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| Madelyn Wanner, mezzo-soprano |
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Bowie Center for the Performing Arts, Bowie, MD
Charles Ellis, conductor – Madelyn Wanner, mezzo-soprano
Stravinsky Pulcinella Suite
Mahler Songs of a Wayfarer
Mozart Symphony No. 41 in C
Major, K. 551
Last night's concert by the Prince George's County
Philharmonic consisted of three works, two of which are on my personal top ten
list, Stravinsky's Pulcinella and
Mozart's great final symphony, the Jupiter.
That is not to slight by any means, the early work of the great
conductor-composer Gustav Mahler.
The concert featured an
absolutely wonderful artist, Madelyn Wanner. Her musical abilities were
showcased by the low-voiced orchestral song cycle, Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen of Mahler. Known in English as the 'Songs of a Wayfarer',
this setting of four texts by the
composer often reminds me of the German Sturm
und Drang movement so well captured in literature by Goethe's Die Leiden des jungen Werthers (The
Sorrows of Young Werther). This is to say that Mahler can be both 'classical'
heavy and exhilarating at the same time. Mezzo-soprano
Madelyn Wanner who has performed in scenes from Hansel and Gretel with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra rose to the
challenge with her moving renditions of the four movements' texts.
Her performance was supported and highlighted by the
orchestra creating an exciting ensemble performance. Ms. Wanner's voice shone forth supported by
the orchestra, and at times became one with the Philharmonic when the scoring
demanded it. I still can hear the moment in the second movement when the
soloist first joined the instruments. At
that instance, I thought there was an entire choir present, so well did her
great controlled and yet expansive voice and the orchestra’s musicianship blend
in seamlessly. The magical effect which at once demonstrated the high level of
technical musicianship and artistry of Ms. Wanner and the Philharmonic was, in
no small part, due to Mahler's extraordinary command of orchestration.
The skilled partnership of the orchestra and Ms. Wanner, for
me, was extraordinary. I know this piece of music as a pianist, and am aware of
how easily the complex sonorities of the instrumental parts could become only an
accompaniment rather than a true ensemble performance. That both the orchestra
and Ms. Wanner could soar musically together once more shows the unquestioned
musicianship and artistic command of the conductor, Mr. Ellis.
The second half of the concert was devoted to Mozart and one
of the pinnacles of western music, Symphony
No. 41 in C Major, K. 551. The
Philharmonic literally pulled out all the stops - when it came to the brass
section. When my knowledge of the score called for ringing sonorities, the
brass section met all expectations. There were moments, throughout when I
personally would have liked a little tempering, but this was minor and a matter
of interpretation, for the brass and the conductor were one last night.
I also took notice of the string section from the very start
of the concert. Having reviewed now for several seasons, I can now say the
strings have some alive. They are a section of the orchestra that can hold its
own even when their colleagues in the brass are sounding brilliant, the new
improved string section is a delight. Now at last the clarion calls of the
brass section have met their match and formed a partnership with the strings.
This is in no way to leave out the woodwinds, the mainstay
and backbone of the Prince George's County Philharmonic since I have begun
attending. Effortlessly, the oboe sings,
the clarinets, flutes and bassoons brilliantly rise like comets across the
musical sky when composers call for their almost human voices in solo parts.
Last night also showed the technical proficiencies and masteries of the unsung
heroes of any orchestra - the percussion
section that 'quietly' drives the whole ensemble along.
I do note that there were a few entry challenges in the
first movement, second theme, of the Mozart, but this in no way detracted from
the overall effect. The second movement was sublime, the third appropriately
anticipatory and the final movement with its great double fugue an outstanding,
vibrant and moving finale to the night. It is hard to believe that this was the
Philharmonic's premiere of the great symphony; it should not be the last.
And so I arrive at the first piece on the program. I am particularly fond of this work, for I once
learned the piano and violin arrangement of the suite, and while doing so as
part of a music theory class, spent a
semester understanding how Stravinsky pulled it off. As a composer I am still trying 30 years
later to understand the genius of this piece of music. I say this because while
the individual sections and solo performances met for the most part critical
examination, in other words they met my personal
expectations and bias, something was missing.
I did not hear the thrill that still is with me even when I sit down
alone and play through parts of the score.
The performance did not hang together for reasons I cannot quite put my
finger on. Yes there were a few metric missteps, but not enough to cause me to
assign these technical challenges. Mr. Ellis' tempos were what I expected so
that was not the problem. The soul of
the piece was missing. Perhaps that is
because I am too close to the music, for the audience was so enamored they
started clapping right after the end of the very first movement. My sense is
that the audience thought this a brilliantly performed start to an even more
spectacular evening.
As I say after each performance, the Prince George's
Philharmonic is hidden gem in a crown of hidden-in -plain-sight resources in
Prince George's County. The performance last night was well attended, but there
are 900,000 residents in Prince George's most of whom missed this
chance to hear and enjoy yet another brilliant concert right here in Prince
George's County.
From the Prince George's Philharmonic
by permission: "QuarterNotes" News
and Events of the Prince George's Philharmonic for November 2013
Guest Artist Interview with Madelyn Wanner
by
Susan Pearl
Quarter
Notes: Thank you, Ms. Wanner, for taking the time to talk to me. We very much
look forward to performing the Mahler "Songs of a Wayfarer" with you
at our November 23 concert. Could you start by telling a little bit about your
background and training?
Madelyn
Wanner: I did my undergraduate work in vocal performance at Peabody in
Baltimore, and then completed my Master of Arts degree at the University of
Maryland School of Music where I studied with mezzo-soprano Delores Ziegler.
QN:
Are you from the Baltimore area?
MW:
No, I come from the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, area - from a town, New Holland,
which has the second oldest concert band in the United States! I used to play
the flute in that band, but now I occasionally go back to New Holland to sing
patriotic music with them.
QN:
That sounds like great fun! But I suspect that most of your singing is not with
concert bands.
MW:
That's right. I enjoy singing opera, and have recently performed in Die
Fledermaus, Carmen, and La Clemenza de Tito. I think it is important to sing
both opera and art songs, and I am glad to be doing these Mahler songs.
QN:
And how did you make connections with our Maestro Ellis and the Prince George's
Philharmonic?
MW:
When Maestro Ellis was planning this season, and looking for a mezzo, he asked
my teacher, Delores Ziegler, and she recommended me. [Delores Ziegler sang the
Beethoven Ninth Symphony with the Prince George's Philharmonic in April 2005.]
I've been out of school only a few years, and I am very happy to be performing
with the Philharmonic.
QN:
And we are delighted to be performing with you, and especially doing the
Mahler! Just last spring we performed Mahler's First Symphony, in which Mahler
used some of the themes from these songs, so for us it is a wonderful return to
this exquisite music. Please tell us some of your experience with these Mahler
songs, and your feelings about them.
MW:
They are indeed wonderful songs! I sang the first two songs when I was a
19-year-old undergraduate. My teacher at the time told me that life experience
is needed to really perform these pieces. At the time I was most concerned with
figuring out how to sing, so I didn't give her comment too much thought. When I
started preparing them again for this concert, I finally understood what she
meant. It has been interesting for me to look at these pieces from a new
perspective. They are amazing songs, and I am excited to be performing them!
QN:
And we very much look forward to performing them with you on November 23. Thank
you so much!
