Lawrence Brownlee & Martin Katz

Saturday February 7 - Hill Auditorium

Lawrence Brownlee is an up and coming Bel Canto tenor. It is arguable that he is soon to be big, or possibly he is already big.

His concert had featured, him singing tenor accompanied by local professor and accompanist of world renown Martin Katz. The program was separated into 2 halves each further divided into 3 sections. The Ann Arbor audience was also asked to NOT clap mid-section and to turn the pages of the insert with English words quietly. I will say on the whole the audience was well prepared for the show, and pleasant so on to the heart of the matter.

I also must add that with the stage mostly empty, UMS again presented a "vase of flowers" that was approximately 6 feet wide and 8 feet tall stage left. Although it looked appropriate, I would like to add that flowers of that size might very well look out of place in almost every other setting. Well done UMS, but at some point I think concerts are destined to become less formal events. Our two performers were dressed in white ties and tails, the audience was largely over 60 dressed in their Sunday suits.

I - Mozart - Misero, o sogno o son desto?, K. 431
This was Lawrence's warm-up which allowed him to show a little of what was to come. As he said in the master class singing Mozart is hard. It was clear that he was good and comfortable with this piece. His voice sang Italian masterfully and it is clear that he is fluent (or nearly so) in this language. The cadenza was most spectacular.

II - Duparc, Henri - Chason triste
This was the best part (and longest) of the first half. These songs (chasons) are a true gem. I had never heard of them or Duparc before this concert but they were great. Although Mr. Brownlee was not as adept as singing in French as he is in Italian, the beauty of the line of these straightforward pieces was clear. He has an ability to connect to his audience.

III - Rossini - L'Italiana in Algeri
It was clear that this was programmed to impress. Well done Mr. Brownlee, this clearly achieved that goal. This was by far some of the single greatest singing I had heard.

Intermission

IV - Liszt - 3 Sonnetti di PetrarcaThis song set by Liszt performed in Italian, had some wonderful moments of clarity and elegance. His approach to this music was refreshing, as it appears that during the entire concert he was able to sing most of this as if it were written for him. He had a true sense of ownership, of the task at hand.

V - Donizetti - Ah, mes amis, quel jour de fete!
This was a military march that ended with a bit of barn-burner antics best left to the opera stage. Although expertly sung, this was a case when the translation of Opera to recital loses impact. I would have loved to hear this piece with full orchestra and with Mr. Brownlee in costume. Well maybe next time.

VI - Carter, John - Cantata
This was a new piece to me and a very interesting one. Some part African spiritual, some part modern classical. The intervals within the common melodies were unexpected. I was a particular fan of "Sometime I Feel Like a Motherless Child" which was stunning, and moving while being completely new and unexpected all at the same time. Not sure how he found these, but I would love to hear this interpreted by say Meassa Brueggergosman too. I think Brownlee and Katz got it right here, but there would be several approaches possible.

I should say that Katz's tempos and emphasis were crisp and refreshing. I am always humbled by a pianist that can bring out individual lines with as seemingly little effort as he did.