Category: music peformance

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A Boy Is Born

The Tallis Scholars, Boston Early Music Festival, St Paul’s Church, Cambridge. December 12, 2015.

Music by John Sheppard, Thomas Tallis, and Arvo Pärt. The Seven Antiphons were bracing. The singers’ voices were crystalline, and the venue seemed to vibrate with the sound.

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Handel’s Messiah with period instruments, countertenor

Boston Baroque, Jordan Hall. December 11, 2015

I decided to attend this performance because there was a single seat available in the center of the first row, and because the alto soloist was a countertenor. Both turned out to be great reasons!

The soloists were Jeanine De Bique, soprano; Christopher Lowrey, countertenor; Thomas Cooley, tenor; and Dashon Burton, bass-baritone. Both Lowrey and Burton were magnificent. Lowrey’s ornamentation was especially fluid.

The conductor-harpsichordist's score was placed on the stage while the instrument was being tuned at the intermission.
The conductor-harpsichordist’s score was placed on the stage while the instrument was being tuned at the intermission.
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Handel’s Acis and Galatea

Boston Early Music Festival, Jordan Hall. November 28, 2015.

I was interested in seeing Douglas Williams again, and I enjoyed him in the role of Alexander Pope/Polyphemus. The standout for me was Mark Williams (John Gay/Coridon) singing “Would you gain the tender Creature.”

The poor harpsichordist spent most of the interval retuning.

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