Allegro Shines With ‘Lights’
Allegro’s “Feast of Lights” Tuesday, Jan. 10, The Met
Allegro’s “Feast of Lights” program Tuesday was a polished presentation. The program stayed well within the confines of a small subset of the Baroque era: the light chamber Baroque.
Within those confines, however, the gently undulating tension and release of the period was revealed. This not only occurred for each selection but was carried over to the program as a whole.
Allegro’s guest soloists each made essential contributions to the subdued and refined mood. Violinist Ann Christensen displayed a quiet command and control over her instrument and alto Elizabeth Kopczynski’s voice was light but clear and assured.
Telemann and Bach were the mainstays of the evening, with some lesser-knowns completing the presentation. While the two Bach pieces were both well-known works, the three Telemann selections and the rest of the programming were less-familiar fare.
The “Air on the G String,” from Bach’s Orchestral Suite in D, was rendered by Allegro directors David Dutton on the oboe and Beverly Biggs at the harpsichord. This is so often heard that it can be trite and Dutton’s introduction was almost an apology for performing a tune everyone already knows.
No apology was necessary. Dutton played with a sweet sotto voce, complemented by a sensitive harpsichord accompaniment, which drew listeners forward to catch every nuance. This performance of the perennial tune was in no way redundant.
Dutton earned his stripes for technique in Telemann’s Advent Cantata “Vor des lichten Tages Schein” and Jean Jacques Mondonville’s G major Trio Sonata. He combined lyricism and technical prowess in the aria from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, “Bereite dich, Zion.” He has spent much time exploring the performance practices - articulations and ornamentations - peculiar to the Baroque period. The fruit of his research produced tasteful results in this long and demanding aria.
Kopczynski, too, found this Bach a wonderful vehicle. Her alto voice was not powerful but was pure and confident and appropriate for the material at hand and blended well with both the oboe and the violin.
Her command of German was evident in this aria as well as the two Telemann selections she sang. She sailed through the tongue-twisters in the Recitative of the Advent Cantata with ease.
Christensen’s command of the violin was evident throughout the evening. Hers was not the totalitarian flash and passion school of violin but more of a subtle and gentle firmness. As with all involved in the program, her playing was entirely appropriate for the task.
Her moment in the limelight came during the Sonata in D minor by Anne Danican-Philidor. Christensen said her initial interest in the piece was due to the fact that she thought the composer was a woman. Her enthusiasm obviously did not falter when she found that Anne was instead a man.
Kudos also to cellist Wayne Smith for his constant shadow role as part of the basso continuo and to Ann LaBarre, whose preconcert talk on the boundaries and limitations of our own world in a different era touched on concepts that helped the music transcend our time.