Reviews

Christmas Artsong Recital
First Presbyterian Church, Virginia Beach
December 13, 2021
Review by John Campbell

Soprano Tamra Grace Jones from Boston and local pianist Rebecca Willett, in her first year as instructor at the Governor's School for the Arts, were introduced by First Presbyterian's Music Director David Kunkel. What a rare gift a solo vocal recital is, especially at Christmas time when choral music is the usual focus. First Presbyterian's David Kunkel alerted us. He knows an excellent voice when he hears one.

The first song, O Come, O Come Emmanuel invited us to enter a sacred space. Ms. Jones's voice is clear and strong, even powerful, and was especially lovely as she sang What Child is This (arr. Duane Ream). Departing from usual Christmas fare she gave a spoken introduction to an aria from J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Part 4, No.4, Flößt mein Heiland...Weihnachtsoratorium. Loosely the text says "My Savior does your name instill fear or should I rejoice? The sweet babe says rejoice."

Gustav Holst's setting of In Bleak Midwinter encourages us to give a gift to the child—our heart. The lovely folk-like song I Wonder as I wander is listed as “American Folk Carol” and was published in 1934 by John Jacob Niles in Songs of the Hill Folks by G. Schirmer. Niles was born into a Kentucky musical family. He was injured in WWI in France. He remained there after the war and studied music in Lyon and Paris and then returned home and studied at the Cincinnati Conservatory. Starting in 1927 he traveled in the Appalachian mountains collecting folk songs. He heard three lines of music by a girl who called herself Annie Morgan in Murphy, North Carolina. From this fragment Niles crafted the song as we know it and it is fair to list him as composer. Ms. Jones's singing here was especially lovely.

Next came soprano selections from G.F. Handel's Messiah: How Beautiful are the Feet, and the tender He Shall Feed His Flock, with a long piano introduction. Ms. Jones's caressing tone gave a sense of sheltering in His arms. If God Be for Us, the penultimate song in Part III, was a great, thrilling, totally convincing expression that Christ intercedes for us, that He has our back.

Intermission took us into lighter fare. A charming, spoken introduction to a children's song by John Rox (1920-1957), I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas, was fun, even for an audience of mostly seniors. The child's worry was that Santa might not bring the hippo through the front door. Our performers did it just right, capturing a four-year-old's heart that she recounted from 2020's lock down and ours. In The Christmas Song by Robert Wells (1922-1998) her quiet, sweet, gentle approach was intimate.

The three spirituals that followed gave us the opportunity to experience the full range of the singer's and pianist's powers of expression. In Sweet Lil' Jesus Boy by Robert MacGimsey (1989-1979) there was quiet and then power. In Rise Up, Shepherd and Follow deep tones emerged and Go Tell It on the Mountain had a big, dramatic ending.

In Adolph Adam's (1803-1856) O Holy Night Ms. Jones's voice was marvelous in all the challenges this song gives a vocalist and the message it carries, “Teach us to love one another,” is more relevant than ever. Ms. Willett was a worthy partner, especially here and throughout the recital.

This was the first time Tamra Grace Jones's grandmother, who lives here, had attended one of her granddaughter's recitals. David Kunkel told us that he hopes to have her here at Easter time. We will let you know.

She saved the Martin and Blane song, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, until last. Ms. Jones's delivery was intimate, like telling her Grandmother goodnight.

Organist Alan Morrison in Recital
Celebrating First Presbyterian's 100th Anniversary
First Presbyterian Church, Virginia Beach
October 23, 2022
Review by John Campbell

An evening of several organ compositions by American composers was presented by world renowned concert organist Alan Morrison. After the introduction by Minister of Music David Kunkel the audience of seventy, including many local members of the American Guild of Organists (AGO), were given a very warm welcome.

Seated with his back to the audience, Morrison played Pageant (1931) by American composer Leo Sowerby (1859-1968). The organ bench was open so we could see his fleet-footed virtuosity from the beginning. A bit later his hands on keyboard joined in. The music was written to show off the lightning-fast pedal technique of famed Italian organist Fernando Germani who toured the U.S. with the piece. A thank you note from Germani asked Sowerby “Next time write me something difficult.” It was a brilliant, raucous opening.

Morrison followed with J.S. Bach's (1685-1750) Concerto in A minor, BWV 593, a transcription of a duo violin concerto No. 8, Op.3 by Vivaldi. Bach replaced Vivaldi's grave central movement with a recitative-like quiet Adagio with a breathy opening, elegantly played. The energy of the Allegro third movement was like opening out to a blue, blue sky on a cool fall day.

The third piece was César Franck's (1822-1890) Fantasy in A from Trois Pieces (1878). 2022 was the 200th anniversary of his birth. While studying piano in Chicago circa 1910, Sowerby heard Franck's organ music which inspired him to study the instrument. Alan Morrison explained how easy it is to visualize a strong character with rolling triplets in the left-hand . . . and a soaring flute soprano voice in the right. This exciting dialogue ends with a quieter, prayerful section.

Then came two pieces by American women composers, Mary Beth Bennett and Ann Wilson, both born in 1954. Ms. Bennett, who lives in historic Richmond, is on the faculty of the University of Richmond and is organist at Richmond's Second Street Baptist Church. Variations on Outburst of Spring Triumphant is written around a theme by Ludwig Diehn (Old Dominion University benefactor) in six sections, none of them lasting more than three minutes. Intrada is a showy introduction for the organ and of the organist's abilities. Ostinato offers a mysterious sound spectrum while Celestes, with its deep, vibratory sound echoes into a larger soundscape. Aria features the oboe stop with its inward-drawing and enfolding sound. Interlude seems tentative with long-held notes while Toccata that follows jumps out with a grand, giant sound followed by delicate filigree finger work. Some listeners may recall it from National Public Radio's Pipe Dreams. Definitely not dead white men's music!

Ann Wilson's Toccata was introduced with a caution to the audience: Morrison has had people scream at the opening notes! We soon found ourselves caught in a crossfire of sound, between the organ pipes near the console in the chancel and the pipes above the balcony in the back. The piece travels with a forward thrust with a dial telephone-like sound woven in. The hard-driving tempo slows in this comedic organ piece. The composer currently lives in Cleveland, Ohio where she plays jazz in the pub scene and organ at Christ Episcopal Church in Shaker Heights.

William Grant Still (1895-1978) wrote only two pieces for organ, including Elegy, which we heard. There are also transcriptions of his music by others for organ. The heart-felt Elegy begins as mournful but soon morphs into a bright hopefulness. I heard a sort of death-to-Resurrection curve of development of what I believe to be a fantasy on the theme of the Baptist hymn Shall We Gather at the River (Lowery) from 1865.

Next Dr. Morrison played Prelude on an Old Folk Tune by another American woman composer, Amy Beach (1867-1944). The music was comfortable if a bit long-winded. A scale-like sound of bells led to a long-held fading note.

The finale was an exciting event: the world premiere of an organ work written for this celebration of First Presbyterian's one-hundredth anniversary, commissioned by James and Denyce Corzatt, members of the congregation. The composer is the world renowned local Adolphus Hailstork (b.1941) who was in the audience and the work is titled A Dundee Fantasy (Toccata – Humoresque). Dundee is an old Scottish/American song. Low, deep opening notes in the dramatic beginning are followed by a pause. A bouncy dance rhythm appears and returns from time to time. A great rumble with shrill notes above is followed by a pause before the tune returns, accelerated. The work seems to be ending again and again until a grand chord ends it. The organist exited briefly while the audience applauded the composer. Then he returned for his final applause. David and Iris Julian sponsored the concert. There was applause all around for a fine musical experience followed by a reception that after two years of distance let us catch up with AGO friends, especially Heidi Bloch.