CONTENTSCONTRIBUTOR BIOS: Evan Hause, 3 LIVE EVENTS
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Cries, Whispers, And Extemporization
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Brookline, MA. September 27, 2002 The Firebird Ensemble is one of the newest contemporary music groups to start up in town, just beginning their second season of existence. Their 2002-03 kickoff concert showed this fledgling entity to be already mature and highly professional, a most welcome addition to the local scene. Their enjoyable program sandwiched an extemporized selection and a brief piece by a local youngster between three ageless East Coast gems. Julia Werntz’s "unto thee i" (2002) is a single movement from a larger work-in-progress, scored for dancer and violist, that serves as a musical reaction to poetry of e.e. cummings. Oddly enough, in the full collection this particular entry is not to contain terpsichorean elaboration—though the composer decided to include it in the stand-alone version encountered this evening. Confused? Your reviewer admittedly was, but decided to critique it as is. The viola line, laden with special effects and cast in a microtonal language, proves attractive and intriguing—and the accompanying choreography, far from seeming dispensable, integrates nicely with the sounds heard. One in fact couldn’t imagine it any other way. The structured improvisation, entitled The Four Suits (2002), added a percussionist to the aforementioned pairing. Filled as it was with spoken text, extended techniques, ambulatory performers, idiosyncratic dancing (including imitations of cows and owls), and atmospheric bell sounds, the whole thing came across as a very West Coast 1960’s happening. All that was missing were candles, incense, and a beaded curtain. But it was diverting fun. The meat of this concert made for its best listening, though. Valentine (1969) by Jacob Druckman asks its contrabass soloist to sing, whisper, and attack his instrument with a padded percussion mallet as well as with the bow and fingers. Combining all this with a manner of musical speech that consists of nervously pointillist shards results in a unique listening experience; this is one delightfully warped, almost perverse little bouquet to its instrument’s literature. It’s truly wonderful to hear. Joan Tower’s Petroushskates (1980), scored for Pierrot ensemble, is brief but makes a lasting impression. Shimmering and gorgeous, it’s a cleverly constructed fantasia (inspired in part by visions of paired ice skaters) that is built upon snatches from the second of Stravinsky’s three famous early ballets. From the Other Side (1988) for mixed quartet splendidly demonstrates the puckish side of Donald Martino’s oeuvre. Rather than being a humorous occasional work (such as B,A,B,B,IT,T), Other Side is a complex, sustained entry that runs the gamut from subtle satire to raucous belly laughs, with sufficient seriousness added in to provide effective contrast. Those who think East Coast composers cannot laugh at themselves or the world around them should hasten to hear this fine work. Performances were flat-out terrific. Bassist Chris Johnson gave Valentine with all stops out, yet reining in his bravura presentation with just the right dollop of knowing control—the ideal mix of head and heart. The Werntz benefited mightily from Christine Coppola-Maneri’s polished, sensitive dancing and Kate Vincent’s accomplished, gutsy viola playing. Alicia di Donato (flute), Michelle Shoemaker (clarinet), Harumi Rhodes (violin), Kate Kayaian (cello), and Sarah Bob (piano) played Petroushskates with a seemingly effortless sparkle that proved irresistible. And Bob, di Donato, and Kayaian, joined by percussionist Aaron Trant, returned to give a strikingly memorable performance of the Martino that mastered its formidable technical challenges while conveying its special lightness of being. Suffice it to say that the Firebird flies proudly alongside the best new music groups in Beantown. Bravos go out all around for a first-class event. |