Two-in-One

New York Festival of Song (4/1/14) and Homage (4/5/14)

I found these to be two interrelated concerts in that they both included modern works, indeed, some New York, US, and world premieres. The New York Festival of Song program, on Tuesday, presented two sopranos and one mezzo-soprano along with two flutes, two clarinets, mandolin, guitar, and two pianists. I’m not making this up, you know. Seven composers were represented, and there was one world, one US, and two New York premieres. That said, most of the vocal writing was angular, in terms of line, and a little difficult to understand, in terms of text—and isn’t that what it’s all about? Or at least a major component? All three vocalists, Justine Aronson, soprano; Elizabeth Farnum, soprano; and Mary Nessinger, mezzo-soprano; acquitted themselves very well. Of the three, I felt that Ms. Aronson came off the best—I found her voice interesting and clear, and her diction to be very clear. And that is important when composers are setting very difficult texts to very difficult musical lines. Indeed, at the end of one of her songs, I wrote, “Oh what have you done with the garden entrusted to you,” oh! … that’s what those lyrics were! I could only decipher them after the fact.

Also, some of the stage management was a bit difficult to deal with. Resetting the stage for two flutes, two clarinets, a stringed instrument (I forget whether it was guitar or mandolin), and piano for about three-and-a-half to four minutes’ worth of music seemed hardly worth it. I understand, and value, what NYFoS is trying to achieve. It’s just a bit too esoteric—even for me.

Paul Barnes’ piano program on Saturday, Homage: A Program of Music Inspired by Music, set some lofty goals. On paper, it was pretty nifty. A Bach Prelude and Fugue was followed by a modern Homage to Johann Sebastian Bach (2012), Jackson Berkey (b.1942); and From Monstre sacré: Jeux et théorie: connexion libre avec Bach (2011), N. Lincoln Hanks (b.1969). Mr. Barnes played Bach with a very full sound. The Homage to Bach was pensive, but easy to listen to. The Monstre was scherzo-like with shifting rhythms.

The next set was a Jackson Berkey Nocturne (2013, New York premiere); an Ivan Moody (b.1964) Fioriture (2013, world premiere); followed by the Chopin, Nocturne in D-Flat Major, Op. 27 No. 2. (As an aside, this was listed as No. 1 in the program but as No. 2 in the, really poorly written, program notes—there were multiple references to world-, US-, and American-premier performances). Really? From a college professor?

For all of his prowess at the keyboard, and it was impressive, I found Mr. Barnes' Chopin to be a little less fluid than I would have liked.

The second half of the program (even more sparsely attended than the first) included music of Philip Glass and Joan Tower. Mr. Glass’ minimalism (not my favorite) was more tuneful, and palatable, than most Glass I’m aware of. Ms. Tower’s (who was in attendance) pieces (solo piano arrangements of a larger work, Homage to Beethoven, a piano concerto) were slightly less satisfying to me than the Glass—and that’s saying something.

Am I glad I went? Yes. Will I seek out these artists again? Maybe. Will I seek out these composers again? Maybe. But I’ll definitely keep exploring—and reporting.

ConcertMeister