VentiCordi - The new sound of chamber music in Maine

By Mary Elizabeth Nordstrom

Kennebunk, ME, 12 August 2010. VentiCordi’s August 12 finale, a work by Spanish composer Manuel da Falla, provided a perfect climax for the evening’s extraordinary fare, mostly contemporary music. The program had even included some Bach that was a virtual precursor of contemporary sound. At the end of the evening, the entire assembly of players, together at last, indulged in the joy of chamber music playing, uplifting each other as well as the audience, many of whom had never heard this particular repertory. Familiarity was not of the essence. When music is played with enlightened soul, it speaks directly to the listener, as this did, whether or not it has been experienced previously.

The success of the Finale was due in part to interesting percussive chords on the harpsichord in the first movement; broken chords on the harpsichord in the second and jovially squeaky flute in the Vivace, a multi-faceted piece that brought great positive response, but no memorable melody to whistle on the way home. No regrets!

This was the third concert of a successful summer series at Christ Church that ended this evening. The nucleus, VentiCordi, is the Artistic Director team of Kathleen McNerney, oboist, and Dean Stein, violin. The name of the duo presenters/performing artists refers to winds and strings in Italian. Their musical milieu includes some significant guest virtuosi who can match their style. At the end of this review are listed the names and instruments of participants in all three 2010 concerts, to give the reader who has not been able to attend an idea of the scope of their resources for participants.

To set the scene, at the front of the Christ Church sanctuary, the harpsichord, before lifting the lid, looked like a contemporary-crafted altar, as it was situated above the music stand positions, at the same level in front of the actual altar with cross. A handsome green, decorated with gold bands, the instrument was on loan from Portland Municipal Organist Ray Cornils, who was given thanks by Ms. McNerney. She spoke after intermission, explaining that VentiCordi, a 501(c)3 organization, will be requesting ongoing support. This was a perfect time for the spoken word, once the audience had been caught up in the elegance of the evening’s music. The opening musical conversations had spoken for themselves demonstrating the considerable credentials of the players.

Paul Ciennewa, the harpsichordist, spoke briefly prior to the finale, explaining that the composer, Manuel de Falla,(1876-1946) had specified that the harpsichord be placed on a separate plane from the other participants in that work, the better to hear its unique role. Following his brief remarks, de Falla’s Concerto for Harpsichord, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Violin and Cello was played by the evening’s total assembly of virtuoso players, whom the audience had already greatly applauded in duo and trio performances.

A duo for flute and cello, Assobio a Jato (The Jet Whistle) by Hector Villa Lobos (1857-1959) was a delightful bit of tongue in cheek program music with which to catch the attention of the new audience. Guest musicians were Timothy Macri, flute, and Katherine Cherbas, cello. The first movement, Allegro non tropo, presents a very distinctive flute whistle that segues into a jaunty melody counterbalanced by lovely dramatic strokes of the bow on the cello. The Adagio movement offered complementary modern melodies; Vivo featured cleverly interwoven voices of the two instruments.

The Bach was completely at home with the rest of the program probably because of the instrumentation: Concerto for Oboe & Violin, BWV 1060 (J. S. Bach 1685-1760). The first and last movements were marked Allegro, with an Adagio movement between them. The first Allegro featured perpetual motion in the violin with the oboe speaking against it. The Adagio opens with a rich warm oboe solo. Then the violin joined in – a Bach conversation that actually seemed very avant garde, while the second Allegro movement featured a loud vibrant violin. The presenting duo, VentiCordi, Dean Stein, violinist, and Kathleen McNerney, oboist, were accompanied by Paul Ciennewa at the harpsichord. The continuo remained steady but obscure as an accompaniment should be, and the principal instruments acquitted themselves with virtuosity. The lid of the harpsichord had been opened for sound, but served to dramatize the work, following which it was closed until the next time it was used.

The other work mentioned as they say “Last but not least” was Concerto a Tre for Clarinet, Violin & Cello, by Ingolf Dahl (1912-1946). Thomas Hill, clarinet; Dean Stein, violin; & Katherine Cherbas, cello, were now the focus of our attention. After intermission, they brought the audience back to a perceived wonderland, an aesthetic aura of expectation created in the space of the venue by contemporary music. A wild instrumental conversation included what seemed almost like jazz improv with the ascendance of the clarinet. This was the audience favorite up to this point in the program.

Participants in the three evenings, guests of the Artistic Directors Stein and McNerney of VentiCordi were: July 8: Eileen Holt, flute; Kirsten Monke, viola, Benjamin Noyes, cello; July 22: Bridget Convey, piano, Robert Schulz, percussion and narrator. August 12: Paul Ciennewa, harpsichord; Timothy Macri, flute; Thomas Hill, clarinet; Katherine Cherbas, cello.

The Chamber of Commerce of the Kennebunks should be elated that VentiCordi chose Kennebunkport to be their base. The support they have been given by local businesses in the form of season brochure advertising is remarkable and commendable on the part of the advertisers who foresee the value of locating world class music in the Kennebunks. Once people read a few professional reviews of VentiCordi, they will feel confident that this new and yet comparatively unknown quantity deserves both their time and money for a hearing. Audiences, especially from out of town, will need to arrive earlier for parking options beginning next summer, whether or not it is a good beach day!

The VentiCordi season is all too short. Three summer concerts in Kennebunk have been their initial focus. My friend from Arizona, impressed, innocently asked the co-founder, Kathleen McNerney, where they would be going next, expecting that they must be a national touring ensemble en route. For so they had presented themselves: as top notch! “Home, for a glass of wine!” she responded.

Here’s to Summer 2011! This music critic would vote for the year-around.

The Maine Music Society's opening concert at the Franco-American Heritage Center on Saturday provided another opportunity to hear the talented young oboist Kathleen McNerney, who recently moved to Maine from California and is co-founder, with violinist Dean Stein, of the new chamber music ensemble VentiCordi. She is a welcome addition to the Maine music scene.

The name VentiCordi means "winds and strings," which would also be appropriate for the small string orchestra at Saturday's performance, conducted by artistic director John Corrie, when performing with McNerney. She appeared as soloist in the Concerto in A Minor for Oboe and Strings by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

The miniature concerto, one of Vaughan Williams' most innovative and atmospheric works, should be heard more often. That it is not is perhaps due to the difficulty of the oboe part, which ranges from soulful slow passages reminiscent of "The Swan of Tuonela" to the most demanding rapid passage work, all the while exploring the entire available register.

The beauty of Vaughan Williams' writing, and McNerney's playing, is their attention to the natural, and enticing, timbre of the instrument. It doesn't sound like a flute, or a clarinet, but like an oboe.

The composer is known for his use of English folk song, and the concerto conjures up an image of pastoral Britain, even in the section "Minuet and Musette," dances as appropriate to 18th-century England as to France.

The writing for strings in the concerto is as difficult as the oboe part, including some tricky counterpoint. The orchestra performed it admirably, perfectly balancing the soloist. McNerney's satisfying volume, however, required no holding back on orchestral dynamics.

McNerney's partner in VentiCordi, Dean Stein, is also concert master of the Maine Music Society String Ensemble. He appeared as soloist in the Bach Concerto for Violin, Strings and Basso Continuo (BWV 1042), with Corrie conducting from the harpsichord.

This lively piece is one of my favorites, but unfortunately I am used to the transcription for keyboard and unaccustomed to separating the solo violin from the string ensemble. Still, the work is always good to hear, in any form.

The program concluded with Dvorak's popular Serenade for Strings in E Major (Op. 22), a pleasant but relatively light work with just touches of his later sound.

Past reviews