This afternoon Alice and I heard a very interesting concert presented by Crescendo, a choral group based in Lakeville, CT. It was conducted by Christine Gevert, who is also its founder. The concert was at Trinity Episcopal Church in Limerock.The program alternated music by Ola Gjeilo, a Norwegian composer, and Jaime Soto Leon, a Chilean.
Most of the Gjeilo works used a sort of plainchant or chorale idea with pedal points and rather traditional harmonies. The final work of this composer was the only one that expressed much rhythmic energy and the other works all had a great deal in common with each other. Flowing and melodic.
The Leon works, on the other hand were filled with rich South American rhythms and harmonies. If this were dance, I would compare the two styles to ballet and Flamenco. Cold and Hot.
Most of the Gjeilo pieces were a cappella, flowing works with occasional passages of chopped off chords against a viola solo. Nothing too different from other works of this contemporary period. Certainly all were tonal.
The Leon pieces were filled with rich harmonies and exotic rhythms. The wonderful musicians of the Andean Ensemble were Aurelio Dominguez, tenor, Jose Sacin, baritone, percussion, Carlos Boltes, charango, cuatro, ronroco, viola, voice, Scott Hill guitar, voice, Ernesto Bravo, tiple, percussion, zampona, voice, Gonzalo Cortes, quena, flute, voice, Fabio Mateus, quena, flute, voice, Roberto Claviho, zampona, percussion, voice, Rodrigo Tarraza, clarinet, saxophone, and Rudi Weeks, double bass, voice. Many of the instruments were typical of traditional Andean folk instruments, some going back to pre-Colombian times. They were played with great expertize and ardor.
The bass and tenor soloists were amazing. They could step right into a Flamenco Tablao without taking a breath. They sang with fervor and great emotion.
When this group played and sang it was simply electrifying. The choral sound was, by comparison, rather bland. I have just returned from five months in Chicago, where I heard a number of excellent choral concerts. There is something about that mid-western choral sound that is magical. Maybe it's all the beef they eat!
Ms. Gevert gave a very succinct talk about the music beforehand and set the audience up for the concert. She tends to conduct with very large gestures except when conducting the instruments alone, when she cuts her movements back to size.
All in all it was a very interesting concert. I heard a lot of music I had never heard before and I enjoyed it.
I think Leon won!
