Intermissions are dangerous for musicians. Giving the crowd a chance to leave might result in them taking advantage of the opportunity. One test of a concert, then, is gauging how many in the crowd stay after intermission. Another test is whether the concert receives a standing ovation – and if it does, whether the musicians play an encore. At The Baltimore Consort’s concert last Friday evening, hardly a soul left during intermission and, following a standing ovation, the Consort played an encore. If it were up to one student in the audience, the Consort would have played many more.
“I would have been happy with several more ovations,” said Nathan Rutz ’09 “If I had the last say, it probably would have gone another two hours.”
Last Friday, April 4th, The Baltimore Consort filled nearly every seat in Salter Concert Hall. Wielding citterns, lutes, flutes, crumhorns, and even a carved bass viol from 1685, the six musicians lit up the stage with early and traditional Scottish music. Performing with neither aloofness nor pretension in their 28th season, the Consort perhaps very well gave the best performance yet in the year’s Visiting Artists Series.
“I’ve been listening to traditional Scotland music ever since middle school,” said Tian Tian ’11. “And nothing I’ve heard before on CDs or TV compares to what I heard at the live concert Friday night.”
A playful wit and enthusiasm ran throughout the concert. Founding member of the Consort and its principal flutist, Mindy Rosenfeld would often rise to join Larry Lipkis’s crumhorn or soprano recorder, the two musicians then dancing together while their wood instruments danced in tune.
“My favorite part was the energy and ‘magic’ of the way the performers made music together, watching each other, joining each other in an amazing ensemble performance,” said professor of philosophy Cheryl Hughes. “What better way to spend a Friday evening than listening to early music performed by experts on period instruments in our own college performance hall?”
The voice of Danielle Svonacev, the Cantor for the nationally televised mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame, was enchanting, accented by the flutes and gracing atop the stringed instruments. Along with the other musicians, Ms. Svonacev employed exceptional stage presence.
“Personally, I was enthralled,” said Michael Nossett ’11. “The concert was quite impressive, featuring instruments that I had never heard before and a soprano with an amazing voice.”
Professor of biology Amanda Ingram agreed, and added that the concert had a special appeal to her.
“I played in a similar ensemble in college,” said Dr. Ingram, “so the Baltimore Consort’s performance brought back many fond memories of those years of playing with gambists and other Renaissance wind players.”
“Above all they showed wonderfully flexible rhythms,” said Professor of music Larry Bennett. “The group has worked together for many years and it shows. They can practically read each other’s minds.”
Watch for The Baltimore Consort this summer in Indianapolis. Though their website, www.baltcons.com, has not yet a date listed, they promised the concert. And don’t be fooled into thinking a CD can match seeing the Consort live in concert.
“CDs of this sort of music rarely measure up to a live performance,” said Rutz. “At $20, a lifeless CD is not worth the price. The music that lives in my mind is far superior.”