AN EVENING WITH AMERICAN CLASSICAL ORCHESTRA

 Maestro Thomas Crawford conducting the American Classical Orchestra

featuring soprano Shelen Hughes Camacho

(photo by Matt Dine)

There were so many worthwhile things going on Thursday night at Alice Tully Hall that we scarcely know where to begin. First of all, the evening was musically satisfying. Secondly, we received a rather generous lesson in music appreciation from Maestro Thomas Crawford. And finally we had the pleasure of hearing one of our favorite sopranos taking part in Franz Joseph Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass, along with three other fine singers.

We rarely review orchestral music, as much as we enjoy it, because we barely have time to cover vocal events, which is our main mission. Learning that Shelen Hughes Camacho was singing encouraged us to step out of our "fach", We began writing about this preternaturally gifted young singer when she was a student at Manhattan School of Music and have reviewed her often in the genres of opera and lieder, and witnessed her winning awards at several opera competitions. This was perhaps the first time we hear her singing sacred music in Latin.

Sacred music would never be our first choice in vocal music and it has only been Fauré's Requiem and that of Verdi that had any appeal for us. However, it was a revelation to us to hear Haydn's Mass in D Minor for the first time. What astonished us was his gloriously florid writing for the voice which put him right into bel canto territory. Regardless of what other folk consider spiritual, our feelings for what is greater than mankind are wrapped up in the glory of the human voice.

And so it was, to our astonishment, that we took enormous pleasure in the performance. There is nothing Ms. Camacho cannot achieve with her warm instrument, clear diction, apt phrasing, and skill with fioritura. The other singers were new to us and deserve highest praise. The alto parts were taken by Helen Karloski; the tenor was Steven Soph, and the bass was Edmund Milly. We would be happy to hear more of them.

For this first half of the program, we were focused mainly on the voices but in the second half of the program we were able to give our full attention to the orchestra and Maestro Crawford's expressive conducting. He used his arms and hands in a most specific manner and pulled from each section of the orchestra exactly what he wanted.

Before the concert even started he did a fine job as educator, teaching us audience members exactly what to listen for. We are accustomed to long academic program notes that fly way over the head of most concert goers. His verbal tutelage was, by contrast, relaxed and conversational; the level was just right for an audience that knows the basics like key changes and the difference between major and minor.

This wasn't the first time we listened to Beethoven's First Symphony but it was the first time we really heard it. We were well prepared for the composer's audacious and rapid travel through various keys in the opening bars and we understood why the third movement Menuetto can be considered a scherzo. Those were just a few of the many suggestions offered for what to listen for. We had only one cavil, as we always do. It would have been better to have discussed the Beethoven right before it was performed, rather than describing it at the opening of the concert when we were focusing on the Haydn.

Aside from that very small complaint we were completely satisfied with the program, the education, and the fine performances. Compared with some rather stuffy and pretentious nights at Carnegie Hall and whatever they are currently calling the Philharmonic Hall at Lincoln Center (sorry if that sounded snarky but we just cannot keep up with the "politically" motivated name changes), our night at Alice Tully Hall had us walking home in a state of bliss. We doubt that we were alone in our appreciation. The applause was thunderous and the audience left smiling and animated. We are happy to report that Maestro Crawford will be conducting all nine of Beethoven's symphonies!

© meche kroop

LOVE OF THE ART AND THE ART OF LOVE

 Daniel Jimenez, Diego Fernandez, Amir Farid, Joseph Parrish, and Shelén Hughes Camacho

We cannot recall being as enraptured at a vocal concert as we were last night when artistic "power couple" Shelén Hughes Camacho and Joseph Parrish performed A Love Letter to the Americas at Merkin Hall.  We owe thanks to The George and Nora London Foundation for this gift of love. Love was definitely in the air--not just the love of music and love for homeland, but also the very obvious love this couple has for one another. It was so present that it spilled off the stage and encompassed the entire theater.

Assisted by a trio of excellent musicians--pianist Amir Farid, guitarist Diego Fernandez, and percussionist Daniel Jimenez, our lovebirds shared the stage for 90 minutes, sometimes singing a duet or listening intently to each other's solos. The intensity of the energy held us so firmly that we never once looked at the program nor did we take a single note! Diction was always crystal clear and, if the Spanish language was unfamiliar to you, Ms. Camacho's gestures told the story.

Let us see how much we can recall without benefit of notes. The program began with several duets which, presumably, the couple staged themselves in a manner that was not lifted from some production but rather seemed original. Figaro took measurements while Susanna preened and tried to get his attention.  This scene segued into Belcore's wooing of Adina, which then continued into Suzel's cherry picking aria, and finally into Don Giovanni's seduction of Zerlina. The last one was particularly well staged as the two began from distant parts of the stage with Zerlina being reeled in like a fish. We are so familiar with the vocal artistry of these two artists that we didn't monitor the embellishments or the phrasing or the vocal quality (all of which were superb) but we allowed ourself to just enjoy the various dramas.

Gershwin's Promenade gave pianist Amir Farid a chance to shine and the remainder of the program comprised art songs, folk songs, and spirituals. We agree with Steven Blier that good songs are just good songs with popular music, Broadway tunes, folk songs, and art songs being programmed side by side.

The program continued with welcome contributions from guitarist Diego Fernandez and percussionist Daniel Jimenez adding a latin flavor.

We particularly enjoyed the spirituals, some of which we have heard before and others which were new to us. Moses Hogan's arrangement of "Were You There" gave Mr. Parrish an opportunity to invest each "tremble" with a different color. Lead Belly's "Sylvie" was new to us but Hall Johnson's "Dusty Road" has been on Mr. Parrish's other programs. Both are now favorites.

Latin American music always falls gently on our ear and especially when given voice by Ms. Camacho. We enjoyed some songs in Portuguese by Villa-Lobos and the romantic "Cuando vuelva a tu lado" by Eydie Gormé.

This concert confirmed our belief in the future success of these two very special artists about whom we have written many time. Their stars are on the rise and the many prizes they have won include The George and Nora London Foundation and Opera Index. Their careers are taking them far and wide and we secretly enjoy congratulating ourself on having predicted their successes from the start. They just keep getting better and better with each inspiring the other, as one could see from the program. They even join in supporting the same charity-- Voices for Bolivia. It is by the generosity of those foundations that support young artists that these emerging talents are able to achieve a wider audience and performance opportunities.

© meche kroop