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!]

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