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International Solo Concert #2
By Dean | August 5, 2008
Paul: Dean and I are sitting in the back of the ballroom this time so we can see the big screens better and hopefully hear a bit more.
Dean: The first piece was performed by Sonata Criolla (Puerto Rico) under the direction of Carmen Jimenez Medina. The performed Sonido Bestial by Bobby Cruz arranged by Carmen M Jimenez. This is a very latin piece. They are using bells with drums. Their runs are amazing. They are a very active group. Movement is an integral part of their music. Everyone is bouncing along with the music. They are changing places, dancing and waving the Puerto Rican flag. What a great piece to start this concert.
Paul: It always amazes me how popular handbells are in Puerto Rico and how accomplished the choirs have become in such a short time. This original composition by a Puerto Rican composer is full of the flavor of Puerto Rico. Very syncopated melody line accompanied by congas, malleted bass bells. At one point during the song, the original melody transformed into a piece of classical repertoire (the title of which I am not remembering) while keeping the same syncopated conga line and bass line. VERY cool. There is lots of movement during this piece. Ringers are switching spots, dancing and waving flags. At one point, the entire middle got out of the way and the treble ringers rang down the table into the battery/upper bass.
Dean: The second piece was performed by Embellishments, Inc. (USA) under the direction of Phyllis Kirk. They performed Good Vibrations by Brian Wilson, Mike Love arranged by Matthew Prins. Here we go folks. Time for the funny costumes and silly hats. They are dancing. I would not mind a little silliness but the music is suffering. There are times when the melody line gets a little lost in amongst everything else that is happening. I would like to look at the arrangement of this piece. I think there is a lot more that could be done musically that would make it better.
Paul: Hey, it’s a Matthew Prins song. How Exciting! I groan as they don Hawaiian shirts, lei’s, and sunglasses. Unlike the Puerto Rican group whose dancing seemed to energize and appropriately accompany the music, the dancing in this group seems to derail the flow of the song. The sections where they are focusing on ringing go well and I enjoy the use of the mellow chimes and malleted bass to imitate the unique Beach Boys sound.
Dean: The third piece was performed by Wallingford Ringers (UK) under the direction of Alan Cooper. They performed Sassy by Kathleen Wissinger. This group is a quartet. The costumes continue. They are playing very well. The dynamic range is wonderful. With a smaller group like this, its easy to ignore the finer points in the music because you are so busy. I’m glad they took the time to get all those finer parts.
Paul: This piece is a quartet written by Kathleen Wissenger. This sounds like a very fun piece to play, although you wouldn’t know it by looking at their faces. Dynamics and musicality in this group is very good. They really understand what parts to bring out and how the melody works. The melody is very interesting as it uses a lot of minor seconds played together in grace notes. Overall, a very good performance with some nice musical moments.
Dean: The forth piece was a solo by Susan Hitch. She performed A Military Medley! by Susan Hitch. She is playing her solo with pre-recorded accompaniment. I am usually not a fan of patriotic music on handbells, but I do like this piece. She has arranged it so that the piece moves from one melody to the next, long before it gets old. She has moved into the more lyrical part of the piece. Her movements are much smoother now. I am always amazed that someone can play solos on handbells. The music was wonderful.
Paul: The performer arranged this piece herself (as many solo ringers are doing now). The medley begins with Stars and stripes Forever, and then Reverie is introduced as a transition. Other selections from this medley are: Anchor’s Away…Over There…From the shores of Montezuma done fast and then slow and lyrical in thirds…Solid Rock…Taps is done standing still holding 4iH…Star Spangled Banner ends this very creative and well crafted medley of patriotic hymns.
Dean: There was an addition to the program. The Korean Handbell Team will perform The Nutcracker arranged Kevin McChesney. It seems that all handbell concerts need to include either something from the Nutcracker or Phantom of the Opera. I was hoping that we would make it through this event with out one of those pieces. With that said. They are doing an amazing job with this piece. Their runs, whether malleted or rung, were very smooth and I could hear every note. The Russian Dance was simply amazing. The flow between member and their control over the dynamics made this over done piece of music a pleasure to listen to.
Paul: I am done with hearing this piece on bells. Yes it works well and yes it sounds nice, but it’s been done to death. This group from Korea has wonderful dynamics and musicality. The runs in Dance of the Sugarplum Faries are amazingly clean followed by a long and well done crescendo. The Chinese Dance melody is done mainly on chimes with the treble bells echoing on the off beats. Clean martellatos always amaze me and this group does not disappoint. They are so clean, close to the table and exact that it sounds as if one person is playing all of them. Once again proving that marts need to stay close to the tables and lean into them in order to be executed successfully.
Dean: The fifth piece was performed by Rejoice Ringers (USA) under the direction of Debbie Rice. They performed Grazioso by Arnold B. Sherman. I LOVE this piece. The group is watching the director and following every move she makes. The addition of Silver Melody Bells was a nice twist. Something I was not expecting. Again, I am coming back to how well this group watches their director. The pauses, stretches and slight tempo changes really make this piece wonderful. It is rare that I am brought to tears by handbell music, especially songs that I know. This was the performance of this piece I have ever heard. They added the 6th and 7th octave of chimes. WOW. Chills, tears and a sense of awe. I am so glad I was here to hear that performance.
Paul: Next comes one of my favorite pieces, Grazioso. As is the custom of Debbie Rice, she uses many different “voices” in the handbell choir. The second time we hear the melody it is played on silver melody bells creating a very shimmery sound. This group is doing an absolutely amazing job of watching their director and following every little nuance that she has given them. The addition of the silver melody bells gives this song a sort of old-other-worldly quality. Doubling the last chord on bells and chimes was a nice touch, it rounded out the sound and made it feel a bit softer around the edges.
Dean: The sixth piece was a solo by Kevin M. Ko. He performed Via Dolorosa by Niles Borop arranged by Kevin M. Ko. Watching Kevin perform, he dances with his bells. Each movement enhances the performance. He is using a 6 in hand technique. The dynamics and phrasing of this piece is wonderful. The only thing that is taking me out of the moment, is the pre-recorded accompaniment. An amazing piece. He is one of two soloist that I have seen that have truly taken their ringing to the next level.
Paul: Kevin Ko is performing a solo that he arranged himself. The piece in general uses a lot of 6in hand which is expertly executed as he is ringing and damping bells in the same hand. Kevin has a very stylistic way of ringing, it’s very much like a dance. It is clear that he really has taken this music and internalized it. As the middle portion becomes more stately and slower, his movements become more precise and less flow-y. I have to say that I would watch an entire concert of this guy in a heartbeat! What an amazingly engaging solo ringer. Probably one of the best I’ve ever seen.
Dean: The seventh piece was performed by the Timberline Handbell Ensemble (USA) under the direction of Caroline Mallory. They performed Bandelier by Tammy W Rawlinson. Flute by Jenny Cauhorn. It starts with flute and wind chimes. I love wind chimes. The group is doing a great job blending with the flute. I think this is the first time I have heard White Chappel bells played with another C instrument. I am wondering about the blending of the White Chappel bells with the Flute. There are very different overtones and undertones with these bells. I think they are a little distracting. I would love to hear this piece again on Schulmerick bells. With that aside, they are playing the piece wonderfully. The control over the dynamics and their ability to follow the flute makes this piece.
Paul: Tammy Rawlinson is not a name I’m familiar with, but she composed this next piece. Jenny Cauhorn begins this piece on flute that has a very Native American flavor. A minute into the song, it takes a deceptive turn as it goes into a melody very unlike the free-random character of the section before it. The middle section of the song again is quite a contrast from the section before it. It is very up-tempo, major and malleted in the bass with the flute melody doing flutter tonguing. Now back to the slow, minor section that feels very random and free as at the very beginning. What an odd piece. Jenny is doing an amazing job of staying tuned with the White Chappel bells, not an easy task. This is a very long piece, it’s like they went back to the beginning and started again.
Dean: The final piece was performed by the Kinjo Gakuin University Handbell Choir (Japan) under the direction of Toshikazu Yoshida. They performed Disney Fantasy Bell on Parade by G.Kingsley, S. Fain, F. Churchill, A. Menken arranged by Toshikazu Yoshida. They are really nailing the 16th notes. I love hearing every note and those notes being placed exactly where they need to be. WOW a glissando. After that performance, I have to wonder why the Universities in the US are afraid of handbells.
Paul: An arrangement of Disney songs by the director. Lots of 16th notes in the melody of the first song and this choir is doing a flawless job of executing them. This piece will also be performed at the final Seminar concert. So far they have played 2 Disney songs that I am not familiar with. Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf is the first song that I’ve recognized so far. There is music on the tables, but it doesn’t appear like any of them are watching it. Part of That World from Little Mermaid is next. Changing from 4/4 to 6/8 without even a hiccup…OMG there was just a glissando that made me fall out of my chair. They have 18 ringers which means no Shelley or 4iH which is perhaps the reason the glissando was so brilliant.
Tomorrow’s Concert Lineup (Wednesday, August 6): International Solo Concert #3 at 12:55 PM Eastern. Ring of Fire Opening Concert for Distinctly Teen at 7:30 PM. Watch for our posts later in the evening.
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August 5th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Hey, it’s one of my songs! How exciting!
Seriously, though, this is about as high-profile a performance as any of my pieces have had, so I’m thrilled that Embellishments chose to perform “Good Vibrations” at the International Symposium. (I knew they were performing the piece at their spring concert, but I didn’t know anything about this.)
Not being in Orlando for either conference, I didn’t hear the performance, but I will say that the chorus is so stacked with different musical lines (five, I think — blame/credit Wilson and Love, not me) that unless you both bring out the melody and play precisely, there’s a decent chance the chorus will get somewhat muddled. The SoundPrint folks did a good job with their “recording”, I think, although I might have brought out the top line just slightly more.
Oh, and Dean, send me your address after Orlando’s done and I’ll comp you a copy of “Good Vibrations” to take a look at.