Gotham Early Music Scene (3/16/23)

The Medieval Miracle: Melodies into Harmony
Pomerium – Alexander Blachly, Director

Kristina Boerger & Michèle Eaton, sopranos; Garrett Eucker, Michael Steinberger & Christopher Preston Thompson, tenors; Thomas McCargar & Peter Stewart, baritones 

This was an a cappella concert—vocals with no instrumental accompaniment. It was also pretty much a survey course on a cappella; we learned a little bit about several different things. There were sixteen individual pieces, so there will not be a detailed discussion about every piece. 

True to the title of the program, it began with a plainsong chant (sung by the three tenors). Melody only. The version presented was based on Hec Dies, a 15th-century Liturgy. That said, the next grouping of four pieces, all from the 13th century, was based on the tune we heard previously. One had the chant in a two-voice version for men (harmony) and one had a countermelody added by the women (three-part harmony). But not like the Andrews Sisters. This three-part harmony was very basic, and included lots of open chords (do and sol—one and five in the scale—with few, if any, mi the third of a chord that you’re used to hearing). 

As the concert proceeded, both the harmonies and rhythms grew more intricate as we moved into the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Fuller sound, more like a choir than just a few people singing together. The latest date listed in the program was ca. 1452 and had all seven voices singing in fuller harmony than any of the other preceding pieces during the concert. 

Name dropping, now (though many of them will probably not mean a lot to many of you). Composers whose names I recognized included Adam de la Halle, [Guillaume de] Machaut, Johannes Ockeghem, and Thomas Tallis (whose Te Lucis ante terminum was definitely composed after 1452, but the date was not in my printed program). 

For me, it was a terrific program, and I’m really glad I went. It was also very well attended and enthusiastically received. 

ConcertMeister

Broadway Backwards (3/13/23) 

OK, here’s the deal. This was neither free nor low-cost. My ticket price benefited both Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS and The Center (LGBT Community Center), so I’m glad to have spent the bucks that I did. 

What is Broadway Backwards? It’s numbers from Broadway musicals with reversed genders. 

For instance, Mein Herr, from Cabaret, was sung and danced by Corbin Bleu and a male ensemble. Maria, from West Side Story, was sung by Bonnie Millegan. So, you get my drift? 

By far, the production numbers were hits, in my opinion. Mein Herr (Cabaret), All ’Er Nothin’ (Oklahoma, A.J. Shively/Kyle Scatliffe), and The Right Girl (Follies, performed by Dormeshia). The latter had tap choreography by Susan Stroman (who I’ve worked with!) re-created by Tony Yazbeck, who she set it on). A night to remember. 

I’ve seen YouTube clips of Robbie Fairchild from previous iterations of Broadway Backwards, and he was onstage here, as well. He did not disappoint. My Heart Belongs to Daddy (Leave It to Me) with an ensemble backing him up was a real highlight. 

Both anthems, ending Act One and Act Two, were very effective. One Day More (Act One, from Les Misérables) and Love Who You Love (Act Two, from A Man of No Importance) both hit the spot. 

A spoken tribute from F. Murray Abraham was also a highlight. While I loved seeing Len Cariou performing Something Wonderful (King and I), I wish I’d heard him earlier in his career, though his acting chops were on full display. 

I also heard/saw Anthony Rapp, Beth Leavel, Paulo Szot, Ali Stroker, and Lea Salonga. 

Oh, and the evening raised $750,000+ for the two beneficiaries. I’m very glad I went.

ConcertMeister

It’s Tru! 3/12/23

Tru is a one-person show. I have never seen it on stage. I have seen the next best thing.

A Facebook friend of mine spent a couple of years with extended family on the west coast during the pandemic. During that time, he was in two productions of Tru, a one-man show based on a specific section of Truman Capote’s life. One of those (performed in Oregon) was preserved on film. A showing of that film was presented on the lower East Side on Sunday, March 12, 2023. I was one of the lucky attendees.

The showing of the film was stunning. What was more important was the closeness of the audience with the performer. And the director. And their dog. (I’m not making this up, you know.) 

The audience was close friends and a couple of not-so-close friends, of which I was one (I only knew him via Facebook). When I introduced myself to Charles Michel as Uncke David (I had included my real name in a separate email), he said, “You look exactly the way you write.” I took that as great praise. 

The performance of the theater piece was extraordinary. 

I also met Eric Millegan (the director) and Mrs. Malloy (the dog). Ask if you’re interested.

 ConcertMeister

New York Classical Players (3/11/23)

Alice Chenyang Xu, piano; Abi Fayette, violin; Maren Rothfritz, viola; Madeline Fayette, cello 

The All Beethoven Program
Piano Trio in B-flat major, Op. 97, “Archduke”
Viola and Cello Duet in E flat major, WoO 32, “Eyeglasses Duo”
Piano Trio in D major, Op. 70 No. 1, “Ghost”
(Please note, I have re-created the punctuation from the printed program.) 

A spokesperson (uncredited) from the Library for the Performing Arts, shared with us that LPA has some sketches from the first work on the program in its archives, and showed some on a screen. They were wild. Major chicken scratches. We were told that they meant something to the mind of Beethoven. We were also told that the work was composed in 1811. There was no listing of movements, so I did some searching. It was in four movements, with the second being a scherzo (quick/joke), and the third being a slower movement, before the finale. TMI? I liked the work, though I found the very beginning a little disjointed (writing? playing?). Once it settled in, it was quite enjoyable. 

On to the second work. What the heck is WoO? Well, I learned that it is nomenclature for Beethoven works (and some other composers) for “Works without Opus” numbers. Why the duet is WoO 32 is beyond my ken. AnyhoO, the one-movement piece for viola and cello, though it suffered from a little disconnect as in the first work, was slightly jaunty and a little playful, including a false ending. 

The “Ghost” trio (and once again, no one really knows where the nickname came from) had a boisterous first movement opening, with fuller writing (to me) than the “Archduke.” A very brisk tempo, a lovely contrasting section, and a boisterous ending rounded out the movement. The second movement was calm—almost eerie (ghost-like?). The third movement was bright and cheerful, with full sound, and full writing which was a little more formulaic, but I liked that. 

All in all, a wonderful afternoon of chamber music.

ConcertMeister