Blasts from the Past, Sort of (11/16 and 23)

Pre-Thanksgiving concerts that I’m just now getting around to blogging about. Saturday the 16th found me at Bargemusic again, and I’m delighted to report that they had a printed program available. The performers were Branko Simic, violin; Ian Tyson, clarinet; and Judy Pang, piano. The program of all-living composers: Serenade for Three, Dances, Songs, Variations – Peter Schickele (1935–); Tibetan Dance, Prelude, Song, Tibetan Dance – Bright Sheng (1955–); and Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano – Paul Schoenfield (1947–).

The first movement of the Schickele was rhythmic, playful, and focused, reminding me of the music of Aaron Copland, while the second contrasted with a slower, calm beginning that included a repeated note in the piano with filigree work from the violin and clarinet. The third movement was perky again, with a sense of real Americana, reminiscent of a barn dance cum jazz dance in honky-tonk style, with touches of humor. (As a side note, Mr. Schickele has a very humorous side in his persona as PDQ Bach.)

The Bright Sheng offering opened with transparent writing that included more modern and dissonant harmonies. The second movement was a violin/clarinet duet, also with very modern harmonies, though not so far afield as to be off-putting. The final movement was rhythmic, almost imitative of drumming, followed by fragmented melodic phrases. The movement then bounced back and forth between cacophonous sections, rhythmic and fragmented sections, finishing with a bold, cacophonous flourish.

The beginning of Mr. Schoenfield’s piece had a klezmer-like feel, with a wailing clarinet line and bending of pitches from the violin and clarinet, with an Eastern European feel. This was followed by a tuneful minor key march, a contrasting calmer section, and a return to the klezmer sound while maintaining a mystical quality. The third movement began with solo clarinet, joined by the violin, and then the piano. The meandering phrases had a somewhat amorphous effect that then segued into the fourth movement, with all three instruments being equal partners with dance-like rhythms, tempos getting faster, then relaxing a bit, and then—off to the races! The piece finished with a bang. It was quite a pleasure to hear an afternoon of music by living composers.

The following Saturday found me at a vocal recital featuring Marco Stefani, tenor, and Brent Funderburk, piano. The program included three Haydn songs, a Handel aria, three Schubert lieder, and an aria from Mignon, by Ambroise Thomas. After intermission, there were three Liszt songs and a Rossini aria from La Cenerentola.

Mr. Stefani produced a clear voice with good diction and declamatory phrasing in the Haydn songs. I felt that some of the rapid settings of the lyrics ended up with some of them getting lost. The Handel aria had nicely adapted phrasing and interesting treatment of many of the repeats of the refrain. While the Schubert songs were nice, they seemed to be the same type of singing over and over, with not much variation. The Mignon aria sounded somewhat more comfortable, as if it might have been in Mr. Stefani’s repertoire longer than the earlier songs.

The Liszt songs were a return to the same declamatory singing and phrasing, while the La Cenerentola aria was once again more comfortable, including some of the more rapid, florid passages. All in all, the program was successful, though I would have liked to hear a bit more subtlety and variation. Mr. Funderburk was an excellent accompanist and partner throughout the entire concert. I’m glad I heard the recital, but I wish I had liked it a little better. But, hey! the price (free) was right.

ConcertMeister