SHAKESPEARE IN SONG

Richard Fu, Marie Engle, Aaron Keeny, Bronwyn Schuman, and Erik van Heyningen

If a composer wanted to set English text to music, he couldn't do much better than Shakespeare. In a fine program curated by Dr. Lydia Brown for Juilliard Vocal Arts entitled "Shakespeare: The Bard in Song", we heard those marvelous young Juilliard artists interpreting a wide variety of these songs, culled from the 18th, 19th, and 20th c.

The main draw is the partnership between singer and pianist. All of the collaborative pianists were exquisitely sensitive to the singers they accompanied; all were supportive and light in touch. Nothing destroys a lieder recital more than a heavy-handed pianist. 

The highlight for us was the performance of soprano Anneliese Klenetsky with Bronwyn Schuman on the piano. Two sets were performed on the same theme--Ophelia from Hamlet--and the audience was so enraptured that they allowed both sets to proceed without interruption. It was so interesting to hear Brahms' Funf Ophelia Lieder contrasted with Richard Strauss' Drei Ophelia Lieder.

The text had been translated into German and was almost identical but the musical styles were totally different and Ms. Klenetsky's delivery was right on point. She opened with the Brahms and drew us in with the delicacy of her storytelling, as well as the way she used her gorgeous instrument. The Strauss was quite a contrast. Whereas Brahms' Ophelia came across as a pathetic victim, Strauss' Ophelia came across as deranged, intense and violent.

Much was asked of the artists and much was delivered. We came away wishing someone would write an opera from Ophelia's point of view, much as Tom Stoppard wrote a play from Rosenkranz and Guildenstern's point of view. Ophelia's distracted ramblings tell us things that went on "behind the scenes" so to speak, about her being dishonored.

Mezzo-soprano Marie Engle, just heard at Carnegie Hall Monday night, performed Erich Korngold's Four Shakespeare Songs, with Richard Fu as her superb piano partner. We liked the way Korngold used the text and loved the way the artists performed it. Desdemona's "Willow Song" from Othello emphasized the rhyme scheme without hitting us over the head with it. 

The other three songs used text from As You Like It. "Blow, blow, thou winter wind" made use of repeated downward scale passages and open fifths in the piano to emphasize the cold atmosphere. Our favorite, however, was "When birds do sing" which Ms. Engle and Mr. Fu invested with light-hearted expressivity.

The other 20th c. composers did not impress us as much. Gerald Finzi was represented by his Let us garlands bring, Op. 18, performed by baritone Erik van Heyningen and collaborative pianist Brandon Linhard. We definitely preferred the joyful and tuneful "Who is Silvia?" from Two Gentlemen of Verona and the lively "O mistress mine" from Twelfth Night which Mr. van Heyningen seemed to relish performing. Similarly for "It was a lover and his lass" from As You Like It.

Baritone Aaron Keeny was greatly appreciated for his relaxed and inviting stage manner. We cannot say we liked Michael Tippett's music. As far as 20th c. composers go, we far preferred his contemporary Korngold. His Songs for Ariel from The Tempest provided a low tessitura in "Full fathom five" but no melody to tease our ears. "Where the bee sucks" suited Mr. Keeny best and we enjoyed Jae Eun Park's pleasing piano accompaniment.

The two artists also dipped their toes into the 18th c. with Haydn's "She Never Told Her Love" from Twelfth Night, to which he and Ms. Park gave a grave and subtle delivery. We enjoyed the varied dynamics and Mr. Keeny's lovely messa di voce.

If you have never attended a liederabend at Juilliard you owe it to yourself to attend one before the semester ends. They never disappoint and you will have an opportunity to hear the stars of tomorrow just before their stars ascend.

(c) meche kroop

LONGING, LOVE, AND LAUGHTER

Ryan Hurley, Marina Iwao, Santiago Pizarro, Bronwyn Schuman, Maxwell Levy, Kathleen O'Mara, and Brandon Linhard at Juilliard Liederabend

We accidentally spelled Juilliard with three "l"s, possibly because of the presence onstage of love, longing, and laughter. In another delightful liederabend, coached and curated by Cameron Stowe, an adventuresome program was offered without anything to injure our tender ears. As a matter of fact, our tender ears felt absolutely caressed.

So then, what was the adventuresome aspect? It was the creation of a faux song cycle by Schubert. Well, it wasn't exactly faux. Schubert composed the music for these four songs as a group.  However, Goethe wrote the texts separately and they were published separately, but a case could be made that Schubert had some resonance in mind as he composed the music, a resonance picked up by Mr. Stowe.

In any event, we enjoyed the juxtaposition as well as the expressive singing of tenor Ryan Hurley. "Der Musensohn" is well known and one of our favorites; we enjoyed the lively rhythms although we would have preferred a lighter touch in Marina Iwao's piano.

The following three songs are lesser known and we were happy that Ms. Iwao's enthusiasm abated so we could better hear the text. The plaintive text of "An die Entfernte" received the appropriate coloring from both voice and piano who matched better with each other. The sad feelings continued in "Am Flusse" whilst "Wilkommen und Abschied" ended on a more optimistic note.

We found ourselves wishing that we had poets like Goethe today. We also found ourselves wishing that the ignorant members of the audience would withhold applause after every song. Perhaps this advice could be stated right on the program!

There was more Schubert to come from Kathleen O'Mara with her lovely sweet soprano instrument. "Die junge Nonne" is such a wonderful song, filled with opportunity for variation in coloration which we hope Ms. O'Mara will develop. There could be more contrast between the storm and the inner peace felt by the young nun. We did hear that contrast in Cameron Richardson-Eames' piano.

We were so happy to be introduced to "Dass sie hier gewesen" with Friedrich Rückert's poignant sentiment. Come to think of it, we could also use a Rückert today!  The lengthy paean to the joys and pains of love found in "Lied der Delphine" was another newfound treasure.

Tenor Santiago Pizarro was on hand to offer songs by Franz Liszt. We never knew that "Im Rhein, im schönen Strome" existed and utilized the same Heinrich Heine text that Schumann set in his cycle Dichterliebe, with just a single word change. Liszt's iteration has a totally different feeling and we enjoyed Mr. Pizarro's delivery.

Collaborative pianist Bronwyn Schuman produced some fine rippling figures as backdrop to the voice. Other moods were created as well--the gloom of "Ein Fichtenbaum steht einsam", the bitterness of "Vergiftet sind meine Lieder" and the confused feelings of "Freudvoll und Leidvoll". We think Mr. Pizarro will likewise develop more variety in his coloration.

The liederabend concluded with some cabaret songs by William Bolcom, sung with high drama and good humor by baritone Maxwell Levy, accompanied by Brandon Linhard. The only one of this group with which we were familiar was "Murray the Furrier". "Thius, King of Orf" was over after just one phrase. Perhaps our favorite was "Satisfaction". Mr. Levy has a real flair for cabaret and our conjecture is that he has spent some time with Steven Blier--or will do so.

Our major quibble with young singers is inconsistency in the pronunciation of the final "ch". Sometimes it is omitted; sometimes it is over-enunciated. Perhaps coaches don't work on it because they think very few people speak German. But we have to pick on something, don't we?

Nonetheless, we had a fine time at Juilliard and count on several more liederabende in 2019!

(c) meche kroop

FIRST LIEDERABEND OF THE SEASON

Cameron Richardson-Eames and Xiaomeng Zhang

In the several years we have been attending the liederabende at Juilliard we have watched the sparse audience grow to a packed house.  And why not!  Music lovers have an opportunity to hear some splendid singers accompanied by polished pianists in some compelling programs. And attendance is free!

Last night's program was curated and coached by Gina Levinson and comprised entirely Russian songs. This was an ambitious undertaking for the new semester and the young singers acquitted themselves with poise and some fine performances.

We liked the fact that the singers introduced themselves and said a few words about their program but very much wished that they had spoken more slowly and clearly.  Obviously, projecting the spoken voice is a different skill than projecting the sung voice.

Furthermore, we wished that the detestable music stand had been left offstage where it belongs. We do understand that it is early in the semester but a performance is a performance and the main goal is to connect with the audience. The music stand is always an obstacle, even when the singer barely glances at it.

Take for example the difference in communication when soprano Shakèd Bar abandoned the stand for a Tchaikovsky song "To forget so soon" after not reaching us at all with a set of four songs by  Prokofiev.  All we remember of the Prokofiev is that she was undaunted by a somewhat low tessitura. 

When the singer does not reach us we tend to focus on the piano and Richard Fu was marvelous, creating sunlight when called for and pleasing our ears with some thrumming chords in the final Prokofiev and producing a delicate arpeggiated ending in the aforementioned Tchaikovsky song of lost love. At this point Ms. Bar connected by being off-book and we enjoyed the variety in her tone color.

Soprano Lydia Graham achieved a rewarding rapport with five Tchaikovsky songs.  We loved the lively Italianate "Pimpinella", with which the singer and her collaborative pianist Brandon Linhard appeared to be having as much fun as we did. We liked the variety with which the pair imbued the delicate "Lullaby in a Storm", the intensity of "I Wish I Could in a Single Word" and the mournfulness of "Not a Word, O My Friend". In the pessimistic "Does the Day Reign?" we heard some admirable ripples in the piano.

Mezzo-soprano Olivia Cosio, partnered by pianist Mariel Werner, performed a quintet of songs by Rimsky-Korsakov, a composer responsible for our childhood love of classical music.  We wished she had not read the introduction but she was off-book for the songs and impressed us with some lovely melismatic singing in "A Nightingale Sings to a Rose" which just happened to be our favorite song of the set. It makes use of a mode that just might be Phrygian and we hope a reader will clarify that for us.  It is a distinctively Eastern sound, like a minor scale on steroids. It tugs at the heart.

We heard it again when the long admired baritone Xiaomeng Zhang performed with pianist Cameron Richardson-Eames the gorgeous and well known Rachmaninoff song "Do Not Sing to Me, My Beauty". Mr. Zhang's melismatic singing and Mr. Richardson-Eames grumbling chords in the lower register conspired to tear at our heart, in spite of the music stand.  It seemed to be a crutch that Mr. Zhang really does not need.  I hope he will become more secure in this song and abandon the book because it suits his voice well.

We also enjoyed the dynamic variation of "The Dream".  He stowed the stand for "In the Silence of the Mysterious Night" and thrilled us with a passionate climax.

He did not need any crutches for a performance of a pair of songs by Sviridov, whose writing managed to avoid the tedium of most 20th c. composers.  In "Foreboding" the forceful piano was met by some lovely singing in which Mr. Zhang connected with the text, employing variations in color and dynamics to express the emotions of the text.  

"Drawing Near to Izhory" was lively and fun--a perfect way to end the Liederabend.

(c) meche kroop