RSS 2.0 FeedFebruary 2009, Cover Stories, Classical
Spinning tales on catgut strings
Tafelmusik isn’t just a fine orchestra of excellent talent and experience. They use their gifts to tell stories through the music of the past. They play with wit and understanding which makes the experience of hearing them multidimensional.
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra is enjoying a season of celebration as they mark their 30th anniversary with a world tour and a Carnegie Hall Debut on Friday. As one of the first professional ensembles specializing in Early Music, their legacy is an illustrious one with over 76 critically acclaimed albums.
The gracious director and violinist, Jeanne Lamon, brought to the stage a well-rounded ensemble of veteran players and young talent. Men and women are equally represented on all instruments creating a balanced yin/yang effect of masculine and feminine energy.
The ensemble performs on instruments true to the Baroque period. Lamon does an excellent job of explaining the difference in terms of historic accuracy. The catgut strings, tapered bows, smaller bodies and lighter wood and sound board, in addition to other details, create instruments that emit a softer, lighter sound. There is an intimacy about the timbre. Although the dynamic range isn't as broad with the Baroque violins, there is a lace-like purity that is just as satisfying.
All of the players stand except the cellos and the harpsichordist. This modification is ingenious as it allows freedom of movement and expression. So many of the pieces written in the Baroque period were made for dancing, the Gigues, Hornpipes, Minuets, all composed with movement in mind. By standing, the instrumentalists rock and sway expressively with their bowing, leaning into the weight of the phrase. They push forward, lift their chins, tilt their heads, bend and shift, up and down and the result is mesmerizing. They connect with each other visually, occasionally letting a little smile escape. Like calligraphy, the phrases are drawn in tapered lines with curvy ornaments. The orchestra was as visually interesting as they are pleasing to listen to.
The program consisted of the Veracini Ouverture in G minor, a sample of dances from Purcell's Suite from the Fairy Queen, The Bach concerto for two violins, the Locatelli Concerto grosso op. 1 and Handel's Suite from Water Music, complete with horns. The program allowed each section to shine.
During the Bach Concerto for Two Violins, Lamon was joined by the young Aisslinn Nosky sporting a shock of short, bright red hair. Lamon relates a funny story about touring a remote island in near Vancouver and the pleasure of hearing an army of Suzuki violinists between the ages of 3 to 5 years old. Little Aisslinn was playing in the front row.
A beautiful familial dynamic existed between them as they played the Bach concerto in a way I had never heard it interpreted before. The Largo movement was particularly expressive as the first phrase rose in angst to be consoled by the wise echo from Lamon. It was a conversation that made complete sense and resonated.
Other standouts included the oboes functioning like vocal soloists with their plaintive alto texture. The bassoon gave the ensemble buoyancy and bounce working in tandem with the cellos, bass and harpsichord to anchor the ensemble.
Tafelmusik isn't just a fine orchestra of excellent talent and experience. They use their gifts to tell stories through the music of the past. They play with wit and understanding which makes the experience of hearing them multidimensional.
Sunday night's performance will be rebroadcast on KPR fm 91.5 and although one won't be able to see them in action, their gorgeous sounds will still satisfy. Check out the schedule. www.kansaspublicradio.org/index.php
REVIEW
Lied Center of KU
Tafelmusik Baroque Ochestra
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Lied Center
Lawrence, KS
www.lied.ku.edu
Classical, Vocal and Theatre Contributor
Megan Browne Helm grew up singing, dancing and acting. Inspired by Emma Kirkby as a high school student in St. Louis she went on to study voice and sing with the Collegium Musicum at the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio where she also had a radio show of contemporary classical music on WOBC. At the University of Kansas she had the pleasure of working with former Kings’ Singer, Simon Carrington in his Collegium Musicum and Oread consort. Years later, she was a choral fellow at the Yale School of Music’s Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. She is currently singing with the Kansas City Symphony Chorus under the direction of Charles Bruffy.
As a freelance music and culture writer her work can be found on KCMetropolis.org, presentmagazine.com, the Lawrence Journal World, Shawnee Magazine, Leawood Lifestyle Magazine and KC Parent. She was one of 26 journalists in the country chosen as a NEA Institute Fellow for Classical Music and Opera at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Her current interest is how classical music remains relevant through active collaborations with artists in different fields, including science. She also sees a connection between classical music, travel and food as a way to engage all of the senses in a 360 degree cultural experience. She blogs at raworganum.wordpress.com.
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