Concert Date: October 17, 2004, 7:30pm
Venue: C. Walshe Theatre, Suffolk University
Program:
Sebastian Chang, Resurrection (2004)***
Montserrat Torras, Three Movements for Sarah (2003)
I.
II.
III.
Mario Davidovski, Biblical Songs (1990)
I. From the Song of Solomon
II. Book of Judges 15:16
III. Psalm 137
IV. From Genesis 27:26-29
Zachary Bernstein, Star Music (2004)***
Yehudi Wyner, On This Most Voluptuous Night (1982)
I. From Paterson, Book Two
II. The End of the Parade
III. The Artist
IV. From Paterson, Book Five
* World Premiere **US Premiere ***Boston Premiere
Read the Full Program:
Performers: Ilana Davidson, soprano; Christopher Kreuger, flute; Robert Annis, clarinet; Jay Wadenpfuhl, french horn; Christopher Oldfather, piano; Catherine French, violin; Ronan Lefkowitz, violin; Anne Black, viola; Joel Moerschel, cello; David Hose, conductor.
Listen to the Full Concert
Collage New Music presents our concert from October 17, 2004, at the C. Walsh Theatre at Suffolk University. Performances of Montserrat Torras's Three Movements for Sarah (2003), Mario Davidovsky's Biblical Songs (1990),and Yehudi Wyner's On This Most Voluptuous Night (1982) include soprano Ilana Davidson, flutist Christopher Kreuger, clarinetist Rober Annis, hornist Jay Wadenpfuhl, pianist Christipher Oldfather, violinist Catherine French, violinist Ronan Lefkowitz, violist Anne Black, cellist Joel Moerschel, and conducted by Collage Music Director David Hoose. The concert also includes Boston Premieres of Sebastian Chang's Resurrection (2004) and Zachary Bernstein's Star Music (2004), co-winners of the 2004 Collage New Music Young Composers Competition.
Concert Review:
David Cleary, New Music Connoisseur, ed.
January 3, 2005
"The Collage New Music group's season opener concerned itself with composers at opposite ends of the age spectrum... Sebastian Chang's Resurrection and Zachary Bernstein's Star Music are scored for piano trio and were written in 2004. Both items demonstrate respectable craft and an earnest manner of speech that belies the fledgling status of their creators. Montserrat Torras' Three Movements for Sarah (2003)... positively notes Torras's effective feel for color and felicitous unfolding of material.
Both aging tonemeisters furnished infrequently encountered older pieces from their portfolios. Mario Davidovsky's Biblical Songs (1990) for soprano and Pierrot ensemble are dramatic and very appealing. Strong risks are taken in text setting here; moods suggested by the accompaniments sometimes seem rather at odds with the words, one example being the rather bouncy music underscoring Samson's boast of slaying thousands with the jawbone of an ass. But these apparent incongruities work surprisingly well, not appearing at all to be eccentric miscalculations. On This Most Voluptuous Night (1982) shows Yehudi Wyner setting William Carlos Williams's spare poetry to full-bodied music of much personality, profile, and depth. Total and atonal idioms are neatly straddled here without seeming inelegant, and vernacular influences add tasty spice to this complex, delicious stew of a piece.
Performances were excellent throughout. David Hoose directed the Wyner and Davidovsky with a perceptive ear for color, texture, and mood. Among the players appearing, one can cite Catherine French (violin), Christopher Krueger (flute), Joel Moerschel (cello), and Christopher Oldfather (piano) for particularly memorable efforts. Ilana Davidson's voice was warm and light, less forceful than that of many sopranos, but demonstrated an appealing agility and nuance."