The French Confection
Virginian-Pilot
September 25, 2002

Reviewed by Lee Teply

"Norfolk Chamber Consort opens its season in fine form"

In its first concert of the season, the Norfolk Chamber Consort did one of the things it does best. Monday evening, it brought to gether a diverse collection of 13 musicians to do a survey of French music from between the two world wars.

The program, given in Chandler Recital Hall at Old Dominion University, was centered around three rather varied pieces by Frances Poulenc, a leader of the neo-classical group known as "Les Six."

Perhaps the most stylistically typical of this group was the Sonata for trumpet, horn and trombone. Its three short movements have both rhythmic vitality and a slightly sensitive emotion. the combination of Stephen Carlson, David Wick and Donna Parkes got the emotion, but did not quite have the precision to give the fast sections their bite.

"L'Histoire de Barbar le petit elephant" was a multimedia success. The familiar pictures of the Babar book were projected over the stage, while the story was told in French by Emily Stauch.

Pianist Lee Jordan-Anders gave Polenc's music a sympathetic reading. She used a warmer tone for tender moments, bringing out the top line nicely. For the grand wedding scene, her powerful chords rang out in celebration. The timing throughout was just right to tell the story effectively.

Stauch used her voice more melodically in Poulenc's song cycle "Banalities," accompanied by Jordan-Anders. The soprano has a a nice feel for the French language, both its sound and its meaning. Slightly reserved, and appropriately so, she touched the changing moods carefully, without complete involvement. This approach seemed to fit this composer quite well.

A quintet of wind players finished the program with Darius Michaud's "La cheminee du Roi Rene." this suite of film music, well played by Virginia Symphony principals and consort co-director F. Gerard Errante, does not go far beyond setting the scenes of the movie's medieval drama.

Flutist Veronica Barger, winner of the consort's Young Artist Competition this year, opened the program with the only piece outside the 20th century. She was joined by oboist Sherie Aguirre, cellist Janet Kriner and harpsichordist Allen Shaffer for a sonata by Baroque composer Jean Baptiste Loeillet. They were particularly effective in the two fast movements, in which their precise articulation enlivened the music.

Bargar came back to the 20th century for Jacques Ibert's "Enter-Acte," accompanied by harpist Barbara Chapman. While the fast opening seemed somewhat unsettled, Barger soon relaxed into a lovely tone that broadened the melodic lines. Chapman had rhythmic flexibility in her extended solo, which helped give the music the right shape, before the faster conclusion took over.

American Masters
Virginian-Pilot
April 4, 2003

Reviewed by Paul Sayegh

"Norfolk Chamber Consort devotes an evening to American masters"

The Norfolk Chamber Consort concluded its season Monday night with a program titled "American Masters." While one could argue about the masterfulness of some of the works, the evening at its best resembled a colorful quilt in its diversity.

Song was a predominant element, even when present in instrumental music by composers known for their vocal works. This was evident at the start, when violinist Amanda Armstrong performed George Gershwin's "Three Piano Preludes" as transcribed by Jascha Heifetz. By assigning the main line to the violin, Heifetz spotlighted Gershwin's lyrical gift, even when embellished and elaborated. If Armstrong could not imitate Heifetz's brilliance, she offered a stylish, attractive reading, though at times she was covered by Ruth Easterling Winters' prominent piano.

Leonard Bernstein was another American with a gift for song, and this came through in his "Sonata for Clarinet and Piano," especially in the second movement. Clarinetist F. Gerard Errante made the most of these lyrical movements, while also paying attention to the work's extroverted sections. Winters was a worthy partner, matching Errante's swagger.

William Bolcom was represented with his "Cabaret Songs." Bolcom received acclaim recently for his opera "A View from the Bridge," which has been enthusiastically hailed by audiences in Chicago and New York. It's not hard to see why - he writes well for the voice.

Mezzo Lisa Coston had a great time singing these songs, wrapping her rich voice around Bolcom's music and relishing Arnold Weinstein's clever lyrics. The set made one eager to hear more of Bolcom's music.

On the other hand, Libby Larson's "Slang" suffered in such company. A respected composer, Larson's brief trio for clarinet, violin and piano attempted to use a musical vernacular and adapt it to a more formal setting. Larsen's musical seams were too apparent, the whole effect too strenuous - one missed the ease with which Gershwin and Bernstein wove their populist leanings into their concert music.

Lastly, a jazz quartet led by John Toomey and featuring vocalist Laura Martier performed a group of songs by Phoebe Snow, Laura Nyro, Bob Dylan and David Crosby. Here was more American vernacular, this time filtered through the lens of jazz rather than the concert hall. Martier sounded wonderful, and was ably supported by the band, especially Toomey's piano and Eddie Williams on saxophone.

Great Britons
Port Folio Weekly
December 9, 2003

Reviewed by Vince Brown

"...a titillating evening of chamber music that was superb in planning and realization."

Hurricane ISABEL forced the Norfolk Chamber Consort to delay opening their 35th season until Mon., Nov.24 with the program originally scheduled second in the series. Thankfully, Artistic Co-Directors F. Gerard Errante and Allen Shaffer did not scrap the first program, entitled Prodigies. It is rescheduled, too, for Feb. 16, 2004.

Typical of Consort programs, the Nov. 24 event had an enticing tag: Great Britons. In scarcely two hours the audience world complete a musical journey that connected late Renaissance English music with that of modern times.

Music by Daniel Purcell opened the program., He was the brother of famed English composer Henry Purcell. Guest musicians from the Cavalier Consort performed a five-movement Sonata in F Major. Charles Hillen, recorder; Michael Murphy, therbo; and baroque guitarist Linda Murphy displayed great empathy for the music. The large multi-stringed therbo kindled an undercurrent of audience whispers. Though the program indicated Mr. Murphy would play lute, most everyone realized that the instrument he had in hand was no ordinary lute. Otherwise, the audience was remarkably silent and attentive throughout the evening. One couple had the elementary-age children with them and it was obvious from their exemplary behavior that the youngsters were used to such outings. Please do not equate Hillen's instrument with those plastic things often used in elementary music classes. His performance, excelling in legato (smooth) melodic passages, exuded the brand of technical skill the recorder deserves, and of course Hillen's instrument was snot made of plastic!

A set of three lute songs by John Dowland brought Mr. Murphy back to the stage with his lute. While his accompaniment gave sublime support, soprano Billye Brown Youmans captivated everyone in Chandler Recital Hall. She eloquently conveyed the courtly intimacy of Dowland's songs with keen insight to the wit and romance of that bygone age. Her voice soared without effort from low noted to high, while remaining totally under her consummate control.

The next selection, Benjamin Britten's Phantasy Quartet, Op. 2, returned the audience to modern times. It is an early Britten composition that earned deserved notoriety for its composer after being performed at the Florence International Society of Contemporary Music in 1934. While the work is in debt to Stravinsky and more still to French impressionist composers, Britten's individuality predominates and the composition's rhythmic complexity sets it apart. He scored it for string trio and oboe. Virginia Symphony principal oboist Sherie Aguirre was as comfortable and in control in that chamber setting as she is with the orchestra. Violinist Yun Zhang, violist Beverly Baker, and cellist Janet Kriner bantered about plenty of challenging musical material with their distinctive woodwind adjunct and every one of the foursome knew when it was time to shine forth and when it was time to move to the background.

Following an intermission, clarinetist F. Gerard Errante continued with Three Intermezzi, Op. 13 by Sir Charles Villers Stanford, who was a bastion of musical quality in Victorian England where innocuous parlor music was favored. Dr. Errnate prefaced his performance by citing a curious enigma of English music: British composers seem to have gone into creative hibernation from the time of Purcell until the advent of 20th-century standouts like Britten ad Walton. Stanford's stalwart competence provided the foundation for the success of the following generation.

Errante gave an astute and sympathetic performance wholly supported by pianist Charles Woodward. The second movement evoked the dark lyricism that Brahms would take up over decade later with his two clarinet sonatas composed for Richard Muhfeld. Stanford eventually composed a concerto for that same clarinetist who inspired Brahms to come out of creative retirement.

Miss Youmans returned to the stage, this time with pianist Charles Woodward to perform Three Songs on Poems by Edith Sitwell composed by William Walton. Somehow, Sitwell's poetry and Walton's music click, as did the performance by Youmans and Woodward.

Another Walton-Sitwell collaboration, Façade 2, ended the program. Speaker Les Wasserman shared the stage with flutist Laurie Baefsky, clarinetist Errante, saxophonist James Nesbit, trumpeter Geoffrey McBride, cellist Kriner, and percussionist David Walker. Dr Shaffer conducted. The stark diverseness of performing forces recalls Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale, which the consort will perform in late March. Yet, Façade 2 is altogether different otherwise. In it, the audience heard Walton's alternate setting of "Daphne" that Miss Yeoman's sang earlier. Façade 2 crowned a titillating evening of chamber music that was superb in planning and realization.

      Last season the 35th Anniversary of the Consort offered a major treat, music by Stravinsky on March 29, 2004 at Chandler Hall. The first half included his chamber work Pastoral (1933). Originally a vocalise, here the violin played by Lesa Bishop is the "voice" with a lovely singing tone accompanied superbly on piano by Oksana Lutsyshyn.

F. Gerard Errante brought to life Three Pieces (1919) for solo clarinet. In the first piece the meter changes with each bar of the music. The second piece was very exciting and the third, to this listener, was as if a picture by Picasso in his cubist period was translated into music.

Ms. Lutsyshyn returned to the stage and offered us Serenade in A (1925) where the regal opening quickly gives way to gentler tones only to return briefly. The other movements show an influence by Bach on this modern musical language. The precise playing delineated the complexity of the piece though she created the illusion of effortlessness.

 The second half of the program was The Soldier's Tale (1918). During the First World War Stravinsky was intensely preoccupied with Russian folk music but in this piece he moves toward a broader influence. In The Royal March the influence is the Spanish paso doble band. In other pieces we hear tango and ragtime and then there are the chorales in the dramatic climax. (Grove Dictionary of Music). The tale is told in words by a Narrator, Robert Randolph; Soldier, Steve Kelley and the Devil, Robert Burchett. Three dancers create the action and the music is continuous, played by a chamber group led by Dennis Zeisler. The choreography was by Amanda Kinzer, sets and lighting by Mark Curtis and the production was coordinated by Amanda Bernick.

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
ArtSong Update
October 18, 2004

Outstanding playing and innovative repertory are the hallmarks of this group of dedicated musicians. On September 20, 2004 at Chandler Recital Hall we heard the first of four programs in the 2004-2005 season series titled A Night at the Opera. A piano duet of Bizet's Overture to Carmen, with Allen Shaffer and Charles Woodward at the piano, began the evening with some flash and a sense of fun.

 Mozart operas dominated the evening. In these troubled times Mozart's exuberant and playful music is a welcome gift. The fine dramatic coloratura soprano Elizabeth Hogue, a five year resident of Tidewater and heard last season at Virginia Opera as Queen of the Night, paired with baritone Steve Kelley in two duets. As Zerlina in La ci darem la mano form Don Giovanni, Hogue showed she could deal with the Don and Mozart quite well. In Bei Männern, welche Lieb Fühlen from Die Zauberflöte. she and Mr. Kelley acted out the conflict of the couple by circling the piano but as they resolved their differences their voices blended beautifully. Charles Woodward at the piano gave a fine finish to these pieces. Later Michael Daniels on cello joined Mr. Woodward to perform Beethoven's Variations on Bei Männern, welche Lieb Fühlen from Die Zauberfölte. The variations were typical of Beethoven, logical and inventive and somehow a little predictable until the fourth movement, which was lyrical with a long solo piano opening joined by a gentle cello creating much beauty. The fifth and last movement was vigorous with bursts of plucked cello strings.

The entire second half of the program was a woodwind octet, Harmoniemusik, tunes from Don Giovanni arranged by Johann Georg Trübensee (1746-1813). The thirteen melodies were played by some of Tidewater's finest instrumentalists including Sherie Aguirre and George Corbett, oboes; F. Gerard Errante and Dennis Zeisler, clarinets; David Savige and James Nesbit, bassoons; and David Wick and Alicia Waite, horns. The performance was serious, not with all the polish and elegance that Mozart's music can have. Was it the arrangement?

As a remembrance of Tim Rice (1933-2000), Virginia Beach music teacher and composer, Allen Shaffer introduced his friend's music and then conducted it. Fully Clothed in Armor with Her Shield and Spear, Athena Emerged from the Forehead of Zeus, Opus 19 is a comic theater piece with Yun Zhang on violin joining Michael Daniels on cello. This is music of Mozart once-removed with an atonal edge - Mozart just slightly out of tune. Steve Kelley, as Zeus, complains of pain and dizziness that consumes him with fear and paranoia. He accuses his wife Hera, Elizabeth Hogue, of placing an image of pain in his head so she can smile at his suffering. Contradicting himself, he asks for comfort from her and she by turns gives him red grapes, green grapes, a kumquat, seaweed, etc. All of these strange exotic cravings continue until they dash off stage to the hospital, only to have Hera return after a charming musical interlude to declare "It's a girl." If from my description the humor sounds labored, let me say that it was saved by the acting and vocal skills of Ms. Hogue and Mr. Kelley who gave us quite a show.