7th Annual Shakespeare Concerts
Summer, Stravinsky, Amram, Korngold and More in Jordan Hall
Mar 28, 2009
Love, grief, trickery, death and mischievousness--the gamut of human experience tumble together in Shakespeare's verse. Hamlet's Claudio described this piecemeal juxtaposition best when he called for "mirth in funeral," and the 2009 Shakespeare Concerts delivered its own tragicomical performance, offering both moments of laughter and moments of respectful silence.
Performed in the New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall, the Shakespeare Concerts drew a modest crowd. This annual event is the brainchild of composer Joseph Summer, and his works formed the bulk of the program, accented with pieces by Stravinsky, Korngold, Schumann, Amram, Frazin and Warlock. Though this year's performance was titled "Take, O Take Those Lips Away" (from Measure for Measure), the program largely highlighted texts from the ever enduring classic, Hamlet.
Shakespeare Singers: Paul Soper, Alan Schneider, Kellie Van Horn and Patrice Tiedemann
Baritone Paul Soper opened the concert with a comic rendition of "With Mirth in Funeral," Claudio's somewhat devious rationalization of a wedding so soon after his brother's death. But lest the audience forget this story ends tragically, Alan Schneider's piercingly clear tenor voice poured forth Hamlet's disjointed grief in "Too Too Solid Flesh."
"The Lady Doth Protest Too Much" set mezzo-soprano Kellie Van Horn against cellist David Russell to illustrate Queen Gertrude's reaction to a play that too accurately depicted events in her life. Russell's energetic performance may have overshadowed Ms. Van Horn's singing, but the contest seemed appropriate, like a struggle between the real Queen and her fictionalized self.
The last of the singers to enter the stage, Patrice Tiedemann was by no means the least. Her clear soprano in pieces such as "Take, O Take Those Lips Away" (Amram) was like a simple but delicious dessert after such hearty epic fare.
Pianist Miroslav Sekera, Conductor Ian Watson, Violinist Krista Buckland Reisner, Flautist Jessi Rosinski, Clarinetist Rane Moore and Violist Peter Sulski
The instrumentalists also delivered impressive performances. Pianist Miroslav Sekera mastered the often extremely dense Summer scores, polishing off double octaves, chord clusters and rippling arpeggios.
Conductor Ian Watson also took to the piano, accompanying violinist Krista Buckland Reisner in Korngold's lush setting of "Mädchen im Brautgemach" from Much Ado About Nothing. Reisner's vibrato alternately sobbed and shimmered on Korngold's long lines.
Also of note were flautist Jessi Rosinski, clarinetist Rane Moore and violist Peter Sulski, whose strong individual musicianship skillfully brought to life Stravinsky's sparse lines and colorful timbres.
Memorable Highlights: David Amram and the Concert Close
Given that the majority of the evening's music was in an atonal or largely motivic musical language (Summer and Stravinsky), the few blatantly melodic pieces offered some welcomed variety. David Amram's three pieces peppered the program with these moments of contrast. Perhaps because his interests include folkloric instruments, Amram was also the only composer on the program who recognizably recalled Shakespeare's own era with references to Elizabethan music.
The concert ended on a more somber note than it began, closing with the touching question "Will it be cold in the tomb?" Written by a friend of the composer's, the text was delivered to Summer only shortly before the author died. The piece stands as a fitting memorial to friendship.
Overall, the evening featured strong singing, beautiful playing and much enjoyable music inspired by the bard.
Sources
The Shakespeare Concerts, Program Notes.
Shakespeare Concerts website
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