HYESANG SANG

Brian Zeger and Hyesang Park

Hyesang sang and oh how she sang! Up and coming soprano Hyesang Park gave a transporting recital last night at Alice Tully Hall.  This was the 21st Alice Tully Vocal Arts Recital, established originally with a gift from the Alice Tully Foundation to promote exceptionally talented Juilliard singers on the threshold of a professional career.  This recital had been postponed due to illness and, in the intervening period, this incredibly talented artist has crossed the threshold with engagements all over Europe.  It was a recital well worth the wait.

Ms. Park illuminates everything she sings with her crystalline instrument and her engaging stage presence. There are a couple of interesting qualities which set her apart. One is the self-effacing manner in which she invites the audience into the songworld. The other is the way she sets up the song with an intense but brief period of introspection. You can almost feel the emotional wheels turning.

There is another aspect worth mentioning. Ms. Park's taste in fashion is as keen as her taste in programming. No fashion show could have dazzled the eye more successfully. In the first half of the program this beautiful young lady wore a dress of midnight blue with tiny scintillating "stars"; we called it "celestial". After the intermission she appeared in a gown that recalled a blooming flower.  We know that it's the voice that counts but it doesn't hurt to delight the eye at the same time!

And now, as to the music!  It was a totally satisfying recital with piano collaboration provided by the estimable Brian Zeger who doesn't need our encomia. His playing is always supportive and there is no whiff of "showmanship". He certainly knows how to avail himself of the acoustics of Alice Tully Hall and ended many songs in a trailed off decrescendo that left the final note hanging in the air whilst we held our breath.

Ms. Park knows how to work her prodigious skills such that they become art. Every song was given her full involvement. Phrasing always honored the intent of poet and composer. Exquisite control of dynamics lent variety and she used every color on her vocal palette.

The program opened with five songs by Clara Schumann whose modest oeuvre we wish would appear on more programs. We particularly enjoyed hearing how originally she set the familiar "Liebst du um Schönheit", the Rückert text which was later set so differently by Gustav Mahler. We have heard it before but as it grows in familiarity, we increasingly appreciate Schumann's peaceful version. 

Not so peaceful was Rückert's "Er ist gekommen in Sturm und Regen" in which both artists created a storm of passion. Yet, our favorite was "Die stille Lotosblume" (text by Emanuel Geibel) with its meditation on mortality, symbolized by the singing swan.

A set of four songs by Gabriel Fauré brought yet further delights. We loved the Gallic sweetness of "Nell" (text by Leconte de Lisle) and the meditative quality of "Au bord de l'eau" (text by Sully Prudhomme). These songs were new to us but the two with text by Paul Verlaine are well known--"Mandoline" and "Clair de lune".  With a great artist like Ms. Park, an aural portrait is painted, one that reminds us of paintings by Fragonard.

Reynaldo Hahn composed around the turn of the 20th c. but his compositional style often looks backward, as in our favorite "À Chloris" with its baroque turns. We found Ms. Parks' French to be quite lovely.

After intermission we were gifted with three Korean songs. We never realized how "singable" this language is. We generally love folk songs for their simplicity and melodiousness. Our favorite of this group was the first --"Milyang Arirang" and Ms. Park gave it some passionate cries and highly expressive gestures. "Bird Song" was highly rhythmic and "Song of Loom" was interesting for the rippling figures in the right hand of the piano, with the left hand crossing over. It certainly suggested weaving to us.

There were also many songs about mothers by varied composers. How pleased we were to hear Ms. Park sing in Spanish! It seems to us that Spanish composers of the 20th c. remained free of many of the 20th c. "advances" that we deplore. We particularly enjoyed Obradors' "Con amores, la mi madre" and Montsalvatge's "Canción de cuna para dormir" which is particularly evocative of time (1940's)and place (Cuba). 

Turina's Poema en forma de canciones gave Mr. Zeger an opportunity to shine solo in the extended opening "Dedicatoria", after which Ms. Park delighted us with three ironic songs "Nunca olvida", "Cantares" which began and ended with a stunning vocalise, "Los dos miedos", and "Las locas por amor". Her acting really put the songs across!

We don't want to leave out Claude Debussy's evocative "Nuit d'étoiles" in which Mr. Zeger's piano created the twinkling of the stars. The text by Théodore de Banville was presented in Rondo fashion with the artists shedding new light on the "refrain" each time it recurred.

After such a generous program, we weren't expecting an encore but we got not one but two. The first was in Korean and the second was "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's comic opera Gianni Schicchi. No one could have refused Lauretta's imploring!

(c) meche kroop

JOY AND MORE JOY IN SINGING

Haodong Wu and Marisa Karchin at Weill Recital Hall

Surely musicians do not have to be beautiful to look at but there's no denying the visual pleasure of seeing two such lovely artists onstage at Weill Recital Hall last night at the Joy in Singing 2018 International Art Song Award Debut Recital.

An interesting factoid is that we reviewed each of them separately in connection with Cantanti Project. Haodong Wu was the pianist for a recital of love songs and Ms. Karchin sang in Händel's Orlando.  How fine it was to see both of them given an entire recital to show their versatility. Their introduction of each set was delightfully presented.

An unusual feature of Ms. Karchin's artistry is that we could understand every word she sang, in spite of the bright coloratura nature of her instrument. There is an appealing aspect to her vibrato as well. She chose her own program and wisely included plenty of material with melismatic passages, at which she excels.

There is nothing reticent about Ms. Wu's collaborative pianism. She didn't drown out the singer but she certainly didn't fade into the background.  The result was a true matching of artistry.

The program opened with two songs by Purcell, one of the few composers who set English in a way that delights our ear. Both "Sweeter than Roses" and "If Music be the Food of Love" offer opportunities for word coloration and the artists availed themselves of the opportunity, whether the word was "sweet" or "warm", "freeze" or "fire".

Six songs from Lili Boulanger's Clairières dans le ciel were performed.  If the French pronunciation left something to be desired (Yes, those nasalities and diphthongs are difficult to master!) at least the Gallic style was mastered, leaving us to hope that Ms. Karchin will get some additional coaching in French. Her cool tone is just perfect for French.  We heard her in the duet from Delibes' Lakme three years ago and thought the same.

This is our week for Turina's music, which we just heard in a concert at Manhattan School of Music. We can never get enough of Spanish song and were happy that the program included Tres poemas from Opus 81. We particularly admired Ms. Wu's playing in "Tu pupila es azul". Again, we loved the melismatic singing. We heard some insecurity in the Castilian and even a touch of Argentinian accent at times--something that should be very easy to correct.

We have no such quibbles with the Russian since that is a language we have not learned. It was a brave move to put four songs by Nikolai Obukhov on the program. This so-called "modernist mystic" wrote dodecaphonic music, including all sorts of weird vocal utterances, that the audience listened to respectfully. 

The final set by Strauss came as a relief and we noted that Obukhov's music will be performed long after Strauss' music has died--but not a moment before! (Insert laugh). In spite of listening with "open ears", we were gritting our teeth halfway through. We will say, however, that the artists gave the songs a committed and expressive performance.

The Strauss left us happy of heart. That man knew how to write for the voice!  His Brentano Lieder appeared after a decade long hiatus from song writing and must have been greeted with as much glee then as we felt last night. The humanity and accessibility of the text is matched by the stunning vocal writing, filled with descending chromatic passages and wide skips.

Here, Ms.Karchin was in her element, bringing every passage to vivid life with her storytelling.  Her artistic choice was to soften the "ch" sound, avoiding its guttural nature; this was fine since it was consistent. We get annoyed when a singer avoids the sound altogether or pronounces it inconsistently. A little brushing up of the umlaut sounds would make her German perfect.

Ms. Karchin's father is a composer and was in the audience to hear her sing his setting of two poems by Seamus Heaney, whose text, which neither rhymed nor scanned, led to a vocal line than was not memorable. We found our ears leaning toward the piano writing which was interesting.

Let us close by pointing out that Joy in Singing, in their sixtieth year, is under new leadership and is expanding its mission. They will now be known as Joy in Singing, The Art Song Institute. Visit www.joyinsinging.org to learn about their outreach in public schools (YAY!), their series Art Song on the Move, their Song Salons in private homes, their master classes and workshops.

(c) meche kroop

SHAINA MARTINEZ SINGS TURINA

Shaina Martinez onstage at Riverside Church

The splendid soprano Shaina Martinez has been on our radar screen for quite some time. We have heard her in several languages, in opera and in art song, and always found her voice to be an exciting one. The most recent appearance was in a concert of Spanish song with Voces Unidas--a truly memorable experience. The review can be found through the search bar.

Having recently been awarded her Masters in Music at the Manhattan School of Music, she was the perfect choice to sing Joaquín Turina's cycle Poema en forma de canciones, the centerpiece of last night's MSM Philharmonia Orchestra's program at Riverside Church.

Our love for Spanish music knows no bounds and hearing these songs sung so expressively was a true treat. Following the instrumental "Dedicatoria", in which the MSM Philharmonia established the Andalusian background, we heard four songs of varying moods, each one a gem.

In "Nunca olvida", the poet (Ramó María de las Mercedes de Campoamor y Campoosorio) is on her deathbed and makes a private and unexpected confession to her lover. "Cantares" begins with a thrilling vocalise on the word "Ahi" that tells us more than the words which follow. The poet is haunted by regret for being so spellbound that he was not truly present; he listened without hearing and looked without seeing. This condition is a familiar one, verdad?

Fortunately, our lovely soprano was so present that she wore the songs as well as her gown. At several points we wondered how she could maintain such fine technique whilst seemingly immersed in the feelings.

"Los dos miedos" relates the dramatic change in a woman who was afraid to get close to her lover and then became afraid to be apart; this too is a situation that seems familiar. The ending of the song "sin ti" was exquisite.

The final song "Las locas por amor" has some raucous orchestral writing in the introduction and in the brief interlude between stanzas, emphasizing the humor involved when Venus tells her admirer that she prefers intensity to duration.

We have often heard this all-too-brief cycle of songs in its original 1917 version for voice and piano, but this is the first time we have heard the 1918 orchestral version. Under the baton of the lively Perry So, the MSM Philharmonia played magnificently and captured the Andalusian flavor.

Opening the program was A Rush of Wings by Robert Sirota who was President of MSM from 2005 until 2012. This 2008 work was premiered by the MSM Chamber Sinfonia in 2009. Although we did not hear the intended spiritual emphasis of the composer, we liked the originality of the sonorities. At times the work was insistent and, at other times, ethereal. We particularly enjoyed the heraldic role of the winds and the sound of the chimes.

The program concluded with the massive Symphony #7 by Anton Bruckner, who came to symphonic composing rather late in life and who was influenced by Richard Wagner, even employing the Wagner tuba in this work. It premiered in 1884 and, performed by the MSM Philharmonia, revealed its monumental nature and an impressive variety of colors in its orchestration.

It is a muscular work and makes significant demands on the instrumentalists and on the listener with endless variety in the thematic material. We especially enjoyed the Scherzo with its skipping rhythm and leaping fifths.

An interesting arrangement put seven brasses above and behind the orchestra. We felt swept away by a tidal wave of sound!

(c) meche kroop

THE DIVA NEXT DOOR

Bryan Wagorn and Nadine Sierra

We rushed uptown to the Park Avenue Armory from our afternoon at the Morgan Library where we heard seventeen young singers competing for the generous awards given by the George London Foundation.  Only a glutton for vocal music could retain energy and enthusiasm. But the artistry of Nadine Sierra and her piano partner Bryan Wagorn ensured that our attention never flagged. 

It occurred to us that Ms. Sierra, not yet 30, would have fit right in with the demographics of the London competitors.  But Ms. Sierra won that competition eight years ago!  And performed a recital for them three years ago as well.  One might say that her star ascended very early. Indeed she was the youngest person to have won the Met National Council Award. And the awards just kept rolling in!

Ms. Sierra is now world renowned but she maintains the warmth, naturalness, and generosity of spirit that can bring an audience to its knees--and to its feet also, for a standing ovation. We have reviewed her performances more than any other singer.  Five years ago we called her "The Diva Next Door".  Earlier reviews have been lost but we have been impressed with her artistry from the very first time we heard her.

Last night she performed as part of a series held in the superbly restored Board of Officers Room at the Park Avenue Armory. The intimate space allowed us to feel up close and personal and its historic nature seemed perfect for a vocal recital.  And what a recital it was!

There was quite a bit of overlapping with a recital she and Mr. Wagorn presented three years ago at Pace University as part of a vocal series that sadly is no more. Our favorite part of both recitals was the Strauss. It seemed as if Richard Strauss wrote the songs with her in mind. The richness of tone, the musicality of phrasing, the artistry of the word coloring, and the intensity of involvement with the text all joined to give the feeling of newness to songs we have heard countless times.

Each song seemed like a mini opera and the listening gave rise to visual imagery, making each one a satisfying experience. "Zueignung" could not have been more passionate and "Allerseelen" could not have been more soulful, as Ms. Sierra caressed each word. The high notes floated up to the very high ceiling.

"Ständchen" was sung playfully and "Cäcilie" with passionate enthusiasm. Ms. Sierra invested "Morgen" with an ethereal quality and Mr. Wagorn's playing of the prelude set the stage perfectly.

Schubert's "Du bist die Ruh" was performed with delicacy and the kind of legato quality one expects in Italian, yet without any cheating of the consonants. The two artists matched each other's style in a most affecting manner.

Schumann's "Widmung" is a bit lower lying but presented no obstacle to Ms. Sierra. We could hear the composer's deep affection for Clara in every phrase.

We have heard Samuel Barber's Hermit Songs many times and have never warmed to them. In spite of the detested music stand, which Ms. Sierra did not seem to need, she was able to give them a full measure of artistry. As usual, the two we do appreciate--"Promiscuity" and "The Monk and His Cat" are not of a religious nature.

Our love for zarzuela was requited by the performance of "Me llaman la primorosa" from Gerónimo Giménez' 1901 El barbero de Sevilla, which is, yes, about some young singers performing the Rossini opera. This gave Ms. Sierra an opportunity to do the Musetta thing and the audience loved it. If there were one thing on the program that we'd want her to do without the music stand, this was it.  What a wonderful encore piece it would be.

Joaquin Rodrigo's mid 20th c. Cuatro madrigales amatorios was written in estilo antico and we always love hearing them for their solid Iberian flavor in the piano and the pungent text. "De dónde venís, amore?" was imbued with flirtatiousness.  In the final song "De los álamos vengo, madre" the final note was spun out like a silk filament and we held our breath.

We were not very familiar with the Turina songs which followed--settings of romantic text by Lope de Vega--but they were quite lovely.

Ms. Sierra is generous in sharing anecdotes with the audience and related how her Portuguese grandmother shared a musical language with her but not a spoken one. She sees her career as a fulfillment of the grandmother's journey. And so we were gifted with some songs in Portuguese.

Ernani Braga's "Engenho novo" is a rapid fire tongue twister that tickled our ears.  On the other hand, Heitor Villa-Lobos' "Melodia sentimental" is lyrical and romantic.  Both were composed in the mid 20th c.

Back came the music stand for Bernstein's "A Julia de Burgos" which we heard recently at New York Festival of Song.

Ms. Sierra expressed her gratitude to Marilyn Horne for jump starting her career and giving her worthwhile advice; she paid her tribute with an encore--Stephen Foster's "Beautiful Dreamer"--beautifully rendered in a very different timbre than the rest of the recital.

It was clear that the audience would not let Ms. Sierra off the stage without some opera and we heard a most enchanting performance of "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi. What father could resist such a plea?

A word to the wise-- Ms. Sierra has just recorded her first album.  It should be a major success.

(c) meche kroop

AMOR LATINO

Max Lifchitz, Celia Castro, Celeste Mann, and Anna Tonna

It's almost Valentine's Day and we were in the mood for love. "Songs of love and longing by composers from Spain and the Americas", a program, presented by North/South Consonance at the National Opera Center, sounded just about right. Readers will recall how fond we are of Spanish songs and this was an opportunity to hear new music--not "new music" but music new to our ears.

It is interesting how some of the academic "innovations" that have toxified American song have completely bypassed Latin America. There probably is some music that would fail to fulfill our melodic requirements but we haven't heard much of it. Most of the music we are hearing from Spanish speaking countries provides singable melodies that delight the ear.

Maestro Max Lifchitz bookended yesterday's program with his own compositions, settings of text by the famous nun Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. The program opened with "Rosa Divina", a sonnet about the evanescence of beauty. Soprano Celia Castro, dramatically dressed in black with a black mantilla, poured her heart and beautiful voice into the work and made the best impression when she stepped away from the music stand. (Oh, loathed music stand!)

The piano part was highly varied, at times spare to highlight the lovely vocal line, at other times staccato, at still other times employing blocked chords and arpeggiated runs. Ms. Castro was lovely in the Moorish-inflected melismatic passages.

The program ended with a duet for contralto Celeste Mann and mezzo-soprano Anna Tonna entitled "Me acerco y me retiro" which provided the opportunity for some gorgeous harmonizing.

There were two other compositions by M. Lifchitz--His Three Concerted Madrigals, based on 16th c. Italian texts, were introduced as parodies but we found them more charming than humorous. Ms. Tonna is always a highly engaging presence onstage and uses her instrument well to convey the text.  We particularly enjoyed the spirited "Non Rumor di Tamburi"  which dealt with an amorous "assault". Her personality made it particularly charming.

Ms. Tonna also performed the world premiere of a cycle of songs by Miquel Ortega entitled Pascua Florida, based on poetry by Maria Lejarraga, written when she was on a trip with Manuel de Falla. "Noche estrellada mirando a Gibraltar" ended with a gorgeous vocalise, but the text we liked best was the sad "Nana del amor perdido".

"Eres tu" was composed by M. Lifchitz to his own text and given full expression by Ms. Mann who has a voice like rich expresso, lightened with some foamy milk. Of Ms. Mann's performance of Cancoes de amor by Claudio Santoro, we were quite taken with "Acalanto da rosa", a tender lullaby for a sleeping lover.

We were moved by Ms. Mann's performance of "Lua branca" by the Brazilian composer Francisca "Chiquinja" Gonzaga who composed at the turn of the 20th c.  Clotilde Arias of Peru composed "Huiracocha", a song of spiritual despair in which Mr. Lifchitz' playing sounded like the Peruvian flute it referenced.

Of Ms. Castro's performance of Tres Sonetos by Joaquin Turina, we favored the least romantic one "Vade retro!" in which a man makes fun of a woman who has been around the block too many times.  Her personality truly brought it alive.

As encore we heard Ms. Castro and Ms. Mann in a duet by a Brazilian composer and then Ms. Tonna joined them for a song by the prolific 20th c. Argentinean composer Carlos Guastavino. There is something so special about hearing beautiful voices in perfect harmony!

(c) meche kroop

EMERGING ARTISTS FROM GLIMMERGLASS

Michael Sherman, Raquel González, and Michael Brandenburg

As part of Opera America's Emerging Artist Recital Series, The Glimmerglass Festival Young Artists Program presented three of their young artists who are moving on to starring roles in this summer's festival.  Raquel González will portray Mimi and Michael Brandenburg will play her Rodolfo. We would have enjoyed a duet from Puccini's La Bohéme and sat in our seats when the program ended waiting for an encore that never happened.

Please don't think that we were left unsatisfied!  On the contrary, it was a most fulfilling recital and we enjoyed hearing two substantial voices. Regular readers will recall how excited we get when we have witnessed a young artist's growth within the conservatory environment, particularly when they rise to greater heights after graduation.

Such was the case with this radiant soprano. Her lovely instrument has broadened and deepened without losing a drop of lustre or brilliance. She chose her own material and chose wisely.  One can usually tell when a singer loves the song. The trio of songs by Joaquín Turino are rarely heard and they are marvelous.

"Olas gigantes" gave collaborative pianist Michael Sherman an opportunity to create a storm in the piano and Ms. González conveyed the poet's desperation. Perhaps we are prejudiced but it seems to us that Juilliard graduates are exceptionally well trained in the art of textual interpretation and drama. Their gestures are always apt and motivated by the text.

"Tu pupila es azul" is a gentle song and Mr. Sherman's piano created gentle waves that matched the delicate coloring of the singer. We loved the typically Spanish turns in the vocal line. In "Besa el aura" we were dazzled by her control of the melismatic passages.

She also showed her skill with Russian, having chosen two delightful songs by Rimsky-Korsakov. In "The Nymph" the text speaks of a mystical being who does NOT kill the admiring sailor.  What a relief!  Not at all like the German "Lorelei".  Perhaps our favorite song of the evening was "Dream on a Summer's Night", a maiden's sexual awakening tenderly and passionately sung with beautiful arpeggios in the piano.

Tenor Michael Brandenburg, like Ms. González, has won many honors and prizes and has an instrument of considerable size. He sang three songs by Rachmaninoff, all repertory standards, with a great deal of muscle. "Spring Waters" seemed particularly apt after the torrential rains New York recently experienced! Our favorite is always "Oh, never sing to me again" which fills us with the pain of longing.

But we enjoyed his singing more in a set of songs by Joseph Marx, a composer we always enjoy.  We wonder why more singers do not choose his works for their recitals. Mr. Brandenburg's German is quite good and we particularly enjoyed "Selige Nacht" which gave the piano some interesting and gorgeous runs.

Both singers exhibited fine English diction and confirmed our opinion that Broadway music is far better in a recital than academic songs in English that tax our preference for beauty. Ms. González was lovely in Jerome Kern's "The Song is You" from the 1932 Music is in the Air, while Mr. Brandenburg was compelling in "Beloved" from Sigmund Romberg's The Student Prince.

We also got to hear the two singers in duets--"Suzel, bon di" from Mascagni's lesser known opera L'amico Fritz, which we would dearly love to see produced in its entirety.

A final duet "And this is my beloved", from the 1953 musical Kismet, was adapted from music by Alexander Borodin by Robert Wright and George Forrest. It was glorious and a fine way to end the recital.

The two voices blended beautifully in harmony and we predict that their Bohème this summer in Cooperstown will be a most worthwhile one.

(c) meche kroop

ROBERT E. LEE (no, not THAT one)

Eric Sedgwick and Robert E. Lee at the National Opera Center

We do not know Mr. Lee well enough to enquire about his name but there must be an interesting story there.  Likewise, it would be interesting to learn how this artist manages to sing so evenly throughout a wide range, seamlessly combining his counter-tenor head voice with significant chest voice at the bottom. 

Opinions are divided on whether the vocal production of a counter-tenor can be called falsetto or whether its origin is in the size of the vocal chords.  We will leave such discussion to the physiologists and focus on Mr. Lee's excellent artistry.

Acknowledging that we enjoyed an evening of song, sung predominantly in our least favorite language, we are compelled to understand the reasons. To begin, the program was very well chosen, with plenty of old favorites and some unexpected delights--all marked by melodiousness and accessibility.

Furthermore, Mr. Lee's  English diction is so perfect that we understood every word. This is not a quality that we take for granted. Often when we hear singers in English, we have wished for a printed text or titles. Last night we had the printed text and didn't need it.

Mr. Lee's sweet tone is arresting and unique; he employs his instrument with fine technique--the phrasing always lovely and the vocal colors varied. Still more variety was provided by excellent control of dynamics and a high degree of expressivity. Mr. Lee seems to inhabit the material and to share his feelings for the text with the audience.  

Yet another plus was the sensitive accompaniment of pianist Eric Sedgwick whom we enjoyed most in "Del Cabello Mas Sutil" by Fernando Obradors, one of our favorite Spanish songs and one of only two on the program. The gentle arpeggios and Mr. Lee's voice somehow brought tears to our eyes. The other Spanish song, Joaquin Turina's "Cantares" gave the pair an opportunity for increased intensity, building to a striking climax.

Almost all music written for this fach comes from the Baroque period or the 20th c. . A set of Handel songs comprised the sweet "Yet Can I Hear That Dulcet Lay", the powerful "Destructive War", the devotional "O Lord, Whose Mercies Numberless", and the lively joyful "Up the Dreadful Steep Ascending".

It is unlikely that we will hear the entire operas from which these arias come (The Choice of Hercules, Belshazzar, Saul, and Jephtha, respectively) but it was a treat to hear the arias. The melismatic decorations of the vocal line were marvelously handled.

The next set comprised a trio of songs by the 17th c. English composer Henry Purcell. Our favorite was "Music for a While". We have heard this splendid song countless times but Mr. Lee made it his own with a beautiful decrescendo at the end. "Sweeter than Roses", also familiar, was given freshness with a dramatic change of color in the phrase "Then shot like fire all o'er".  Exciting stuff!

Roger Quilter made use of a Percy Bysshe Shelley verse for his "Music, When Soft Voices Die" and Aaron Copland availed himself of an Emily Dickinson poem for "Heart, we will forget him". Both composers thereby made excellent choices, which contemporary composers rarely do. A set of songs by Cleveland composer H. Leslie Adams included the beautiful "For you there is no song" with text by Edna St. Vincent Millay, another fine choice. 

A final set introduced us to some mid-20th c. music from the world of cabaret and Broadway. British team Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley were famous for writing musicals in the 1960's --The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd and Stop the World I Want to Get Off, among others; many were imported to the USA from Great Britain. We heard "You and I" and "Pure Imagination".

Michele Brourman turned her back on her music education (a music department that discouraged melody) and partnered with her friend Karen Gottlieb to write cabaret songs. We'd like to hear more music like this, especially when sung by someone as talented as Mr. Lee who did just fine with the low tessitura of "My Favorite Year".

As an encore, Mr. Lee performed Apollo's aria from the prologue (Terpsicor) to the Handel Opera Il Pastor Fido, a role he performed recently at the Amherst Early Music Festival. We wished we had been there!

(c) meche kroop 

Amaya Arberas and Laurine Celeste Fox

We love Spanish music (y'all know that already) and we love soprano Amaya Arberas (past reviews archived and available through use of the Search Bar).  We had a transcendent moment yesterday during her performance of excerpts from Manuel de Falla's Siete Canciones Populares Españolas. Although originally composed for voice and piano in 1914, conductor Laurine Celeste Fox had orchestrated the work to be performed by the Symphony of the City of New York.

At this moment, Ms. Arberas was putting her entire heart and soul into "Asturianas", with support from double bassist Richard Ostrovsky.  Ms. Arberas and Ms. Fox made eye contact, apparently both feeling the depth of sorrow of this folk song and communicating it so intensely that we broke into tears.  Now THAT'S music-making!

Having changed the order of the songs, they followed with an equally intense "Polo" which sang of a different type of grief, one layered with anger toward the disappointing beloved.

The other selections were also excellently sung in true Castilian Spanish and the orchestration was nothing short of brilliant. The lullaby "Nana" was particularly lovely.

The remainder of the afternoon program held our interest and amounted to a most worthwhile way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Maestra Fox has a balletic conducting style which she uses to get the most out of the string orchestra. There was an appreciable clarity of line and differentiation of voicing.

The program opener was the "Preludio" from Heitor Villa-Lobos' Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4, played with mucho sabor. We have a preference for the early works of most composers, filled as they are with gusto. Edward Elgar's Serenade for Strings in E minor, Op. 20 falls into that category. We enjoyed the memorable theme of the first movement in 6/8 rhythm.

Joaquin Turina's  Rapsodia Sinfónica in E-flat Major, Op. 66 was performed by the excellent pianist Martin Söderberg whose crisp attack and lyrical arpeggios were equally impressive and were accompanied by descending sighing figures in the violins.

The final work on the program comprised the world premiere performance of Anna Cazurra's Gran Tango, Op. 73.  The compelling rhythms of the introduction made us want to get up and dance but the Broadway Presbyterian Church seemed to be lacking a dance floor! The danceable theme yielded to a more abstract section and the remainder was enlivened by some pizzicato playing in the violins.  It was altogether enjoyable and thankfully not like most contemporary compositions.

We were most pleased to discover a new (new to us) conductor whose presence on the podium was as close to electrifying as one could imagine.  We hope to hear more from her and the Symphony of the City of New York, whose mission is to attract new audiences with unrepresented repertoire.

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A HEART-ON FOR BARTON

Jamie Barton --photo by Stacey Bode

When an opera singer gets a lengthy standing ovation with whoops and shouts, the world must sit up and take notice.  This generation has not seen the likes of mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton whose stardom is assured.  If folks outside of the opera world got to hear last night's recital at Zankel Hall, Beyoncé might be knocked off her perch.

When we speak of a complete artist, this is what we have in mind: a thrilling instrument, perfect technique, compelling stage presence, engagement with the material and rapport with the audience.  All this Ms. Barton has in spades.  Her richly textured voice reminds one of a chocolatey porter; it is as smooth and weighty as burnished brass.

The remarkable feature is that every song sounds different as Ms. Barton seems to channel the intent of the poet.  This was particularly evident in the set of Schubert songs, each a very particular setting of poetry by Goethe.  Schubert chose the texts wisely, as wisely as Ms. Barton did in selecting them for her program.

The ballad "Der König in Thule" was a chance to tell a story whereas "Gretchen am Spinnrade", (with Bradley Moore's piano keeping the spinning wheel spinning obsessively), is more of a mood piece, reaching its desperate apogee with the words "sein kuss" lapsing into rapture. On this phrase, Ms, Barton opened up her voice and gave us goosebumps. "Schäfers Klagelied" was imbued with a lovely lilting waltz feeling while "Rastlose Liebe" was, well, restless. It was a stunning set.

No less stunning were Ernest Chausson's elegiac chansons, all delicacy and tenderness.  We loved all three: "Le colibri" was so effective that we saw the hummingbird drowning in the cup of the hibiscus.  The charming "Hébé" speaks of lost youth and "Le temps des lilas" speaks of lost love and the irreversibility of time.  All this was captured by this gifted artist and her fine collaborative pianist Bradley Moore.  The long lyric lines were typically Gallic in character. What memorable melodies he wrote!

Readers will recall how fond we are of Spanish music and can imagine how thrilled we were to be introduced to Joaquín Turina's Homenaje a Lope de Vega comprising three songs marked by classical technique and folky melodies.  Although the first canción "Cuando tan hermosa os miro" addressed romantic disappointment, the second "Si con mis deseos" was filled with spirit, and the final "Al val de Fuentes Ovejuna" told of a knight determined to win over a reluctant beauty.

Antonín Dvořák's Gypsy Songs are deeply emotional and convey all the freedom of gypsy life that we fantasize about.  We have heard them many times in German but this was the first time we heard them in the original Czech of Adolf Heyduk.  It was fascinating to hear the melody follow the sound of the language, even though we don't understand a single word of Czech.  There is much sadness in these songs as well as the thrill of the dance, not to mention the nostalgia for the poet's learning to sing from his elderly mother. The emotional sweep had a huge impact as Ms. Barton dug deeply into her feelings.

Contemporary composer Jake Heggie wrote a cycle entitled The Work at Hand, sung without break, a setting of poetry written by Laura J. Morefield who was struggling with cancer.  In the text there is courage, grace, joy and hope.  The audience seemed to love it and Ms. Barton was accompanied by cellist Anne Martindale Williams as well as piano. The piece was written for Ms. Barton and last night was its world premiere. She will also premiere in the orchestral version with the Pittsburgh Symphony.

The work opens with some punchy nervous music and the cello plays some strange ascending scales while the voice enjoys some lovely melismatic passages.  We preferred the music in the latter part when the piano played a gentle tinkly theme on the upper reaches of the keyboard.  We did not find the vocal line particularly musical but Ms. Barton invested it with meaning.  Every now and then we caught a few words but, like most singing in English, not very many.  Still, the free verse did not seem to lend itself to a melodic vocal line and, for our taste, did not thrill as did the rest of the program.

For encores, Ms. Barton sang two spirituals: "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" and "Ride On King Jesus".  How interesting that every word was clear!

ⓒ meche kroop

TAMI PETTY puts the JOY IN SINGING

Tami Petty

Since 1958 Joy in Singing has given an annual award to a singer who exemplifies the rare art of communication through singing.  This year's award went to soprano Tami Petty who exemplifies the goals of the organization.  She is a true "recitalist".

This is not to ignore the beauty of her instrument or technique but what made this recital so special was the way she transmitted not only the meaning of the text but also her feelings about it.  In this context, we were led to share her joy in singing.  And isn't that what it's all about?

Ms. Petty charmed the audience by joking about the lack of translations and introducing the songs herself. Happily, her choice of material focused on the late 19th c. and early 20th c.  Many of the songs were new to us.  We confess to a strong bias towards A.B.E. (anything but English); nonetheless, her choices in that language were just fine.  She opened the program with a set of American parlor songs--all settings of texts by Shakespeare.

Harvey Worthington Loomis' "Hark, hark, the lark" was followed by H.H.A. Beach's "Take, o take those lips away" in which Ms. Petty enjoyed the melisma and spun out a gorgeous high note; piano partner Miori Sugiyama was notable in that song.  Ms. Petty revealed her charming personality in Frederick Ayres' setting of the cute "Where the bee sucks".  The set ended with the provocative question "Tell me where is fancy bred" from Merchant of Venice. Henry F. Gilbert gave it a lovely setting.

We loved the set of songs by Joseph Marx and found Ms. Petty's German easier to understand than her English.  This is not unique to her; we experience this lack of comprehension in nearly all English material, one of the reasons we have a bias against songs in English.

This difficulty was especially prominent in the set of songs by the Canadian composer John Greer.  Judging by Ms. Petty's facial expression and bodily gesture, the songs are exceedingly funny; when we have an hour to spare we intend to look them up on the internet the better to appreciate them.  Poet Paul Hiebert wrote the texts as one "Sarah Binks", the self-satisfied songstress of Saskatchewan who has mistranslated Heine and written songs about hog calling and a mock grief-sticken encomium to a dead calf, and so on.  The irony and satire of lieder came across even without understanding most of the words, owing to Ms. Petty's dramatic skills.

Charles T. Griffes set four texts by Oscar Wilde for which he provided lovely vocal lines and some highly interesting piano accompaniment, beautifully played by Ms. Sugiyama. Again, we will need to look up the texts.

The French of Francis Poulenc's War Songs was finely handled and somewhat more comprehensible.  "Le Disparu" was about a friend of the poet Desnos who died in a Nazi death camp.  The other two evocative songs were settings of poems by Louis Aragon and dealt with the chaos and dislocation of war.

It was the final set of songs by Joaquin Turina that thrilled us the most.  The vowels of Spanish are as delicious in the mouth as those of Italian and for once we could understand nearly every word.  The set began with the piano performance of "Dedicatoria" during which Ms. Petty joked that she could have a rest from singing.  We loved the irony of these songs so well captured by Ms. Petty; they are all about love and express a number of truisms that struck us powerfully. Poet Ramon de Campoamor had a lot to say indeed.

As an encore, the artist, newly made an aunt, sang Brahms' lullaby "Guten abend, gute nacht".  Those words could also describe our feelings about this superb recital.  We had a lovely evening and the good feelings would color our happy night.

(c) meche kroop

SOARING VOICES, SOARING VAULTS

David Galvez and Amaya Arberas

The Museum of the City of New York has mounted a superlative installation of the works of Rafael Guastavino, the Valencian architect responsible for so many of New York City's tiled arches.  The Consulate General of Spain in New York generously sponsored a musical evening highlighting musical works from the same period--late 19th c.

We could think of no finer artists to convey the parallels between music and architecture than soprano superstar Amaya Arberas (previously reviewed and found in our search bar) and guitar virtuoso David Galvez (also reviewed previously, also found by entering his name in the search bar).

We do not hear enough classical Spanish music here in New York which strikes us as a sad state of affairs. The melodic music bears both restraint and passion in delightful balance and the language itself is highly singable with vowels similar to those of the Italian language.  If we were given a single wish for the opera scene in NYC, it would be to have a company present zarzuelas and Spanish art songs.

Ms. Arberas has a brilliant soprano with a finely grained vibrato and a sparkling resonance.  One rarely gets to hear these art songs performed by a native Castilian and there were many moments that produced goosebumps and the teary eyes that come from witnessing beauty, be it musical, painterly or sculptural.

The two songs on the program that were familiar to us were Manuel de Falla's "El Paño Moruno" in which Ms. Arberas slyly conveyed the song's symbolic subtext and Fernando Obradors' "Del Cabello Mas Sutil" in which the tenderness brought tears to our eyes.  A very dramatic piece from Ruperto Chapi's zarzuela , Las Hijas del Zebedeo, absolutely blew us away.

Songs by Fernando Sor and Eduardo Toldrá rounded out the vocal part of the program and the beautiful "Cantares" by Joaquin Turina gave Ms. Arberas an opportunity to show another aspect of her artistry in the melismatic passages.

The vocal selections were stunningly accompanied by Mr. Galvez, a special treat to our ears, especially Miguel Llobet's "El Testament d'Amelia", a barcarolle like song in 3/4 time.  Mr. Galvez had several opportunities to play solos as well.  We have mainly been exposed to the guitar in works of the Baroque period and we realize how greatly we prefer works of the Late Romantic period. 

In Isaac Albeniz' "Asturias" we admired the deft rasqueados of the right hand.  In Sor's "Variaciones de Mozart" we appreciated the subtle dynamic and rhythmic variety and the insistent phrase which we cannot get out of our ears, nor would we wish to do so.  The moving "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" was yet another favorite.

As encores, Ms. Arberas switched to the Italian language, performing two lovely songs by Vicente Martin y Soler--"La Costanza" and "Volubile".  They were as lovely as the Spanish songs and brought the audience to their collective feet.

Sadly, the recital is over but the Guastavino exhibit can be seen until September 7.  There is a video installation on display in "Palaces for the People".  Or you could visit all the places in NYC to which the famous architect contributed his arched tile ceilings.  Or you could do both!

© meche kroop

ALEK SHRADER FIVE YEARS LATER

Keun-A Lee

Alek Shrader

We well recall the 2007 Metropolitan Nation Council Auditions when tenor Alek Shrader won after dazzling the judges and astonishing the audience with his aria from Fille du Regiment.  It's almost exactly five years down the road and he still astonishes.  Last night's performance at Weill Recital Hall could be described in one word as operatic.

With the extraordinarily gifted piano partner Keun-A Lee, a program was planned that had something for everyone and allowed Mr. Shrader to show off his skills in five languages.   The opener was Rossini's frisky "La danza"; Mr. Shrader exploded onto the stage without waiting for welcoming applause and launched the song with an abundance of gesture and dancing about the stage, illuminating the exultation and excitement as we have never before heard.  One had no doubt which ladies he found attractive and which one was dull.  This was followed by Bellini's deeply sad "La Ricordanza" in which Mr. Shrader's attention to the long arching phrases made the suffering particularly poignant.  When he exults, he truly exults and when he suffers, he truly suffers.  He appeared to lose himself in the mood of each song.

The set of bel canto songs was followed by three of Gabriel Fauré's gems; we especially liked the way Mr. Shrader pulled in his oars and illuminated the delicate phrases of "Lydia".  Next he sang Richard Strauss' Vier Lieder; he was so persuasive in "Cäcilie" that we were prepared to incline our heart, come to him and live with him, as the words of the song suggest.  But, it was in the delicate "Morgen" that he pulled back on the high octane delivery and made the most impression.  It was at this point that we realized how his intensity may get in his own way at times and that some subtlety can be a welcome relief.  Less may indeed be more.

Ms. Lee had a perfect opportunity to show her stuff at this juncture when she began Joaquín Turina's Poema en forma de canciones with the haunting "Dedicatoria".  We enjoyed Mr. Shrader's "Los dos miedos" and "Las locas por amor" the best and it seemed likely that he enjoyed performing them the most as well.  Actually he seems most comfortable in Spanish and we were most receptive to the language having just attended two consecutive events by Opera Hispanica.

Vicente Martín y Soler's "Oh ciel!" from La Cosa Rara gave the artist an opportunity to have his way with fioritura and what a way it was!  Then he moved on to perform the world premiere of Iain Bell's The Undying Splendour, settings of tragic texts by John William Streets about World War I.  The writing was spare as suited the text.  Next we heard three witty/silly songs by Virgil Thomson and, to close the program Ms. Lee performed a lovely piano solo by Ethelbert Nevin and was joined by Mr. Shrader for some of Nevin's Victorian parlor songs that were simple and direct.  The final one "Nocturne" was particularly charming; a white rose climbing the trellis under a lady's window is seen by the poet (Thomas Bailey Aldrich) as a bold lover daring to climb Romeo's ladder.  What a charming metaphor!

As encore, we got "If You've Only Got a Moustache" a humorous song by Stephen Foster, performed with both artists sporting bushy fake moustaches. This brought the evening to a rousing end.

We have often be disappointed by singers who "park and bark".  No one would accuse Mr. Shrader of this flaw.  If anything we would like to see him "kick it down a notch".  His acting adds greatly to the song delivery but there is entirely too much grimacing and excessive "indicating".  For example, during the Thomson song "Was this face the cause?" he found it necessary to count on his fingers the "nine bad" and "yet one good in ten".  It reminded us of signing for the hearing impaired.  It seems churlish to be nit-picking after such a fine recital but we would also like to see Mr. Shrader lower his gaze and allow the audience to connect with him; for the entire evening he seemed to be singing to the Family Circle, of which the Weill Recital Hall has none.  Please let us know if your experience was similar to ours.

(c) meche kroop

A TOUCH OF ESPANA

David Shelton

Amaya Arberas

David Galvez

"Always leave them wanting more" could have been the motto for today's most enjoyable recital, given by Spanish coloratura soprano Amaya Arberas accompanied by Peruvian guitarist David Galvez and British pianist/violinist David Shenton.  The encore, composed by late 19th c. composer Ruperto Chapí brought the audience to their collective feet.  It isn't often that we New Yorkers get to hear zarzuela and we  hope that Opera Hispanica will remedy this lack.

We also loved the genuine Spanish flavor of Fernando Sor's "Si dices que mis ojos" and "Mis Descuidados ojos"  as well as Joaquin Turina's "Cantares".  An instrumental by Astor Piazzolla entitled "Oblivion" was performed by Mr. Galvez and  Mr. Shenton on violin, an instrumentation that evoked more subtleties than the bandoneon.

Ms. Arberas has a finely focused voice with a beautiful  fioritura, especially lovely in Mauro Giuliani's "Ad altro laccio" and the better known "Di tanti palpiti" in which she showed some lovely effects on the scale passages and some knockout embellishments of the vocal line in the final stanza. 

Ms. Arberas' French was quite lovely in Reynaldo Hahn's "A Chloris" and Gabriel Fauré's "Après un rêve".  We were less taken with one of her encores "If I loved you" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel; we found the Spanish accent to be not quite fitting.  We hope this marvelous recital will be a harbinger of more Spanish music to come.  Olé!