Midtown Concerts (9/15/22)

Shakespeare’s Songs|
Sarah Pillow, Soprano; Ronn McFarlane, Lute; Sorab Wadia, Actor/Tenor

New season, new space. St. Malachy's on W. 49th Street

Twelfth Night ~ O Mistress Mine – Thomas Morley (1507–1602); Merry Wives of Windsor ~ Greensleeves – Anonymous (Ballet Lute Book c. 1590), Francis Cutting (c. 1550–1595/1596), Anonymous (Thysius Lute Book c. 1600); Fortune My Foe – John Dowland (1563–1626);
The Tempest ~ Where the Bee Sucks – Robert Johnson (1583–1633), Full Fathom Five, Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home – John Dowland (1563–1626); Othello ~ The Willow Song – Anonymous
Pavana in F major No. 1 “Bray” – William Byrd (1543–1623); As You Like It ~ It Was A Lover and His Lass – Thomas Morley (First Book of Ayres, 1600)

Sonnet 65 ~ Since brass, nor stone; Sonnet 29 ~ When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes; Sonnet 99 ~ The forward violet thus did I chide; Sonnet 30 ~ When to the sessions of sweet; Sonnet 66 ~ Tired with all these, for restful death I cry; Sonnet 25 ~ Let those who are in for with their stars

The first song was for soprano and lute, and it had a sort of folk song flavor. The three versions of Greensleeves, for solo lute, were (i) straightforward, (ii) more varied, and (iii) slightly fancier, with more ornamentation. 

Fortune My Foe (soprano and lute) began with an a cappella verse by the soprano, then the lute was added. With its slow tempo, it was not quite a dirge—but it was awfully close. After a solo lute interlude, it concluded with soprano and lute.  

Also for soprano and lute, Where the Bee Sucks was bright and jolly. The soprano and lutenist continued with Full Fathom Five, which opened slowly, picked up tempo a little, and (from the other side of the performance space) included the tenor in a little duet section that featured a nice setting of the text “ding dong bell.” A lute solo followed that was gentle and dance-like. 

The Willow Song (soprano and lute) was slow, slightly sad, and somewhat lengthy. A lute solo was up next. It was mournful and lovely, then there was a section that somehow managed to sound hopeful before returning to mournful. 

The concert closed with the soprano and lute with It Was a Lover and His Lass which, with its bright tempo, was cheerful and jolly. The sonnets were interspersed between and among the musical selections. 

Interestingly, at the beginning of the performance the audience was asked to treat the afternoon as a one-act play and reserve all applause until the end. And they/we actually did!

ConcertMeister