainly interesting to hear the old familiar phrases treated with Mr. Whitacre’s signature sound – the added major and minor seconds coloring basic triadic sonorities.

Moving on to Mr. Whitacre’s strictly original works, the program continued with his very famous piece Lux Aurumque (2000), translated as “Light and Gold” (the latter being also the name of his Grammy-winning album from 2012). It was beautifully executed by the massive choir. Thanks to some alchemy of the composer’s, the voices do seem to shimmer in this, and depending on the dynamics of each individual voice, a harmony pulsates between consonance and dissonance, producing the illusion of the choir being a single vibrating organism. The combined choirs, which had met only a few days before, gave a beautiful performance.

Five Hebrew Love Songs (1995) followed, short evocative pieces on texts written by Hila Plitmann and given sensitive accompaniment by a string quartet who also played the quiet introduction. Temuná was pensive, rendered with a folk-like simplicity, followed by Kalá Kallám, which resembled a plaintive sicilienne in the lower voices before breaking into exultant dance music in the higher voices, with tambourine accents. It was quite impressive to see so many young people singing from memory in various languages, in this case Hebrew, and it was a credit to their directors who undoubtedly worked for many months to achieve such a high level. The last three songs included Lárov, appropriately brief to suit a text about love diminishing distances, and Eyze shéleg! an exquisite musical evocation of falling snow. Rakút, gently closed with the strings just as they had opened the set.

Little Birds (1992), next, was evidence that Mr. Whitacre’s flair for unusual effects in choral music started early. Set to an enchanting poem on birds by Octavio Paz, it includes bird whistles from the choristers and a fluttering descent of white pages at the close, suggesting the rusting of birds among the trees.

To mix things up, and because the composer John Mackey is a good friend and colleague of Mr. Whitacre’s, this concert included the New York premiere of Mr. Mackey’s piece The Rumor of a Secret King (premiere if one counts this Geffen Hall performance as an extension of last week’s Carnegie Hall premiere, the actual first). Mr. Mackey needs little introduction to new music circles, but this piece, reportedly his first foray into choral music (set to a text by his wife A. E. Jaques), met all expectations. Filled with a sense of anticipation built on repeated syllables blending with the text to a final climactic Alleluia, it was conducted precisely and winningly. At the end, Mr. Whitacre remarked, “I hope John was watching on Facebook” – then looked at the camera and quipped, “Wassup, John?”

Returning to his own composition briefly, Mr. Whitacre conducted The Seal Lullaby (set to text of Rudyard Kipling), a touching piece composed originally for film, before conducting two arrangements by another friend, Moses Hogan (1957-2003), the spirituals Elijah Rock and The Battle of Jericho, both performed with infectious spirit and wonderful rhythmic energy. (A third spiritual, I want Jesus to Walk with Me, was listed on the printed program but was omitted.) What a great close to the first half!

After intermission, we heard only work of Mr. Whitacre himself. First came his enchanting setting of Goodnight Moon (text by Margaret Wise Brown) sung beautifully by the chorus, with the voice of soprano Sara Jean Ford soaring like a dream over all, and following it was the setting of the stunning poem, I carry your heart, by E.E. Cummings, a piece dedicated to the marriage of two friends. As Mr. Whitacre recounted, it took much searching to find the right music for the latter gem – but the good news is that he did, and with great soulfulness. The performance by these newly convened choruses was again remarkably sensitive.

Cloudburst (1991) was a welcome rain after the great emotional weight invested in the prior pieces. Much loved and imitated by now, notably for the striking finger-snapping, clapping and other effects to simulate a storm, it was a joy to revisit since my first hearing in 2009. The effects were so persuasive (and the audience cooperated) that one really wanted to grab a towel and dry off! Home, from The Sacred Veil was then given its Lincoln Center Premiere. Part of a new work that Mr. Whitacre says needed adjusting as recently as the day before this concert, it is set to a text by Charles Anthony Silvestri on the large matters of life, death and the thin veil between them. For this work, the composer drew upon the electronic expertise of Jad Abumrad in creating sounds of surf. It is a deeply moving piece about finding one’s spiritual “home” in one’s true love.

Another high point of the program was The City and The Sea (premiered in 2010 by DCINY), a set of five more E.E. Cummings poems of varying emotions and scenes. The music matched and magnified the texts’ moods, from the sanguine i walked the boulevard to the melancholic the moon is hiding in her hair. At the heart were maggie and milly and molly and may and as is the sea marvelous, both set with a sense of youthful wonder and sung accordingly. Perhaps the most memorable though was the final one, little man in a hurry, enlivened by Mr. Whitacre’s dance-like conducting style. He led his attentive singers in a precise and comically frenzied performance.

 From this point, emotions took a plunge in Mr. Whitacre’s arrangement of the extremely dark song, Hurt by Trent Reznor (b. 1965), sung in the nineties by the group Nine Inch Nails, later Johnny Cash, and also by Mr. Reznor himself. The lyrics (including “I will let you down,” “I will bring you pain,” and, “everyone I know goes away in the end”) speak of profound depression. It is not easy, in this listener’s opinion, to convey through the angelic voices of several hundred well-coached choristers the kind of raw loneliness and despair that one once heard in the gravelly voice of the lone, weather-beaten Johnny Cash as he sang it, but Mr. Whitacre’s setting was truly painful in a completely different, stylized way. Soprano Sara Jean Ford sang the agonizing words against a faint choral hum at first, joined later in the devastating lyrics by all. At times, Ms. Ford’s voice reached otherworldly heights, sounding almost wailing over the other voices, and the overall effect was excruciating.

Not much can follow such pain except sleep, and the song Sleep (2000) followed, closing on a soft note what was Whitacre’s 15^th concert with DCINY. The audience rallied from the depths to applaud and cheer the musicians and the music. Bravo once again to DCINY and to Eric Whitacre.

Eric Whitacre, composer/conductor

Kelly Yu-Chieh Lin, piano

Sarah Jean Ford, soprano

Distinguished Concerts Singers International

Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

April 8, 2018

How does one make a concert that is both entertaining and musically substantive? This is something that many concert organizers struggle with, but Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) has discovered a simple formula that is a lock for sure-fire success: Invite Eric Whitacre to conduct a concert of his own works. This is Eric Whitacre’s fifteenth appearance with DCINY. Five hundred forty-three singers from Ohio, Massachusetts, California, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Wisconsin, Texas, Tennessee, New Jersey, and individual singers from around the globe gathered under the direction of Mr. Whitacre for an afternoon of some old favorites (Lux Aurumque, Seal Lullaby, The City and the Sea, Cloudburst, and Sleep) with newer works (e.g., Hurt and “Home” from the Sacred Veil), in addition to works by Moses Hogan and John Mackey.

Eric Whitacre is a true force of nature – Grammy-winning composer, conductor, public speaker, and evangelist for the cause of music. He is one of the most charismatic people in any field this reviewer has seen in action. His enthusiasm is simply infectious; one cannot help being drawn in by this dynamic personality.

The Star-Spangled Banner, as arranged by Whitacre, was a welcome pre-concert opener overall. It has some of his characteristic close harmonies, and some other additions for dramatic effect, including that hackneyed leap of a fourth on the held note “Free,” and a Hollywood-esque soundtrack finish. Thankfully, it was not the melisma-fest one so often hears at sporting events by various pop stars.

The program did not follow the printed order, but Mr. Whitacre announced each work with some of the history/back story behind each work. There was a moment of confusion when a string quartet appeared on stage at the appointed time after Mr. Whitacre had just announced the ensuing piece, but without missing a beat, he vamped à la Airplane! – “I picked the wrong week to stop taking amphetamines.” Roaring laughter followed.

Lux Aurumque, one of his earlier works, opened the concert proper. I’ve heard this work countless times, yet it still amazes me how the simplest means have such a profound effect. The chorus rendered the close intervals flawlessly, with excellent balance and intonation. This was an excellent start!

The next piece, Little Birds, to text by Octavio Paz, could be described as “Fauré for the 21st century.” Mr. Whitacre acknowledged Fauré’s influence in his remarks. Complete with bird whistles and paper waving at the end, it was enchanting.

Five Hebrew Love Songs, written in 1995 for his wife Hila Plitman to her texts, is filled with passion. Even a person with little musical training could sense that Mr. Whitacre poured his heart and soul into these songs. The addition of the string quartet added further depth to an already emotionally charged work. Each song was captivating in its own way, but Temuna (A picture), with its almost mournful sentimentality, and the atmospheric, shimmering Eyze sheleg! (What Snow!) were my favorites.

The next work, The Rumor of a Secret King, by John Mackey (b. 1973), set to text from Mr. Mackey’s wife Abby Jaques, was written at the request of Mr. Whitacre. Mr. Mackey and Mr. Whitacre were classmates at Juilliard and remain close friends. It is not a secret that I am an admirer of Mr. Mackey’s works, so I was especially looking forward to this piece. It is filled with driving rhythmic energy, combined with hints of John Tavener. My admiration is intact; this is a worthy addition to the repertoire that was given a winning performance. Mr. Whitacre told the audience that Mr. Mackey is very active on social media and to send him a tweet telling him how good his work was! I am sure many people did just that.

Seal Lullaby, with text from Rudyard Kipling, followed the Mackey. It originally was intended for a DreamWorks project that was abandoned in favor of Kung Fu Panda. Mr. Whitacre called this piece “trunk music,” a work written that is stored away to be used at some point in the future. The tune is simple, yet very moving, and the timbre of the singers was ideal in a touching performance.

The first half concluded with two well-loved and frequently performed spirituals arranged by Moses Hogan (1957-2003), Elijah Rock and The Battle of Jericho (and a third selection in the printed program was omitted). The audience loved the rollicking works and gave all a standing ovation that one usually sees only at the end of a concert.

The second half was all music of Mr. Whitacre. His Goodnight Moon opened. The lyrics come from the beloved children’s book of the same name, which Mr. Whitacre said he has read to his son “at least a thousand times.” It had all the child-like innocence in a sweet, wistful performance that would enchant children of all ages from one to ninety-nine.

The New York premiere of i carry your heart, with text from E.E. Cummings, was next. It was composed as a surprise gift to two friends of Mr. Whitacre. He said it was the favorite poem of the two, and that it was hoped that he could set it to be used at their wedding. Alas, it was not to be, as Mr. Whitacre was unable to get the setting to his satisfaction, instead giving “the worst best man speech in history.” Sometime later, Mr. Whitacre was sitting at the piano randomly striking chords, when a simple two-chord sequence was the catalyst for showing him the path he could not find previously. I’m sure his friends loved the post-wedding gift. The chorus was superb in the “unfolding” of the layers of sound, as it expanded into its full grandeur.

Cloudburst, with text by Octavio Paz, is one of Mr. Whitacre’s signature pieces. With added percussion for the “storm” and chorus member finger snaps for “rain,” it is an aurally and visually arresting tour-de-force. I was disappointed that so few in the audience took the cue from Mr. Whitacre to snap their fingers rapidly in creating the cloudburst effect. It would have been amazing if the entire hall had joined in! Nonetheless, it was still a mesmerizing eight minutes.

The World Premiere of “Home” from The Sacred Veil, courtesy of the DCINY Premiere Project, followed. It is a part of a larger work that Mr. Whitacre is writing in collaboration with his friend Charles Anthony Silvestri. Mr. Whitacre described the veil as the dividing point between the living and the dead, but not a barrier to communication between these worlds. The text is a remembrance of the second date Mr. Silvestri had with his wife, who passed away twelve years ago from ovarian cancer, of the feeling of falling deeply in love with her – “You, feel like home.” A cellist joined the piano and chorus. It was heartbreakingly beautiful, and the emotional impact is still lingering inside me. I very much want to hear the complete work.

The next work, the city and the sea, brought back a light mood. It uses the texts of five poems by E.E. Cummings. Three selections, the jaunty No.1, i walked the boulevard, the nostalgia-tinged No. 3, maggie and milly and molly and may, and the furiously hectic No.5, little man in a hurry were this listener’s favorites.

Hurt, by Trent Reznor (b. 1965), from the group Nine Inch Nails, is a song that Mr. Whitacre told the audience is one of his favorites. An unforgettable cover of this song by Johnny Cash is one of the very last things The Man in Black did before his death. The power of the lyrics is undeniable regardless of one’s feelings about the music itself. Mr. Whitacre’s conception harnesses the rawness of emotion with an otherworldly feeling. Sara Jean Ford’s soprano voice wandered in and out like a calling from beyond. It was haunting, and even a bit unsettling, which might account for the somewhat bewildered response from the audience. This listener found it to be most compelling.

Sleep was the final work. Originally written using Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Mr. Whitacre was denied permission by the Frost estate to use the text in any form, including performance, until 2038 (when the work would enter the public domain), and was threatened with legal action.  Luckily for Mr. Whitacre, his friend Charles Anthony Silvestri was able to provide him with a metrically identical poem, for which Mr. Whitacre was able to use the already written music. It was a sublime ending to a memorable afternoon. The audience gave Mr. Whitacre a long standing ovation. The formula remains effective: Mission accomplished, DCINY!

Kudos to the unsung hero of this concert, pianist Kelly Yu-Chieh Lin, who was a superstar in her own right. If one missed this concert, it will be encored on April 15, 2018 at David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center.