Concert Roundup
Sep. 21st, 2008 04:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariGuerilla Opera Company, Wed., Sept. 17
This very new, small opera company is made up mostly of Boston Conservatory graduates, including at least a couple of people I knew while I was there. Wednesday night's performance was the premier of a one-act opera by Rudolf Rojahn, a former classmate of mine. The libretto of the opera was quite a bit to handle, since it dealt with the uneasy homecoming of a ex-con sex offender in 1974 small-town South Carolina. The libretto managed to deftly balance a complicated collection issues of guilt, innocence, responsibility, etc. with the help of some of the trappings of absurdist theater. The difficult subject matter did make for some squirmy moments, however. There were times that I thought the libretto could have flowed better, too. The opera was scored for flute, saxophone, cello, percussion, seven singers, and one purely speaking part. It tended towards the expressionistic and reminded me a little bit of Berg's Wozzeck at times. Rojahn did a number of interesting and lovely things, especially when pairing a singer with a single instrument. There were a couple of moments where I thought that the music was too cacaphonous and crowded, but overall I thought it was quite good.
Ditson Music Festival at the ICA
Dinosaur Annex, Friday, Sept. 19
I really enjoyed this concert; the chosen repertoire was a bit different from Dinosaur Annex' usual squarely atonal modernist territory. As always, the performance was superb.
The Gold Standard - Scott Wheeler
This piece for baritone, tenor, and chamber ensemble takes as its text an avant-garde play by Kenneth Koch in which two Buddhist monks discuss the American monetary system. This lovely piece perfectly matched the sly wit of the text. Furthermore, the music had beautiful balance and clarity.
My barn having burnt to the ground, I can now see the moon - Barbara White
This piece was more angular and atonal than its predecessor on the program, but it was one of the most beautiful examples of that style I have ever heard. White's choices of timbre were incredibly deft, and she created the most wonderful contrast between activity and stillness. Also, the piano part was really, really good - I kept wishing I could play it or at least try it out.
Eunoia Songs - Richard Beaudoin
This piece for tenor and chamber ensemble set five poem by Christian Bok, each of which was composed of words that only used one vowel. Like Wheeler's piece, this one had a sly wit and was thoroughly enjoyable. The accompaniment was at times cleverly illustrative of the poetry. The flowing, simple vocal line held together the more modernistic instrumental material together beautifully.
Danca da Tranquilidade - Brian Robison
This piece was probably the least interesting one of the evening, saved only by the inclusion of the theremin in the ensemble. It was solidly contemporary in its language, angular, rhythmic, and animated. The theremin was fully integrated into the ensemble, rahter than being used as a novelty or sound effect.
Alice Hawthorne in memoriam - Ezra Sims
This fun piece for ensemble, narrator, tenor, and baritone was made extra delightful by using a text taken from Edward Gorey. In fact, the introduction was a recitation of "The Gashleycrumb Tinies". This piece was whimsically surreal, and even evoked Carl Stalling at times. Fun with microtonality and modernism!
This very new, small opera company is made up mostly of Boston Conservatory graduates, including at least a couple of people I knew while I was there. Wednesday night's performance was the premier of a one-act opera by Rudolf Rojahn, a former classmate of mine. The libretto of the opera was quite a bit to handle, since it dealt with the uneasy homecoming of a ex-con sex offender in 1974 small-town South Carolina. The libretto managed to deftly balance a complicated collection issues of guilt, innocence, responsibility, etc. with the help of some of the trappings of absurdist theater. The difficult subject matter did make for some squirmy moments, however. There were times that I thought the libretto could have flowed better, too. The opera was scored for flute, saxophone, cello, percussion, seven singers, and one purely speaking part. It tended towards the expressionistic and reminded me a little bit of Berg's Wozzeck at times. Rojahn did a number of interesting and lovely things, especially when pairing a singer with a single instrument. There were a couple of moments where I thought that the music was too cacaphonous and crowded, but overall I thought it was quite good.
Ditson Music Festival at the ICA
Dinosaur Annex, Friday, Sept. 19
I really enjoyed this concert; the chosen repertoire was a bit different from Dinosaur Annex' usual squarely atonal modernist territory. As always, the performance was superb.
The Gold Standard - Scott Wheeler
This piece for baritone, tenor, and chamber ensemble takes as its text an avant-garde play by Kenneth Koch in which two Buddhist monks discuss the American monetary system. This lovely piece perfectly matched the sly wit of the text. Furthermore, the music had beautiful balance and clarity.
My barn having burnt to the ground, I can now see the moon - Barbara White
This piece was more angular and atonal than its predecessor on the program, but it was one of the most beautiful examples of that style I have ever heard. White's choices of timbre were incredibly deft, and she created the most wonderful contrast between activity and stillness. Also, the piano part was really, really good - I kept wishing I could play it or at least try it out.
Eunoia Songs - Richard Beaudoin
This piece for tenor and chamber ensemble set five poem by Christian Bok, each of which was composed of words that only used one vowel. Like Wheeler's piece, this one had a sly wit and was thoroughly enjoyable. The accompaniment was at times cleverly illustrative of the poetry. The flowing, simple vocal line held together the more modernistic instrumental material together beautifully.
Danca da Tranquilidade - Brian Robison
This piece was probably the least interesting one of the evening, saved only by the inclusion of the theremin in the ensemble. It was solidly contemporary in its language, angular, rhythmic, and animated. The theremin was fully integrated into the ensemble, rahter than being used as a novelty or sound effect.
Alice Hawthorne in memoriam - Ezra Sims
This fun piece for ensemble, narrator, tenor, and baritone was made extra delightful by using a text taken from Edward Gorey. In fact, the introduction was a recitation of "The Gashleycrumb Tinies". This piece was whimsically surreal, and even evoked Carl Stalling at times. Fun with microtonality and modernism!
