Issues

Issue #77, Page Two

The 41st season opening program titled Two Great Britons was performed at Chandler Recital Hall on September 14, 2009. Henry Purcell (1659-1695) set a new standard of sensitivity to words and word-rhythms, achieving rare depths of emotion in his songs. Guest countertenor Chris Dudley sang Music for a while (from Oedipus, text by John Dryden). Though today the role is usually sung by a soprano, the role was written for a countertenor (1692). Filled with liberal word painting: the vocal line has a caressing little turn on “beguile”, “all” repeated at various pitches, the insistent, clashing half-step in an extended “eter-eternal” accompanied by a repeated ground bass played by Allen Shaffer on harpsichord. A lovely tune, expertly sung and played followed by the fresh, energetic Hark! Hark! The echoing air a triumph sings. The harpsichord accompanied with an Italian trumpet aria style. “Clap their wings” is made visible in the way it is set, florid phrase fragments on this sixteen-word text made for a very exciting experience!

The opening Sonata No.2 in D Major for trumpet and strings had such open, exciting sound. The glorious, joyfulness of the overture gives way to a brief melancholy in the adagio. The triumphant march led by the trumpet brings the piece to completion. After intermission the players, Wendell Banyay on Baroque trumpet, violinists Anna Dobryzn and Pavel Ilyashov, violist Satoko Rickenbaker, cellist Leslie Fritelli and Mr. Shaffer at the harpsichord gave us Purcell Sonata No.1 in D Major with lovely string tones and glorious sound. Noticing how red the face of the trumpeter becomes as he plays reminded me of the first time I heard a Baroque trumpeter, Maurice André, circa 1967, I naively thought he must be drunk.

Mr. Shaffer played Suite in D minor for harpsichord, Z668, adding a fourth movement – Round O, ZT684. In a world of so much hype and noise it was refreshing to focus on one harpsichord, masterfully played.

Though Benjamin Britten, Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac, Op.51 (1952) was written for alto Kathleen Ferrier, it was very effective with countertenor Dudley in the child's role. Joined by tenor Kerry Jennings as Abraham and Oksana Lutsyshyn at the piano, it is the tale of Abraham's faith being tested by God who asked that he sacrifice his own son. Abraham was willing to do God's bidding. Isaac's music is lyrical and the piano is almost too pretty as he is compliant with his father's will until he realizes, with a piano crescendo, that he, not a ram, is the sacrifice. In the Christian religion the parallel is that Abraham, like God, is willing to sacrifice his son. In this text Hebrew scriptures are revised and Abraham prays to Jesus. When the voices were in duet the sound was thrilling.

The Purcell Sonata No.1 began the last half of the program, followed by two Purcell songs sung by Mr. Dudley. I'll sail upon the dog-star was written as incidental music for a forgotten play, “A Fool's Preferment” (1688) and Britain, thou now art great (1685) with harpsichord and string accompaniment. The selections were new to me and were engagingly performed.

Returning to music by Britten, Nocturnal Op.70 (1963) for guitar has a quiet, refined but propulsive energy that holds the nine brief sections together on the recording we have. For each variation Britten takes a small fragment of John Dowland's song Come, heavy sleep and musically reflects upon it with considerable freedom. We hear the whole tune only at the end of the 8th, passacaglia, section as a balm to soothe the menace of an insistant, repeating, descending phrase used throughout the piece. This understated piece played by guitarist Timothy Olbrych did not work well in the flow of the recital. The introverted playing with loss of momentum at tuning pauses between each section did not add up to a satisfying experience.

It took the energetic playing of Invencia Piano Duo of the final selection in Britten's Introduction and Rondo alla burlesca Op.23, No.1 to get us back on track. Britten was living in the United States in November of 1940 when he wrote the piece for two British friends traveling and giving concerts in the U.S. At a January 6, 1941 concert the New York Herald Tribune critic “heard in the slow introduction the tragic fate which is overtaking the composer's native England. Tension and release is created by juxtaposition of major and minor modes. A descending figure of long notes is connected by a short value two note figure.”

The music is stately and technically demanding, unpretty. Kasparov and Lutsyshyn's precise playing with great brio brought back the energy of the evening, giving us listeners a new, challenging experience by a young composer (age 28) bent on conquering the music world.

In its 26th season the Virginia Chorale's opening program, Sing in the Seasons presented five centuries of song celebrating the seasons at three venues in early October. The set of songs for fall opened with a choral arrangement of Autumn Leaves by Joseph Kosma (1905-1969) arranged by A. Carter and followed by Dominick Argento (b.1927) Shakespeare Sonnet LXIV, Danny Boy (arr. Joseph Joseph Flummerfelt) and a nod to Halloween with Shakespeare's Double, Double, Toil and Trouble (Macbeth) set by Finnish composer Jaakko Mäntyjärvi (b.1963) using spoken effects and the chorus as a massed percussion instrument for the climax.

We heard the Chorale at First Presbyterian Church in Virginia Beach on October 2nd and were pleased with the experience. A lively acoustical space and having text sheets enhanced our enjoyment. Having the Chorale in black, casual tops and slacks seemed to erase a barrier between stage and listener. The Virginia Beach audience's response was enthusiastic and genuine.

The Winter set began with Nocturnes by Hildor Lundvik (1885-1951), sung in English translated from the Norwegian. Using choral textures Lundvik conjures mid-winter cold and rain using spare harmonies evoking the constantly shifting weather and our emotional reactions to it. This was Steve's favorite piece of the program. Two madrigals followed: Thomas Morley (1558-1603) April is in my Mistress Face and, in contrast, a very contemporary O Mistress Mine by Matthew Harris (b.1956). The singing had clean endings and every word was understandable. The dynamics, from hushed tones to great exuberance came through clearly. Trois chansons de Charles d'Orléans, Debussy's only a cappella choral work, closed the set. It is a stunning, emotional evocation of love in the first song. There is lethargy in May in the second song with a background of tambourines calling one to dance. Lisa Relaford Coston was soloist with the Chorale, creating a Bizet-like scene. The last song, Winter, you're nothing but a villain (as rendered in English) suggests banishment for winter once-and-for-all. Not a bad idea this year!.

Spring arrived with a lyrically gentle Rise up, My Love, My Fair One (Song of Solomon) by Canadian church musician Healey Willan (1880-1968) followed by the familiar madrigal Now is the Month of Maying by Morley, again paired with contemporary composer Harris It was a lover and his lass. The set ended with Nightingales, a Robert Bridges poem set by Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) with a beautiful tenor line and a dramatic climax as if it were created by the birds themselves in a dawn wood.

Summer brought us Two Unaccompanied Part Songs by Frederick Delius (1862-1934), “to be sung of a summer night on the water," an a cappella vocalise with no words, only emotionally evocative sounds ranging from joy to shadows of gray. A very pretty setting of Robert Burns' O My Luve's Like a Red, Red Rose by contemporary American composer David Dickau (b.1953) came next. Artistic Director Scott Williamson says Nocturne was the first piece by local composer Aldolphus Hailstork with which he fell in love. The atmosphere of a summer night is created by humming lower voices with soprano soloist Amy Cofield Williamson singing the text. Bell-like tones of male voices bring the song to an end as the soprano repeats “summer night, summer night.”

Harris set When Daffodils Begin to Peer with text by Shakespeare in gospel mode with touches of a Shaker hymn and many of us broke into laughter. Personally, I was proud to be part of a Virginia Beach audience that gave back to the Chorale a spontaneous excitement at being treated to such a happy and fine evening of music. It proves the old adage “too much seriousness can be deadly.”

Summertime, the quintessential Gershwin song, appeared in an arrangement by R. Williams. Soprano Amy Cofield Williamson was backed by a Swingle Singer-like chorus, all to fresh effect with depth. Lovely!

December 8, 2009. Turn out the lights in the theater, dress everyone in black, casual clothes and let the eight players march across the stage with spotlights following the parade as the piano plays the Entrance of the Mikado and Katisha from The Mikado by Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900 with text by Gilbert) and you have the opening to an evening of fun entertainment. Using a fan, a jacket, a scarf or a flower to trigger the audience's imagination, we watched other scenes unfold. Mikado continued with Three Little Maids from School are We and Braid the Raven Hair.

In a continuing 50 minute presentation we then heard Ebben?...Ne andrò lontana from La Wally by Alfredo Catalani (1854-1893) sung by Melanie Peters. The voice of this soprano senior form Baltimore has a lovely tone with a bell-like clarity in this lushly beautiful music. Là ci darem la mano, the dialogue between Don Giovanni (Thurman Diamond, baritone and senior from Hampton) and Zerlina (Brittany Louie, soprano, junior from Buffalo, NY) from Mozart's Don Giovanni was sung in English. They created the energy of the characters - the seducer and the demure innocent. The next scene had a new Don Giovanni (Valentino Lockhart, lyric baritone and junior from Miami, FL) still trying to persuade Zerlina to rendezvous with him, to no avail in Deh, vieni alla finestra.

Singing Chi il bel sogno di Doretta, Ms. Louie as the courtesan Magda from the opera La Rondine by Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) created a golden stream of beautiful sound as she sang about a dream of great passion. From the refined world of a rich, kept woman we are dropped into the hardscrabble world of Carmen, a cigarette factory girl by Geroges Bizet (1836-1891). In the Habañera Tonya Hylton (mezzo-soprano, senior, Windsor, CT) sang well but in her acting did not relate to Don José. He might have taken the hint when the mutilated flower landed at his feet and gone on his way. In the card trio En vain pour éviter Ms Hylton was joined by Ms. Louie and Ms. Peters. The dialogue, while cutting the cards, created dramatic energy and fine singing.

Soprano Devin Tolbert, a senior from Chicago, Il, sang an authentic, accessible lament form Porgy and Bess by Gershwin (1898-1937), My Man's Gone Now. Her performance was deeply moving as Serena sings of the loneliness and sorrow for her murdered husband. In the last song, Bess, Oh where's my Bess, Porgy returns from jail only to be told by Serena and Maria (Ms. Peters) that Bess has gone with Sportin' Life and his “happy dust” to New York. Mr. Lockhart gave strong, convincing voice to Porgy's determination to have his life back with Bess.

Leslie Neal's piano work in this last song, and throughout the entire recital, was impressive. Ms. Neal is adjunct professor of piano at Hampton University and a frequent recital accompanist. Charlene Marchant conceived and directed this evening of fine, fun entertainment. She is adjunct professor of voice at HU and solo recitalist of note. Ms. Marchant also is part of the Vocal Department at the Governor's School in Norfolk where her talents are much appreciated.

Planned for March 5 & 6, 2010 at Virginia Commonwealth University, the Virginia Chapter of NATS conference will feature composer Lori Laitman as guest clinician and speaker. The conference offers many opportunities to each participant: competitive student auditions, master classes and recitals offered by professional clinicians and educational workshops for teachers and singers. Virginia NATS Artists Awards Competition is Thursday evening, March 4, 2010, in the early evening and is open to the public and is free of charge in the Recital Hall of the James W. Black Music Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. The VCU contact is Dr. Kenneth Wood. His email address is:kewood@vcu.edu. For general information and requirements, go to NATS.org or contact VANATS governor Karen Hoy (cantihoy@verizon.net). To give readers of Artsong Update the flavor of these conferences, Karen Hoy shared with us a report on last year's conference, also held in early March, 2009, but at Shenandoah Conservatory of Music in Winchester, Virginia.

Over 400 singers and 80 teachers attended the gathering with Mary Ann Hart as guest clinician. Teachers bring students for auditions in a competition for cash prizes and a chance to compete in a later regional contest. Workshops, including Alexander Technique, music technology, music theater and college auditions, offer the chance to learn many things related to voice and making a career in music. New last year is the Private Teacher Round Table moderated by Nancy MacArthur Smith, Peggy McNulty and me. NATS is most interested in getting more private studio teachers involved in our association. I especially enjoyed “Studying, Auditioning and Working in Europe” presented by Dr. Dorothy Maddison whose vast experience on the opera stages of Europe gave a very realistic idea of what it takes to follow that path. These workshops provide an exciting and worthwhile experience for any singer, young or old.

Competitions are not everyone’s dream of a good weekend but it’s good to know where you stand in relation to other singers in the state.  Choosing music as a profession, and especially vocal performance, requires not just an excellent voice and impeccable musicianship but also the personality and drive to push yourself beyond your limitations.  It’s good to know early if you have what it takes and can meet the challenges that will come your way.

Clinician Mary Ann Hart is currently chair of the Voice Department at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music where she teaches voice and song literature. Ms. Hart has enjoyed an excellent and unusual career as an oratorio and art song singer and has appeared with the New Your Philharmonic under Kurt Masur and with the New York Chamber Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra and Seattle Symphony, among others. Her solo CD of American song, Permit Me Voyage, show her wonderful sense of style and expressive communication. Ms.Hart was one of four singers who recorded the complete songs of Charles Ives. She has won many international competitions and a Solo Recitalist Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Recitals have taken her throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.

The most memorable idea that I brought away from this excellent clinician was her disarming sense of humor.  For her students, a voice lesson with Ms. Hart must be the highlight of each week. We all know that an intimidated singer will never produce a free, expressive sound.  Setting the singer at ease psychologically and physically is essential for a good lesson.  Her realistic encouragement was also an important model for the teacher.  She told the truth but in a sensitive and hopeful way. She was hysterically funny at times and in a subtle, disarming way, reminiscent of Julia Child. If she hadn’t made it as a singer she could have been a stand up comic. She uses a very hands-on approach, actually pushing and pulling the singer to relax and loosen up.

In her lecture on Saturday morning she shared ideas and discoveries from her song literature classes at Indiana University, including ideas on “owning your songs” and understanding the poem. She gave a listing of books, DVD’s and websites with information for teachers and singers, some of which included:

Books
The Complete Singing Actor, Wesley Balk
Voice and the Actor and The Actor and the Text by Cicely Berry
Speak to Win, Georgiana Peacher (youth)
Voice Therapy for Adolescents, Moya Andrews
Speak with Distinction, Edith Skinner
Understanding French Verse: Guide for Singers, David Hunter.

Websites:
Braingym.org Paul Denison (On Dyslexia)

DVD’s:
The Working Shakespeare (Workshop 1: Muscularity of Language)
Jeremy Irons hosts this 5 DVD (7 hrs) set of workshops conducted by Cicely Berry, the legendary voice and speech teacher with the Royal Shakespeare Company in London. Entire set retails for $599. Amazon.com has it for $135.36.

Student singers who score 25 points or more out of a possible 30 in the state competition are eligible to compete at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference. The Mid-Atlantic Region includes: Maryland, District of Columbia, North and South Carolina and Virginia. Held at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC on April 3 & 4, 2009, the clinician was Virginia’s own Edrie Means Weekly from Shenandoah Conservatory.  Edrie has been the driving force behind the association’s work in Musical Theater for at least the past five years.  Her clinic/master class on Friday afternoon was highlighted by her own demonstration in a mini recital with repertoire ranging from Puccini through Stephen Schwartz.  Her ability to switch styles gives testimony to her technical strength and understanding of good singing.

Her work in meeting the needs of members who teach musical theater students has made it much easier for teachers to choose appropriate styles of musical theater literature. NATS does not promote pure chest in belt singing for women but rather a blended belt.  Pure chest voice, just as pure head voice, is never a healthy vocal technique and can lead to vocal damage.  A healthy voice is a blended voice, balanced incrementally throughout the range. Proper, well-supported use of the chest voice can greatly enhance and enrich the sound of the entire vocal instrument. All this information is available at the NATS web site www.nats.org.

All reviews by John Campbell unless otherwise noted.