Washington, DC
We didn’t really stop in Washington DC, where I went to college and lived for seven years, and where entertainment abounds: both the art-music-theater-dance sort and the political kind. Instead we visited my niece in Bethesda and an old friend in Reston, and found time to talk about the arts.
Laura, my niece, has a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, and she was studying for medical school exams the week we came. Nevertheless, she found time to meet us at Starbucks (so ubiquitous in the Atlanta area, my daughter said, that she was excited to find a rare Dunkin’ Donuts). Laura is also a fine violinist, and we compared notes on our recent orchestra experiences.
We went out to dinner with JoAnn, whom I met on my first job, long, long ago. She is now a teacher of gifted and talented students and an enthusiastic actor in community theater. She had just finished a run of “The Full Monty,” in which she played the piano accompaniest. She loved the the role because it gave her an opportunity to be funny, which is what she enjoys most, and to sing a couple of good songs.
She said some things about the theater that I found interesting: that most actors were basically shy and theater gives them an opportunity to interact with others in a scripted way, never having to grope for words or wonder how to carry on a conversation (unless you forget your lines.) I had never thought of theater that way.
She was critical of local reviewers who, she said, spend too much space summarizing a play, rather than reviewing. I had heard this criticism of theater reviewers, and have tried to minimize such summaries myself, while still providing a sense of what the play is about. I do think that reviewers should be writing for potential audiences, not for theater people, but it can be helpful for reviewers to have their reviews reviewed by those we review.
Before leaving Washington the next day, we toured American University, where I received a BA in international relations from the School of International Service. None of that frivolous arts and music stuff for me back then.
The School of International Service on the left, and construction underway for the new building, on the right.
Falmouth, VA
On the second day of our trip, we passed through Falmouth, Virginia, which is adjacent to Fredericksburg, known for its Civil War battlefields and historic sites. According to the National Park Service, “more than 85,000 men wounded [here]; 15,000 killed. No place more vividly reflects the Civil War’s tragic cost, in all its forms.”
In Falmouth is a house named the Chatham Manor, part of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial. It is on Chatham Lane. Intrigued by the names, we decided to take a look at the Chatham mansion. Unfortunately, we did not have time to tour the building and grounds, since we had people to meet in the Washington DC area an hour north.
We did drive around the estate, though, on a narrow, unpaved road that twisted around a hill and through the green and flowering trees. Such a lovely, peaceful setting to reflect on the slaughter of the Civil War.
Greenville, South Carolina
We stopped in Greenville, South Carolina, yesterday.
It has a very charming, revitalized downtown area, and the newspape
r office is directly across the street from two theaters, where Broadway shows are playing, and just a block from the symphony (Yo-Yo Ma will be playing there on May 6). What fun for an arts & entertainment editor!
There is also a little river running through the town, with a wonderful park and pedestrian bridge overlooking the waterfall. It’s beautiful, restful, and full of flowers.
Greenville–a very entertaining place!
Spring Fling
It is not even warm yet on the Cape, but arts and entertainment activities abound. There are plays, concerts, art shows, coffeehouses, talks, children’s activities, and walks through the woods to watch birds or raise money for worthy causes. And it looks like it will only get busier as the season progresses.
For the moment though, I am in Georgia. I flew down yesterday and will be driving back to the Cape with my daughter, starting tomorrow. It’s hot here, and the major entertainment, at least where we are, seems to be shopping. There are shopping malls everywhere, next to each other, encircling each other. We have been amused by the multitude of restaurants, but have not scouted out any official entertainment yet
Maybe I should buy a newspaper.
Watercolors
When I was 14, my older cousin gave me a set of watercolors. She went on to become a professional artist, specializing in American primitive style. I toyed with the set, but did not understand how to use them effectively. I used the colors very intensely, with very little water, more like poster paints, than watercolors. There are, of course, no rules saying you can’t do that, but the result does not look like a watercolor painting.
I kept the set over the [many] years since, and several of the tubes are still functional. I took a couple of watercolor classes over the years, but most focusing on “expressing youself,” rather than the technical points of using watercolor. I developed my own little cartoony style, using pen & ink and watercolor.
I am now taking a watercolor class with Kate Furler at the Falmouth Artists Guild. This is completely different from other classes I have taken, in that Kate talks about the many technical aspects of watercolor, not only choosing paint, paper, and brushes, but also laying down light, dark, and medium colors, preventing and allowing color mixing, creating shadow, mixing colors, and using water and brushes effectively. She give us very specific exercises, which she does at the same time, to better illustrate her points.
It’s the most informative art class I have taken in a long time.
The students are all experienced watercolorists, all wanting to learn more. Some, like me, only find time to paint when they are in class, and others paint more often. Unlike other classes I have been in, where students are reluctant to show their work, thinking it is just dreadful, the students are happy to share their work and comment on the works of others.
I am halfway through the six-week course now, though I had to miss the second class. I will report later on my progress, and I will not say, “or lack thereof,” because this is a very positive class!
Christmas in Falmouth Begins
Christmas officially begins in Falmouth this weekend with Santa’s arrival Saturday morning, by boat, at the Flying Bridge Restaurant, where he is met by eager children and their parents (who are sometimes even more excited) and the Falmouth High School Chorus, singing holiday songs; the lighting of the Christmas tree on Saturday evening; and the Christmas parade down Main Street on Sunday.
This year, a new tradition begins: the Falmouth Theater Guild’s “Holiday Celebration,” with shows at 4 PM Saturday and Sunday. I saw the dress rehearsal last night and enjoyed this folksy Christmas celebration featuring local talent and lots of heart. The show is about an hour long; it is intended for the whole family, featuring music from the Falmouth High School orchestra led by Steve Edwards, the Falmouth Theater Guild Chorus, the Trade Winds barbershop quartet, harpist Katie Lynch Koglin, and singers Jennifer Perrault-Minshall and Abigail Dougherty.
Cleo Zani serves as emcee, introducing the Christmas songs and telling the audience a little about their origins, and Police Chief Anthony Riello did a nice job reading “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to an assemblage of children. The performance ended with a spirited holiday sing-along.
It was a nice, friendly holiday concert–neighbors celebrating with neighbors, a nice way to usher in the season.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. Children 10 and under are admitted free. Maximum fee for families is $30. Tickets can be purchased at the box office by calling 508-548-0400 or at Eight Cousins, 189 Main Street, Falmouth.
Tomorrow and Sunday, there are about 87 holiday fairs and art shows and house tours (only a slight exaggeration) to appeal to every taste, and a Renaissance Fair in Woods Hole, as well as parades in several town. The Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra performs its annual holiday concerts this weekend too.
And if, perchance, you’re still not feeling festive by the end of the weekend, there’s another round of concerts and fairs, and performances next weekend. Ho, ho, ho!
Falmouth Chamber Players, Review
[Originally published in the Enterprise on Friday, November 21.]
By SUSAN PENNINGTON
The Falmouth Chamber Players’ debut concert, directed by John Yankee, was a true delight for our community and a great success for the musicians. The group came together only 10 weeks ago and is organized as a nonprofit corporation in Massachusetts. Members pay dues to cover orchestra expenses, and the group accepts financial contributions. It was great fun to recognize people in the following professions: scientists (some retired), intern, social worker, conservatory director, music teachers, librarian, entertainment editor, landscape architect, architect, nurse, activities director and a few semi-pro musicians. All the amateurs, including a high school student, united to enjoy the love of music.
The program began with an overture from Handel’s “Water Music” for strings and woodwinds. It was bright and sonorous, joyous and celebratory. These feelings could be seen on the faces of many of the instrumentalists, increasing the appreciation of the audience. Hilde Maingay, joined by Marvin Grosslein, were highlighted in violin solos and duets, which they played with flair, blend, and wonderful tone, as did all the strings.
A Telemann concerto for recorder and flute followed, and soloists Jan Elliott and Suzie Dasilva played the light-hearted themes with perfect coordination and precise attacks. The strings pressed underneath and were sometimes joined by the wind instruments in a lovely display of enchanting delight. Mary Sholkovitz, cello (a new instrument for this flutist and teacher), and Tim Cronin, bassoon, provided a steady continuo, filled with sonority and panache. The concerto ended with a buoyant dance based on a Polish folk tune.
Bizet’s Scherzo from the “Symphony in C” brought horns (Kate Housman and John Bourne) and timpani (Jeff Myers) into the mix to add to the excitement. Mr. Yankee, in his humorous and charming introductions, said the classical orchestra (beginning with Haydn, Beethoven and Mozart) offered more dynamic possibilities than the Baroque. The FCP brought out a more thrilling, fuller sound, including an instrumental drone in the lower reaches, with a lovely minuet above.
“Andante Cantabile” by Tchaikovsky was lovingly played and filled with feeling.
The ending pieces were Glinka, “Kamarinskaja,” and Schubert, “Overture to Rosamunde.” Perhaps because of the length of the program, these had less clarity and precision, but had some nice moments.
Sunday’s performance, at the First Congregational Church, included a post-concert reception, and the audience could express their appreciation to the performers for all their concentrated effort and for the instrument-shaped cookies! I can surmise that most of the filled church, as I, left into a blustery, cold, fall afternoon with warm hearts and touched souls.
(Susan Pennington is the music director at St. Anthony’s Church and teaches art appreciation at the Cape Cod Conservatory.)
Falmouth Chamber Players Concert Tonight
[Originally published in the Enterprise on Friday, November 14, 2008.]
By MARILYN J. ROWLAND
The Falmouth Chamber Players, under the direction of John Yankee, will perform its first concert tonight [Friday, November 14, 2008] at 8 o’clock at the First Congregational Church of Falmouth, 68 Main Street. A second concert takes place Sunday [November 16] at 3 PM at the same location.
Mr. Yankee, who is also musical director of the Falmouth Chorale, has conducted professional orchestras here on the Cape, as well as in San Diego, Chicago, and Telluride, Colorado. His work with the Falmouth Chamber Players has been challenging because of the wide range in playing abilities and orchestra experience of the members. It was difficult, initially, for him to select a repertoire, not knowing the skill levels of the individual players. This caused some initial frustrations for him, and for orchestra members. “We have come a long way in a short time,” said Mr. Yankee.
“The Falmouth Chamber Players is a pretty diverse and remarkable collection of people,” said Mr. Yankee. “It is truly amazing that we can get together, put everything else aside, and work on a common cause—making music. There is a powerful, almost palpable, feeling of support for each other, and each in his or her own unique way has expressed appreciation to me, and encouraged me. I appreciate that very much.”
Mr. Yankee said that several members have taken on strong leadership roles. “The principal players have all been professional, generous, and helpful, and Hilde Maingay, our concertmistress, has been outstanding, constantly organizing and encouraging extra rehearsals and staying in communication with me. She has been a real partner in this process.”
When asked which piece of music on the program was his favorite, Mr. Yankee said, “I’m never good at that kind of question. My favorite piece is the one I’m doing—or studying, or listening to. They all fascinate, intrigue, and challenge me in unique ways. I suspect they do for the players as well—they should!”
The program is in keeping with the orchestra’s stated purpose, to perform “classical instrumental music, with an emphasis on historical chamber and orchestral works from the Baroque through the Romantic periods.” Works to be performed include: Overture from Water Music, by George Frideric Handel; Concerto in E minor for Recorder and Flute, by Georg Philipp Telemann; Scherzo from Symphony in C by Georges Bizet; Andante Cantabile by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky; Kamarinskaja, by Mikhail Glinka; and Overture to Rosamunde, by Franz Schubert.
Handel’s Water Music may be the most familiar music on the program for most audience members. A collection of 19 movements in three suites, it was first performed in its entirety on July 17, 1717, on the River Thames. Fifty musicians played on a barge floating on the river next to the royal party barge of King George I of England, who, along with his guests, was delighted by the music. It is said that he was so pleased that he had the musicians play the hour-long work three times that evening. The Overture is the first piece in the collection and provides a good representation of the work.
Bizet, who is best known for his opera “Carmen,” wrote his Symphony in C in 1855 when he was only 17 years old, possibly as a student assignment. He had entered the Paris Conservatory at the age of 9. The piece was lost, however, and not heard for 80 years. Discovered in 1933, the bright and effervescent work was first performed in 1935. The orchestra will perform the third movement of the symphony, the scherzo, which consists of a fast minuet contrasted with more airy passages, followed by a peasant-like dance trio over drones played by the lower strings.
Telemann’s Concerto features Jan Elliott on recorder, Suzie Dasilva on flute, and string orchestra. Written in the 1720s or ’30s, it combines two instruments rarely played together: the traditional instrument (the recorder) and the new (the transverse flute). Telemann played both instruments and was quite familiar with their features. The piece is written in four movements, the flute and the recorder mingling and taking flight, as the strings play a supportive role. Melodies from Polish folk tunes are featured in the final movement.
Ms. Elliott has been playing the recorder since she was 3 and is particularly fond of early music, as well as world music and dance. About the Telemann piece, she said, “It’s a charming concerto, alternately melancholy and playful. There are all kinds of interplay between the two soloists, and between soloists and orchestra. I get the sense that Telemann was in a good mood when he wrote it. Perhaps his patron was paying him well! He allegedly once said that his fast movements should ‘flow vivaciously, like champagne.’ ”
Ms. Dasilva has traveled and performed throughout Europe. She lives and teaches flute in Eastham.
Tchaikovsky’s Andante Cantabile is the most famous movement from his String Quartet No. 1 in D Major. It is a melancholic piece, based on a folk song the composer heard whistled by a house painter. When the quartet was played for Leo Tolstoy, it is said that he was brought to tears by this movement. A chamber section of the orchestra performs this piece.
Described as the “father of Russian classical music,” Glinka was the first Russian composer to introduce Russian nationalism in music, and his work influenced future Russian composers. Written in 1848, Kamarinskaja is a fantasy on two Russian folk tunes, one a lyrical wedding song, and the other a fast-paced dance.
Schubert’s 1823 composition, Rosamunde, was written as incidental music for a play. The play failed, but the music was a success. The full composition, consisting of the Overture and 10 movements, takes more than an hour to perform, and is rarely performed in full. Starting slowly and dramatically, the Overture then moves into a more sprightly mood toward a thundering finish.
Falmouth Chamber Players, Premiere Concert
[Originally published in the Enterprise on Friday, November 7, 2008.]
By MARILYN J. ROWLAND
The Falmouth Chamber Players, a newly organized community orchestra under the direction of John Yankee, presents its premiere concerts on Friday, November 14, at 7 PM, and Sunday, November 16, at 2:30 PM, at the First Congregational Church, 68 Main Street in Falmouth. The concerts are free, but donations are encouraged.
Works on the program include Overture from Water Music by George Frideric Handel; Concerto in e minor for Recorder and Flute featuring Jan Elliott on recorder and Suzie Dasilva on flute; Scherzo from Symphony in C by Georges Bizet; Kamarinskaja by Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka; Andante Cantabile by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky; and Overture to Rosamunde by Franz Schubert.
The concerts are the result of many months of hard work by orchestra members and organizers, led by president Joyce Gindra, who plays oboe in the group. Last winter when she and her neighbor, cellist Carol Knox, got together to play music, they talked about what fun it would be to gather a larger group of musicians together, perhaps a quartet or a quintet. Once the two of them began talking to their musical friends, the group of those interested grew rapidly. By spring, they and the others had decided to form a classical music orchestra for amateur musicians, and they scheduled three sessions in July to see whether local musicians wanted to join the group. They were. The sessions attracted 35 players who play violin, viola, cello, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, trumpet, and bassoon. Ms. Gindra invited John Yankee to be the group’s conductor, and Mr. Yankee, who is also conductor and artistic director of the Falmouth Chorale, musical director of the John Wesley Methodist Church, and active in other musical endeavors on Cape Cod, agreed to work with the orchestra.
After the success of the summer session, orchestra members launched a fall season, culminating in the two performances next week. “It was a surprise, a nice surprise,” said Ms. Gindra, to see how quickly the small ensemble she had envisioned had grown into such a good-sized orchestra. She, like other members of the group, were pleased with Mr. Yankee’s direction. Laura Tutino, also a member of the orchestra’s board, said she was very impressed with Mr. Yankee’s “ability to select music appropriate for the group, interpret it musically, and bring out the best in the individual players.”
Ms. Tutino began piano and violin lessons as a young child and studied violin in college. She played with the Cosmopolitan Young People’s Symphony Orchestra and the Manhattan Symphony Orchestra and was concert mistress of her college orchestra at Lehman (now Hunter) College. Since then, she has played with many chamber music groups, and with her partner, Fritz Sonnichsen, also a violinist with the orchestra, frequently invites other musicians over to play. She is “excited about being in an orchestra again and having the opportunity to present good music to the local community.”
Orchestra member Liz Catapovic, a violinist, is also very enthusiastic. “I cannot say enough positive things about John Yankee. He has brought us a long way in a short time, with his infectiously cheerful attitude always present.”
Ms. Catapovic began violin lessons as an adult about 10 years ago, with her son. She says the orchestra has been a wonderful experience. “Everyone has been very supportive and welcoming. I have made some new friends and really look forward to each rehearsal. My confidence is growing as we are beginning to sound quite good as a group. There are a lot of very talented players and a great team spirit. The group is truly cross-generational and a mix of people with all different interests.”
Being in the orchestra is not easy, however. “The sheer quantity has been difficult for me,” she said, “but slowly, with a lot of extra work, it is coming. I know that it will become easier as I get used to the whole orchestra process. It has been great for my playing skills as well as my reading and counting. . . . I just enjoy each time I play and each bit of progress I make. I play purely because it makes me happy.”
Fran McLean plays flute in the orchestra, and this is her first orchestra experience, though she also plays in Falmouth Town Band and the Falmouth Flute Choir. “This is a learning experience quite different from either Town Band or Flute Choir,” she said. “It is more demanding, but the conductor is very encouraging. He has a great sense of humor.”
Ms. McLean took up the flute as an adult. “The best thing I did was to pick up my daughter’s long-unused flute and make a decision to find a teacher and learn to play. From duets with my teacher, Mary Sholkovitz [now a cellist in the orchestra], I went to Flute Choir, to Town Band, to orchestra. This is fun!” She also has appreciation for the work of the orchestra’s board members. “The unselfish work the organizers have put in to bring this orchestra to its premier performance is amazing. I thank them for their kind invitation to play.”
Board members include Ms. Gindra, Ms. Knox, Ms. Tutino, Mr. Sonnichsen, cellist Wendy Gabriel, violinist Hilde Maingay, and me (I play the cello). “A lot of effort has gone into the organization of the orchestra,” said Ms. Tutino. “We are lucky to have gathered together a great group of people who work together well and who are committed to a common goal.”
In addition to full orchestra performances, members have performed in smaller ensembles at local events throughout the summer and fall, including a fundraiser screening of the film “Radio Cape Cod,” the Falmouth ArtMarket, the Barnstable County Harvest Festival, and the West Falmouth Library. For more information about the orchestra concert or playing in the orchestra, contact Ms. Gindra at 508-540-1896.
The Beatles Come to Cape Cod
Classical Mystery Tour
By MARILYN J. ROWLAND
Originally published in the Falmouth Enterprise on Friday, October 17, 2008.
The Beatles came to the Barnstable High School Performing Arts Center in Hyannis last Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon, in the form of the Classical Mystery Tour, a Beatles tribute band that specializes in performing with local symphony orchestras. The concert was the first in this season’s series of Pops concerts presented by Maestro Jung-Ho Pak and the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra. The multi-generational crowd went wild, offering up not one, but three energetic standing ovations, singing and clapping along on cue, and having a glorious time, some remembering the magic of 40-plus years ago, and others feeling the energy of a “live” Beatles performance for perhaps the first time.
A Beatles orchestra performance may seem odd at first because the Beatles never performed live with an orchestra, but many Beatles songs were written for various degrees of orchestration and recorded with accompanying violins, cellos, horns, saxophones, and piccolo trumpets. “Eleanor Rigby,” for instance, was recorded with a double string quartet—no guitars at all, while trumpets add festivity to “Penny Lane.”
Some songs incorporated more instruments than others. According to Wikipedia, “Hey Jude” was recorded with an orchestra consisting of 10 violins, three violas, three cellos, two flutes, one contra bassoon, one bassoon, two clarinets, one contra bass clarinet, four trumpets, four trombones, two horns, percussion, and two string basses. In the original, the orchestra clapped their hands and sang along to the chorus. “All You Need Is Love” has a similar orchestral backup and includes snippets of classical works amid the melody.
Last weekend’s concerts began with an orchestral medley of some of the Beatles’ big hits. Mr. Pak conducted with verve and passion, but the orchestra-only rendition was missing some of the magic I had come to hear.
Finally the Beatles (Jim Owen as John Lennon, Tony Kishman as Paul McCartney, Tom Teeley as George Harrison, and Chris Camilleri as Ringo Starr) bounded out onto the stage, with almost enough energy for me to imagine that they really were the Beatles. They were all good musicians; the drummer was particularly impressive, and it was remarkable how much each singer looked and sounded like his Beatles character. Their costumes added to the illusion, beginning with their tailored suits, moving to Sgt. Pepper band uniforms, and finally to individual costumes, including a cream-colored suit, granny glasses, and longer hair for John. More use might have been made of a large screen behind the orchestra, which only occasionally displayed different colors, ripples on the water, or a peace sign.
The songs were all familiar to the audience and well-received. I was a little disappointed though, wanting the singers to be more like Beatles, to sound more like them, to sing with more characteristic harmonies, move more like them, express the Beatles’ quirky sense of humor more often, and to call each other John, Paul, George, and Ringo, not their real names. There was an occasional odd joke; toward the end, “John” said, “We only have time for a few more songs, and this song is one of them.” You probably had to have been there. It was funny in a nice Beatles-like deadpan way.
Highlights included Mr. Kishman’s rendition of “Yesterday” as Paul, with acoustic guitar and strings, which was appropriately tender. Good use of the orchestra was made on “All You Need Is Love,” and the trumpets were delightful in “Penny Lane.” I also enjoyed “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” for its varied and creative use of the orchestral instruments. “Eleanor Rigby” was satisfying, featuring string players. There was a nice echo effect in “A Day in the Life,” and the intensifying crescendo was excellent.
“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” included some impressive guitar playing (Eric Clapton played guitar in the recorded version) and some psychedelic musical effects. Mr. Kishman also took the lead in “Long and Winding Road,” looking and sounding remarkably like Paul McCartney at the piano, with most of the orchestra playing. As John, Mr. Owen did a good job on “Imagine.” “Hey Jude” was played as an encore, the overhead disco light flashing, and the entire audience enthusiastically singing along.
My main complaint was the sound system. The amplification of the guitars was excessive, obscuring more delicate and varied contributions of the orchestra, and the singers seemed to want to belt out every song, rather than offering some of the more nuanced renditions. All the rock equipment: guitars, microphones, amplifiers, and drums tended to hide the orchestra from view as well.
Jung-Ho Pak looked great in his Sgt. Pepper jacket, though, and he seemed to be doing a magnificent job conducting the orchestra, or various elements of it, through the performance.
