Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II
An In-Concert Reading (their hyphenation, not mine*)
Presented by The Musical Theater Project and
Kent State University Theatre Program
*Note: This is a guest post by BrotherMeister, ConcertMeister's real-life brother.
The show was introduced by Bill Rudman of The Musical Theater Project,
Terri Kent of KSU Theatre and Nancy Maier of KSU Theatre, who also accompanied on piano. Terri Kent directed the show.
Much interesting information was imparted before the concert/reading.
While the show is seldom revived—it was experimental in 1947, with snippets of songs and an on-stage chorus which not only sings, but speaks while occasionally breaking the fourth wall—there was a (Lincoln Center?) production in 2016. However, in 1960 Hammerstein was working on a teleplay version and this performance was the first ever production of that version—sanctioned by the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. Stephen Sondheim, who was Hammerstein’s protégé at the time, is on record saying his entire career is based on the experimentation of this show.
This concert was staged rather nicely, with most players doing double duty in both chorus and as featured roles. To accomplish this, all performers—approx. 30 total (the program lists some Ensemble players in the Named Character section as well, and I didn’t think to count actual bodies)—would stand and rotate in and out of the five ‘featured’ chairs in front. At those chairs (and others on stage) were adjustable music stands which actors would raise as they stood to perform, and lower as they sat. This created a decent visual excitement, while simultaneously cueing the audience where to look.
While there were no costumes per se, all the women wore dresses—many of which felt indicative of the period—and certain men wore items (think ties for dads, vests for students, etc.) which helped them feel costumed. One particularly effective piece of business occurred twice when female characters died (not a common occurrence in musical theatre of the time): two chorus members unfolded sheer scarves and draped them over their heads. Those characters—who continue to interact with the story (remember: experimental) wore those scarves around their shoulders to signify their spiritual-ness.
The story concerns Joseph Taylor, Jr. and chronicles his life from birth through toddlerhood, childhood, university, and to the brink of his second-stage career path. At its core, it’s about the perils of losing one’s way. Some (many?) of the pitfalls are terribly dated and border on misogynistic (girlfriend Jennie all but murders Joe’s mother in attempts to ‘steal him away from her’) and keep the story from feeling relevant, though the mantra of holding onto your core beliefs certainly rings as true now as then.
The only ‘hit’ song from this show is “The Gentleman Is A Dope”—made famous by Lisa Kirk, and in turn, the song made her famous in the process. One other song, “So Far,” had a life beyond the show, recorded by Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, and Margaret Whiting, but more a footnote than a hit. Several of the ‘snippets’ carry the unmistakable R&H sound.
The talent pool was terrific and while it might’ve been nice to have more accompaniment than a lonely upright piano, the show didn’t suffer because of it.
Overall a very rewarding and enjoyable event.
BrotherMeister
Monday, April 16, 2018
Sunday, April 15, 2018
Opus Two (4/7/18)
A Centenary Celebration of Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990)
William Terwilliger, violin
Andrew Cooperstock, piano
Sonata for Clarinet and Piano – Grazioso – Un poco più mosso; Andantino – Vivace e leggiero (1941–42/2008) – Leonard Bernstein (arr. William Terwilliger)
For Aaron Copland (1942) – Leonard Bernstein
Duo for Violin and Piano – I. Flowing; II. Poetic, somewhat mournful; III. Lively, with bounce (1971/1977) – Aaron Copland (1900–1990)
Violin Sonata – I. Moderato assai; II. Variation on Movement I (1939–40) – Leonard Bernstein
Touches: Chorale, Eight Variations and Coda (1980) – Leonard Bernstein
Four Moments from Candide – I. Moderato (“I Am Easily Assimilated”);
II. Andantino cantabile (“You Were Dead, You Know”); III. Aria (“Glitter and Be Gay”); IV. Andante Moderato (“Make Our Garden Grow”) (1956/2008) – Leonard Bernstein (arr. Eric Stern)
For those of you reading closely, you’ll wonder why a violin and a piano played
a piece written for clarinet and piano. This is a fairly frequent substitution,
and if you’re reading very closely, you’ll see that the work was arranged by
Mr. Terwilliger, the violinist of Opus Two. The first movement seemed very modern for Bernstein but melodic and rhythmic in a good way. The second was gentle to begin with, followed by a quicker, rhythmically driving section. A return to gentleness was lovely in certain places. The next quick section mixed some harsh sounds with some nice tunes. It was a good opening to a good concert.
For Aaron Copland is one of a set of Anniversaries for Piano—a series that Bernstein did from time to time in homage of favorite people in his life. It was calm and pretty for the most part though it still included some modern harmonies. And it was appropriate here, as Bernstein and Copland had a lifelong friendship.
The Duo by Copland began with solo violin before being joined by the piano and was lyrical but also mixed in some rapid sections as well. The second movement was also gentle at the beginning, leading to a tuneful section with more modern harmonies; it was rather moody at times. The final movement was bright, almost harsh, yet with a certain charm.
The first movement of Bernstein’s sonata opened with a wandering violin tune above an insistent slow rhythm in the piano. A somewhat amorphous section followed; a lot of it was interesting though it didn’t make a lot of sense to me. The first variation had a piano introduction with harsh chords and rhythms joined by the violin with a calmer tune, and then the piano took over again in harsh mode joined by an equally harsh violin, with lots of noise and lots of notes. Next we had a calmer piano introduction and a calm violin tune when it came in. It was a lot easier to listen to, for me. A contrasting section was louder and more rhythmic. In what seemed to me to be a third variation, it was lyrical to begin with, followed by a section with a sustained low violin note against a rippling piano accompaniment. This was followed by a subdued, abrupt, calm ending. As explained from the stage, this was a student composition and it sort of showed. There was a lot there but it needed to be harnessed a little better. All of this is my opinion only, of course.
An interesting note about the solo piano piece Touches is that it was composed as a required piece for all contestants in the sixth Van Cliburn International Competition. The Chorale had lots of open chords and wide ranges in the phrases. I had trouble distinguishing the eight separate variations, but they ranged from choppy, with touches of jazz, to darker and heavier, though still with jazz influences, to more rhythmic, without being too brash, to choppy phrases again, to clanging, bell-like chords, to gentler. It was a nice piece even through all of the rambling.
I was familiar with three of the four Candide tunes. (As an aside, I worked with the arranger, Eric Stern, in 1980 when he was musical director of an Equity showcase production of Anyone Can Whistle that I was cast in. But enough about me.) The first Candide tune had a distinct Spanish/Latin flair which makes sense because the character who sings it in the show has been transported to South America. There was a lovely lyrical middle part, almost swooning and swaying, before returning to the fiery opening. The second movement, originally a love duet between Cunegonde and Candide was my unfamiliar one. It was gentle, tuneful, and quite charming, just what you want in a love duet. Next was Glitter and Be Gay. I didn’t even bother taking notes—I sat back and listened. If you don’t know it, do an online search and treat yourself. I was of two minds about the fourth movement, which is also the finale of Candide. Even though it’s eventually uplifting, it has an inherently haunting feel to it that weighs down on me.
I was also of two minds about the encore played by the duo. Somewhere, from West Side Story, was relatively straightforward, with a few frills thrown in for good measure, but it seemed like a bit of a downer to me, especially right after Make Our Garden Grow. Once again, my opinion only. But, hey, that’s why they pay me the big—oh. Never mind.
ConcertMeister
William Terwilliger, violin
Andrew Cooperstock, piano
Sonata for Clarinet and Piano – Grazioso – Un poco più mosso; Andantino – Vivace e leggiero (1941–42/2008) – Leonard Bernstein (arr. William Terwilliger)
For Aaron Copland (1942) – Leonard Bernstein
Duo for Violin and Piano – I. Flowing; II. Poetic, somewhat mournful; III. Lively, with bounce (1971/1977) – Aaron Copland (1900–1990)
Violin Sonata – I. Moderato assai; II. Variation on Movement I (1939–40) – Leonard Bernstein
Touches: Chorale, Eight Variations and Coda (1980) – Leonard Bernstein
Four Moments from Candide – I. Moderato (“I Am Easily Assimilated”);
II. Andantino cantabile (“You Were Dead, You Know”); III. Aria (“Glitter and Be Gay”); IV. Andante Moderato (“Make Our Garden Grow”) (1956/2008) – Leonard Bernstein (arr. Eric Stern)
For those of you reading closely, you’ll wonder why a violin and a piano played
a piece written for clarinet and piano. This is a fairly frequent substitution,
and if you’re reading very closely, you’ll see that the work was arranged by
Mr. Terwilliger, the violinist of Opus Two. The first movement seemed very modern for Bernstein but melodic and rhythmic in a good way. The second was gentle to begin with, followed by a quicker, rhythmically driving section. A return to gentleness was lovely in certain places. The next quick section mixed some harsh sounds with some nice tunes. It was a good opening to a good concert.
For Aaron Copland is one of a set of Anniversaries for Piano—a series that Bernstein did from time to time in homage of favorite people in his life. It was calm and pretty for the most part though it still included some modern harmonies. And it was appropriate here, as Bernstein and Copland had a lifelong friendship.
The Duo by Copland began with solo violin before being joined by the piano and was lyrical but also mixed in some rapid sections as well. The second movement was also gentle at the beginning, leading to a tuneful section with more modern harmonies; it was rather moody at times. The final movement was bright, almost harsh, yet with a certain charm.
The first movement of Bernstein’s sonata opened with a wandering violin tune above an insistent slow rhythm in the piano. A somewhat amorphous section followed; a lot of it was interesting though it didn’t make a lot of sense to me. The first variation had a piano introduction with harsh chords and rhythms joined by the violin with a calmer tune, and then the piano took over again in harsh mode joined by an equally harsh violin, with lots of noise and lots of notes. Next we had a calmer piano introduction and a calm violin tune when it came in. It was a lot easier to listen to, for me. A contrasting section was louder and more rhythmic. In what seemed to me to be a third variation, it was lyrical to begin with, followed by a section with a sustained low violin note against a rippling piano accompaniment. This was followed by a subdued, abrupt, calm ending. As explained from the stage, this was a student composition and it sort of showed. There was a lot there but it needed to be harnessed a little better. All of this is my opinion only, of course.
An interesting note about the solo piano piece Touches is that it was composed as a required piece for all contestants in the sixth Van Cliburn International Competition. The Chorale had lots of open chords and wide ranges in the phrases. I had trouble distinguishing the eight separate variations, but they ranged from choppy, with touches of jazz, to darker and heavier, though still with jazz influences, to more rhythmic, without being too brash, to choppy phrases again, to clanging, bell-like chords, to gentler. It was a nice piece even through all of the rambling.
I was familiar with three of the four Candide tunes. (As an aside, I worked with the arranger, Eric Stern, in 1980 when he was musical director of an Equity showcase production of Anyone Can Whistle that I was cast in. But enough about me.) The first Candide tune had a distinct Spanish/Latin flair which makes sense because the character who sings it in the show has been transported to South America. There was a lovely lyrical middle part, almost swooning and swaying, before returning to the fiery opening. The second movement, originally a love duet between Cunegonde and Candide was my unfamiliar one. It was gentle, tuneful, and quite charming, just what you want in a love duet. Next was Glitter and Be Gay. I didn’t even bother taking notes—I sat back and listened. If you don’t know it, do an online search and treat yourself. I was of two minds about the fourth movement, which is also the finale of Candide. Even though it’s eventually uplifting, it has an inherently haunting feel to it that weighs down on me.
I was also of two minds about the encore played by the duo. Somewhere, from West Side Story, was relatively straightforward, with a few frills thrown in for good measure, but it seemed like a bit of a downer to me, especially right after Make Our Garden Grow. Once again, my opinion only. But, hey, that’s why they pay me the big—oh. Never mind.
ConcertMeister
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Midday Masterpieces (4/4/18)
Juilliard415
Quintet in D major for flute, oboe, violin, cello and obbligato harpsichord, Op. 22, No. 1 – Johann Christian Bach
Trio Sonata on Scots Tunes – James Oswald
Trio Sonata No. 8 in E-flat major – William Boyce
Symphony No. 104 in D major, “London” – Andante & Allegro – Franz Joseph Haydn (arranged by Johann Salomon, 1798)
First things first. The name of the group comes from the fact that this ensemble of musicians tunes to A = 415hz instead of A = 440, the norm for most classical music ensembles. This is in keeping with the practices in use during the Baroque era—and the pieces on Wednesday were played on period instruments. Whether they were actual or replicas, I’m not sure. We heard harpsichord, baroque violins, viola, cello, wooden flutes, wooden oboe, bassoon (though I’m not sure whether it differed from a modern bassoon), and theorbo (whose player also doubled on guitar). And the tuning had a strange, to me, hierarchy—the cello tuned to the harpsichord and then the other string players tuned to the cello. I’m not sure whether that is stylistic either. So much unknown!
Johann Christian Bach was the youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. The first movement of the quintet was gentle and pleasant, with touches of humor at times. Each instrument had a moment or two to shine, pair off in duets, and play tutti. The second movement began with the flute that was then joined by pizzicato playing from the violin and cello, and then by the oboe. The strings eventually went back to bowing. The third movement was much quicker, with a fuller sound and slightly more virtuosic playing for each instrument, though not always at the same time.
The Oswald (a composer new to me) was in five movements and was scored for two violins, flute, cello, theorbo, and harpsichord. It began with a solo flute introduction followed by all of the musicians in a lilting, evocative tune that had a nice nix of repetitions. The second featured the violin, then the cello joining in, and the second violin, and finally the flute. The third movement was lively and folk-like with an overlay of formality. The fourth was calmer and very pleasant. The final movement was a lively dance in which the theorbo was swapped out for a guitar and the flutist switched over to a piccolo of sorts which was reminiscent of a tin whistle.
The Boyce was scored for two violins, cello, and harpsichord only and had a slow but rich sounding first movement with a bit of a mournful quality. The second was bright and brisk, with some spare writing that somehow also managed to feel a little restrained. The third movement was slower but rhythmically interesting, and the fourth was jolly and fun.
As explained from the stage, in the era of Haydn there weren’t always enough musicians around to play a symphony, so the works were often arranged for smaller chamber groups, which was what we had here. As done by Johann Salomon, the two movements that were excerpted were scored for an octet of two violins, viola, cello, bass, flute, bassoon, and harpsichord. The Andante, in fact, featured the strings only and harpsichord in a gentle but dance-like tune that, when joined by the two winds, led into a very full section. The Allegro was just that, with a drone sound that featured a tune above it that then moved into a dance-like section that was quite brisk. Not frantic, but almost there. With the continued drone, it had a Scottish flair.
Considering the crowd of musicians for the afternoon (different violinists played in different pieces and there were at least two different flutists), no names were provided. Suffice it to say, though, that all of these Juilliard students put on a well-polished and very interesting program. There are two more live Midday Masterpieces to go, and I’ve already made my reservation for the next one.
ConcertMeister
Quintet in D major for flute, oboe, violin, cello and obbligato harpsichord, Op. 22, No. 1 – Johann Christian Bach
Trio Sonata on Scots Tunes – James Oswald
Trio Sonata No. 8 in E-flat major – William Boyce
Symphony No. 104 in D major, “London” – Andante & Allegro – Franz Joseph Haydn (arranged by Johann Salomon, 1798)
First things first. The name of the group comes from the fact that this ensemble of musicians tunes to A = 415hz instead of A = 440, the norm for most classical music ensembles. This is in keeping with the practices in use during the Baroque era—and the pieces on Wednesday were played on period instruments. Whether they were actual or replicas, I’m not sure. We heard harpsichord, baroque violins, viola, cello, wooden flutes, wooden oboe, bassoon (though I’m not sure whether it differed from a modern bassoon), and theorbo (whose player also doubled on guitar). And the tuning had a strange, to me, hierarchy—the cello tuned to the harpsichord and then the other string players tuned to the cello. I’m not sure whether that is stylistic either. So much unknown!
Johann Christian Bach was the youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. The first movement of the quintet was gentle and pleasant, with touches of humor at times. Each instrument had a moment or two to shine, pair off in duets, and play tutti. The second movement began with the flute that was then joined by pizzicato playing from the violin and cello, and then by the oboe. The strings eventually went back to bowing. The third movement was much quicker, with a fuller sound and slightly more virtuosic playing for each instrument, though not always at the same time.
The Oswald (a composer new to me) was in five movements and was scored for two violins, flute, cello, theorbo, and harpsichord. It began with a solo flute introduction followed by all of the musicians in a lilting, evocative tune that had a nice nix of repetitions. The second featured the violin, then the cello joining in, and the second violin, and finally the flute. The third movement was lively and folk-like with an overlay of formality. The fourth was calmer and very pleasant. The final movement was a lively dance in which the theorbo was swapped out for a guitar and the flutist switched over to a piccolo of sorts which was reminiscent of a tin whistle.
The Boyce was scored for two violins, cello, and harpsichord only and had a slow but rich sounding first movement with a bit of a mournful quality. The second was bright and brisk, with some spare writing that somehow also managed to feel a little restrained. The third movement was slower but rhythmically interesting, and the fourth was jolly and fun.
As explained from the stage, in the era of Haydn there weren’t always enough musicians around to play a symphony, so the works were often arranged for smaller chamber groups, which was what we had here. As done by Johann Salomon, the two movements that were excerpted were scored for an octet of two violins, viola, cello, bass, flute, bassoon, and harpsichord. The Andante, in fact, featured the strings only and harpsichord in a gentle but dance-like tune that, when joined by the two winds, led into a very full section. The Allegro was just that, with a drone sound that featured a tune above it that then moved into a dance-like section that was quite brisk. Not frantic, but almost there. With the continued drone, it had a Scottish flair.
Considering the crowd of musicians for the afternoon (different violinists played in different pieces and there were at least two different flutists), no names were provided. Suffice it to say, though, that all of these Juilliard students put on a well-polished and very interesting program. There are two more live Midday Masterpieces to go, and I’ve already made my reservation for the next one.
ConcertMeister
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
OKLAHOMA! (3/31/18)
Sing Along Show and Tell: 75th Anniversary Celebration
Music and Lyrics of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II
Matt Gibson, Laura Darrell, Misy Singson, Jan Horvath, and Aram Tchobanian, with Jonathon Lynch, Music Director
This. Was. Fun. First off it occurred on the actual 75th anniversary of Oklahoma!’s opening Broadway performance—March 31, 1943 (and no, I was not there). We sang Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’, I Cain’t Say No!, and People Will Say We’re in Love, as well as My Favorite Things (Sound of Music), Getting to Know You (The King and I), Some Enchanted Evening (South Pacific), You’ll Never Walk Alone (Carousel), and Oklahoma. D’oh! As they say on TV, though, but wait—there’s more.
The above-named performers were song leaders, though that wasn’t really explained beforehand. Were we supposed to just listen and then join in on the chorus? If so, that did not happen. We’re New Yorkers. We jumped in, feet first, from the get go. The first three went well, quickly, one right after the other. Then we got to the ‘Show and Tell’ portion. One of the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts’ calling cards is their vast holdings of ephemera—letters, opening night telegrams, collected papers, handwritten scores (including scratch-outs and edits); some of these were on display.
After the first three sing alongs, our host for the afternoon introduced a library theater historian who graciously accepted the challenge of a party game, against a trio of audience volunteers. The game was A-YIP-I-O -or- I Cain’t Say (that I K)No(w). Trite? Yes. Funny? Yes. Using an archived Theater Guild program, the audience volunteers were asked to name a musical based on Green Grow the Lilacs, with characters named Curly, Laurey, and Aunt Eller. Ding! They got it. The theater historian was asked to define obscure references from ‘Theater Glossary’ from the same Theater Guild program. Of course he couldn’t, but we were treated to some obscure theater history when the actual answers were revealed. There were two more rounds, with equally skewed results. You get the drift.
Then back to the singing with songs from Sound of Music, King and I, South Pacific, and Carousel. These had wider ranges and were a little less successful, but I sang out like the trouper that I used to be. In reality, the only Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals I ever performed in were Carousel and The King and I. The former at a now-defunct non-Equity dinner theater and the latter at a now-defunct Equity dinner theater. Yep, I had a string of defuncting (is so a word!) theaters in the 1980s—but I also helped reopen Paper Mill Playhouse (sorry, I digressed there).
The second game of the afternoon was Yall’s Favorite Things, which was a game that featured the theater historian (good sport that he was) guessing titles of songs while audience members called out clues or hummed the tune of the song. It was fun. There was also a segment where an audience member did the same, with really, really easy questions/answers. Lots of fun. Of note, Gerard Alessandrini (of Forbidden Broadway) was in the audience as was the daughter of the original Ali Hakim from Oklahoma, in 1943. All backed up, of course, with archival material from LPA’s vast resources. We also learned that Oklahoma! was awarded an honorary Pulitzer Prize. Who knew? Not me but now we all do.
What could top all of that? We sang Oklahoma, including O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A, Ok-la-ho-o-o-ma! Yeow!!
ConcertMeister
Music and Lyrics of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II
Matt Gibson, Laura Darrell, Misy Singson, Jan Horvath, and Aram Tchobanian, with Jonathon Lynch, Music Director
This. Was. Fun. First off it occurred on the actual 75th anniversary of Oklahoma!’s opening Broadway performance—March 31, 1943 (and no, I was not there). We sang Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’, I Cain’t Say No!, and People Will Say We’re in Love, as well as My Favorite Things (Sound of Music), Getting to Know You (The King and I), Some Enchanted Evening (South Pacific), You’ll Never Walk Alone (Carousel), and Oklahoma. D’oh! As they say on TV, though, but wait—there’s more.
The above-named performers were song leaders, though that wasn’t really explained beforehand. Were we supposed to just listen and then join in on the chorus? If so, that did not happen. We’re New Yorkers. We jumped in, feet first, from the get go. The first three went well, quickly, one right after the other. Then we got to the ‘Show and Tell’ portion. One of the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts’ calling cards is their vast holdings of ephemera—letters, opening night telegrams, collected papers, handwritten scores (including scratch-outs and edits); some of these were on display.
After the first three sing alongs, our host for the afternoon introduced a library theater historian who graciously accepted the challenge of a party game, against a trio of audience volunteers. The game was A-YIP-I-O -or- I Cain’t Say (that I K)No(w). Trite? Yes. Funny? Yes. Using an archived Theater Guild program, the audience volunteers were asked to name a musical based on Green Grow the Lilacs, with characters named Curly, Laurey, and Aunt Eller. Ding! They got it. The theater historian was asked to define obscure references from ‘Theater Glossary’ from the same Theater Guild program. Of course he couldn’t, but we were treated to some obscure theater history when the actual answers were revealed. There were two more rounds, with equally skewed results. You get the drift.
Then back to the singing with songs from Sound of Music, King and I, South Pacific, and Carousel. These had wider ranges and were a little less successful, but I sang out like the trouper that I used to be. In reality, the only Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals I ever performed in were Carousel and The King and I. The former at a now-defunct non-Equity dinner theater and the latter at a now-defunct Equity dinner theater. Yep, I had a string of defuncting (is so a word!) theaters in the 1980s—but I also helped reopen Paper Mill Playhouse (sorry, I digressed there).
The second game of the afternoon was Yall’s Favorite Things, which was a game that featured the theater historian (good sport that he was) guessing titles of songs while audience members called out clues or hummed the tune of the song. It was fun. There was also a segment where an audience member did the same, with really, really easy questions/answers. Lots of fun. Of note, Gerard Alessandrini (of Forbidden Broadway) was in the audience as was the daughter of the original Ali Hakim from Oklahoma, in 1943. All backed up, of course, with archival material from LPA’s vast resources. We also learned that Oklahoma! was awarded an honorary Pulitzer Prize. Who knew? Not me but now we all do.
What could top all of that? We sang Oklahoma, including O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A, Ok-la-ho-o-o-ma! Yeow!!
ConcertMeister
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Songbook (3/26/18)
The Songs of Ben Rosenberry and Chip Klose
Kennedy Caughell, Trista Dollison, Zachary Prince, Natalie Weiss,
Sarah Ellis, Michael Henry, Matthew Hydzik, Mamie Parris,
Adrienne Eller (vocals); Jeff Washburn (guitar/vocals); Brandon Ellis
(bass guitar/cello/vocals); Ben Roseberry (piano/vocals); Gerard Canonico (percussion/vocals)
Hey, hey, hey, it’s Songbook time again. The interesting take here is that
Mr. Rosenberry and Mr. Klose seem to be equals in the music/lyrics writing formula. Sort of. The first three songs on the program were stand-alone songs, written ‘by Ben Roseberry and Chip Klose’. The next three were from The Fractured Years, and carried ‘by Ben Roseberry’ as the credit. We then had one song from From the Ground Up ‘by Ben Roseberry and Chip Klose’. And the last seven songs were from Picture Perfect, ‘by Ben Roseberry and Chip Klose’.
The first stand-alone was De-Evolution, billed as a soulful middle finger to 45. Maybe so, but it was tough for me to follow the lyrics, so any subtle attempts at satire didn’t do it for me. When It Does was a better mood piece, with a father commenting on, and remembering, time spent with his son—including using fishing as a metaphor for life, learning to wait, and grabbing life when you can. It was very touching, moving, and real. Wallflower was a twist on feeling pretty (pretty nervous) and then getting a chance to bloom once in a while. It was a good concept but the presentation fell a little short, for me.
Swing and a Miss, from The Fractured Years, was two folks missing out because each can’t really commit at this time—insecurity wins. Bullshit had a rock vibe (and sound and volume) that made the lyrics hard to hear and understand. There were brief, choppy phrases that I had trouble following, but the piece was a real crowd pleaser. Lucky had lyrics that were a bit lost to me, again. Maybe they read better on paper? Or benefit from multiple hearings?
From the Ground Up gave us Follow the Tide, which was pretty much telling us to have faith, it’ll all work out, sure there are problems, but the tide will bring you back in. Could be? Who knows?
Picture Perfect was the most developed of the duo’s shows. As near as I could follow, Adam is about to get married but it all falls apart. His three groomsmen determine that a road trip will save the day. So Coast to Coast was a looking-forward song, clearing out problems and gaining a new start. The solid rock feel was, once again, not my cup of tea. Out of the Frame was touted as a reworking of the original title song—Picture Perfect—but I didn’t quite see how anything out of the frame added anything to the song. They might consider reworking the reworking. But, hey, I'm no play doctor. And without seeing a full reading/
workshop, everything I say here is smoke and mirrors.
A Little Situation was the kick-ass number, as far as I was concerned.
Gerard Canonico, the percussionist, stepped out front and center, really selling this fun, funny song that made the rock feel of the musical work perfectly.
Hollywood Ending was the fiancée getting cold feet about two weeks before the wedding. We hear what brought us here but we also hear the fear about whether there really can be a Hollywood ending. Everyone’s an Expert is almost a rock patter song, recounting the back story of what leads to the collapse of a marriage or wedding. So Many Years is both parties realizing how irreconcilable the differences are—even before the wedding.
The finale, Time Stops, asks where do we go from here? Where, indeed? This piece had a weeklong intensive workshop recently, and both authors seemed buoyed by it as well as determined to learn from it. These songs were certainly the most polished of the group that we heard throughout the entire evening. I mostly liked what I heard. The choppy phrases of rock-style lyrics were not my favorite but the audience was more enamored than I was.
Will these guys make it? I don't know. There is talent there and they seem to be doing a lot of the right things. I'm grateful to be in on hearing these types of things close to, if not at, the ground floor. Or ... from the ground up. Two more Songbooks this season.
ConcertMeister
Kennedy Caughell, Trista Dollison, Zachary Prince, Natalie Weiss,
Sarah Ellis, Michael Henry, Matthew Hydzik, Mamie Parris,
Adrienne Eller (vocals); Jeff Washburn (guitar/vocals); Brandon Ellis
(bass guitar/cello/vocals); Ben Roseberry (piano/vocals); Gerard Canonico (percussion/vocals)
Hey, hey, hey, it’s Songbook time again. The interesting take here is that
Mr. Rosenberry and Mr. Klose seem to be equals in the music/lyrics writing formula. Sort of. The first three songs on the program were stand-alone songs, written ‘by Ben Roseberry and Chip Klose’. The next three were from The Fractured Years, and carried ‘by Ben Roseberry’ as the credit. We then had one song from From the Ground Up ‘by Ben Roseberry and Chip Klose’. And the last seven songs were from Picture Perfect, ‘by Ben Roseberry and Chip Klose’.
The first stand-alone was De-Evolution, billed as a soulful middle finger to 45. Maybe so, but it was tough for me to follow the lyrics, so any subtle attempts at satire didn’t do it for me. When It Does was a better mood piece, with a father commenting on, and remembering, time spent with his son—including using fishing as a metaphor for life, learning to wait, and grabbing life when you can. It was very touching, moving, and real. Wallflower was a twist on feeling pretty (pretty nervous) and then getting a chance to bloom once in a while. It was a good concept but the presentation fell a little short, for me.
Swing and a Miss, from The Fractured Years, was two folks missing out because each can’t really commit at this time—insecurity wins. Bullshit had a rock vibe (and sound and volume) that made the lyrics hard to hear and understand. There were brief, choppy phrases that I had trouble following, but the piece was a real crowd pleaser. Lucky had lyrics that were a bit lost to me, again. Maybe they read better on paper? Or benefit from multiple hearings?
From the Ground Up gave us Follow the Tide, which was pretty much telling us to have faith, it’ll all work out, sure there are problems, but the tide will bring you back in. Could be? Who knows?
Picture Perfect was the most developed of the duo’s shows. As near as I could follow, Adam is about to get married but it all falls apart. His three groomsmen determine that a road trip will save the day. So Coast to Coast was a looking-forward song, clearing out problems and gaining a new start. The solid rock feel was, once again, not my cup of tea. Out of the Frame was touted as a reworking of the original title song—Picture Perfect—but I didn’t quite see how anything out of the frame added anything to the song. They might consider reworking the reworking. But, hey, I'm no play doctor. And without seeing a full reading/
workshop, everything I say here is smoke and mirrors.
A Little Situation was the kick-ass number, as far as I was concerned.
Gerard Canonico, the percussionist, stepped out front and center, really selling this fun, funny song that made the rock feel of the musical work perfectly.
Hollywood Ending was the fiancée getting cold feet about two weeks before the wedding. We hear what brought us here but we also hear the fear about whether there really can be a Hollywood ending. Everyone’s an Expert is almost a rock patter song, recounting the back story of what leads to the collapse of a marriage or wedding. So Many Years is both parties realizing how irreconcilable the differences are—even before the wedding.
The finale, Time Stops, asks where do we go from here? Where, indeed? This piece had a weeklong intensive workshop recently, and both authors seemed buoyed by it as well as determined to learn from it. These songs were certainly the most polished of the group that we heard throughout the entire evening. I mostly liked what I heard. The choppy phrases of rock-style lyrics were not my favorite but the audience was more enamored than I was.
Will these guys make it? I don't know. There is talent there and they seem to be doing a lot of the right things. I'm grateful to be in on hearing these types of things close to, if not at, the ground floor. Or ... from the ground up. Two more Songbooks this season.
ConcertMeister
Monday, March 26, 2018
NoncertMeister (3/24/18)
What I'd hoped to see/hear:
Lenny @ 100
Millennium Chamber Orchestra presented by Alexander A. Wu
Highlights from West Side Story, Candide, plus chamber works and humorous art songs
Alas, it was not to be due to horrific traffic snafus because of the March for Our Lives, which I fully supported. I needed to get from East 89th Street and Second Avenue to West 65th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Being the savvy New Yorker that I am, I knew that going from west to east on 67th Street would be a no-go, due to the rally gathering at West 72nd and Central Park West (at 10am, but I knew it would still be a mess at 1pm). So I took an 86th Street crosstown bus. Bzzzt!
Nope. That bus was going to detour up Madison Avenue to 110th Street, cross to the West Side and then go down to 79th Street on Columbus Avenue. Ha! I'd outsmart them. I got off at 96th Street to take a crosstown bus there. Nuh-uh. The first two buses to come across 96th Street were the dreaded 'NOT IN SERVICE'. Followed by an equally dreaded 'NEXT BUS PLEASE'. So, hoof it it was. I walked through Central Park to take the subway down Central Park West (and no crosstown bus passed me along the way). Bzzzt!
At CPW, the subways were not running downtown. I needed to go uptown on the subway to 125th Street and then take a downtown subway. But guess what? When I did, the downtown subways were not making local stops! Yep, I had to take the subway down to 59th Street and then walk up to 65th Street. When I got to the the venue at concert time, 2:30pm, a full 90+ minutes after leaving my apartment, the auditorium was full, the doors were closed, and there was already a waiting line of people hoping to get a seat if patrons left early. So I went shopping!
I hate shopping, but I do know how to get from the venue to a place on 116th Street where I can usually get some bargains. Sure, it involves taking the #1 train uptown one stop and then changing to the #2 or #3 train at 72nd Street. I get to 72nd and, lo and behold, the #3 train is not running for the entire weekend and the #2 train ends at 96th Street. Muttering like a homeless street person, I get on a FREE SHUTTLE bus that finally takes me to 116th Street. I go to the store and ... they don't have what I went there for.
I finally just went home and transformed myself from NoncertMeister into BeerMeister. But I only had four or five. Really!
NoncertMeiser (hic! BeerMeister)
Lenny @ 100
Millennium Chamber Orchestra presented by Alexander A. Wu
Highlights from West Side Story, Candide, plus chamber works and humorous art songs
Alas, it was not to be due to horrific traffic snafus because of the March for Our Lives, which I fully supported. I needed to get from East 89th Street and Second Avenue to West 65th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Being the savvy New Yorker that I am, I knew that going from west to east on 67th Street would be a no-go, due to the rally gathering at West 72nd and Central Park West (at 10am, but I knew it would still be a mess at 1pm). So I took an 86th Street crosstown bus. Bzzzt!
Nope. That bus was going to detour up Madison Avenue to 110th Street, cross to the West Side and then go down to 79th Street on Columbus Avenue. Ha! I'd outsmart them. I got off at 96th Street to take a crosstown bus there. Nuh-uh. The first two buses to come across 96th Street were the dreaded 'NOT IN SERVICE'. Followed by an equally dreaded 'NEXT BUS PLEASE'. So, hoof it it was. I walked through Central Park to take the subway down Central Park West (and no crosstown bus passed me along the way). Bzzzt!
At CPW, the subways were not running downtown. I needed to go uptown on the subway to 125th Street and then take a downtown subway. But guess what? When I did, the downtown subways were not making local stops! Yep, I had to take the subway down to 59th Street and then walk up to 65th Street. When I got to the the venue at concert time, 2:30pm, a full 90+ minutes after leaving my apartment, the auditorium was full, the doors were closed, and there was already a waiting line of people hoping to get a seat if patrons left early. So I went shopping!
I hate shopping, but I do know how to get from the venue to a place on 116th Street where I can usually get some bargains. Sure, it involves taking the #1 train uptown one stop and then changing to the #2 or #3 train at 72nd Street. I get to 72nd and, lo and behold, the #3 train is not running for the entire weekend and the #2 train ends at 96th Street. Muttering like a homeless street person, I get on a FREE SHUTTLE bus that finally takes me to 116th Street. I go to the store and ... they don't have what I went there for.
I finally just went home and transformed myself from NoncertMeister into BeerMeister. But I only had four or five. Really!
NoncertMeiser (hic! BeerMeister)
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Midday Masterpieces (3/7/18)
Bomsori Kim, violin; Chang-Yong Shin, piano
Sonata for Violin & Piano, Op. 11, No. 1 – Paul Hindemith
Six Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op.79: No. 1, Souvenir; No. 5, Tanz-Idylle; No. 6, Berceuse – Jan Sibelius
Sonata No. 2 in G major for Violin and Piano – Maurice Ravel
Caprice d’apres l’etude en forme de Valse, Op. 52, No. 6 – Camille Saint-Saëns/Ysaÿe
The Hindemith, written when he was only twenty-two years old, opened energetically, followed by a lovely lyrical section. These alternated back and forth and included a martial section as well. The second and final movement led off with a slower, slightly more atonal section that morphed into a very pretty tune, though sticking with an atonal feel that was at times both haunting and quietly dramatic. I enjoyed it a great deal.
Ms. Kim and Mr. Shin played movements #1, #5, and #6 of the Sibelius and they played very well throughout the entire afternoon concert. It was Romantic in nature and tone (rich, lush sounds), with some very pretty song-like sections that almost veered into schmaltzy, but in a nice way. The fifth had a rippling piano accompaniment against a lightly energetic tune in the violin that expanded into a brisk section before relaxing again. The lightly rocking rhythms of the sixth put me in mind of Erik Satie—very easy and fun to listen to.
After retuning, the Ravel began with modern and angular phrases—a mix of impressionism and jazz—that moved into a tricky section with very short bowing phrases that went on for quite a while. The second movement opened with a pizzicato solo for the violin that was then joined by the piano. It also included a jazzy, off-kilter tune set against a vamp rhythm in the piano. It sort of reminded me of Gershwin. This was followed by a lot more pizzicato playing that seemed almost angry at times before concluding with a very strange ending. The third movement had a brief introduction that led into a perpetual motion section that was like a manic Flight of the Bumblebee. The relentless rhythms were quite a tour de force, though the final outcome seemed less than satisfying to me.
Eugène Ysaÿe was a virtuoso nineteenth-century violinist who also composed and arranged the works of other composers, in this case, Saint-Saëns. After several false introductions (that were really in the Caprice score—not mistakes), we got to the actual waltz theme and its variations, all in three-quarter time, with lots of virtuosic playing, fingering, and bowing. There was a brief piano interlude before reintroducing a lyrical section that I liked a lot. There were also very dramatic sections that I liked less. It was essentially an over the top piece, by design, that didn’t really do it for me. That pretty much summed up my feeling for the Polonaise that was played as an encore. Alas, I haven’t been able to suss out the composer. But I’ll keep trying. And I’ll keep attending Midday Masterpieces in the future. Thank you, WQXR.
ConcertMeister
Sonata for Violin & Piano, Op. 11, No. 1 – Paul Hindemith
Six Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op.79: No. 1, Souvenir; No. 5, Tanz-Idylle; No. 6, Berceuse – Jan Sibelius
Sonata No. 2 in G major for Violin and Piano – Maurice Ravel
Caprice d’apres l’etude en forme de Valse, Op. 52, No. 6 – Camille Saint-Saëns/Ysaÿe
The Hindemith, written when he was only twenty-two years old, opened energetically, followed by a lovely lyrical section. These alternated back and forth and included a martial section as well. The second and final movement led off with a slower, slightly more atonal section that morphed into a very pretty tune, though sticking with an atonal feel that was at times both haunting and quietly dramatic. I enjoyed it a great deal.
Ms. Kim and Mr. Shin played movements #1, #5, and #6 of the Sibelius and they played very well throughout the entire afternoon concert. It was Romantic in nature and tone (rich, lush sounds), with some very pretty song-like sections that almost veered into schmaltzy, but in a nice way. The fifth had a rippling piano accompaniment against a lightly energetic tune in the violin that expanded into a brisk section before relaxing again. The lightly rocking rhythms of the sixth put me in mind of Erik Satie—very easy and fun to listen to.
After retuning, the Ravel began with modern and angular phrases—a mix of impressionism and jazz—that moved into a tricky section with very short bowing phrases that went on for quite a while. The second movement opened with a pizzicato solo for the violin that was then joined by the piano. It also included a jazzy, off-kilter tune set against a vamp rhythm in the piano. It sort of reminded me of Gershwin. This was followed by a lot more pizzicato playing that seemed almost angry at times before concluding with a very strange ending. The third movement had a brief introduction that led into a perpetual motion section that was like a manic Flight of the Bumblebee. The relentless rhythms were quite a tour de force, though the final outcome seemed less than satisfying to me.
Eugène Ysaÿe was a virtuoso nineteenth-century violinist who also composed and arranged the works of other composers, in this case, Saint-Saëns. After several false introductions (that were really in the Caprice score—not mistakes), we got to the actual waltz theme and its variations, all in three-quarter time, with lots of virtuosic playing, fingering, and bowing. There was a brief piano interlude before reintroducing a lyrical section that I liked a lot. There were also very dramatic sections that I liked less. It was essentially an over the top piece, by design, that didn’t really do it for me. That pretty much summed up my feeling for the Polonaise that was played as an encore. Alas, I haven’t been able to suss out the composer. But I’ll keep trying. And I’ll keep attending Midday Masterpieces in the future. Thank you, WQXR.
ConcertMeister
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