Reviews: Ireland

THE ULSTER GAZETTE, Thursday, 14th November, 1996

ARTS ROUNDUP, OHIO QUINTET VISITS ARMAGH DURING WHIRLWIND TOUR, Music review by Susan Hewitt

Friday night's concert in Armagh Royal School, the second of the present "Music in Armagh" series featured Kent Camerata, an unusual combination comprising of soprano, mezzo soprano, bassoon, viola and piano.

The members of the group are all professional musicians based in Ohio. Together they have wide experience in teaching, performing and recording, and all were warmly received by an enthusiastic Armagh audience.

The programme featured a wide variety of musical styles with something, I imagine, to suit most tastes. CPE Bach's Trio in F major was the opening item and provided a pleasant, relaxed start to the evening.

This was followed by Bach's Wedding Cantata, performed by soprano Jane Dressler who has sung in many venues worldwide, including New York's Carnegie Hall.

Following requests to learn more about American music, the group played a piece by William Presser. This was written for viola and bassoon, an unusual combination but quite a pleasant and interesting one.

A selection of songs by Dvorák followed. These had been written for a friend, Mrs. Neff in Prague and became known to Brahms who became and remained a friend of the young composer. Of these, the lively and spirited  Der Kleine Acker was my personal favorite.

The second half of the evening got under way with the humorous setting of Emily Dickenson's poem, "I'm nobody," a moment of lightness in an otherwise serious programme.

Mozart's Sonata in B-flat major was much appreciated by the audience. Here David DeBolt demonstrated great agility on the bassoon and an instrument often regarded as the clown of the orchestra was perhaps seen in a different light by many.

Variety was certainly a feature of this second half- 3 atmospheric "Hermit Songs”by Samual Barber followed - these were new to me and probably  to most of the audience.

The final item, Bach's Cantata No.8 "We're hurrying to serve the Lord" was the only item to feature all five artists and concluded the evening's entertainment.