The BACH walk; 6 suites, 4 instruments
It wasn't a march — that was Schubert. It certainly was not a parade — that was Erik Satie. As for a stroll — that would be Charles Williams! Yesterday was a walk about Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach; a definite stereotype of what was the 'Age of Enlightenment'. To classical music fans, it was the Baroque era, and almost exactly paralleled his life — i.e. 1685 to 1750.
Organized by The Gallery Players of Niagara, the afternoon visited six downtown locations with a solo performance at each visited venue. From the overture locale in the main library, to the finale at Silver Spire United, the perambulation was certainly not a marathon, but was somewhat of a challenge for this 'old fart' and my walker... especially schlepping it down the flight of steps behind the PAC to the School of Fine & Performing Arts, aka Stop no. 4.
My intromission was at the Mahtay Cafe and hearing, up close and personal — cellist Gordon Cleland. Not my first time, he and the other two musicians whose gigs I relished are all principals with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra and my initial article with the Arts Review was the NSO's paean to John Williams at the PAC.
The room was almost overcrowded with devotees who surprisingly applauded after each short movement. Us cultural snobs know that such behaviour can disturb a soloist, thus frowned upon. I put it down to over enthusiasm. Cleland is certainly a top drawer musician. His fingering is flawless and each note crystal clear. Acoustically, the room is just average, but the intimacy and warmth of tone was an added enhancement to the auditory senses. The instrument, (a viola on steroids) actually a violoncello, has four strings and is tonally set two octaves below middle C. Every such instrument I've met seemed to have no fine tuners! Endemic? A Jeopardy® hint, Bach wrote six suites for this instrument.
Then onward down the long staircase to SFPA and Cathi MacDonnell and her bassoon. Also a NSO member, her instrument is not the most popular as a solo piece of orchestral equipment. But, listen to Stravinsky's 'Rite of Spring', or Ravel's 'Bolero' and one will hear the instrument at its apex range. A bit of trivia I learned from Jeopardy®, the bassoon has nineteen feet of tubing if unwound!
Within MacDonnell's suite, the fourth theme is a somewhat familiar riff that to this audiophile, reminds one of that old worrisome problem with stuck needles and vinyl discs. It's also so melodically tonal as could be contemporary, just would need lyrics. MacDonnell seems to emphasize and dilates her pauses for great effect and accentuation. Working with a double reed is always challenging, so mastery of this instrument is demanding. She aced it and earned a standing ovation, even from those nearby youngsters who seemed totally engrossed with their cell phones throughout her performance.
My last musical oasis (physical fatigue and old age) was at Niagara's Artists Centre on St. Paul Street. Seated cheek-by-jowl with the venue's record collection, I felt right at home (Mine — classical & Broadway; theirs — popular). The soloist was violist Sarah de Niverville. The instrument is about three or four inches longer than a violin and tuned C clef. I played violin 7-8 decades ago and still remember my mnemonic to remember my strings — G'day for G D A E! The viola has a warmer sound than its cousin and is more pleasant sounding to older ears. I imagine it is probably somewhat heavier too, but seemed almost an extension of de Niverville herself, something only 'penthouse-level' musicians can achieve. Her performing style is more focused and concentrated, something surprising in someone so talented. Left before her finale, but that was in no way an opinion on the performance, she was enchanting... so was the entire afternoon.