A Tale of Two Boroughs (12/9/23 and 12/16/23)

Caroling, caroling through no snow …

Saturday, 12/9, found me at Judson Memorial Church for their annual caroling sponsored by the West Village Chorale. This has been a hit or miss event over the past few years, and this year was no different. Organization inside the church hall was done pretty well. Outside, in Washington Square Park, not so much. My group had two leaders. When we got into the park, the first question was, “What do you want to sing?” Um, you’re the leaders. You should have a plan. They also tried to join another group who didn’t seem to want us. It was awkward. That was the minus. The plus was that on one of our (very few) stops, there was a little girl singing along with us. The group leaders invited her to join us. She did, and had a great time. Another little girl was invited to join us, as well. Hopefully we made a few Christmas memories for those little ones.

Saturday, 12/16, found me in Brooklyn. A caroling group associated with the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. Who knew they even existed? I didn’t, but now I do. Approximately 200(!) carolers broke up into four groups. The organizers said that turnout was so large probably because of the good weather. (No, this will not turn into a climate change rant, but …) My group was a small, four-part harmony group, though most of the singers were unison singers. Not a biggie. But when I attempted harmony, the unison singers seemed to lack confidence, so I stuck with unison for the most part. At our last stop of the afternoon, the owner of the place we were in front of brought out hot chocolate for us. A well-received bonus.

Will I try both again next year? Probably. Because I know going in that it’s hit or miss. And even if it’s a bit of a miss, I still get to go caroling in NYC again.

ConcertMeister

The Orchestra Now (11/19/23)

Woefully Late Again 

In my defense, I went to the airport at the butt-crack of dawn on 11/20/23 to spend a wonderful Thanksgiving week in Ohio with my extended family. That said, here’s my report about this great concert I heard. 

The School for Scandal Overture (1931) – Samuel Barber (1910–1981)
Death and Transfiguration (1890) – Richard Strauss (1864–1949)
Symphony No. 4* (1853*) – Robert Schumann (1810–1856)

The Barber, at eight minutes, was a wonderful curtain-raiser (though there is no curtain at Symphony Space, where the concert was performed). I mostly know Barber from his edgy/modern works, but this was written when he was 21, so it was pretty much an early student work. It was tuneful and effective.

The Strauss was also an early work (he was in his mid to late 20s). This tone poem certainly hinted at some of his darker works that would appear later—though he could also sparkle, as he did in Der Rosenkavalier. It was interesting to hear this early work, with its weightiness.

The Schumann was a real piece of work on many levels. My concert mate asked me whether we had heard this orchestra play this piece before (we had not but we had heard a Schumann piece at a previous The Orchestra Now concert).

Here’s the deal about Schumann’s fourth symphony. It was really his second symphony*1841, but the critics pretty much skewered it. He removed it from publication and then reworked it as his fourth symphony*1853, which was much better received. My concert-mate and I agreed that we knew many of the themes and motifs of the reworked symphony. And we had a swell time at the concert.

A little late but worth the wait, I hope.

ConcertMeister

Open House New York (10/20/23–10/22/23)

Yes, I know I’m woefully late. Anyhoo, it was a pretty good weekend, even though the weather was less than helpful. Open House New York is a weekend when buildings that are usually not open to the general public are open, or are having special events. The latter was the case with my volunteer experience.

On Friday morning (10/20/23), I volunteered at the Brooklyn Central Library. They were hosting two tours of the exhibit The Book of HOV, celebrating Jay-Z and the fiftieth anniversary of hip-hop. It took me a long time to figure out that title. Ah, it’s named after Jay-Z’s other nickname, HOV (short for J-Hova). Who knew? Now I do. Now you do, too. I did not actually go on the tour—as a volunteer, I was there to check in the folks who were on the registered list of attendees. Of course, there were folks who just trailed along with the tour, but that was not really my concern.

After my volunteer stint, I traveled (through rain showers) to a Brooklyn Makerspace. Interesting. It’s sort of like a co-op where creatives can share space and some tools to work on their non-professional likes/loves, such as woodworking, metalworking, etc. As I said, interesting, but I did not spend a lot of time there. I ditched stop number three (a whiskey distillery) due to the weather and the logistics of getting there (i.e., I was not walking a mile in the rain, and the directions for a bus to get there were a bit convoluted).

Saturday took me to Spanish Harlem and a studio for Manhattan Neighborhood Network. It was also a co-op style venture where people can go and learn the ins and outs of creating content that can then be presented on cable TV. I had the option of sitting in on a training session, but I decided against it.

Next was the Chapin School in my neck of the woods—100 E. End Avenue (85th Street). Two floors were available to visit. The 11th was a gymnasium on the top floor of the school. The gym was a gym, but the floor-to-ceiling windows looking east and west provided stunning views of Queens (east) and Manhattan (west). The fifth floor was a sort of mini-workspace, similar to the Brooklyn one. This was not quite a co-op space, since it seemed to be available to all of the students. I saw teen-agers working on set pieces for an upcoming play production as well as younger students in more of the exploratory sections of the workspace. Intriguing.

Saturday afternoon took me to a non-OHNY event, a showing of the biopic Chevalier sponsored by the Gateways Music Festival, promoting classical music presented by performers of African descent. Joseph Bologne, a contemporary of Mozart, was a violinist, composer, fencing expert, and highly respected dancer who was also christened Chevalier de Saint George by Marie Antoinette. He also fought in the French Revolution, partially because of the inequality thrust upon him as a black man. Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité indeed!

But I digress. Back to OHNY and Brooklyn. Sunday took me to the Brooklyn Grange, an amazing rooftop garden on top of a huge building. Tons of growing spaces. A building for classes/teaching. A building as an event space. What’s not to love? My NYC peeps, I believe you can visit year-round at 850 Third Ave., Brooklyn 11232. You heard it here first!

25 Kent Street in Brooklyn (I swear, I spent more time in Brooklyn in one weekend than I did in the last year!) had two spots available to visit in two different buildings. Gorgeous NYC views. One was another makerspace/workspace and one was an open floor awaiting move-ins.

My last trek was also more in my neighborhood. The Frick Museum at Fifth Ave. 70th St. is undergoing renovations, so OHNY included the Frick on Madison (75th St.) (formerly the Whitney, which is now downtown on the west side—is anyone else confused yet?). I spent a lovely afternoon perusing famous artwork. Alas, without a cell phone, I couldn’t hear/read much about the works on display. I was encouraged to scan a QR code, but that was not happening.

ConcertMeister

Gotham Early Music Scene (10/5/23)

Vox Fidelis

Byrd 400 – Mass for Five Voices

Timothy Smith ~ director and tenor; Marisa Curcio & Carey Hackett ~ sopranos; Candice Helfand-Rogers & Gloria Kierniesky ~ altos; Sam Denler ~ tenor; Les Anders & Erik Potteiger ~ basses

O Lord, Make Thy Servant Elizabeth – William Byrd (ca. 1543–1623)
Mass for Five Voices – Kyrie; Gloria; Credo; Sanctus & Benedictus; Agnus Dei – William Byrd

I went into this concert thinking ‘oh, an old favorite; I’m looking forward to this.’ Whoops! I didn’t recognize it at all. I’m guessing now that I got it confuzzled with Byrd’s Mass for Four Voices. That said, I had a hard time discerning five voices. Maybe the sopranos were split? Maybe others?

Anyhow, I really enjoyed the concert. The opening introductory was pleasant, if a bit fawning (obeisance to royalty). 

The mass was fairly standard. The Gloria and Credo each had an incipit (a sung introduction of the first line of text). In this case, it was by one of the basses—I’m used to it being sung by a tenor. (Usually me.) 

The mass was pretty straightforward and progressed without applause between movements. In fact, even though this was a concert, it seemed a bit odd applauding at the end, since it was the end of what was essentially a church service. In a church. But applaud we did. My only drawback was that with only eight voices, the move toward louder dynamics seemed a bit forced. A minor drawback.

Would I hear these eight voices again? In a New York minute. Oh, the 400 reference is that this year is the 400th anniversary of William Byrd’s. death. Weird, I know, but there you are.

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Found in a Flea Market (9/21/23)

Midtown Concerts sponsored by Gotham Early Music Scene

Music from the Carlo G Manuscript
Audrey Fernandez-Fraser ~ soprano; Gwendolyn Toth ~ harpsichord

Confiteor Deo – Carlo G (?–?) (see below)
Iste est qui ante Deum
Panis Angelicus

Keyboard Intabulation of Vidi Speciosam by Alessandro Grandi (1583–1630)
(in the style of Carlo G by Gwendolyn Toth)

Sub umbra illis
Quam dilecta

From the Castell’ Arquato manuscript – (anon. ca. 1550)
  Pavana – Saltarello – Ripresa ~ Ciel turchin ~ Non ti partir de me ~ Al carmoonese ~ Zorso

Benedictus Deus – Carlo G 

Apparently, this folio of music (c.1600–1620) was actually found in a flea market about fifteen years ago. By now you’re probably asking, “Who the heck is Carlo G? The great-great … grandfather of Kenny G?” I just don’t know. The program notes gave no explanation. Of course, I dove down the rabbit hole and found this – Most of the pieces in the manuscript are by Carlo G.; his name appears fully on the first page of the manuscript, but unfortunately a dark stain hides his last name. In the rest of the manuscript  only his initials are used: C. G. 

Well, that clears things up, right? Anyhow, the music was very interesting, even if there was a sameness from piece to piece. 

Overall, the concert was very enjoyable. Within the sameness of the pieces there were tempo and dynamic variations. The texts were a little hard to follow, since the vocal writing involved a lot of melisma (one vowel stretched over many notes) and poetic license (the text not always following the written lyrics). 

The harpsichord piece of dances in the middle was also a little hard to follow as well, since one dance seemed to blend into the next. [phone! really?!?] But all of the dances were very interesting, with nice variations of tempos and rhythms. 

The final Benedictus was indeed a blessing, with hope for the future included.

ConcertMeister

It’s Not Always a Concert (10/1/23)

A first for me, I went to the Broadway Flea Market, an event that supports Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. I go way back with that organization—my Teeny Todd production at Circle in the Square (1989) produced mini-meat pie pins and magnets that we sold for BC/EFA’s benefit. I also performed in the inaugural Gypsy of the Year competition (as Mrs. Lovett/Sweeney Todd) to raise funds for BC/EFA. But enough about me.

The Flea Market (44th St. and 45th St. between 7th Ave. and 8th Ave.) had a lot to offer. Alas, not much of which appealed to me. There were signed Playbills galore. There were pins. There were wristbands. There were plastic cups. There were beer steins (I was tempted). There were signed window cards/posters. You know what? I don’t need to bring more stuff into my apartment. That said, the display of available articles was quite impressive. One that caught my eye was a signed The Cottage poster, signed by the author of the play. She was there! I did not buy it but I did tell her that I had treated myself to seeing the production on my August birthday and that I had laughed out loud. She seemed pleased. Probably not as pleased as if I had bought the poster (see stuff, above).

I did, however, spend money there. The TDF Pik-aTkt booth offered chances to win a pair of tickets to various Broadway shows. I bought five chances. I won nothing. C’est la vie (shut up, you sillies!).

Here was the best part, though. Via FB, I knew that a former cast mate (1992, touring production of Brigadoon) would be there. I didn’t know exactly where, but I found him! We shared a nice few moments before I fled the very crowded venue. Just too crowded for me.

I really hope that BC/EFA raised tons of money. They do such good work.

This is probably a one-and-done for me. But I’m glad I had the experience.

ConcertMeister

A New Season (9/14/23)

Gotham Early Music Scene (9/14/23) 

On Paganini’s Trail ~ H.W. Ernst & More
Edson Scheid ~ period violin

Six Polyphonic Studies – Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst (1812–1865)
I. Rondino Scherzo – Con spirito; II. Allegretto – Con grazie; III. Terzetto – Allegro moderato e tranquillo; IV. Allegro risoluto; V. Air de Ballet – Allegretto con giusto; VI. Variations on The Last Rose of Summer

Grand Caprice for Solo Violin (after Schubert’s Erlkönig), Op. 26 – H.W. Ernst

Rondo from Duo in G Major for Violin and Viola, KV 423 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) Arranged for solo violin by Edson Scheid 

Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst was said to be the successor to violinmeister Niccolò Paganini. I know very little about Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst. I know even less about period violins and their gut strings. I do know that the tuning of Mr. Scheid’s strings was a little off at the beginning of his performance, but warmed up a little as he progressed. 

The first movement of the first work had a pleasant, lilting theme – spirited but not overly so, with a contrasting slower section – technically challenging (this was true of all of the pieces on the program). The second movement was, indeed, graceful and had a fun ending. The third was gentler yet still using fancy fingerwork—remember, this was solo violin, no backup support. The fourth was fancy and quite brisk, with some touches of dramatic flair. The fifth was graceful again, but not sweetly saccharine. The final movement was a recognizable tune (to me) given five variations. Yes, the tune was varied but it never got lost. 

The treatment of Erlkönig was a very dramatic rendition of the (familiar to me) Schubert song. Here, H.W. Ernst (and Mr. Scheid) managed to combine the two voices of the song into a solo violin piece. It was quite a tour-de-force. (By all means, seek out a version of Erlkönig on line.) 

The same can be said of Mr. Scheid’s treatment of Mozart’s duo. It was a bright and pleasant performance of Mozart’s repurposed music.

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Musicals in Mufti

Musicals in Mufti* (9/10/23)

The Lieutenant
Book, music, and lyrics by Chuck Strand, Gene Curty, & Nitra McCauliffe

Full disclosure, I was comped for this performance (which usually runs $49–$59 a ticket).

The plot is based on the trial of Lt. William Calley from the My Lai massacre. It was essentially a rock opera (not my favorite type of show, even though I did a production of Jesus Christ Superstar; hey, an actor has to earn a living.) All eleven vocalists, as well as all five instrumentalists were amplified in a very small house. I guess that was to evoke the mid-’70s vibe from the original production. It was far too loud for me, especially in that venue.

All of the performers were great. The plot was a gimme. We knew he was found guilty before the show even began. But was he guilty? Seeds of doubt were sown. Calley even screamed, “Not guilty!” (Shades of Chicago, and both shows were from 1975.)

Am I glad I went? Yes. I have a great love for the York Theatre. I did many shows there, and they produced my one-and-only Broadway production—Sweeney Todd—which opened at Circle in the Square on Sept. 14, 1989.

Mufti (per the program I was given): In street clothes, without the trappings of a full production. That said, all were in all black. Some were off book, the staging and choreography were minimal, though most had their scores (see rock opera) in their hands at times. They had very little rehearsal time, and they did a phenomenal job.

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Rite of Summer Music Festival (8/26/23)

PUBLIQuartet – Curtis Stewart, violin; Jannina Norpoth, violin; Nick Revel, viola; Hamilton Berry, cello

No printed program, so I did my best with note taking.

Four-song medley (I didn’t know any of them) that included Wild Women Don’t Get the Blues
Prelude for Piano – Julia Perry – 1946
At the Purchaser’s Option – Rhiannon Giddens – 2016
Sixfivetwo – Henry Threadgill – 2018
Space Hero – Nick Revel (World premiere)
Tokyo 6.1 – Hamilton Berry (World premiere)
American Quartet (final movement) – Antonin Dvorak

The stated goal of this string quartet was to expand the horizons of the string quartet repertoire. They succeeded. I liked some of it—emphasis on some.

The first medley had tapping of/on the instruments followed by bowing from cello, viola, and two violins, in that order. Also pizzicato playing (plucked strings). It sounded like down-on-the-farm folk music that also included spoken text and singing of lyrics.

Prelude for Piano had previously been expanded for orchestra, if memory serves. Here, it was reimagined for string quartet. It had a slow opening, sonorous and calm. Per an announcement from the stage as an introduction, it also included an improvised section. I couldn’t tell where or when.

At the Purchaser’s Option included whispered and sung text in a piece that had a feeling of folk music plus the blues. Not surprising, since the impetus behind the piece involved a woman who could be sold as a slave. The purchaser could choose the woman, or her daughter, or both. Sadful folk music/blues, indeed.

Sixfivetwo flipped the two violinists. Not a biggie. The first violinist played second violin part; the second, the first. I just thought I’d note it. It often happens in string quartets. Who knew? Now you do. This piece was written for the Kronos Quartet. The quartet I heard attended a symposium with the Kronos Quartet. This quartet was thrilled. It’s always great to experience living legends. The piece had a pizzicato opening and also featured improvisation (where?/when?), with few real tunes (to my ear), seeming like a lot of rambling. At least there were varied tempos and volumes.

Space Hero was very experimental, including an electronic track that the quartet had to sync with. There was a boisterous section in the middle that I really liked, though I felt as though I was on a rambling journey. But from where to where?

Tokyo 6.1 referenced an earthquake that the cellist experienced there. The piece was also modern/experimental. And that’s all I’m saying.

OK, I liked the repurposed Dvorak. It had tunes I recognized. It was a jazzed-up version of that last movement of his American Quartet. Dvorak had a strong connection to the USofA, in New York City and in Iowa (look it up). I liked this as the ending for the concert and the Rite of Summer’s two-concert series. I’m planning on attending next summer’s Rite of Summer Festival.

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US Open Fan Week (8/23/23)

Well, that’s misleading, on several levels. Not a concert but definitely free. In my previous, previous job, proofreading for Barclays, I was often called upon to review press publications for the US Tennis Open, in Queens. Maps, schedules, etc. Barclays was a major supporter. I never dealt with Fan Week.

This year, being fully retired, I gave Fan Week a try. I enjoyed myself. Officially, Fan Week is 8/22–27. I went on 8/23 and had a great time. I saw many top-notch players: David Goffin, Dennis Novak, Vasek Popisil, Paul Martinez, Ons Jabeur, Marketa Vondrousova, Gael Monfils, Stan Wawrinka, Gauthier Onclin, and Marco Trungelitti. I’m not making this up, you know.

The weather was glorious, though I probably should have used a bit more sunscreen than I did. The campus is massive, and I only saw a small part of it. I saw medium-sized courts (though even those were more intimate than what I’m used to seeing on TV). I saw really small-audience courts (obviously, all of the courts are the same size). I even saw the Louis Armstrong Stadium court which was massive and offered much-needed shade.

I only saw the ends of various sets of various matches, since I wanted to experience as much of the experience as I could.

As expected, food options were very expensive, but I got a great artichoke spread with cannellini beans and chickpeas for lunch. Reasonable price and very filling. I skipped the beer options. Way overpriced.

Am I glad I went? Yes. Will I do it again? Most likely not. That said, it continues through Sunday, 8/27. Be forewarned that Saturday, 8/26, is Kids’ Day (not that there’s anything wrong with that). If you like tennis and would like to see some pros up close and personal for free, give it your consideration.

ConcertMeister (aka NoncertMeister)

 

Naumburg Orchestral Concerts (8/1/23)

East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO)

Opening fanfare – Tiha Voda Breg Roni, ‘Quiet water wears down a shore’, world premiere (2023) – Milica Paranosic; performed by The Westerlies

Divertimento for String Orchestra in D major, K.136, “Salzburg Symphony No. 1” (1772) – I. Allegro, II. Andante, III. Presto – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–91)

Danzas de Panama, (1948) – I. Tamborito, II. Mejorana y Socavón, III. Punto – Allegretto con grazia, IV. Cumbia y Congo – William Grant Still (1895–1978)

Remember (2000/arr. 2023), world premiere – Eleanor Alberga (b. 1949)

Serenade for Strings in E flat major, Op. 6, (1892) – I. Andante con moto, II. Allegro ma non troppo e grazioso, III. Adagio, IV. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo presto – Josef Suk (1874–1935) 

This was the fifth and final concert of the 2023 Naumburg Orchestral Concerts series this year. I was lucky enough to attend all five—even luckier was that there was no rain! ECCO is a string ensemble that performs with various ensemble members assuming the leader role in each different piece. They make it work very well. 

As usual this season (the 100th anniversary of the Naumburg bandshell in NYC’s Central Park), the concert began with a brass fanfare (two trumpets and two trombones, plus bells, played by one of the brass players). This was my least favorite of this season’s fanfares. It was modern, only slightly fanfare-esque, and long. Fortunately, the rest of the concert was more enjoyable for me. 

The first movement of the Mozart was bright and chipper (and familiar), with a mix of phrases—minor key/major key and fairly predictable. The second was calmer and also predictable, though it had a little more depth than I usually associate with Mozart. The third was reminiscent of the first—interesting, if yet again familiar—finishing with a bright button. 

The first movement of the second piece was rhythmic and fun, with a slower section that followed before going back to the fun, then ending quietly. The second was sedately dance-like (hello! see the title of the work) with a gentle forward motion that quickened rhythmically before going back but finishing on an up note. The third movement was quiet and enjoyable, sometimes slightly sweeping us along, and building in depth and intensity at times. Well! The fourth was a quick, bright fun romp with touches of humor and a mad dash to the finish. 

Ms. Alberga’s work was essentially a song without words—a string quartet reimagined for a string orchestra. It was a somber remembrance without being maudlin. Easily listenable even though it used modern harmonies and phrasing. 

OK, I’m a sucker for a string serenade (think Dvorak, think Tchaikovsky). The first movement of the Suk was sweet, full, gentle, and well constructed, in a good way. [Totally irrelevant side note: I saw my first firefly of the summer!] The movement was lovely. The second was quiet but jolly, smileful but with deeply felt phrases that didn’t lose their lovely lilt. The third movement was slower, calmer, and somehow richer but airier. I know, I’m all over the map, but that’s what I heard and experienced. It was soulful, and the cellos had a wonderful singing line in the middle. I can easily see this as being a standalone movement. The final movement was bright and cheerful but still with some heft and depth. 

I’m already looking forward to next season.

ConcertMeister

Naumburg Orchestral Concerts (7/25/23)

Nosky’s Baroque Band (featuring Aisslinn Nosky, violin)

Opening Fanfare: Fanfare for a New Era
Brian Raphael Nabors – World Premiere (2023)

Francesco Geminiani – (1687–1762), Concerto Grosso no. 10 in F major, (after Corelli Op. 5), (1726)
Preludio, Allemanda, Sarabanda, Gavotta, Giga

Antonio Vivaldi – (1678–1741), Concerto for two violins in A minor, RV 522, (1711)
Allegro, Larghetto e spritoso [sic], Allegro 

George Frideric Handel – (1685–1759), Concerto Grosso Op. 6, no. 1 in G major, (1739)
Tempo Giusto, Allegro, Adagio, Allegro, Allegro 

Antonio Vivaldi – (1678–1741), Concerto for cello in D minor, RV 405, 
Allegro, Adagio, Allegro

Arcangelo Corelli – (1653–1713), Concerto Grosso Op. 6, no. 8, (1714)
Vivace, Grave, Allegro, Adagio, Vivace, Allegro, Pastorale

Henry Purcell – (1659–1695), Suite from Fairy Queen, (1692)
Preludio, Hornpipe, Rondeau, Jigg, Chaconne

Johann Sebastian Bach – (1685–1750), Concerto for violin in A minor, BWV 1041, (1730)
Allegro, Andante, Allegro Assai 

As usual for this season, a brass fanfare opened the concert. Fanfare for a New Era was a brass quintet (two trumpets, two trombones, and French horn), and it was definitely a fanfare, with a few twisting harmonies plus some softer, lyrical phrases. Modern, but listenable.

Because a harpsichord was used throughout, the strings all tuned to it. The simple, gentle opening of the Geminiani segued directly into the second movement, which had a pleasant dance feel. As a side note, all of the movements of all of the pieces were played with little to no breaks between them (with the exception of some that had tuning before a new movement). The third movement was gentler and pleasant, while the fourth was lively, but not too brisk. The word jaunty popped into my head. The final movement was also jaunty, providing a nice cap to the ending.

The Vivaldi was brisk from the get-go, and jolly. The second movement was sedate but not somber, with very spare writing—almost chamber writing within a chamber orchestra—then the full ensemble, in a much brisker section, rounded out the piece.

The third work was solid and full, with a theorbo (that’s that lute on steroids) added into the mix. The Allegro was very familiar and fun, and would probably be recognized by most of you, while the third movement was slower and almost somber. The fourth had fugal entries, until the full ensemble was in gear, with a few phrases that seemed to mimic the second movement. The piece finished with a dance-like movement.

The second Vivaldi piece, also including the theorbo, was quick and a lot of fun, though I wasn't particularly aware of the cello being featured. The second movement was more somber and almost haunting. The third was brisk and solid, with sort of a grounding depth.

The fifth work opened sedately, then quickly turned brisk. The second movement, calmer, deep and rich, was followed with a third that was bright, though still having a grounded, deep feeling. The fourth was pleasantly dance-like, and then the next three movements pretty much blended together, but were also pleasant.

The Purcell began with a bright and full feeling, followed by a second movement that had slightly repetitive phrases. The third was gentler, with a fairly full sound, and the fourth was a jolly Jigg. The fifth was dance-like, in triple meter—like a quick waltz, with a more sedate middle section—before ending with a mild bang.

The last work on the program opened with a very full sound in a very familiar piece. The solo violin was featured nicely in the lively and fun movement. The second movement was calm and gentle, once again with the violin front and center, and then an almost sad feel and sound. The third was pretty much off to the races, but not in a frantic way at all. What a happy way to end a concert.

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Rite of Summer Festival (7/22/23)

Dublin Guitar Quartet

Bryce Desner: Ahey
Marc Mellits: Titan – (Selected Movements TBC)
Wojciech Kilar: Orawa
Gyorgy Ligeti: Inaktelki nóták
Philip Glass: Piano Etudes No. 2, 9 & 20

OK, I knew going in that this would not be in my wheelhouse. I’m not big on guitar music. I’m not that big on modern classical music, either. That said, I liked it better than I thought I would. I’m also not sure that I heard the works listed above in that order, since (even though they announced most of them from the stage), there was not a printed program, and I didn’t have access to the QR code version. I wish this would change.

All of these pieces were composed for groups that were not a guitar quartet—choral, symphony, string quartet, etc. And I don’t know who arranged them.

They were all very similar in structure and form. Lots of frantic strumming interspersed with a few (very few) quieter and more lyrical sections. The frantic strumming meant that there were multiple re-tunings (both between works and between movements within a work). From the website, I learned that I would be hearing eight-stringed and twelve-stringed guitars, but that was never addressed nor explained from the stage.

Am I glad I went? Yes. It’s important for me to expand my horizons. Will I choose more carefully next time? Possibly.

There’s one more concert scheduled for this season, and I hope to be there. I was wearing my Rite of Summer t-shirt (as I always do), was recognized by a co-founder, and was gifted a new t-shirt with an updated logo. I’ll wear the new one to the next concert.

ConcertMeister

Naumburg Orchestral Concerts (7/11/23)

A Far Cry 

Opening Fanfare: eGALitarian Brass, World Premiere (2023) – Anthony Davis
Un día Bom (2021) III. Arum dem Fayer, arr. Alex Fortes (2023) – Osvaldo Golijov (b. 1960)
Banner (2014) – Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981)
The Glittering World (2023) – Juantio Becenti (b. 1983)
String Quartet no.12, Op.96, “American” (1893) – Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904), arr. by Sarah Darling (2017)

Fun fact. If a Fish Kept His Mouth Shut, He Wouldn’t Get Caught! is the subtitle of the opening fanfare.

A Far Cry is a Boston-based chamber orchestra.

The fanfare was for a brass quintet – eGALitarian Brass, all female players, trumpet, French horn and three (3!) trombones. It was modern jazz and quite enjoyable. As usual for this season, it was a world premiere celebrating the centenary of the Naumburg bandshell.

The next three pieces were all by American composers. The Golijov had a folk-song feel, based on Jewish themes. It was calm and comforting, then picked up in tempo, feeling like a brief dance before returning to the opening, both in style and musical phrases.

With slightly smaller forces, the Montgomery (second time I’ve heard one of her works in this season’s Naumburg concerts) was a paraphrase of the Francis Scott Key Banner, but sort of deconstructed, then snippets of other countries’ anthems (per remarks from the stage) that were mostly lost on me. It seemed to meander a bit, without really capturing my attention too well before moving quickly back to the Star-Spangled Banner, possibly to reel us back in.

The Becenti had a bright and brisk opening, then low strings introduced a second section that was slightly sedate, then switching to something a little more energetic and more interesting—then went into full meandering mode. The piece was interesting but not compelling.

I love the Dvořák; it’s very familiar to me, and one of my favorites. The first movement was brisk but a little subdued, tuneful, sweeping and lovely. Not surprisingly, this entire piece is much more structured (in terms of linked phrases and sections) than the three works that preceded it. The second movement was calmer, yet still tuneful, easily listenable, and ending with a very nice solo cello line. The third was bright and jolly, though with a touch of solemnity and density. It ended with a feathery quietude. The fourth was rollicking, with an underlying perpetual motion feel. While including a brief legato interlude or two, the effervescence could not be quashed. A great way to end a fun outdoor concert. Weather permitting, I’ll be going back on July 25th.

 ConcertMeister

Fond Farewells (6/29/23)

Marc Bellassai 

This was a fun concert and, indeed, a fond farewell to the Gotham Early Music Scene Midtown Concerts season. Mr. Bellassai is a harpsichordist and sometime actor. Here’s the program. 

From the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book: Præmbulum, [Antiphon], In Nomine – John Bull (1562–1628)

Loth to Depart, Fantasia – Giles Farnaby (ca. 1563–1640)

From My Ladye Nevells Booke: The Battell
The souldiers sommons ~ The marche of footemen ~ The marche of horsmen ~ The Irishe marche ~ The bagpipe and the drone ~ The battells be joined ~ [Spoken interlude] – The retreat/The buriing of the dead – William Byrd (ca.1540–1623)

Suite in C minor – Allemande ~ Gigue ~ Courante ~ Sarabande – Johann Jakob Froberger (1616–1667)

Capriccio B-dur sopra la londananza del fratello dilettissimo (BWV 992) – Arioso: Adagio ~ Ist eine Vostellung unterschiedlich Casuum ~ Adagiosissimo ~ Allhier kommen die Freunde ~ Aria di Postilione: Allegro Poco ~ Fuga – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

Well, that’s a lot of word salad. But several of the pieces were about bidding a fond farewell—to a brother, to soldiers on the battlefield, to … well, people. We all have them. 

On to the music. A lot of it was very similar and repetitive. The harpsichord has limited volume variations, so the rest is done with density of chords and fast fingering (think Vivaldi’s Four seasons, but for keyboard). 

The first work was very gentle. The Antiphon was sung by the harpsichordist. He is a fine harpsichordist. The second movement was also gentle (see similar and repetitive, above). 

The second grouping was similar to the first (see above). 

The eight movements of The Battell proved a little more interesting, in that the performer announced each movement. Unfortunately, the announcements were sometimes garbled, though the music was just fine. My favorites were The marche of footemen; The Irishe marche; and The battels be joined. The buriing of the dead had a brief chant before the final dirge, which was oddly celebratory. Obviously, these were fond farewells. 

The Suite was a little slow, then a little more energetic, then had varied phrases, and finished solidly very serious. 

The Cappriccio, once again, had spoken introductions for each movement, with a little more success this time around. My favorite movements were the Adagiosissimo (is that a great word, or what?), the Aria di Postillone (mimicking a hunter’s horn), and the Fuga, which was energetic and bright—a great way to end the work, the concert, and the season. 

The new season begins on Sept. 14, 2023. Sept. 14 is very special to me, since it marks my 1989 (one and only) Broadway debut. 

See you next season, for this series.

ConcertMeister

Naumburg Orchestral Concerts (6/27/23)

Bethesda Bliss / Celebratory Fanfare – Colin Jacobsen (b. 1978) – World Premiere (2023)
L.E.S. Characters – Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981), featuring Masumi Per Rostad, viola – NYC Premiere (2021) – The Can Man; The Poet; Mosaic Man; Garbage Art; The Can Man (Reprise)
Romanian Folk Dances, (1915–17) – Béla Bartók (1881–1945), arr. Alex Fortes
Source Code for string orchestra (2013) – Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981)
Romanian Rhapsody no. 1 in A major, Op.11 (1901) – George Enescu (1881–1955), arr. Ljova

The Knights are a Brooklyn-based cooperative chamber orchestra. Alas, Colin Jacobsen (one of the co-founders of The Knights) was indisposed and not able to conduct. The assistant conductor (aka understudy) did a fine job.

The fanfare was great. Each of this summer’s concerts features a fanfare to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Naunburg bandshell in Central Park. It featured brass, strings, harp, and winds and was calmly boisterous. I particularly liked the understated use of the snare drum.

Of the five movements included in L.E.S. Characters, the first movement was modern but accessible, with the viola featured prominently. The second was calm, while featuring fun percussion rhythms and lyrical writing for the viola. The third was quicker and more rhythmic while still being somewhat subdued—almost Debussy-like. The fourth had a garbage can instrument (I’m not making this up, you know!) introduction that certainly got our attention. It was set against lyrical viola and strings writing. The final movement was not a direct copy of the first, but it definitely had the same force and feel. This piece was an accurate portrayal of NYC’s Lower East Side.

The Bartok was rustic, hearty and very melodic (emphasis on very)—a nice mixture of folk themes, one very heartfelt, the next rhythmic and full, building into a fast tempo for the finale.

After tuning (possibly necessary for the next piece?), unison strings began Source Code. Then dissonances and harmonies were introduced, followed by a plaintive solo line for the violin, then calm, slightly lulling full strings, then finishing as it began. It was interesting but not compelling, to me.

More tuning (because of the Montgomery piece?). The Enescu was very familiar to me—pleasant, almost peasant-like, building in volume, tempo, and intensity. Then I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. Seek out an online version if you want to experience it for yourself. 

A great concert that included a world premiere and a New York City premiere. By living composers, one of whom was in the house. How lucky am I?

ConcertMeister

Make Music New York (6/21/23)

It’s that time of the year again. The solstice always brings Make Music New York—free music events spread all over the city. I kept my choices Manhattan-centric this summer and, as usual, bit off a little more than I could chew. My chosen five were classical piano at 11:00am, outdoor jazz at noon, Old Father Eternity at 3:00pm, a violin duo (Miolina) at 4:00pm, and outdoor a cappella vocal at 6:45pm. Oh, I also snuck in Sousapalooza at 2:00pm-ish Are you tired yet?

Finding the first venue turned out to be a chore—Freeman Plaza at Hudson Square. Hudson Square is near the Hudson River, not near Hudson Street. Along the way I passed through Cavali Park and Duarte Square. Cavali Park had dancers going through their paces, but not quite what I was looking for. Duarte Square was also not quite what I was looking for. Aha! I found Freeman Plaza. There was a piano (covered) there. I was a few minutes early. (Hello! I'm a Mallard!) 11:00am came and went. 11:15 came and went. When I figured that the pianist was probably a no show, I just went. 

I still made it up to 63rd and Broadway in time to hear the beginning of the jazz quartet, Eric Person’s Soul Saturation. The jazz was pretty good. And there was a good-sized crowd. The tunes were announced by the saxophonist, Eric Person. The only tune that was vaguely familiar to me was Duke Ellington’s “Caravan” (actually, the rhythms were more familiar than the tune was). They took a break after forty-five minutes, and I started walking to my next venue, grabbing a cup of lentil soup along the way. It may have been the first day of summer, but it was definitely cool enough for soup.

I got to my next venue (58th Street Library) with time to spare, so I strolled over to hear a little bit of Sousapalooza. This was an amateur group of about forty musicians playing Sousa marches. I recognized the conductor from at least one other MMNY, so I felt right at home. He was announcing the pieces, but it was very hard to hear him. At any rate, most of the pieces were familiar to me. Except for one. A dirge march, written for the funeral of President Garfield. Apparently, the piece was also played many years later for Sousa’s funeral. The things you learn off the beaten track. I wasn't even planning on doing Sousapalooza. I’m glad I did.

Old Father Eternity was neither old nor a father. It also started at 3:15 instead of 3:00. Not a biggie. Neither was the crowd. Only about eight people, one of whom was the artist’s mother (whose phone went off!) and two were library employees. Old Father Eternity, a female, was a fairly modern folk guitarist and singer. Pleasant enough, and she composed at least one of the songs on the program.

A brisk walk took me to the 76th Street Library for Miolina, the violin duo. Alas, this duo playing only music from after 2003 led to much scratching and screeching. The audience was five people, including one library employee. And one audience member left. The music was very hard to take, although it was very well composed.

I Cancelled Uptown Sound, since it was already cocktail hour, and I didn’t want to kill all that time just to end up at 100 Central Park West. I think I made the right choice, for me.

All in all, a successful Make Music New York experience. I’m so glad I discovered this.

ConcertMeister

Naumburg Orchestral Concerts (2023)

 ACRONYM (6/13/23)

Opening Fanfare: Times Square Brass
World premiere (2023) – Martin Kennedy

Anonymous, (Biber?/Schmelzer?), Sonata Jucunda a5 in D minor
Samuel Capricornus, (1628–1665), Sonata a8 in A minor
Francesco Cavalli, (1602–1676), Canzona a8 in C major
Andreas Kirchhoff, (fl.1700), Sonata a6 in G minor
Alessandro Scarlatti, (1660–1725), Sinfonia a4, (from Agar et Ismaele esiliati)
Clemens Thieme, (1631–1668), Sonata a8 in C major
Johann Pezel, (1639–1694), Ciacona a6 in B-flat major
Giovanni Valentini, (1582–1649), Sonata Enharmonisch a8 in G minor
Antonio Bertali, (1605–1669), Sonata a6 in D minor
Johann Philipp Krieger, (1649–1725), Sonata a4 in F major
Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber (1644–1704), Battalia a10 in D major

OK, I’m sure all of the above actually means nothing to you, including the names of the composers. So, here’s the deal. Acronym is a chamber music ensemble (strings, harpsichord, and reed organ) that plays early music on period instruments, using old-fashioned cat-gut strings. This resulted in much more re-tuning during the concert.

Don’t be put off by the Sonata a8 or the Ciacona a6 in some of the titles. It does not mean eight or six instruments, rather eight or six voices that can be played by small groups of instruments, e.g., three violins can be one voice while two cellos can be another voice.

This is the 118th iteration of the Naumburg concert series but more to the point, it is the 100th anniversary of the newly restored bandshell in Central Park. As a result, each concert this summer will open with a special fanfare. This concert featured a brass fanfare (two trumpets, two trombones, and two French horns) playing a modern, but listenable, fanfare. And it was a world premiere. How lucky am I?

As to the music on the program, it was pretty much similar from piece to piece. Some were chorale-like, some were dance-like.

Of special interest to me was Giovanni Valentini Sonata Enharmonisch a8 in G minor, since it paired parts of the composition in G minor (two flats) and G major (one sharp). It was oddly disjointed but eerily interesting, too.

The last piece on the program Battalia a10 in D major was actually a sonic picture of a battle. It was rhythmic and quick, using tapping bows on strings, while being sometimes out of tune (on purpose).

It was a great introduction to a group I had never heard before, and a great introduction to a five-concert summer series. Oh, did I mention it’s free?

Now the caveat (yes, I am becoming a curmudgeon). Because of the 100th anniversary of the bandshell, there is a special brochure that includes all five concert programs. I either need to bring the oversized brochure to the next four concerts or print out each of the rest of the four programs so that I’m not wielding an unwieldy brochure.

 ConcertMeister

Broadway at 92NY Chorus (6/11/23)

The Berlin and Porter Concert

I have been to one previous concert by this amateur choral group. They have been since rebranded with this new moniker that even the conductor stumbled over. Enough about that. The concert focused on music by Irving Berlin and Cole Porter, and it was a fun afternoon.

The program (though there was one change in order that I don’t remember—hey, I’m getting older!):

There’s No Business Like Show Business – Irving Berlin (Annie Get Your Gun, 1946)
I Get a Kick Out of You – Cole Porter (Anything Goes, 1934)
Lazy – Berlin (Popular song, 1924)
So In Love – Porter (Kiss Me Kate, 1948)
Anything You Can Do – Berlin (AGYG)
Anything Goes – Porter (AG)

–Sing-Along–

You’re Just In Love – Berlin (Call Me Madam, 1950)
True Love/Always – Porter/Berlin (High Society [Film], 1956/Popular song,1925)
Blow, Gabriel, Blow – Porter (AG)

Seeing as how I’ve done two productions each of both Annie Get Your Gun and Anything Goes (oh, the stories I could tell), a lot of this music was very familiar to me, and I enjoyed all of the performances.

The sing-along, less so (not quite my thing). It was a tribute to Burt Bacharach, and included Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head, I’ll Never Fall In Love Again, (They Long To Be) Close To You, and What The World Needs Now. Pleasant, but just.

However, the concert was a lot of fun, and the participants—conductor, accompanist, vocalists—all seemed to have a great time. As did the audience.

ConcertMeister

Hay Fever (5/8/23)

A New Musical Reading (5/8/23) 

This one was weird. It was based on a 1924 Noël Coward play. Apparently, the play was not very successful, though it had multiple revivals. Even Coward said that there was not a plot there, and there were no funny lines. 

This new version showed why it was not very successful. Written by A.J. Freeman (lyrics and adaptation) and Sam Balzac and Ben Covello (music), this did not play out well. 

Coward’s dialogue was said to be sparkling, even though the characters spoke over one another at times. This does not transfer well to a musical. Characters singing over one another is a recipe for failure. That’s what happened here. 

Am I glad I saw this work in progress? Yes! This is how theater grows and how we grow, too.

ConcertMeister

The Orchestra Now (5/14/23)

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – Paul Dukas (1865–1935)
Poèmes pour Mi; Katherine Lerner Lee VAP ’23 soprano – Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992)
Scheherazade – Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908)

What a wonderful concert. I learned so much. If you think the Dukas is just a Mickey Mouse trick, think again. Yes, the basic theme, apprentice runs amok, is inherent in the work. But when you actually see a conductor taking an orchestra through its paces to paint that picture both visually and aurally, you see it and hear it anew. And, yes, this was the first time I’d ever heard the piece live. That actually goes for all three pieces on the program.

The Messiaen composition was nine art songs for soprano and orchestra divided into two parts—First Book (four songs) and Second Book (five songs). It didn’t really matter because Messiaen’s musical style was so nebulous (to me) that it was difficult to follow the progression. Were the individual songs pretty and interesting? Yes. Did they make sense, logically, to me? No. But that’s part of what makes Messiaen Messiaen.

Scheherazade is a work I have heard many time as complete performances or as individual movements. There are four—The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship, The Legend of the Kalendar Prince, The Young Prince and the Young Princess, and Festival at Baghdad–The Sea–The Shipwreck. Here’s the backstory, and it’s a doozy. Touching on the tales of the Arabian Nights, Scheherazade keeps spinning new tales for 1,001 nights in order to prevent her husband, Sultan Shakriar, from executing her. Fun stuff, right? Well, yeah, the score is fun stuff. While I enjoyed these four movements in their entirety, it made me realize something. I’m used to hearing a well-mixed and engineered recording. That’s not what you hear in the concert hall. You hear a performance that may be a little rough around the edges, and that maybe doesn’t flow the way you’re used to, but you’re hearing it live. And I loved that experience.

I’m so glad I went. I just wish that my The Orchestra Now buddy had been with me, but she is recovering from eye surgery and, wisely, decided to stay home. Next time for sure!

 ConcertMeister