Concert Review
Oct. 9th, 2009 09:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariThe Singer's Voice benefit concert, October 3rd
This was an absolutely delightful concert. But how could it not be, with a bunch of Boston's best singers all singing together?
I was also pleased that the programming a a bit off the beaten path - I heard a lot of music that I had been previously unaware of. There were only a couple of pieces I didn't like. I thought Parry's "I Was Glad When They Said Unto Me" was a good example of late Romantic bombast and excess. Luckily, it was followed by Durufle's gorgeous and subtle "Ubi Caritas". I also thought Coleridge-Taylor's "The Lee Shore" was very bland; but I guess that's why he's known primarily as a poet.
I really liked Puccini's Agnus Dei. It was 19th century sacred choral music done absolutely right. Plus, the soloists, Michael Calmes and David Kravitz, were so good they gave me shivers. My favorite piece on the program was Vaughn Williams' "Serenade to Music". The text is from Shakespeare and the setting truly captured all the magic and romance of the words. It reminded me very strongly of Philip Glass' opera La Belle et La Bete - I wonder if the serenade was part of Glass' inspiration. The solos were all great, especially![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
pantsie's; it's no surprise that she fits right in with the pros. I especially liked the way that distance from and sight lines to the stage made it hard to see who was singing each solo, which made them appropriately mysterious.
This was an absolutely delightful concert. But how could it not be, with a bunch of Boston's best singers all singing together?
I was also pleased that the programming a a bit off the beaten path - I heard a lot of music that I had been previously unaware of. There were only a couple of pieces I didn't like. I thought Parry's "I Was Glad When They Said Unto Me" was a good example of late Romantic bombast and excess. Luckily, it was followed by Durufle's gorgeous and subtle "Ubi Caritas". I also thought Coleridge-Taylor's "The Lee Shore" was very bland; but I guess that's why he's known primarily as a poet.
I really liked Puccini's Agnus Dei. It was 19th century sacred choral music done absolutely right. Plus, the soloists, Michael Calmes and David Kravitz, were so good they gave me shivers. My favorite piece on the program was Vaughn Williams' "Serenade to Music". The text is from Shakespeare and the setting truly captured all the magic and romance of the words. It reminded me very strongly of Philip Glass' opera La Belle et La Bete - I wonder if the serenade was part of Glass' inspiration. The solos were all great, especially
pantsie's; it's no surprise that she fits right in with the pros. I especially liked the way that distance from and sight lines to the stage made it hard to see who was singing each solo, which made them appropriately mysterious.
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Date: 2009-10-10 03:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-10 03:53 am (UTC)thank you for the kind words!
Date: 2009-10-10 01:05 pm (UTC)I agree that "The Lee Shore" was kind of odd and "I Was Glad" was not to everyone's taste. I think the intention with that one was to show how big and grandiose about 50 voices could be with an organ.
I loved the Puccini, too! Michael and David did a great job with it. Ironically, "Serenade to Music" felt the shakiest to us, but it seemed to be the standout piece of the night.