With the Gardner-Webb Composers

WITH THE GARDNER-WEBB COMPOSERS

Thurs. 4-30-2015

A program of pieces composed by Gardner-Webb music students and faculty was performed last Thursday April 23rd, 8 p.m. to enthusiastic applause in Dover Theater.  Featuring works by four current students, a recent alumnus, and two members of the music faculty, the program opened with Christian Jessup's rapturously melodic Falling for Her, a piano duet which practically sang, propelled (as noted in the program notes) by a sixteenth-note ostinato, the piece bouncily executed by the composer and Dr. Bruce Moser.

Next up, two of the three movements of Nathaniel Parks' Three Portraits of Nature -- the second duet movement (Beneath the Trees), for piano and what?  For piano and a marimba on steroids, my audience-neighbor described it -- performed by the composer and Christian Jessup -- and the third movement for solo piano (Rain), performed by Dr. Moser.  The program notes for Rain evoke (without naming it) the atmosphere of the fourth movement of Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony.

Parks' piece segued to Dr. Moser's piece, entitled Isaiah 43:1-3.  Your reviewer's ear did not  identify the Bible version set, but here at random is the Holman Christian Standard version: Now this is what the Lord says -- the One who created you, Jacob, and the One who formed you, Israel -- "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.  I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and [when you pass] through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you.  You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you.  For I the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel and your Savior, give Egypt a ransom for you, Cush and Seba in your place."  Dedicated to the composer's grandmother, this evocative piece is for tenor (Matthew Lineberger, with some impressive sustained notes), 'cello (Greg Weneck), and piano (the composer).

As suggested by its German title, Dr. Matt Whitfield's Nicht so Schnell, Mein Freund was a pensive Lento-Largo-Lento for clarinet (the composer) and piano (Dr. Moser) on a tone row paying homage to Schoenberg, Webern, and Berg, with the clarinet contributing an unexpected and graceful sweetness to the austere technique of composition.

"Not So Fast, My Friend" was followed by Tyler Scruggs' Starlight, scored for three flutes (Katie Duncan, Natasha Puplichhuisen, and Omar Wingo) and harp (Hannah Blalock), with composer conducting.  This was a party in the top end of the scale.  The unexpected instrumentation was a treat, with the quiet but authoritative harp balancing the pulsing sound of the flutes.

Colt Cooper's "No. 1" brought the largest ensemble to the stage, a septet consisting of alto saxophone (Paul Singh) and flute (Katie Duncan) with string quintet continuo (2 violins, viola, 'cello, double bass: Mallory Moore, Chrysalis Bridges, Matthew Wyatt, Bruce Moser, and Mason Beam), conducted by the composer.  Over the sustained and glittering spookiness emanating from the string quintet's long-held legato notes, Paul Singh and Katie Duncan alternated solos, combining at the end.  This reviewer felt the composer loved the saxophone best, feeding it the sweetest bits.  Anyway, this piece was one of my favorites.

The program concluded with two settings by Roger Lowe from a song cycle he composed to poems by Sara Jordan Caldwell.  The two songs we heard were sung by Dr. Jondra Harmon with a string quartet consisting of the top four fifths of Cooper's string ensemble remaining after Mason Beam toddled his upright bass offstage.  Caldwell's poems are the ironic and bittersweet musings of an inward-gazing lover walking, as it were, underwater, "paralyzed," two parts maesta (Latin sad) to one part maestosa (Italian majestic).  Lowe responds with a minor tone palette in a tentative, wistful hesitation-melody, executed coolly but intensely by Dr. Harmon.  Words and music ironically displayed the teamwork sadly lacking in the unrequited love that produced, working solo, the words.

Allowing for overlap, the performers included at least two Acafelons (Matthew W. and Nathaniel) and two of the propellers of Handel's lush tenor parts in the selections from The Messiah sung and played Sunday the 19th under Paul Etter's baton (Matthews L. and W.).  Seen in the audience: chair of the music faculty Patricia Sparti -- choirmaster Paul Etter -- the recently retired piano professor Carolyn Billings -- Tracy, Teresa, and Anna Jessup -- Will and Ruth Partain -- Tyler Scruggs' father -- Linda Greene, wife of composer Roger Lowe -- the mathematical Olga Poliakova, coming specially to hear her student Chrysalis Bridges -- poet Sara Jordan Caldwell -- a receptive group of students -- and other folks unnamable what with your reviewer's imperfect knowledge of our music scene.  The concert was a musical treat; it brought back very happy memories of the premiere of Seth Huber's Beowulf in '08.  Your reviewer regretted failing to show up for the similar program put on last spring -- a schedule conflict, or an irritating Alzheimer's moment?  I don't recall now -- but I look forward to a heapin' helpin' >nod to Flatt & Scruggs< again next year!!