Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents The Music of Karl Jenkins in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents The Music of Karl Jenkins in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents The Music of Karl Jenkins
Distinguished Concerts Orchestra; Distinguished Concerts Singers International
Jonathan Griffith, DCINY Artistic Director and Principal Conductor
Karl Jenkins, Composer-in-Residence
Joanie Brittingham, soprano; Katherine Pracht, mezzo-soprano; Peter Scott Drackley, tenor; Michael Scarcelle, baritone; Almedin Jashari; muezzin, Iris Derke, recorder/flute
Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
January 18, 2016

 

In what has become an annual event, Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presented a concert featuring the music of Karl Jenkins in celebrating the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. on the holiday named for Dr. King. The first half was to consist of the Songs of Sanctuary and the Te Deum, with the second half featuring the sixty-five-minute blockbuster The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. A post –concert event was to follow where one could greet Mr. Jenkins and have a copy of his new autobiography, Still With the Music, signed. With singers from California, Pennsylvania, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and “individual singers from around the globe,” it had the makings of a special night.

Opening the concert was Songs of Sanctuary. This 1995 work was born of a commission from Delta Airlines to compose “something ethnic.” Adiemus was the result, using what the composer called “invented words,” a phonetic approach that allows the listener to focus on the musical content as opposed to the text. Songs of Sanctuary consists of nine pieces (Adiemus, Tintinnabulum, Cantus Inaequalis, Cantus Insolitus, In Caelum Fero, Cantus Iteratus, Amaté adea, Kayama, Hymn), which can be performed as set or individually. From the first moments of the opening of Adiemus, it was clear that the young singers were well prepared and ready to go. I could not help but smile. It was a feeling that would continue throughout the night.

Experienced Jenkins listeners will at once recognize that the melody for Amaté Adea was re-used in his later Stabat Mater in the And the Mother Did Weep movement. Highlights for this listener were the haunting Cantus Insolitus and the exuberant Kayama.

It was a delight to see the young singers on stage having the time of their lives, with faces joyfully beaming. Even the most jaded listener could not help being moved by such a sight. Conductor Jonathan Griffith served as a gentle and patient guide to his young singers with clear directional cues, such as a sweeping movement with his left hand upward when the singers were to “slide up” to the next pitch in a quasi-glissandi effect. One must give kudos to the featured vocal soloists, Joanie Brittingham and Katherine Pracht, who were excellent, and DCINY’s own Iris Derke, who did double duty with lovely recorder and flute solos.

This younger chorus filed off the stage and the Pennsbury High School Choir and Pennsbury Community Chorus from Pennsylvania took their place for the next work, the Te Deum. This 2009 work has five sections (Te Deum laudamus, Te ergo quaesumus, Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis, Miserere nobis, Te Deum laudamus (reprise)), but is performed without pause between sections. It is a joyous, high-spirited and optimistic work. There were moments when the chorus was obscured by the orchestra, but these were passing instances that one can attribute to the orchestra’s exuberance. With the final words Non confundar in aeternum, the singers thrust their arms in the air. It was a triumphant finish to the first half, and the audience rewarded the performers with a standing ovation.

During the intermission, pictures of Mr. Jenkins and important events in his life were projected on the back wall of the stage as the stage was being prepared for the second half. Singers then began to file onto the stage, indeed so many that about thirty singers “overflowed” to the left of the stage.

In another tradition, Karl Jenkins (or more properly, Sir Karl Jenkins, O.B.E.) joined conductor Jonathan Griffith on stage for an impromptu conversation before the commencement of the second half. Maestro Griffith offered congratulations for Mr. Jenkins’ recent elevation to knighthood and being the very first Welsh composer to be so honored. Mr. Jenkins was asked if there had been any changes in his life as a consequence. “Sometimes it is easier to get a table at a restaurant,” was the reply, much to the amusement of the audience. Mr. Jenkins shared a quip made by Princess Anne, who performed the duties of the knighting- “It seems wrong to have a sword on the man who wrote The Peacemakers.” Maestro Griffith told the audience that The Armed Man had now surpassed 1800 performances since its premiere in 2000, an average of two performances a week, every week, for fifteen years.

I have written about the history of this work previously, so those readers who wish to know more can follow the link to a previous review from 2013- The Sounds of War and Peace, Chapter 2- The Music of Karl Jenkins. Maybe the meaning of the work can be summed up in a quote from the final movement “Better is peace than always war.” As it was in 2013, the accompanying movie (also called The Armed Man) was projected onto the stage back wall.

It is evident that Maestro Griffith has made this work one of his specialties. His approach is confident and assured. Even the synchronization with the images on screen was razor sharp, in a way that was truly breathtaking. This was the master at work!

Even though I have heard this work countless times, I was still struck with the power and emotion of the piece, something that happens with me quite infrequently. Some highlights included the brass rising to the challenge of the Charge! movement with the bold and decisive attacks that this section demands, in a way that missing from the 2013 performance. It made a world of difference to this listener! The Benedictus as well stood out and was especially poignant. The chorus was exceptional from start to finish, and one must recognize the fine soloists (Joanie Brittingham, soprano; Katherine Pracht, mezzo-soprano; Peter Scott Drackley, tenor; Michael Scarcelle, baritone), even if their roles were limited. The audience reacted with a prolonged standing ovation. It was an excellent concert.

Perhaps it is fitting to close this review with words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as projected onto the screen at intermission: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that”.

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by Jeffrey Williams  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY
Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents The Music of Karl Jenkins in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents The Music of Karl Jenkins in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents The Music of Karl Jenkins
Karl Jenkins, composer/conductor
Jonathan Griffith, DCINY Artistic Director/Principal conductor
Lucy Knight, soprano; Mark Watson, baritone
Distinguished Concerts Orchestra; Distinguished Concerts Singers International
Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
January 19, 2015

In what has become an annual tradition, Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presented a concert in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day featuring the music of Karl Jenkins. This edition was truly global in scope, with singers from Germany, South Africa, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden, Canada, Russia, Ireland, Italy, California, and Massachusetts (including a children’s chorus). With a first half consisting of the United States premieres of Llareggub and The Healer, a second half featuring The Peacemakers, and a post-concert opportunity to greet Mr. Jenkins and have him autograph his latest CD release, it had all the makings of a special evening.

Before the concert proper, Mr. Jenkins joined DCINY conductor Jonathan Griffith on stage for an impromptu conversation about the works on the first half. There was much laughter as Mr. Griffith attempted to pronounce poet Dylan Thomas’s (invented) “Welsh” word Llareggub. Mr. Jenkins smiled as he gave what would be a “proper” Welsh pronunciation (k(ch)la-REG-gub), and then told the audience that when spelled backwards it has a very different meaning in English, a wordplay betraying Thomas’s sense of humor. I leave it for the reader to figure it out! Mr. Jenkins also expressed his admiration and thanks for the many texts written especially for him by his wife, Carol Barratt, a formidable talent in her own right. After a few closing words about Mr. Jenkins’s esteem for Terry Waite (who was captured by terrorists in January 1987 while working to secure the release of hostages, and held captive for nearly five years), who provided friendship and texts to the composer, Mr. Jenkins then took to the podium to conduct Llareggub.

Llareggub is a musical snapshot of life of the fictional village setting of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood. The three movements, Starless and Bible-Black, Eli Jenkins’ Prayer, and At the Sailor’s Arms, are played without break. Starless and Bible-Black is serene, with an atmospheric feeling that is strongly suggestive of a pitch-black night that slowly moves towards daybreak. The second movement, Eli Jenkins’ Prayer, features a quote from a hymn, “Burnt Oak”, written by Karl Jenkins’s father (not to be confused with Eli Jenkins, who was a creation of Dylan Thomas and bears no relation to the composer’s father). Concertmaster Jorge Ávila played his solo part with expressive feeling that was sentimental, but never maudlin. The finale, At the Sailor’s Arms, is a visit to the local pub, filled with chat, drinking, merriment, more drinking, brawling, and drinking until drunk. Complete with a honky-tonk piano, it was just like being there in the thick of it. One could easily imagine Dylan Thomas amongst the locals, matching them drink for drink. Mr. Jenkins led the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra with his customary understated manner, always letting the music and the musicians take center stage. Llagerggub was a delightful quarter-hour visit to the wonders and whimsy of Wales, a trip this listener very much enjoyed taking. I suspect the large audience shared my opinion, as they gave Mr. Jenkins a hearty ovation.

Karl Jenkins

Karl Jenkins

 

After this happy romp, it was time to move to the serious side with The Healer. Subtitled A Cantata for St. Luke, The Healer is a nine-movement work scored for soprano and baritone soloists, chorus, strings, oboe (doubling on cor anglais), and percussion. Taking a page from his earlier Stabat Mater, the composer uses the middle-eastern percussion instruments (the riq and darbuca) to accentuate the sounds of the ancient land. With text from the Book of Common Prayer, St. Luke (from the Authorised Version (Luke 15: 3-7) and Vulgate (Luke 2:29-32) version of the Holy Bible), William Blake, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Carol Barratt, Vivien Harrison, and Terry Waite, The Healer is another demonstration of Mr. Jenkins’s seemingly limitless ability to capture the essence of such evocative material with the simplest of means. A perusal of the score highlights this – it is deceptively simple, but the net effect is one of great import. This is the mark of a composer who has the courage to stick to his guns in a musical world that often scoffs at such an approach as pandering to the hoi polloi.

Highlights for this listener were in abundance, however I will limit myself to those I found the most compelling. Soprano Lucy Knight captured the essence of “The eyes of a child” with true innocence. Baritone Mark Watson projected strength throughout, and his “The Shepherd” was particularly fine. The large chorus was well prepared, from the chant-like Prologue to the Epilogue (Nunc dimittis). Special mention goes to oboe/cor anglais soloist Ryan Walsh for his excellent playing. The Healer can well join the growing list of works by Mr. Jenkins that should enjoy widespread performances.

After Intermission, it was time for the two-part, seventeen movement The Peacemakers. Scored for orchestra, chorus, soprano soloist, bass and ethnic flutes, ethnic percussion, Uilleann pipes, soprano saxophone, and electric bass, The Peacemakers resembles his earlier works The Armed Man in its blueprint and Stabat Mater in multicultural influences. Quoting Mr. Jenkins, “One line from Rumi sums up the ethos of the piece: ‘All religions, all singing one song: Peace be with you.'” This is an ideal that our world sadly is sorely lacking, as the composer himself lamented in his program notes. The texts for The Peacemakers comes from a variety of sources, some expected (Scripture from the Bible and Qur’an, Gandhi, the Dali Lama, Nelson Mandela, etc.), some unexpected (Albert Schweitzer, Percy Shelley, Anne Frank), and of course, Carol Barratt and Terry Waite.

Unlike The Armed Man, with the duality of war and peace, The Peacemakers is singularly focused on peace. The music draws one in and holds one in its thrall, rather than grabbing and pulling one as The Armed Man does. This is not to say that there are not any martial moments in The Peacemakers, but when they appear, it is a joyful call in the name of peace rather than any warlike saber rattling. As much as I would enjoy commenting on each of the seventeen movements, I am going to single out two movements that were my favorites, the hauntingly beautiful The Dove, with Lucy Knight’s exquisite heart-melting voice, and the amazing He had a dream- Elegy for Martin Luther King Jr. with the soprano saxophone’s bluesy riffs winding in and out of the melody, complete with a quote from Robert Schumann’s Träumerei. It could easily stand alone in performance , and would be a welcome addition to any musical tributes for Dr. King. Kudos to all the soloists (Jorge Ávila, Violin, Jesse Han, Bass Flute, Premik Russell Tubbs, Bonsuri and Ethnic Flutes, from NYJAZZ: Rob Derke, Soprano Saxophone; Carlo de Rosa, Electric Bass; and Andy Blanco, Ethnic Percussion, Joseph Mulvantrey, Uilleann Pipes), the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra, and the Distinguished Concerts Singers International.

Maestro Jonathan Griffith led yet another winning performance, as I have come to expect from this fine musician. It is no surprise that Mr. Griffith was awarded the 2014 American Prize in Conducting- professional orchestra division. The ovation was long, loud, and well earned. Mr. Jenkins took to the stage and modestly bowed while saluting the performers. It was a wonderful ending to a exceptional evening of music. I am already looking forward to January 18, 2016.

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by Jeffrey Williams  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York

DISTINGUISHED CONCERTS INTERNATIONAL NEW YORK: DCINY
THE MUSIC OF KARL JENKINS
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall
January 16, 2012

A full house greeted the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra and Jonathan Griffith, Artistic Director, on Martin Luther King Day. The opening work of the program was Jenkins’ “The Wooing of Etain” in its United States premiere. The piece is unusually scored for soloists that include soprano saxophone, electric bass and uilleann pipes. Despite the unconventional use of  instrumentation, the work is sweetly tonal, warm and embracing. It was performed with affection and commitment, although some of the individual playing was slightly off pitch. The soloists: Rob Derke, Carlo de Rosa and Joseph Mulvanerty, performed and improvised with technical brilliance.

Jenkins’ “Sarikiz”, a violin concerto given its Carnegie Hall premiere, won the audience over instantly with its Carl Orff-like primitive energy and minimalistic repetition. Apart from the occasional reference to Kazakh folk themes, Jenkins uses two Kazakh indigenous percussion instruments, the dabel (hand drum) and the kepshek (tambourine). Like Orff’s beloved “Carmina Burana”, for example, very little counterpoint is used, the simplest of chords were often employed, and the percussion–while effective–is sometimes used a bit too often (here, they also covered the violin soloist at times). The idiomatic, virtuosic violin scoring holds the audience’s attention in this appealing work–especially with the right soloist. Jorge Avila did an outstanding job with the violin part, and his charismatic stage presence helped keep a diverse audience riveted.

Carol Barratt’s Fantasy Preludes for piano was given a solid performance by Danny Evans and receiving its United States premiere, was composed with an original touch–even though there were many reminders of 20th century modern and impressionistic influences. Nine preludes in all, there was a good deal of counterpoint–which was a refreshing change–and interesting harmonic variety as well. Melodic writing was sometimes chromatic, sometimes more spacial–but almost always lyrical. I would have placed the violin concerto after this work, as the solo piano looked and sounded anti-climactic after witnessing the orchestra.

A diverse audience was to be expected, as it was Martin Luther King Day, and Jenkins’ world premiere, “The Peacemakers”, included quotations from many important leaders or texts.

Those that were quoted include Gandhi, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, St. Francis of Assisi, Nelson Mandela, and Anne Frank (a touching, special addition to this list). Of course, there was also a Martin Luther King tribute. The excellent performers included soprano Antoni Mendezona, flutist Kara Deraad Santos, the return of saxophonist Rob Derke and electric bassist Carlo de Rosa, Benny Koonyevsky on ethnic percussion, and Joseph Mulvanerty on uilleann pipes.

Jenkins’ “The Peacemakers” is poignant, resonant, and meaningful. The music accompanies the corresponding texts with devotion. The instrumentation chosen always suited the origin or culture of the text; for example, the bansuri (Indian flute) with the Gandhi text, and the African percussion with the Mandela text worked perfectly. Martin Luther King’s tribute included an incredibly inventive mix of the Blues and Robert Schumann’s “Traumerei” (“Dreaming”).

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