Symphony
SADAVA CONDUCTS ELEGANT SO CO PHIL INAUGURAL CONCERT
by Terry McNeill
Sunday, September 17, 2023
Chamber
POTENT SCRIABIN INTERPRETATIONS AT SPRING LAKE VILLAGE RECITAL
by Terry McNeill
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Symphony
ODYSSEY IN THE SEARCH FOR YUNCHAN AT HOLLYWOOD BOWL
by Abby Wasserman
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Chamber
VOM FESTIVAL'S CLOSING CONCERT A CELEBRATION FOR STRINGS
by Terry McNeill
Sunday, July 30, 2023
Chamber
RITE OF SPRING FOR 88 KEYS AT VOM FESTIVAL
by Pamela Hick Gailey
Saturday, July 29, 2023
Choral and Vocal
A POET'S LOVE SONG CYCLE AT VOM FESTIVAL JULY 27
by Elly Lichenstein
Thursday, July 27, 2023
Other
CHARMING "BARBER" A MENDO FESTIVAL TRIUMPH
by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Friday, July 21, 2023
Recital
RARE RAVEL IN MENDO FESTIVAL'S PRESTON HALL
by Terry McNeill
Thursday, July 20, 2023
SCHUMANN QUINTET PERFORMANCE RESCUES VOM FESTIVAL'S SECOND CONCERT
by Terry McNeill
Sunday, July 16, 2023
Chamber
VOM PLAYERS STRIP DOWN A SYMPHONY
by Abby Wasserman
Saturday, July 15, 2023
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 Goodhart, Neese, Ellis, Tolstova, Schoenthal, Wright, Flor in Sebastopol |
MUSICAL IMAGES A LA FLOR ET AL
by Terry McNeill
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Laureano Flor is a bit of a Renaissance man: pianist, concert producer, computer-science teacher, sartorial personage. Many of his manifold talents were in place on Valentine's Day in a multi-performer concert for 75 in the renovated Sebastopol Center for the Arts.
The program's title, "Images of Music," was apt, with three of 19th-century landscape painter Frederick Church's works providing the backdrop for three of composer Daniel Baldwin's bucolic and plaintive pieces. Performed by clarinetist Carla Schoenthal, bassoonist Karen Wright, French hornist Ben Robinson and Mr. Floor, the musical atmosphere was at turns minimalistic and even New Age, Mr. Flor's playing giving a murmuring and mysterious foundation to the lofty wind instruments above.
Pianist Charlotte Ellis joined Mr. Flor for two short Rachmaninoff works, the slow movements (Op. 5, No. 3, and Op.17, No. 3) from the popular Two Suites for two pianos. Slow was the operative term, the pianists squeezing every drop of emotion from the two circa 1900 pieces to the detriment of majesty and contrast. Tatyana Goodhart was the next artist to play with the ubiquitous Mr. Floor, in Ravel's arrangement of two of Debussy's orchestra nocturnes, "Nuages" and "Fetes." The tempos selected were again slow, and the balances favored the larger stage piano, with Ms. Goodhart performing the filigree of "Nuages" elegantly.
The remaining eight works on the program brought various singers to the mix, with Ms. Ellis, Ms. Goodhart and Mr. Flor taking the piano parts. Of special interest were soprano Bethany Neese and tenor Adrian Boyer in the "Recuerdo" song by Charlotte Ellis, and the final three short songs with Ms. Goodhart and soprano Marina Tolstova. Ms. Tolstova's operatic voice tended to overshadow the evening's other vocalists and overpower Rachmaninoff's "A Dream" (Op. 8, No.7) and "Spring Waters" (Op. 14, No. 11). The resolute Russian soprano finished the concert with a thrilling "O Mio Babbino Caro" from Puccini's opera "Gianni Schicchi," her voice at times sliding between notes. Although powerful in sound, it lacked tonal warmth and charm.
Since late 2012, the Arts Center has been in the remodeled Sonoma County Veterans Hall in downtown Sebastopol, an ideal setting for public concerts and social events. Executive Director Linda Galleta and Mr. Flor make an ideal pair to stimulate productions of live music in this semi-cozy venue.
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