Music review: Horne faculty recital
Timeless Stephen Foster songs reviewer’s favorites
March 26, 2008
by Peter Jacobi
In a recital of songs, favorites crop up. They’ll differ from listener to listener. But they’ll rise like cream to soothe or excite because something about them or about their performance turns out to be distinctive.
During Monday evening’s faculty recital by tenor Brian Horne, with colleague Edwin Penhorwood musically simpatico at the piano, there was juicy repertoire from which to choose: French chansons by Gabriel Faure, German lieder by Richard Strauss, Cuban delights by Ernesto Lecuona, English hymns by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Horne sang them ever so well in his light, bright tenor, adding to the impact by giving considered and considerable attention to technical detail and emotional possibilities.
But for this listener, what came last had the greatest impact on ears and heart. His voice exuding radiant lyricism, Horne delivered with exquisite clarity and ever so naturally five songs of Stephen Foster, as arranged fetchingly by recital partner Penhorwood. One heard a variety: the rhapsodic “Beautiful Dreamer” and “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair,” the cheerful “Ring, Ring the Banjo” and “Camptown Races,” the reflective “Why, No One to Love.”
And one thought, why haven’t these wonderful, melody-rich, evocative songs remained more prominent? Why aren’t recitalists using them? Why aren’t we hearing them round and about? They’re products of our history and still capable, when performed stylistically and honestly, of bringing joy and satisfaction. Old fashioned? No, they’re timeless. Bravo to Horne and Penhorwood for bringing them to our attention.
When the concert began, it took a song or so for Horne’s tenor to warm to Faure’s “Poeme d’un jour,” three fragrant pieces, what else, of love and parting, but by the time he got to the third, “Adieu,” set with restrained passion to words of Charles Grandmougin (“One believed in being faithful to you, cruel one, but alas, the longest loves are short!”), Horne was fully into his material, vocally and emotionally.
His voice is not large, but it is beautifully produced and strategically placed, perfectly suited for the recital stage. He certainly showed these strengths while singing four lieder of Strauss, particularly in the compelling “Ich trage meine Minne” (“I Carry My Love”) and the ecstatic “Cacilie.”
The Lecuona songs proved a delicious repast, with the spirit of dance built into them: a seductive “Damisela encantadora” (“Enchanting Young Lady”), a riveting “La Comparsa” (“The Carnival Procession”), an entrancingly romantic “Siempre en mi Corazon” (“Always in My Heart”) and the popular “Malaguena.” Lecuona shares with Stephen Foster a gift for recognizable, singable melody.
Both should be taken more seriously than they are.
For Vaughan Williams’ Four Hymns for Tenor, Viola and Piano, Horne and Penhorwood welcomed to the stage Craig Bate and the plaintive sounds of his viola. The hymns, written in 1914 and which include “Lord! Come Away!” and “Come Love, Come Lord,” exude a devotional spirit that the performers effectively captured.
The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music would like
to thank the Herald Times for permission to republish this review.
