The first of the Carmel Bach Festival's three Twilight Concerts at the Church in the Forest at RLS opened on Wednesday, July 22, under dull, foggy skies. However, there was nothing dull or foggy about the performances we heard that afternoon
The concert opened with a sparkling performance of the Mozart String Quartet in C Major, K. 157. The players were four young performers from California Summer Music, violinists Carla Brasch and Denise Wong, violists Tom Price and cellist Sunny Hong. Their talents would grace any festival, anywhere in the world. Sensitive musicianship, secure technique, fine intonation and a loving attitude toward the music characterized their playing. The four musicians played well together as an ensemble and underscored many lovely details in the Mozart Quartet, especially in the heartfelt
Andante second movement
It is always a powerful experience to hear the San Francisco Boys Choir under the direction of its conductor, Ian Robertson, for this choir is a marvel. Its clarity, rhythmic precision and tonal purity contributed to a lovely performance of the aria from Bach's Cantata BWV 78,
Jesu, der du meine Seele, which bubbled along and overflowed with an infectious joyful spirit
In the following work, Mozart's
Ave Verum Corpus, K. 618, the Boy's Choir was joined by members of the Bach Festival Chorale: tenors Jody Golightly, Sean McDermott, Scott Whitaker and countertenor George Sterne. And what a powerful, moving performance it was! The audience was amused by the happy coincidence of hearing, just at the moment conductor Ian Robertson cut off the last note of the work, the powerful chimes of the Church in the Forest beginning to toll the hour of six o'clock. It couldn't have been better timed had it been planned.
The longest work on the program was a performance of Mozart's
Quartet in B-flat Major, K. 548. Once again we were privileged to hear the outstanding talents of another four young string players from California Summer Music. This fine ensemble consisted of violinists Yumi Sagiuchi and Davina Hong, violist Josh Singer and cellist Paul Wianko. This quartet, written in the final years before his death, is a work of consummate maturity, and these fine young players performed it with considerable authority and a nice sense of style. The
Adagio movement provided the ensemble's best moments and created a magic spell that carried over into the finale
But, the best was still yet to come. The concert closed with a performance of Mozart's
Missa brevis in C Major, K. 220. The San Francisco Boys Choir was joined by members of the Bach Festival Chorale and Orchestra and featured soloists soprano Chris Evans, alto Erik Dorey, tenor Scott Whitaker and bass Tom Hart. It was a splendid performance, full of admirable details, and it received a storm of applause at its conclusion.
The Twilight Concert Series continues on July 29 in a fascinating program celebrating women composers of the Baroque. Don't miss it!
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