The Decorated Madrigal (11/7/24)

Richard Pittsinger ~ tenor; Rafa Prendergast ~ violin; Kevin C. Devine ~ harpsichord; Luce Burrell ~ theorbo

Diminutions on Ancor che col partire – Giovanni Battista Bovicelli (1550–1594)
Ancor che col partire – Cipriani de Rore (ca. 1515/1516–1564)
Diminutions per sonar con ogni sorte d'instrmenti – Riccardo Rognoni ( ca. 1550–1620)
Passacaglia della vita (Bisogna Morire) –Stefano Landi (1587–1639)
Canzone detta Susanne un Jour – Andrea Ga ah, fuhgeddabout it—ask if you're interested ...

OK, I'm going to comment on the music, not the titles and dates.

I bet you're asking 'What are diminutions'? I had never heard of them either. Apparently, they are similar to variations on a theme. But drawn down. I did not experience that.

The tenor sang wonderfully. The violinist contributed a lot. The theorbist (and hers was shorter than most I have seen) was a solid, grounding, rhythmic support, while the harpsichord offered solid support throughout. 

The diminutions took the pieces (or themes from them) and re-imagined them. Sometimes I heard that. Most times I did not.

All in all, I enjoyed the performance, if not the overall concert.

ConcertMeister

The Orchestra Now (10/27/24)

Zachary Schwartzman, Conductor

Scherzo No. 1 (NY Premiere) – Herman Whitfield III (1982–2022)
Nocturnes – Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
Nuages (Clouds); Fêtes (Festivals); Sirènes (Sirens)
Romeo & Juliet Suite – Sergei Prokofiev (1891–1953)

Herman Whitfield III's parents were at this performance, the NY premiere of their son's piece. Alas, young Mr. Whitfield died at the hands of police in 2022. The scherzo had tons of energy and was received well by the audience. Written when he was only 18 (he died at 39), we can only guess at what else he might have achieved.

I was familiar (via radio) with the three movements of the Debussy. This was my first live hearing of them. The English descriptions of the French movements are quite effective. Aye, though, there's the rub. While all three had aural washes of color, similar to Impressionism in painting, Debussy was never keen on using Impressionism to describe his compositions. That said, the description fit all three movements very well. And it was wonderful to hear two harps in the orchestra. My listening companion and I enjoyed the first half of the concert a lot, and discussed all four pieces during the intermission.

The Prokofiev was a mixed bag, as the composer of the ballet wrote three separate suites of music from the ballet. The eight movements we heard were culled from all three suites, so there was no cohesive programming that I could follow. My listening companion agreed with me. The first movement was very familiar to both of us—The Montagues and the Capulets. BUM-ba-dum-ba-DUM-ba-dum-ba. IYKYK. If not, search for it on YouTube. I bet you'll recognize it, too. The others were just too difficult to follow and suss out. That said, the playing was great, the concert was great, and we're looking forward to the spring concert.

A note about the orchestra—and you may remember this from other ConcertMeister posts—this is a training orchestra based at Bard college, that trains musicians in how to transition from college to actual working orchestras. Obviously, future auditions will feature heavily, but this gives them more hands-on training/experience than just playing in a college orchestra does. They learn about home space programming, but they also learn about playing in other major venues—Symphony Space, Carnegie Hall, etc.—something that I never learned in college.

All in all, a great concert.

ConcertMeister

The Soul Awaits (10/31/24)

This was part of the Gotham Early Music Scene's weekly programs.

Rita Lilly ~ Soprano, Cléa Galhano ~ Recorder, Peter Sykes ~ Harpsichord

Seele deine Spezereien, from Easter Oratorio, BWV 249 – J.S. Bach (1685–1750)
Höchster, was im habe, from Brich dem Hungrigen dein Brot, BWV 39 – J.S. Bach
Sonata 1 in G minor from Sonata Metodiche, TWV 41:g3 – G.P. Telemann (1681–1767)
   Adagio ~ Vivace ~ Grave ~ Allegro
The Plaint from The Fairy Queen, Z.269 – Henry Purcell (1659–1695)
Prelude, Fugue & Allegro in E-flat Major, BWV 998 – J.S. Bach
Seele, lerne dich erkennen, TWV 1:1258 – G.P. Telemann
   Andante, Recitative, Vivace

Full disclosure—I have no idea what the numbers and letters mean after the names of the pieces; I just go by the printed (or online) program.

The first Bach piece had a recorder and harpsichord introduction before the soprano joined in. It was essentially a recorder/soprano duet with minimal support from the harpsichord.

The second piece, also Bach, was livelier than the first, thus a little more interesting to me.

The first movement of the Telemann sonata, for recorder and harpsichord, was slow but not particularly gentle. The second was bright and energetic, while the third was slower and, this time, gentle, though it still had some fast fingering for the recordist, including numerous trills. The final movement was brisk, with a bit of a playful feel.

The Plaint was, well, plaintive. The recorder and harpsichord introduced the piece but then it turned into a soprano/recorder duet, trading phrases back and forth. That is, they did not perform together until the very end.

The next Bach piece was a solo harpsichord piece (I had assumed the Telemann Sonata was a solo harpsichord piece). The Prelude was gentle, and it stretched the rhythm a bit, including a dramatic pause, while the fugue was pretty easy to follow and then, attacca* into the Allegro which was pretty much perpetual motion, though there were a few rhythmic pauses.

The first movement of the final Telemann piece had a harpsichord/recorder introduction, then the soprano joined in. It was a long movement, including a repeat of the first part of the movement. The Recitative was pretty much that—a recitation by the soprano and harpsichordist. Storytelling, without runs or melismas (many notes on one syllable). It was speech in song. The Vivace was, indeed, brisk. It included all three performers, and the runs/melismas were back in play. The third movement had a repeat, just as the first movement had. I could have done without the repeats in the first and third movements, but it was probably true to form for the baroque era.

*Do we all remember attacca?—moving from one movement to the next, with no discernible pause?

ConcertMeister

Open House New York Organ Concert (10/20/24)

I attended an Open House New York organ concert played by Michael T.C. Hey at Marble Collegiate Church. It was wonderful. 

Scherzo Symphonique – Pierre Cochereau (1924–1984) – transcribed/arranged by Jeremy Filsell
Cortège et Litanie, Op. 19, No. 2 – Marcel Dupré (1886–1971)
Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582 – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Lay My Burden Down – Iaian Farrington (b. 1977)
  IV. Steal Away
  V. Every Time I Feel the Spirit
Pageant – Leo Sowerby (1895–1968)

The organ case and keyboard were in the balcony at the back of the church (the pipes, 6,000+, were scattered throughout the building). There was an organ cam – we could see Mr. Hey on a big screen near the altar. There was also a picture-in-picture pedal cam, so that we could see his fleet footwork. His black-and-white-striped socks reminded me of the Wicked Witch of the West, but I digress.

The Cochereau opened with a blast of sound (probably a good start) with a brisk tempo. Scherzo means joke—and this piece had serious humor. I believe Mr. Hey played from memory.

The Dupré began with an intro, then a theme and variations. (Playing from a tablet score?) It was calmer and softer than the previous Scherzo, and included an orchestral chime stop—a pipe designed to sound like an orchestral chime (see 6,000+ pipes, above). Because we had an organ cam, we could see that the theme moved from place to place on the keyboard, even moving to the left hand at one point.

The Bach used an old-fashioned paper score—very wide. I am quite familiar with these, as I lived with an organist for 31 years and was often the designated page-turner. The theme was introduced in the pedals and then moved to many places elsewhere. Mr. Hey turned his own pages and only had one minor mishap.

Iaian Farrington is a British composer who made/took American spirituals and made them his own—and ours. The first was ethereal and mysterious, with modern harmonies at times, especially at the ending. The second movement was almost a jazz arrangement, quite playful. Hmm, a modern scherzo!

Pageant was designed as a tour de force for the pedals. It had a Tin Pan Alley–esque theme, then variations introduced by the pedals. The pedals were featured predominantly throughout, including at least two featured pedal cams, striped socks and all.

Can you tell I had a great time?

ConcertMeister

Open House New York 2024

Open House New York 2024 is in the books. This year, I explored the outer boroughs, and didn't try to cram too many events into the weekend.

Friday was a Hindu Temple in Queens (including a light, inexpensive, vegetarian lunch in their canteen) and the New York Sign Museum in Brooklyn. Both were very enjoyable.

Saturday started with a tour of Town Hall, followed by UMBAU (Irving Place, associated with the Goethe-Institut). It was a sort of throwback to architecture, which was a much stronger focus in years past, for OHNY. Next was Minetta Lane Townhouse (16 Minetta Lane), which was hugely popular. (I waited in line over an hour—quite a few people gave up.) It was fascinating to see how others live in this city. I ended Saturday at Bar Hugo Rooftop—supporting Chemo Comfort's Cocktails for Comfort fundraiser. My, cocktails have gotten very expensive! But it was for a good cause.

Sunday began with the Castle Garden Emigrant Depot Tour (Battery Park/Castle Clinton), a fascinating tour of the emigrant experience prior to Ellis Island. The Park Ranger leading the tour was excellent.The day ended (after an inexpensive slice of pretty good pizza) at Marble Collegiate for an organ concert (most likely its own ConcertMeister post in the future).Hmm, moderation worked out pretty well this year.

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Songs of Love, from Court to Country (10/10/24)

Bud Roach, tenor and theorbo
Gotham Early Music Scene

First question, class. Do we all remember what a theorbo is? Yes! A lute on steroids. It is plucked/strummed like a lute but has a much longer neck with much longer strings.

Now, on to the music. There were seventeen pieces—no, I'm not naming them all. I'm not even naming all of the composers. Ah, the composers. They were born between 1567 (Claudio Monteverdi) and fl. 1695 (William Thomson). What's fl. you ask? I had to look it up, too. It denotes a date or period during which a person was known to be alive or active (flourished). Other composers were Maurizio Cazzati, Girolamo Frescobaldi, Henry Purcell, John Blow, William Lawes, et al.

OK, we've all learned something. The end. 

I'm kidding.

Here's the thing. The first half of the program was sung entirely in Italian, though translations of the texts were provided. The second half was sung in English, with texts provided, though one had a strong Scottish flair to it. I really did learn some new things, as I only recognized the names of two of the Italian composers and four of the English composers.

OK, finally, now on to the music. It was all very much the same. Songs of lamented love. There were a (very) few tempo changes. There was one piece that was strophic with a repeated refrain. At least the repeated refrain was an anchor we could recognize and cling to (the refrain, not the anchor).

Two were dialogues, which made them more effective. In the Merry Month of May (John Wilson (1595–1674)) gave us the story of Phillida and Corydon. In Johnny and Nelly (William Thomson (fl. 1695–1753)), we had Johnny and Nelly trading dialogue with that distinct Scottish flair—"To fields where cannons rair, thou need nae grieve thee", etc.

Mr. Roach sang with a clear sound (little to no vibrato), and the theorbo accompaniments were simple yet effective. And that's the closest I'll get to an actual review, which is not my intent of writing these blogposts. 

ConcertMeister

 Concordian Dawn (9/19/24)

Le Roman de Fauvel

Amber Evans ~ soprano & percussion; Thomas McCargar ~ baritone; Niccolo Seligmann ~ vielle & percussion; Christopher Preston Thompson ~ director, tenor & harp

Le Roman de Fauvel is a fourteenth-century mish-mash of story telling and music—a precursor, I guess, to opera. What we got was a diluted mish-mash. As explained from the stage, we were to get a storyline from start to finish of Fauvel. The ending, at least, worked.

This scaled-down version gave us eighteen pieces. We got printed English translations, in modern-day English, of the French. We also got English commentary between some of the eighteen pieces—not necessarily helpful.

All of the performers were stellar. And there were solos (unaccompanied), small group performances (tenor, vielle, baritone, tambourine), soprano and vielle—oh, what's that, you ask? It's a stringed instrument that seems to bridge the gap between a viola and a cello, played upright like a cello, but smaller—oh, and it can also be strummed like a guitar. Hmm, I guess that wasn't too helpful. Go to your rabbit holes now. And there was at least one movement that included all four performers.

The harpist (it was a relatively small, hand-held instrument) also sang while playing, sometimes.

We got to the meat of this interpretation of the sprawling work in movement ten. A duet between Fortune (female) and Fauvel* (male). It doesn't work out well for him. We were told from the beginning that the piece would be performed straight through but that we could applaud at any time we wanted to. We waited until the end. There was humor, there was drama, and there was farce. The percussion included the aforementioned tambourine and what I think was a hand-held cymbal (single-level seating made it difficult for me to see) and maybe a triangle. Oh, and the final piece ended with "This song needs to drink." I'll drink to that.

This was a great beginning to an early music concert series. I'm not sure I'll attend every week, but I have the first half listings, so I can pick and choose.

*Fauvel is described as an orange-hued half-donkey/half-human whose contentious rise to power unsettles a nation, serving as an allegory ... I'll just let this sit here.

ConcertMeister

Across a Crowded Room (9/14/24)

Final Presentations of New Musicals

This is a great program that I have experienced in the past. Here's the drill. Composers, lyricists, and book writers are pretty much thrown together (across a crowded room, get it?) to write a twenty-minute musical. Sometimes that is the goal, but sometimes it's something that may be expanded in the future.

This season's results provided nine mini-musicals. An added caveat was that the musicals should be inspired by/from the archives of the Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center (they produce the program for the writers and the results, and that is where I saw the nine mini-musicals).

The small scale (twenty minutes) pretty much guarantees small casts, and this was the case here. I'll list the shows (and sources) and then highlight favorites. "Red" (The Red Shoes); "Call Waiting" (a Dorothy Parker monologue); "Volpe!" (an illustration of an 18th-century box); "ON THE J-TRAIN" (a photo of a 1920s subway car); "On A Train" (a photo of a 1950s Long Island commuter train); "The Amazons of Overcote High" (based on "The Amazons" by Arthur W. Pinero); "The Cryptogram" (based on commentary about a séance); "Equinox Of The Earth" (I stopped trying by then); and "My Better Alien" (see stopped trying, above).

Obviously, I'm not going to dissect every musical. Three had pre-recorded scores (not my favorite) and I have no idea how they synchronized them (yes, I'm that Luddite). "Call Waiting" had a very nice score; "On A Train" was very melodic and lots of fun, and probably the most fully realized as a mini-musical—lightly and amusingly choreographed; "Amazons" had the largest cast (seven) but most of them were high school teens, so there was not a lot of variety in characterizations or line readings; "The Cryptogram" had an electronic score that was not my favorite (but maybe that was planned? a new way of looking at a score from an older time and a dramatic subject?); "Equinox Of The Earth" had a dynamite modern Gospel score that included four top-notch female vocalists and a cappella singing—you had me right there; and "My Better Alien" was the funniest of the musicals, though the pre-recorded generic rock piano score did not make my favorites list.

This is a program I will keep my eye on in the future. Fledgling composers, lyricists, and librettists spreading their wings? Thank you very much.  

ConcertMeister

Bargemusic (9/7/24)

Handel Sonata in D major, No. 4
Mozart Sonata in G major, KV 301(293a)
Beethoven Sonata in G major, Op. 30 No. 3
Schubert Rondo Brillant in B minor, D. 895

Mark Peskanov, violin; Maureen Volk, piano

This was  essentially a run-thru for the concert they played Saturday night, but you would need to pay $35. This was free on Saturday afternoon.

While pleasant, the concert was just a little much of the same style over and over again. The Handel (four movements) had a slow and sweet opening, with very spare piano writing, including a hint of sadness. The second movement was brisk and fun, with a robust ending. The third was slow and, again, a bit sad. The fourth was brisk again, feeling like a dance.

The Mozart, in two movements, was sunny with pops of dynamic changes, varied accents, and interesting phrases. Hello! ... Mozart. The second movement was gentler but still with pops of accents to liven things up.

Beethoven's sonata, in three movements, started more energetically than Mozart's, with a bit more of a flare of drama, though it had a soft ending. The second had a gentle minuet feel, though it was not necessarily something one would dance to. It had a dark side as well, and a somber section. It seemed to be the the true centerpiece of the work. The third movement was brisk-but-not-quite off to the races.

Mr. Peskanov asked whether we had some more time. We did. So they played the Schubert. It was quite tuneful; at times dark and energetic; at others dance-like; almost like it couldn't make up its mind and wanted to be all things at all times. They were all fun, but it dragged on a bit.

Am I glad I went? You bet! I'll go back. I urge my NY peeps to check out Bargemusic's admission free concerts.

ConcertMeister

Handel & Haydn Society (7/23/24)

Jonathan Cohen, Artistic Director; Aisslinn Nosky, Director, Violin; Joélle Harvey, Soprano; Ian Watson, Organ; Debra Nagy, Oboe

Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713), Concerto grosso in D major, Op. 6 No. 1 – 1. Largo-Allegro, 2. Largo-Allegro, 3. Largo, 4. Allegro, 5. Allegro

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759), from Giulio Cesare - Piangerό la sorte mia, featuring Joélle Harvey, soprano

G. F. Handel (1685-1759), From Semele - Endless Pleasure, featuring Joélle Harvey, soprano

G. F. Handel (1685-1759), Organ Concerto in F Major, HWV 295, featuring Ian Watson, organ – 1. Larghetto, 2. Allegro, 3. Larghetto, 4. Allegro

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), Concerto for Violin and Oboe in C Minor, BWV 1060R, featuring Aisslinn Nosky, violin, Debra Nagy, oboe – 1. Allegro, 2. Adagio, 3. Allegro

G. F. Handel (1685-1759), Silete venti, HWV 242, Symphonia & Recit: Silete venti, featuring Joélle Harvey, soprano – 1. Aria: Dulcis amor, 2. Recit: O fortunata anima, 3. Aria: Date serta, 4. Aria: Alleluja 

This was the fourth of five Naumburg Orchestral Concerts this season, held in Central Park. The small orchestra (strings, harpsichord/organ, oboe) played conductor-less, though the concertmaster and/or harpsichordist approximated that role quite well throughout the evening.

Corelli – (Strings and harpsichord) The first movement was slow but full, then quicker, switching back and forth. The second was similar, while also featuring two solo violins and solo cello playing along with the small orchestra. The third also featured three soloists, and was even gentler than the first two movements. The final two movements were both livelier. After retuning, the first of the three Handel works began with a harpsichord and soprano recitative with the orchestra joining in for the aria, which was a mix of calm and then dramatic quicker sections. The second piece was brisk from the very beginning, and featured English (as opposed to Italian) text. For the third, Mr. Watson moved from the harpsichord to the organ (a small reed organ), so the orchestra retuned to it. The first movement featured deeper and richer tone from the organ and the soprano, with the orchestra slightly subdued so as to not overpower the organ. The second movement sounded very familiar to me, bright and fun, and included an extended organ solo sounding like a cuckoo and other birds twittering. The third began with solo organ, subdued and calm before being joined by the orchestra, trading sections back and forth, leading directly (remember attacca?) into the fourth movement. It was lively again, but it seemed to me that the second movement was really the heart of the work. After intermission and retuning, the Bach began. The first movement was, once again, very familiar to me. I'm sure I've heard the work on the radio, but I think this was the first time I've heard it live. The interplay between the violin and oboe soloists and the orchestra was lively and fun. Bright tempo while not really being brisk. The second movement opened with solo oboe and orchestra that was then joined by the solo violin. There were lilting rhythms in a gentle not-quite-waltz followed by a slightly false ending (which also occurred in the first movement) before winding down to the end. The third movement was full, jolly, lively, charming, and familiar. Fun. The final Handel work was almost a mini-cantata. The first movement had an orchestral opening (with the harpsichord included again) followed by the soprano's recitative, setting the scene. The actual first movement was gentle, while the second movement was another brief recitative. The third movement was similar to the first, but with more vocal embellishments, including melismas (one vowel spread over many notes), in runs and scales. It was very brisk and somewhat celebratory, leading into the Alleluja, which was even more celebratory. Throughout the evening, all of the soloists were in fine form. One more Naumburg Orchestral Concert to go in this season's concert series.

ConcertMeister

A Far Cry (7/9/24)

Kareem Roustom (b. 1971) – Dabke (2014)
Kinan Azmeh (b. 1976) – Ibn Arabi Postlude (2005)
Dinuk Wijeratne (b. 1978) – Clarinet Concerto (2018) (co-commission by Rockport Music)
Part I – ‘Prologue: Foretelling’; Part II – ‘The Dance of Ancestral Ties’; Part III – ‘Flux’; Part IV – ‘Exile: The salt and bread of rhythm’; Part V – ‘Cadenza: Solitary Traveler’; Part VI – ‘Epilogue: Home in Motion’

Leoš Janáček (1854–1928)  – Idyll (1878)
I. Andante; II. Allegro; III. Moderato; IV. Allegro; V. Adagio; VI. Scherzo; VII. Moderato

The Roustom had an odd beginning that included stamping of feet, pizzicato strings (plucked) that then added bowing. The piece was all strings (violins, violas, cellos, and basses), rhythmic (but not in your face), and had hints of intrigue. It had a nice, punchy ending.

The Azmeh added clarinet and piano to the strings. The opening was solo piano playing calm chords. Melody was added, in a jazzy way that was almost New Age–ish. I think an electronic track was added, but I’m not quite certain. Clarinet and string bass were then added into the mix. Violins, cellos, and violas finally joined in, but they really didn’t improve the piece much, as far as I was concerned. It wasn’t bad—they played it beautifully—but it was long. And ended with a whimper.

The Wijeratne began with piano and strings, with an offstage clarinet. It seemed to be through composed, but wasn’t. That said, I couldn’t decipher the separate movements. And it sort of led me nowhere. But I did see fireflies again.

The Janacek was strings only. The first movement had a gentle opening, but with depth; a nice Neo-Romantic feel. The second was, indeed, dance-like without being excessive. The third was somber but not dismal, while the fourth was bold and almost lively. Strong and secure. The fifth was gentle and calm, but moving, then livelier without being overbearing. The sixth was bright, cheerful, and actually playful. The seventh was solid. Grounded. A lovely, full ending. This was the piece that I enjoyed the most, in an evening that also exposed me to three composers who were new to me.

I’m looking forward to the next three Naumburg Orchestral Concerts. Fingers crossed that the weather cooperates.

ConcertMeister

The Knights (6/25/24)

Eric Jacobsen, Conductor

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), Le Nozze de Figaro, K.492 (1786)
Overture – in D major, (Presto)

Louise Farrenc* (1804-1875), Symphony No. 3 in G minor, Op. 36 (1847)
Adagio-Allegro, Adagio cantabile, Scherzo. Vivace, Finale. Allegro 

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), 'Pastoral' Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op.68 (1808)
Allegro ma non troppo, Andante molto mosso, Allegro, Allegro, Allegretto

Full disclosure. As some of you may know/remember, I am not a huge Mozart fan. That said, this well-known chestnut of an overture was just the right touch to begin an open-air concert on a summer evening in New York.

This was my first live exposure to hearing the music of Louise Farrenc. The first movement had solo woodwinds to open – adding strings – then tutti (all of the instruments together). It was fairly jaunty with a bit of drama, and a fiery ending. The second movement was calm and gentle, and indeed song-like, but with its own touches of drama, before leading to a calm and quiet ending. The third movement had intrigue from the get-go. Definitely a journey—but from where to where? Almost, but not quite, perpetual motion; always forward and never static. That sense of intrigue lasted all the way through the movement. The Finale was a little darker (hello, G minor) but still with some lightness and brightness added to the mix. It definitely ended strongly.

Oh my, Beethoven's 'Pastoral' Symphony on a lovely summer evening in Central Park. The first  movement had a gentle opening, but with depth. Some forward movement followed, pleasant and easy to listen to. [Fireflies! firelies! Sorry, I got distracted a little.] The second movement was calm and charming, with a bit of grandeur. The third movement was bright, melodic, and a lot of fun, but then sort of blended in to the fourth and fifth movements, which was not really a bad thing at all. It was nice to just sit there and listen.

*Fun Farrenc facts (shamelessly stolen from Wikipedia). At the age of fifteen, she studied composition ... at the Conservatoire de Paris. However, she was taught through private lessons as women were forbidden to enroll in the traditional composition classes at that time. ... in 1842 she was appointed to the permanent position of Professor of Piano at the Paris Conservatory ... In fact, Farrenc was the only woman to hold the esteemed position and rank at the Paris Conservatory throughout the 19th century. ... Farrenc was paid less than her male counterparts for nearly a decade. ... Only after the triumphant premiere of her nonet ... did she demand and receive equal pay. [CM: You go girl!]

ConcertMeister

 Make Music New York (6/21/24)

This event happens twice a year—summer solstice and winter solstice. Due to this year's excessive heat and the fact that I needed to conserve energy (the elevator in my building is not functioning, and I'm on the sixth floor), I set a modified schedule for myself. And I agreed with myself that I could bail at any time. Fortunately, bailing was not needed.

First stop was Tilted Axes: Strawberry Solstice. What the what? This was street music in Richard Tucker Park (a small triangle near Lincoln Center—who knew?). Eight electric guitars, one keytar (I'm not making this up, you know), three electric bass, and two percussionists. Not my normal fare, but it worked. They processed around the park, had some minimal choreography, similar to marching band stuff, but on the slow side, and performed for a relatively enthusiastic crowd. I was able to find shade and a chair, so I was a happy camper. At the end of their set pieces, they set off to Strawberry Fields in Central Park. I did not tag along.

I set off for my second of three planned stops, the ever-popular Sousapalooza. A spirited group of amateur musicians playing Sousa marches. Here's the back story. Players register for the event and are sent scores for the pieces on the program so that they can work on them at their own pace and at their own time. There are no Zoom rehearsals. There are no rehearsals. They just show up and play, though there is a conductor. I'd venture to say there were 50 musicians, though I'm notoriously bad at judging crowd counts. Here's what they played: El Capitan (which is from an operetta—news to me); The Fairest of the Fair (new to me); Hands Across the Sea; The High School Cadets (also new to me); In Memoriam (composed for John Garfield's funeral—I knew about this one and had heard it before); Liberty Bell; Manhattan Beach; Semper Fidelis; Sound Off; The Thunderer; Washington Post; and Stars and Stripes Forever. In a fun moment, between two of the marches, there was a fire engine blaring its horn for a minute or so. One of the musicians matched the pitch and then the entire ensemble retuned to the fire engine. A stroke of genius, encouraged by the conductor. Yeah, this was not a concert hall performance, but it was a real performance. Once again, I found a chair and was in the shade for ten of the twelve marches. This was at least my second Sousapalooza, and I'll be back for more.

I almost skipped the final stop, but I'm glad I didn't. This was Mass Cellos. Nine cellos. Again, amateurs signed up ahead of time, were sent the parts, chose what part they would study (all were four-part arrangements), and then assembled for the performance. Though it wasn't made perfectly clear, I think there might have been one rehearsal. But here's the thing—you never really know who's going to show up until they show up; in fact, one cellist showed up in the middle of the performance. As there was no printed program and no actual set list and no actual announcements, I had to glean as much info as I could as they discussed each selection. The first was something by Bach. The second was a Gavotte by Bach, appropriately dance-like with, appropriately, several themes. The third was an arrangement by one of the attending cellists. It was a little more lush than the Bach which preceded it. After the tenth cellist arrived, they played a pizzicato polka. Well, that was a crowd pleaser. They finished with a piece that was either a tango or a habanera. It will remain a mystery.

I'm already looking forward to December 21.

ConcertMeister

Alpha and Omega

6/11/24 and 6/13/24
Nosky's Baroque Band and The Academy Players – Running the Gamut

Alpha. Tuesday, June 11 was the first of this season's Naumburg Orchestral Concerts. Aislinn Nosky was the featured violin soloist. Here's the program:

Sinfonia in D Major, Op. 6, No. 12, (1735) – Evaristo Felice Dell'Abaco (1675–1742)
Concerto Grosso in A minor Op.6. No.4, HWV 322, (1732) – George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
Concerto Grosso No.1 in G major, (1740) – Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer (1692–1766)
Concerto Grosso in E flat major, Op. 7 No. 6, "il Pianto d'Arianna" (1741) – Pietro Antonio Locatelli (1695–1764)
Concerto Grosso in C minor, Op. 6 No. 3 (1712 or prior) – Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713)
Quintet (Sinfonia Spirituosa) in D Major, TWV 44:1 – Georg Philipp Telemann (1681–1767)
Violin concerto in D major, RV 208 "il Grosso Mogul" (1720) – Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)

You may be asking why is the spacing of the works is all out of whack? I retyped them, as is, from the printed program. You may be asking what is a concerto grosso? It's a piece that pits a larger portion of the orchestra against a smaller portion, with the larger portion being grosso. Almost all of the concerti grosso had multiple movements, so I spared you (and me) from naming all of them.

The band had the usual four strings sections – violins, violas, cellos, and bass – but with added theorbo (does everyone remember what a theorbo is?) and harpsichord. A well-rounded ensemble. The concerti grosso were all played very nicely. The Vivaldi violin concerto was exceptional. Ms. Nosky was interrupted with applause at least three times, akin to what you would experience at a jazz performance. Yes, she was that good.

Omega. Midtown Concerts with Gotham Early Music Scene. Yes, Thursday, June 13 was their final concert until the series picks up again September 12, 2024. Here's the program:

La Gamme – En forme d'un petit Opéra (1723) – Marin Marais (1656–1728)

Marais is a composer whose name I know, but I can't recall ever hearing his music live before. The piece was essentially a through-composed work of many individual movements broken up into two parts. Confused yet? So was I.

Ut-Ré-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Si-Ut-Si (Gravemont-Rondement)
Si (Un peu plus gay)-La-Sol-Fa-Mi-Ré-Ut

The trio was viola de gamba (pretty much a cello held above the gound by the player's legs), harpsichord, and violin. There were interesting sections where each individual instrument was highlighted, but they were few and far between. For the most part it was (for me, at least) what sounded a lot like what I had just heard for the last few minutes, without enough oomph to keep me overly interested. Am I glad I went? Definitely. Will I seek this work out again? Doubtful.

ConcertMeister

The Orchestra Now (5/19/24)

Chloé Van Soeterstède, conductor (début)

Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun – Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
Trombone Concerto – Realisation; Rumination; Illumination – Dani Howard (b. 1993); Peter Moore, trombone
Symphonic Dances – Non allegro; Andante con moto (Tempo di valse); Lento assai–Allegro vivace – Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943)

Full disclosure—this was not a free concert. I spent a whopping $15 for a balcony seat (and the balcony was pretty much empty). I bought my ticket the day before the concert, since I'm having problems making commitments these days. That said, I'm really glad I went.

Here's the reason I went. I had never heard the Debussy live before. I danced to it in Virginia before moving to NYC. But the piece also means a lot to me for another reason. When Michael and I would go on vacation to one of our favorite Florida spots, we knew that the places we usually rented had a cassette player (remember them?). We always brought a cassette that had Faun on it. When we arrived, we'd put the cassette on, play Faun, and say, "Now we're really on vacation."

Well, The Orchestra Now did not disappoint. Their playing was ethereal, gossamer, and beautiful. I'm so glad I've now heard the composition live.

Now, on to another first. I had never heard a trombone concerto before. This was the U.S. premiere of the work, played by Peter Moore, for whom it was written, and who also had some input assisting the composer. Alas, I've misplaced my handwritten notes, but the three movements were interesting, and included some beautiful writing, some virtuoso writing, and some (for want of a better word) splazzando (pronounced splat-zon-doh) writing, for which lower brass instruments are well known. It was a tour de force played very well by both the soloist and the orchestra.

The Rachmaninoff, also in three movements, was quite an earful. Written late in his life (1940), it was much more modern than I associate with Rachmaninoff (late Romantic). The middle movement, Tempo di valse, was an almost intoxicating perpetual motion—the waltz was omnipresent, almost overpowering. The entire work was a joy to listen to, and I had a great time in the rafters of the Frederick P. Rose Hall at Jazz at Lincoln Center. It was also my first time hearing anything at that venue.

A lot of firsts, hearing an ensemble that I know very well.

ConcertMeister

20th Century Romantics (5/12/24)

Langsamer Satz – Anton Webern (1883–1945)
Amy Schroeder, Katie Hyun, violins; Jordan Bak, viola; Brook Speltz, cello

Three Pieces for String Quartet, K019 – Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971)
No. 1; No. 2; No. 3
Siwoo Kim, Alex Fortes, violins; Yura Lee, viola; Michael Nicolas, cello

Octet in C Major, op. 7 – George Enescu (1881–1955)
Très modéré; Trés fougueux; Lentement; Mouvement de Valse bien rhythmée
All eight string players

This was my first free concert at Trinity Church Wall Street. I won't bore you with the technical ticketing problems—I made it in with time to spare. I knew the names of all three composers, but I know I had never heard Webern or Enescu in live performance before.

The Webern began slow and stately, dense and full without being oppressive at all. At times it bordered on haunting but it was also lovely. A great concert opener.

The first movement of the Stravinsky had the hard, driving rhythms often used by the composer. The second movement was a little calmer, but still rhythmic, especially in pizzicato (plucked strings) phrases. Also as usual, there were few discernible tunes to speak of. The third movement was richer and denser, and even calmer than the second of the three. There were some dissonances (harsh sounds), but they were pretty dissonances.

The four movements of the Enescu were slightly misleading as I had trouble figuring out when one left off and another started. It was a 40-minute work (and we were warned ahead of time). That said, it sailed along easily. It had a solid opening, strong and slightly dramatic, with a touch of lush sounds. It was enjoyable, with a soft, subdued ending. The second movement was brisk and bold, almost furious. Then it calmed down (a little) (and not for long), leading into (attacca—without pause) the third movement, appropriately slow and song-like, in a plaintive way (attacca) then with sort of aggressive phrases mixed in in obvious waltz time.

It was a very enjoyable concert in a very historical space (only steps away from ground zero). Oddly, I worked near there in 1993 when the first attack on the World Trade Center occurred. Small world, isn't it?

ConcertMeister

Jane's Walks 2024 (Days 2 and 3)

May 4–5, 2024

(Day 2) Meet the Women's Rights Pioneers of Central Park (5/4, 9AM); Queer Harlem Renaissance: Exploring Queer Harlem History Using Augmented Reality (5/4, 1PM); From Walter to Walt: Cruising Whitman's Literary Seaport (5/4, 3PM).

(Day 3) Before Brooklyn Commons: MetroTech's Creation and Resulting Displacements (5/5, 11AM); LUV in PLG: Telling you about my girlfriend who lived next door (5/5, 1PM).

Hmm, the first walk on Saturday never happened. I was the only one who showed up.

The second was quite enjoyable, even though it happened at 11AM instead of 1PM (scheduling snafu). I missed out on some of the Augmented Reality portion, since they wanted us to download an app, and use it along the walk. (Not me.) Fortunately, they also had hard copy photos to show us, and the commentary made things very clear. Apparently, Harlem in the 1920s, '30s, and '40s was a hotbed of queer establishments as well as jazz and black establishments. Alas, they are all gone now, but we learned a lot about their histories—people as well as places. The walk was by two (former?) Columbia students who had created a project for school and then expanded it into a walking tour. I think this was their first Jane's Walk.

The third was also a lot of fun. The tour guide was knowledgeable (though a little hard to hear) and walked us through Manhattan's City Hall area, through parts of lower Manhattan, ending at South Street Seaport. We heard about Whitman's early years and family life in both Long Island and Brooklyn. We heard about Whitman's early years on his own in City Hall area boarding houses (probably his first forays into same sex relationships). We heard about how he essentially had to self publish his writings at first. And we ended at the Seaport, where there is a small museum devoted to Whitman. It was a nice overview of his life and work in New York. They even gave us snacks and cider at the museum.

Sunday was all-Brooklyn, all-the-time. First was MetroTech Center, which I knew of only as a subway stop. It turns out that it is a rather large business complex, developed to bring business into a centralized Brooklyn area. Of course, this meant razing buildings and, in the name of progress, displacing people. The general history of the area focused on the progress. This walk highlighted a little more of the razing and displacing. In fact, the quadrangle of modern buildings, with open space in the center, was actually a design concept to keep the public (other than the folks who worked there) out. Some of this only recently came to light. There were some landmarked areas including a former firehouse, a former building that had served as a church and as a stop on the underground railway in the slavery era, and a small series of wood frame row houses. So, I saw a lot and I learned a lot. Unfortunately, some of it was in a light drizzle, but I was a trouper.

The final walk was a hoot! The guide took us along the route of his early dates with a new girlfriend. He recounted (in reality, we did) a conversation from his first date—he handed out a script, had us pair off, and read the script. It was very funny, and worked perfectly as an icebreaker. As we walked to the next stops, there was lots of interaction between us tour guests. He recounted second and third dates, including what went right and what went not so right. He stopped for story time twice; they worked well as set pieces. He took us to the sidewalk outside of a wine bar where he had an interesting date, and he shared a bottle of wine with us. Oh, and there was a miniature music box at one point. I won't spoil the ending, but we all had a great time. (I was worried at one point when we walked down a street that had a DEAD END sign. Turns out it was a false alarm.)

Will I do Jane's Walks next May? You bet I will.

ConcertMeister

Jane's Walks 2024

Jane's Walks 2024
May 3–5, 2024

A little history. Jane's Walks are named for Jane Jacobs, who was an early urban planner. Specifically, she helped to prevent Robert Moses from destroying Washington Square Park. Read up on her.

(Day 1) Art hopping through the Upper Westside (May 3, 9AM); Urban Forest Care in Hell’s Kitchen (May 3, 11AM); The Hidden (& Not So Hidden) WWI Memorials and Monuments of Central Park (5/3, 1PM); Financial District: It Happened Here First (5/3, 3PM).

(Day 2) Meet the Women's Rights Pioneers of Central Park (May 4, 9AM), alas no one met me; Queer Harlem Renaissance: Exploring Queer Harlem History Using Augmented Reality, 5/4, 1PM; From Walter to Walt: Cruising Whitman's Literary Seaport (5/4, 3PM).

(Day 3) Before Brooklyn Commons: MetroTech's Creation and Resulting Displacements (5/5 @ 11AM); LUV in PLG: Telling you about my girlfriend who lived next door (May 5 at 1 PM).

Wow, what a weekend. The first walk met at the Hungarian Pastry Shop. IYKYK. I did not. Ask if you're interested. We walked across Amsterdam Ave. to the Children's Sculpture Garden on the grounds of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. I had no idea it was there, and I've been going up there for decades. Fascinating. Check it out if you're up there. It turns out that the pastry shop is pretty well known too, just not by me. The second stop was the cathedral itself. This was pretty well known by me, but I saw a lot of things that were new to me. My last visit was probably in the 1990s. I've posted a couple of photos on FB (I'm Uncke David on FB; ask if you're interested). The third stop was supposed to be Columbia University. Nope, protests interfered.

The second walk was trees in Hell's Kitchen. Have you ever seen those planters between bike lanes and the rest of avenue traffic? If there's a tree (or other plants) there, a tree steward is taking care of them. These folks volunteer their time to make your city more healthful and more beautiful. I learned a lot from the Hell's Kitchen tree steward who led this walk, which also included a visit to a hyperlocal (word stolen from NY1 TV) park.

The WWI Memorials walk was really pretty nice. Unfortunately, one of the memorials we saw was recently vandalized. But I did learn that there is a memorial to Joyce Kilmer (author of the poem Trees) at the base of, appropriately, a tree. I also learned that Joyce was a he. Now you know, too. 

The fourth Friday walk was stellar. The leader was incredibly knowledgable, she spoke to the large group (30+) in a voice that could be he heard by all, and she was witty, too. Since a lot of what she would be discussing was buildings and occurrences that don't currently exist, she passed out 'imaginary caps' so that we could follow along. Clever lady, and it worked beautifully. Before we started, her iPad that had a lot of photos that she wanted to show us crashed. She took a vote as to whether we wanted her to go to Starbucks and upload them all over again or start the tour. We opted to start the tour. Technology is great until it isn't. Fortunately, her photos came back.

More on days two and three later.

ConcertMeister (even though it was not a concert)

The Gerda Lissner Foundation Vocal Competition Winners Concert 2023/2024 (5/2/24)

First off, I was thrilled to be in a Carnegie Hall free concert. I didn't even have to practice! That said, I'm not a huge fan of vocal competitions (or Tonys, Oscars, etc.). I understand how they work, but the inherent ranking rubs me slightly the wrong way. Off my soap box, now.

The Lissner Foundation Concert presents Lieder/Song, Opera, Operetta, and Zarzuela winners. The program also honored Metropolitan Opera star countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo—and he performed. And we did, too. More on that later.

There were ten prize winners who performed, so I will not name them all. I know you good folks are great at internet searches. I will say that Midge Woolsey (formerly of WQXR) was a wonderful host and that Arlene Shrut was a fabulous accompanist/partner who played for every performer on the stage.

Tops for me was Maire Therese Carmack (Mezzo-Soprano) who sang Love Let the Wind Cry by Undine Smith Moore, "Lyubasha's Aria" from The Tsar's Bride, and "Du bist der Lenz" from Die Walkure.

Quite the show piece was "Al pensar en el dueño de mis amores" from Las Hijas del Zebedo, sung by Rosaria Armas. Have you guessed yet that this was the Zarzuela winner? Zarzuela is sort of like Spanish-language operetta.

The operetta winner "If I Were on the Stage (Kiss Me Again)" from Mlle. Modiste, by Victor Herbert, tugged at my heartstrings because I performed in the chorus of the operetta in the late 1970s here in NYC. Shelén Hughes (Soprano) did a great job.

Karoline Podolak (Soprano) did very well with "Je suis Tiania" from Mignon and slightly less than successful with "Glitter and Be Gay" from Candide.

My other favorite was Yeongtaek Yang (Baritone) performing "Si può? ... Si può?" from I Pagliacci.

Anthony Roth Costanzo re-created part of his Met Opera Orpheus. In the opera, the chorus shouts/sings "No" several times. He had us rehearse it and then perform it when he performed. It was effective, but wore a little bit thin. I'm not big on audience participation.

All in all, a wonderful free concert in a wonderfully historic hall. I even changed my seat before the concert began, and the staff members were extremely helpful.

ConcertMeister

Centennial Celebration Concert (4/28/24)

New York Mandolin Orchestra

What the what? Yes, there is a New York Mandolin Orchestra. Yes, it was founded in 1924. Yes, there was a free concert (I gave a modest donation) at the Church of the Holy Trinity, about a block and a half away from my apartment on a lovely Sunday afternoon.

For the record, a mandolin orchestra has first mandolins, second mandolins, mandolas, mandocellos, and, in this case, a mandobass (I'm not making this up, you know). Additionally, two of the mandolinists played guitar in the concert, but I have no idea where or when.

There were nineteen pieces on the program so I am not listing all nineteen. My first takeaway was that a lot of the pieces sounded very similar to one another. Mandolins have a limited volume range, and there is not a lot of sostenuto (sustained writing) for mandolins. They require a lot of strumming (think frantic Vivaldi violin bowing) to imitate a sustained sound. That said, I enjoyed the concert quite a bit.

My favorites included an arrangement of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue (appropriately written in 1924) and Rachmaninoff's Vocalise (I've pretty much given up on hearing the original version).

Passage Work (Catherine Hawkes) was commissioned for this performance, and the composer was in attendance. Always a great feature of a concert. It had a contemporary feel while also mixing calm and energetic. It was appropriately festive.

The final work on the program was Palladio by Karl Jenkins. You may know it better as Exsultate Jubilate. (Not one of my favorites.) Surprisingly, I liked the mandolin orchestra arrangement a lot.

Now, a few words about audience comportment. When they make an announcement about turning your phone off, please heed it. Yes, a phone went off during the concert.

Please turn your phone off during the concert. A patron in the row in front of me was so busy scrolling through photos that no applause was offered. Zero. One patron was so busy with the me-machine that it was dropped to the floor. One patron was so busy chatting with a person in the row in front that shushing was warranted. No, it was not me, but I sure was thinking about it. Yes, it was a free concert. No, that does not allow boorish behavior.

That said, explore the opportunities available to you.

ConcertMeister

Partimenti (4/25/24)

From Court to Country

Adrienne Lotto ~ soprano; Rhianna Cockrell ~ mezzo soprano; Corey Shotwell ~ tenor; Christopher Talbot ~ bass baritone; Adam Cockerham ~ theorbo; Jonathan Luik ~ viola da gamba

This was a free concert sponsored by Gotham Early Music Scene—I have attended many of their concerts. About the Program (from their program notes)—From Court to Country explores the threads of connection between courtly and pastoral music in France, Italy, and England from the late Medieval to the early Baroque. I only sort of got the concept.

On to the the music, or at least the concert. With fifteen short pieces by thirteen composers, I won't give you a blow-by-blow description. Suffice it to say that all six musicians performed admirably. Yes, I consider the vocalist musicians on the same level as the instrumentalists.

The concert gave each vocalist a solo piece, a cappella in the case of the bass baritone, and accompanied by either the theorbo or the viola da gamba for the the other three vocal soloists. There were also tutti (all six musicians) entries as well as duets and a cappella vocal quartets, plus a viola da gamba and theorbo duet (do we all remember what a theorbo is?). Alas, the actual compositions had a bit of a sameness—somber, low-level energy, with only occasional bursts of quickness in terms of tempo and interest. Two of the fifteen were sung in English, including the only one (April is in my mistress' face) I've performed. And we're talking mid-1970s.

Composers that I was familiar with included Henry Purcell (ca. 1659–1695); Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643); Orazio Vecchi (1550–1605); and Thomas Morley (1557– 1602). No, I did not work with any of them. Ask about other composers, if you're interested.

I enjoyed the concert, and I enjoyed learning about composers I'd never heard of. A win-win for me.

ConcertMeister

STREB SLAM Open Rehearsal (2/16/24)
I am woefully behind—apologies.

This was a STREB SLAM Open Rehearsal. Checking in was a bit problematic. The event was sponsored by Open House New York, and there were OHNY volunteers when I arrived. Unfortunately, they couldn't check us in as attendees; they finally resorted to writing our names down on a paper pad. Mind you, I had already gone to the library to print out my reservation with the requisite QR code, which was completely unnecessary. But on to STREB SLAM.

What is STREB? Good question. I can't find a good answer online, so I'm going make up my own. STREB seems to be a person (Elizabeth Streb) who teaches a technique incorporating dance/gymnastics/tumbling/circus performing.

The open rehearsal I attended had a crew of 12 or 13 performers bouncing on trampolines one, two, and three at a time. They would leave the trampoline and appear to splat face down on gym mats. This was a recurring theme throughout the morning. Since this was a rehearsal, the performers were in warm-up clothes (i.e., not in costumes), and they essentially did a mark through of the performance piece—talking, describing, doing a few moves—but not really doing a performance. Then they would go back and do it as though it were a performance. Seeing the juxtaposition was quite interesting. They did this pairing with two more set pieces.

They moved on, after replacing the thick mats with thinner mats, to what appeared to be more like a team gymnastic floor routine. The performers brought out props (wooden doors/walls) that some of the members crashed against before bouncing off. Sometimes the wooden partitions were manipulated to twirl so that a performer would be propelled from one side of the space to the other. Fun fact: The performers did all of the set changes themselves, since they'd figured out that they could do them in half the time than stagehands could.

The Gizmo. 

For the finale, they brought forward a metal contraption (The Gizmo) that was triangular at the bottom (but very tall) with a metal wheel that could be rotated and walked atop (carefully) or ridden/walked upon on the interior. The permutations were intriguing. At times, performers would launch themselves off The Gizmo into an aforementioned faceplant. At one point, there were two people in the inner wheel with one person on the outer wheel, and two people on the triangular base. Where to look? Who to watch? It was intriguing theater/dance.

The cool thing was that they were introducing this new program to take to a festival in Los Angeles for a week before going to a festival in Australia. Having performed in an Australian music festival many years ago, I hope they had a great time and created many wonderful memories.

ConcertMeister

A West Side Story Burlesque Show (2/10/24)

Hmm, from Baroque dance to Broadway. Sort of.

My ticket had ‘from 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM (EST)’. So, I dutifully showed up at 12:15 PM and joined a short line. And waited. And waited. Long story short, this was an ‘event’ where we were let into the lobby at about 12:40 PM and were told that we could mill about (swag tables, hot dogs for sale, bar available) until they opened the house at 1:30 PM. Odd, my ticket didn’t mention any of that. Today, I finally found an online description of the event – “A West Side Story Burlesque Show, AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s (AHF) original take on the classic Broadway musical, is … [a] free, hour-long dance celebration of safer sex featur[ing] international burlesque …”

I can’t tell you who performed, because the cast list was only available via a QR code. That said, the fifteen or so dancers presented a high-energy production of a lot of the music (canned) from West Side Story. All of the dancers were great, including most of the male ensemble who were bare chested at times. There were three stately drag queens, who also strutted and danced quite well. The real gals were not too shabby either.

I have never seen a one-hour presentation with as much energy as I saw that Saturday afternoon. But I'm not sure I'd call it burlesque. Yes, there were some wink-wink moments. And some of the dance moves were suggestive/risqué. I'm just not sure that added up to burlesque.

Am I glad I went? Yes. Do I wish they had presented more info ahead of time? Definitely, yes. Would I go again? Maybe, if the schedule were announced ahead of time.

ConcertMeister

The Grand Tour – Dances from England, France, Italy and Spain (2/8/24)

Julia Bengtsson – dance & reconstruction; Patrick Pride – dance; Paul Shipper – music direction, recorder & Baroque guitar; Dongmyung Ahn – violin; Jason Priset – Baroque guitar & theorbo

Here’s the cool low-down. The dances were Baroque dances, which I had never seen before. The steps involved fairly intricate hops, skips and twirls. Alas, I could not see many of the intricate hops and skips footwork because of the single-level seating in the venue.

There was a combination of instrumental works, and instrumentals accompanying dance works. All were very interesting. I won’t bore you with all of the details, but the composers included Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632–1687). Oh, did I mention that this was a Gotham Early Music Scene concert? Other composers, many of whom were new to me, were André Campra (1660–1744), Theobaldi di Gatti (ca. 1650–1727), Andrea Falconieri (1585–1656), Anonymous (two pieces), Henry Desmaret (1661–1741), François Le Cocq (1685–1729), and Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713). How many did you know?

Since the focus was on dance, I’ll focus there, too. Of the eleven works on the program, there was a Marche, an Entrée, a Gigue, a Ciaccona, a Menuet, a Scaramouche, a Passacaglia, a Chacone (see Ciaconna, above), and a Folie. Do I know what they all are? I do not. Did I like them all? I did.

On to the pieces that were actually danced. The Entrée was a solo for female dancer, accompanied by recorder, theorbo, and violin. Stylized hops and skips abounded. A duet, La Bretagne, was interesting in that the female and male were dancing together, sort of. There was interaction but there was no touching or partnering. This was the case in most of the duets.

The Menuet was, oddly, a lengthy solo female dance with violin, guitar and theorbo accompaniment.

The Scaramouche was a very clever male solo danced to solo recorder that included much humor, with an emphasis on mime and exaggerated dance steps.

The Passacaglia was danced by the masked female, which strangely gave her movements more expression.

The closing work, Folie d’Espagne, was a lengthy dance duet accompanied by violin, guitar, and theorbo. The duet included pageantry and humor, and the female dancer also played the castanets. What’s not to like?

I really enjoyed the performance, and I’m lucky enough to have worked with the music director, Paul Shipper, a lifetime ago with a different early music group. It’s a small world after all.

ConcertMeister

Across a Crowded Room (1/6/2024)

This is a New York Public Library–sponsored writing program for budding composers, lyricists, and librettists. The attendees get assigned, randomly, with each other and tasked with writing a 20-minute music theater piece (standalone, part of a larger work, or something that may bridge that gap). It’s a summer program, with the fruits of their labors presented in autumn. Alas, I missed the November 2023 presentation. But there were extras. The program leaders build in the fact that some pairs/trios will fall by the wayside. Guess what? That didn’t happen in 2023, so we were gifted with five new works in early 2024. And I’m glad.

The five works were (and I’m not making this up, you know) – that’s like saying, I vomited your dinner or the I still love you short; Polar Excess; Helen & Cassandra, Gifts of the Gods; CURSES!; and “The Bees”.

The good news is that after each presentation, a panel of two offered constructive criticism to the authors. Sometimes I agreed with the panelists, sometimes not. I tended to be a bit more critical while they tended to be more nurturing, which is only natural. These are budding writers—we don’t want to scare them away.

The first work was my least favorite, and that seemed to be the same with the panelists. Here are my notes: “The breakup of a relationship between two women. Fairly static, dramatically and musically.” The title was almost longer than the finished product.

The second (with the composer at the piano) was a political musical with much more fun music. The characters included two US Senators with opposing views of global warming/climate change. Oh, and they used to be married to each other. Here are my notes: “<Sound effects> Musical motifs included Up, Up, and Away (all five characters got a crack at the motif), and Running Away from a Polar Bear.” The composing included actual harmony while the minimal staging included a kick line. Did I mention fun?

The third was a two-hander (though the composer/pianist had minimal spoken/sung text). The opening number tried to cram too much text into too small phrases. Also (and I’ve noticed this before with composer/pianists) the piano was often too loud. I think they might like their music too much to the detriment of the overall performance. The vocal writing for Helen and Cassandra was a bit too uneven to my ear.

CURSES! had a few interesting twists and turns involving the two characters. The music was a nice mix of sad (which worked well), lovely (a song about seeds, of all things), and hope (which included a deftly done combination of harmony and unison lines).

“The Bees” was a lot of fun and also gave us lots of information about the hive mentality as well as human family relationships. It had simple but effective tunes, leading us to the conclusion that it was sweet and the honey didn’t dry up.

There were no clunkers. Here’s my minor quibble. I know that this is a writing program, but it’s also a performance program. Perhaps the folks in charge could stress to the performers that it’s very important to take a bow. That is their way of thanking us for our applause. OK, off my soap box now. I’ll be sure to keep my eyes peeled for future editions of Across a Crowded Room.

ConcertMeister

Midtown Concerts – Gotham Early Music Scene (1/4/2024)

Angelica Women’s Chamber Choir – A Battle of the Sexes: Italian Composers from 1300 to 1800

Well, that’s quite a mouth full. And Marie Caruso led twelve female vocalists (three of whom also played recorders, with one recordist also being a finger cymbalist, and one vocalist also playing the viola da gamba—I’m not making this up, you know!). The guest artist was Richard Kolb, playing the theorbo. 

Pop quiz. Raise your hand if you remember what a theorbo is. I know I’ve mentioned it two or three times in the past. Ask, if you need a reminder.

There were fifteen pieces on the program, so I’m not listing all fifteen, just as I’m not listing all twelve vocalists—we’d be here all day. Re. the Battle of the Sexes, there was no real battle. But there were female composers. Early music female composers. Let that sink in. Maddalena Casulana (ca.1540–ca.1590); Claudia Francesca Rusca (1593–1676)—but you’re not here for a history lesson, right? 

All of the music was sung beautifully. The theorbo added a bit of a continuo (accompaniment) feel, as did the recorders and viola da gamba, though they were more often used as intervals between the sung portions of some of the pieces. 

The printed program ran to eight pages because it included texts/translations for all fifteen pieces. I will also not include them all here, but I will include one. Fammi una canzonetta capriciosa. This was vocals with theorbo accompaniment. Here’s the translation: 

  Write me a capricious little song,
  such that no one, or only few,
  are able to sing it,
  and to a danceable tune.

  Don’t mind tuning or rules,
  for this is the best you can do.

  Do it as your fancy offers it,
  and embellish it by pretty runs. 

How cool is that? Capricious, indeed! 

Some of the pieces were calm, while some were more energetic. Some were strophic—verse, verse, verse. Some were for two voices, while some were for five. This is slightly misleading because a piece for five voices and a piece for two voices merely meant the number of vocal lines. All twelve vocalists sang all of the pieces, except for when they were playing recorder or viola da gamba. In a nod to early music gender fluidity, one piece (Magi videntes stellam, by Agostino Agarazzi (1580–1642)) was written for three tenor voices. Obviously, it was sung here by sopranos and altos. And it worked just fine. 

All in all, this was a wonderful reintroduction to this enjoyable series of concerts. I look forward to the rest of winter and to the spring, as well.

ConcertMeister