Reviews

Easter Passion Recital
Tamra Grace Jones, soprano; Rebecca Willett, piano
April 8, 2023, First Presbyterian Church, Virginia Beach
Review by John Campbell

In a dramatic concert titled Risen, our performers gave an audience of fifty listeners music combining Bach and “words of enslaved Americans” spirituals. The selections of music by Ms. Jones covered the events of the trial, death and Resurrection of Jesus. She opened with the powerful Were you there when they crucified my Lord? as arranged by Moses Hogan (1957-2003). Then without pause she continued with Blute Nur (Bleed out, you loving heart!) from Saint Matthew Passion by J.S. Bach (1685-1750).

As requested by David Kunkel, First Presbyterian's Music Director, there was no applause until the end, which allowed the feelings inspired by the music to flow unimpeded through the entire concert.

The story continued with The Last Supper, “One of you is going to betray me tonight,” as set by Roland Hayes (1887-1977). Hayes was a tenor recitalist who began his career with the Fisk Jubilee Singers and managed his own recitals across the country. After a European tour he was able to secure professional management in Boston. His setting of The Last Supper included a spoken narrative of Jesus' trip to the garden of Gethsemane, betrayal by Judas, his sleeping disciples and Peter's denial.

Air (Let us break bread together), from John Daniels Carter's (1932-1981) Cantata, followed. All four songs of Carter's Cantata were used in the performance as it unfolded over ninety minutes. Ms. Jones' gleaming, gorgeous voice was beautifully matched by Rebecca Willett's wonderful playing as the story continued with Er Kommt (He's coming, He's coming) from Bach's mostly lost St. Mark's Passion. They led my Lord away, arranged by Roland Hayes, tells us of Pontius Pilot's finding no fault in the innocent man. Then, again with out pause, she sang Bach's Er hat uns allen wohlgetan (He has done well by us all) from Bach's St. Matthew Passion.

The next song, from Moses Hogan's CRUCIFIXION, He never said a mumbalin' word, includes “Isn't it a pity and a shame, not a word. They pierced him in the side, his blood came trickling down. He bowed his head and died.”

Singer and pianist took a five-minute pause and on returning Ms. Jones sang Hogan's next line Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?, followed by an old-fashioned spiritual by Zenobia Powell Perry (1908-2004), The Angels done bowed Down, that emotionally whisked us away from deep sorrow into a scene of angels, their harps hung on willow trees, Christ's soul on a pillow of clouds and a declaration: “Time that's been will be no more.” Then from Bach's St. John Passion we heard “Zerfliesse mein Herz in Fluten der Zähren” (Dissolve my heart in floods of tears), an expression of deep anguish because Jesus has died.

The African American composer's response was Recitative (Sometimes I feel like a motherless chile) from Carter's Cantata and My Lord what a mornin', arranged by Harry T. Burleigh (1866-1949). The measured tempo increased as the singer continued “when the stars begin to fall.” Following this the music takes on a sense of celebration because mankind has the option of “joining the heavenly ban [d]” and the calm after death's terror is done.

After a second, brief intermission we heard Moses Hogan's arrangement of Were you there when He rose up form the grave?. The celebration of Resurrection “causes me to tremble, tremble!", followed by Carter's Rondo (Peter go ring dem bells) from Cantata. The ringing tones in the piano with the golden voice moved us toward great joy as did Seele deine Spezereien (Soul awaken to life) from Bach's Easter Oratorio. Ms. Jones' voice pierced the heavens with glorious sound in He's Got the Whole World in His Hands by Margaret Bonds (1913-1972). This led into God's promise to mankind: "When I come to die" Give Me Jesus as set by Moses Hogan. Our singer opened her arms in invitation and closed the narrative with Toccata (Ride on King Jesus), the fourth section of Carter's Cantata. With a new energy, the great rumble of piano sound and a voice of power and intensity gained new heights of expression. Glorious!

Tamra Grace Jones grew up in Virginia Beach and was inspired by her grandfather, the pastor of Gateway Freewill Baptist Church on Virginia Beach Boulevard, who ordained the first African American deacon in that church back when Sunday morning was the most segregated hour in America. She delights in welcoming new audiences to the classical voice in creative ways and was true to African American timbre and pronunciation in the spiritual texts.

David Kunkel introduced pianist Rebecca Willett to Mrs. Jones for the Christmas program (review here: http://www.artsongupdate.org/Reviews/FirstPresVB/FirstPresbyterianVB2.htm) in December, 2022. Ms. Willett is busy as a faculty member of the Governor's School for the Arts and as a solo and collaborative artist in chamber music, as adjunct faculty at Norfolk State University and has a private piano studio.