Word: tone
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Martin's performance was incredible: his tone was rich with a gorgeous vibrato, and he performed the tricky staccato scales perfectly--as Shakespeare might say, "trippingly on the tongue." Martin also projected exquisite stage presence, playing to the sections of the orchestra that shared his melody, and ending each movement with a flourish of his flute and an intense look, reminiscent of a tango dancer, toward his fellow musicians...
...Bach Concerto in D minor for Harpsichord and Orchestra was an intriguing piece, evoking dark Transylvanian images through the spidery tone of the harpsichord and imperceptible shifts from major to minor keys. Soloist Ian Watson performed superbly, though it seemed there were a few intonation problems in the high register of the harpsichord...
...richness of Monteverdi's music is amazing, especially considering the era in which he composed. He uses the full range of colors and emotions available to him through the ancient instruments and voices, as can be heard in his numerous contrasts of tone throughout the Vespers. The psalmic settings (which were numbered incorrectly in the program except for Psalm 147) follow the Gregorian chant, but with great variations. On the other hand, the motets employs a style radical for those times: the "monody" or duet writing, which has a bolder and more expressive sound. Particularly beautiful is the transition from...
...tenors, and Paul Guttry and David Ripley, bass--were superb as well. Hargis was particularly impressive; she is a specialist in pre-Baroque music, and it shows. She captured the Renaissance style perfectly, demonstrating complete control over her voice so that there was no excessive vibrato, yet no shrill tone. Also greatly enjoyable was the tenor dialogue in the Audi coelum (IX), in which Hite sang his responses to Kelley from the balcony...
...could close your eyes, tone down the orchestra a few notches and simply listen to the singing, you might think the Lowell House production of Verdi's Rigoletto a remarkably fine one. As it is, watching what happens on stage doesn't add much to what you hear. There simply isn't that much to see, and what one does see tends to lessen, not strengthen, any dramatic impact...