When soprano Janet Williams walked out on stage, she brought with her an inner glow - an aura of beauty, brains, and superb musicianship. During her recital for the Mozart Society of California on Friday evening, May 22, at Sunset Center in Carmel, we heard a rare combination of technical mastery and innate musical intelligence. These qualities infused everything she sang with a vitality and freshness, elevating the evening to one of those memorable occasions that will linger long in the memory.
Assisting her in this recital was pianist David Gross, a musician of unusual sensitivity who proved equal to any challenge. His sure touch was tested in a variety of musical styles and never faltered. Gross has been appearing in recital with Ms. Williams for several years, and the success of this musical collaboration was everywhere evident.
The evening's program began with Mozart's
Exsultate, Jubilate. In this work, Ms. Williams displayed a natural feeling for Mozart's style. Her voice was light and airy, with a lovely clarity, impeccable intonation and excellent diction. In the final aria,
Alleluja she simply blew us away as her extraordinary facility made child's play of the difficult
fioriture passages in the climax.
The following group of songs by Mozart revealed a more intimate side of Ms. Williams' voice. Although the program notes stated, "Mozart's songs are not typical 'Lieder,' and they cannot be interpreted as such in the light of a later period, when Schubert brought the German Lied to maturity," I beg to disagree, as the first song presented by Ms. Williams (
An Chloé) demonstrated. This strophic song with its gentle accompaniment sounded for all the world as though it had come from Schubert's pen. In the familiar
Das Veilchen Ms. Williams found just the right balance between intimate narration and dramatic intensity to reveal the inner beauties of the song. Closing the first half of the program, Ms. Williams' superb rendition of
Schon lacht der holde Frühling made a strong impression, especially the lovely middle section in the minor.
After intermission came the most extraordinary part of the program - the Mirabai Songs by John Harbison. Mirabai's religious poetry evokes powerful images that have been captured with great skill by Harbison in a beautiful blend of well-crafted piano accompaniments and idiomatic vocal writing. Ms. Williams displayed a winning mixture of religious fervor and sensuality. Her vocal control was impressive as she revealed a wide range of emotions.
The program ended with three songs by Richard Strauss,
Ich wollt' ein Sträusslein binden, Nacht, and
Ständchen. Once again Ms. Williams wowed us with her fabulous control of dynamics and she molded and shaped each phrase exquisitely. Pianist David Gross deserved high marks for his sensitive collaboration, for Strauss can be very demanding in his piano parts.
Ms. Williams gave us kind of an encore by singing two spirituals which were not on the printed program. Here was yet another aspect of her vocal art - jazzy, bluesy, heartfelt renditions that brought the evening to a most satisfying conclusion.
This is the second program that the Mozart Society has presented in Sunset Center. Let's hope this is the beginning of the Society finding its true home, for this is the place it truly belongs. Sitting toward the rear of the hall, the acoustics were magnificent. And the Carmel Music Society's piano being in place at Sunset Center solves a problem that has often faced the Society in its former locations.
A word should be said about the Mozart Society's receptions. They have always provided a delightful opportunity for the audience to greet and talk with the artists, and on this occasion at least half of the audience turned up in Carpenter Hall to do just that. Incidentally, the evening's reception included what can only be described as an artistic display of
hors d'oeuvres that would have brought credit to a five-star restaurant.
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