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Latest Press
...Valentin Radu caught the personal fervor of the music in all its varied expressions. One felt as much as heard the music, and that was made especially possible because so much of the singing and playing was excellent in caliber. Soprano Andrea Lauren Brown was especially affecting in her solos. Mount Airy mezzo Jody Kidwell and tenor Kenneth Garner (a longtime soloist at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Chestnut Hill) also sang well. The chorus proffered impressive power, clear diction, broadly based dynamics, sharp rhythms, and emotional delineation through the text. The orchestra played with style and passion, all under Radu's demanding baton. Brown was also admirably heard in the motet prior to intermission.
- Noteworthy, Chestnut Hill LOCAL 4/9/09 by Michael Caruso. (MOZART REQUIEM, Mar. 27th at the Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, PA)
JUDAS MACCABAEUS
... Radu and his forces -- including Roxborough
harpsichordist Bronwyn Fix-Keller -- acquitted themselves more than honorably if not quite
spectacularly...by the second and third parts of "Judas Maccabeus," [Radu] was eliciting exciting singing from his choir, ...good playing from his baroque orchestra, and several excellent performances from his soloists.
Chief among these was tenor Timothy Bench, who sang the oratorio's title role. Bench was in fine voice Friday evening. His projection was exemplary, his tone was clear yet unforced, his high notes rang with clarion brilliance yet he employed soft singing to telling dramatic effect, his diction was excellent, and he embellished the vocal line with stylistically appropriate bravura and emotionally compelling expressivity... soprano Andrea Lauren Brown sang with tonal beauty and dramatic exuberance as the Israelitish woman. Alto Tatyana Rashkovsky, tenor Dana Wilson and baritone Richard Shapp rounded out the vocal cast admirably. Among the instrumentalists, Fix-Keller's fine playing was joined by flutists Colin St. Martin & Steven Zohn, cellist Vivian Barton-Dozer and trumpeter Elin Frazier. Many of the same forces will return to the Perelman Theater on Friday, March 27, at 8 p.m. for a performance of Mozart's Requiem Mass.
- Noteworthy, Chestnut Hill LOCAL 03/05/09 by Michael Caruso. (Handel Judas Maccabaeus, Feb. 27th at the Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, PA)
HANDEL CANDLEMAS
...the most
convincing renditions were the three solo concerti: the Oboe Concerto in G minor with soloist Sarah Davol, the Flute Concerto in D major with Steven Zohn,
and the Suite in D for Trumpet, Strings & Continuo with Elin Frazier. Davol expressively projected the intimate sweetness of tone of the mellow baroque oboe. Zohn proffered such delicacy of color and eloquence of phrasing with the wooden baroque flute that one truly lamented its modern replacement by silver, gold or platinum. And Frazier proved that the baroque trumpet produced a singing, rather than a ringing, tone. In all three works, Radu led the period
instruments of the Camerata Ama Deus with sensitivity to his soloists'
interpretations.
- Noteworthy, Chestnut Hill LOCAL 2/12/09 by Michael Caruso. (Handel Candlemas, Feb. 7th at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Chestnut Hill, PA)
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Tickets for The Exciting
2009-2010 XXIII Concert Season
and our latest CD's - are NOW ON SALE!
Come one come all! The Vox Ama Deus Calendar & Tickets page has been updated with the 2009-2010 Season XXIII!
Last season proved to be quite rewarding to both our audiences and our performers! We had several at capacity and sold out performances that delighted our concert attendees all season long. Ama Deus Ensemble offered the rarely performed Handel oratorio Judas Maccabaeus, and thrilled a standing ovation audience at the Kimmel Center. The CD recording of this concert is as amazing as the actual experience, and by all accounts quite deserving of the Grammy Award Nomination that we hope it might receive!
Completing its second season in 2008-2009, Camerata Ama Deus, our chamber orchestra that performs on authentic baroque instruments, made its "full house" debut at the Kimmel Center with Vivaldi: The Four Seasons and More - recorded live and released on the Lyrichord label (which is NOW ON SALE on the web at our CD box office page).
The Ama Deus Ensemble ended the season in May on a resounding high note with "HandelFest", the final 08-09 tribute to Handel!
This season, we are once again forecasting an enlightened and uplifting experience for everyone! We have added several new venues and even a few more concerts over last year's number of performances, so get your tickets, grab your seats and hang on for a wonderful ride in 2009 and 2010! Don't hesitate to see our new concert season description and highlights page today:
� Vox Renaissance Consort appears in its traditional Renaissance Harvest and Renaissance Noel performances - this season also in two new venues - St. Martin in the Fields, Chestnut Hill, plus Old St. Joseph's Church, Olde City Philadelphia! And the Noel performance will be recorded for release on the Lyrichord Label!
� Ama Deus Ensemble will first celebrate Papa Haydn's bicentennial on Nov. 6 at the Kimmel Center in a glorious Gala featuring Maestro Radu on the Steinway keys and the famous "Lord Nelson" Mass. Also Brahms returns with his famous Requiem - double performances, and a live recording at the Kimmel Center. Finally, Mozart closes the Ama Deus Ensemble season (also at the Kimmel Center) with his masterpiece - the Grand Mass in C (written as a wedding gift for his bride, famous soprano Constanze Weber).
� Camerata Ama Deus opens its third successful season with a tribute to Haydn and closes with Vivaldi, going also to two new venues for this season's final concert -St. John Vianney Church, Gladwyne, and The Norbert Atrium at Daylesford Abbey, Paoli - but keeping its sparkle intact!
Insure Your Friends Get Our Brochure! Have them go to the Vox Ama Deus website to sign up for our newsletter and mailing list! |
The Chestnut Hill LOCAL's Michael Caruso sat down with Maestro Radu to get the inside story on the XXIII Season!
Expanded schedule of concerts at Chestnut Hill churches
Against the backdrop of cutbacks in budgets and reductions in the numbers of performances, one local classical music ensemble with ties to Chestnut Hill will be bucking the trend for the 2009-10 season. Vox Ama Deus has announced an expanded roster of concerts for the coming season, including the addition of a second church in Chestnut Hill as a venue for its three-part series of performances.
Vox Ama Deus actually comprises three ensembles, all of which were founded by the Romanian-born organist, pianist & conductor, Valentin Radu. The oldest group within the organization is the Vox Renaissance Consort, which Radu founded in 1987. It consists of between 16 and 20 professional singers and a small complement of period instrumentalists dressed in Renaissance attire and performing theme-centered programs of Renaissance music.
Established in 1991, the Ama Deus Ensemble combines a larger chorus with a full baroque instruments orchestra to perform the great standard repertoire works of the 18th & 19th centuries. The Ama Deus Ensemble not only has performed these scores -- it has also recorded many of them in "live" concert settings for subsequent release on compact disc. The roster of recorded offerings includes Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons," Handel's oratorios, "Messiah" & "Judas Maccabeus," Bach's Mass in B minor and both the St. Matthew & St. John Passions, Mozart's Requiem Mass, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis & Ninth Symphony ("Choral"), and Verdi's "Manzoni" Requiem Mass.
The newest member of the Vox Ama Deus family is the Camerata Ama Deus, founded in 2007. Camerata Ama Deus is a period instruments ensemble that specializes in the intimate chamber repertoire of the 18th century. Its programs often include scores by such titans as Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Haydn & Mozart alongside such lesser known baroque, rococo and classical masters as Telemann, Albinoni, Marcello & Pachelbel.
When I questioned Radu concerning his ability to steer his three ensembles against the tide of financial retrenchment, he first acknowledged the realities of the current economic situation.
"I recently read an article," he answered, "that pointed out that the 'entertainment' industry often fares extremely well during recessions and even during depressions. But you must remember that by 'entertainment' they don't mean classical music. They mean Hollywood - the movies and television - and popular music. Many classical music ensembles are facing serious problems.
"We've been lucky," he continued. "We've built up our number of ensembles and the number of performances we give very slowly and very carefully. We've tried to avoid - and I think we've succeeded in avoiding - over-extending ourselves and extending ourselves too quickly. We've planned carefully and slowly so that our growth has been based on a solid foundation.
"For instance," Radu said, "this will be the third season for our newest group, the Camerata Ama Deus. We started small but we've increased Camerata's concerts each season."
Last year marked Camerata Ama Deus' first appearances in Chestnut Hill. The programs were performed in St. Paul's Church, the larger of the two Episcopal churches in Chestnut Hill. This season's performances will be split between St. Paul's Church and the Episcopal Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.
Explaining his decision to utilize both sacred venues, Radu said, "There are two reasons. I just love the place - St. Martin's. It's gorgeous - and it's intimate - and that makes it perfect for the smaller, chamber music programs of Camerata. St. Paul's is equally beautiful - but in a different way. It's a majestic church, very much in the tradition of a smaller European Gothic cathedral. But both have excellent acoustics for the kinds of programs we'll be performing in those churches."
Speaking of acoustics, one of the most amazing achievements of Vox Ama Deus is its regularly making CDs from "live" concerts given in the Kimmel Center's smaller venue, the Perelman Theater. While it was immediately recognized and acknowledged by anyone and everyone that the Perelman's acoustics were superior to those of Verizon Hall, virtually no other ensemble has successfully - let alone frequently - make "live" recordings in it. And yet, under Radu's baton the Ama Deus Ensemble performed and recorded "live" Handel's "Judas Maccabeus" in the Perelman February 27, 2009, and Camerata Ama Deus played and recorded Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" there April 17, 2009. This pair joins another duo performed and recorded in 2008: Beethoven's Missa Solemnis and the "Egmont" Overture; and the Ninth Symphony ("Choral") plus "The Ruins of Athens."
All four CDs were produced by John Ostendorf and engineered by Stephen Epstein. Radu mentioned the importance of discovering the optimal placement of the microphones and then discovering and maintaining the proper balance and blend between them. He also emphasized his personal belief that making CDs of major repertoire works is part of what he considers Vox's core mission and that CDs made from "live" concerts offer a special level of intensity, expressivity and spontaneity absent in studio recordings.
Both the Handel and Vivaldi albums are excellent buys. Handel's "Messiah" is so overwhelming and popular a masterpiece that it has overshadowed many of his other compositions. "Judas Maccabeus" may not approach the flawless so closely as does "Messiah," but its telling of the story of the ancient Israelites' rebellion against their Syrian oppressors is thrillingly relayed in arias, ensembles, choruses and instrumental music. The performance is energetic, stylish and resonant.
Radu wisely balanced audiences' familiarity with the four concerti of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" by including on the CD the Flute Concerto in A minor, the Concerto for Two Violins in A minor and the Concerto for Two Trumpets in C major. Both CDs feature exemplary playing in the continuo of Roxborough harpsichordist Bronwyn Fix-Keller.
Valentin Radu and Camerata Ama Deus will present a "Haydn Fest" Friday, October 16, at 7:30 p.m. in the Episcopal Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Harpsichordist Fix-Keller and Radu, himself, as organist, will be among the evening's soloists. Vox Renaissance Consort will perform a "Renaissance Noel" Friday, December 14, at 7:30 p.m. in St. Martin's Church. Camerata Ama Deus will play a "Baroque Christmas" Saturday, December 19, at 7:30 p.m. in St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Other highlights of the season include Handel's "Messiah" Friday, December 11, at 7 p.m. in the Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity, Rittenhouse Square, "Bach Fest" Friday, February 5, at 8 p.m. in the Kimmel Center's Perelman Theater, Brahms' "German" Requiem Good Friday, April 2, at 8 p.m. in the Perelman, a "Mozart Gala" Friday, April 30, at 8 p.m. in the Perelman, and "Festa Vivaldi" Friday, May 14, at 7:30 p.m. in Old St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Society Hill. For ticket information call 610-688-2800 or visit www.voxamadeus.org.
- Reprinted with permission. Noteworthy/Local Life, 09/03/2009 by Michael Caruso, Chestnut Hill LOCAL
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This Month: Renaissance Harvest!
Sunday, September 20 at 4:00 PM
The Baptist Church in the Great Valley, Devon, PA
Vox Ama Deus presents its Vox Renaissance Consort ensemble in concert at The Baptist Church in the Great Valley, 945 Valley Forge Road in Devon, Pennsylvania on Sunday, September 20 at 4:00 PM. Performing glorious music that was popular from about 1550 to 1675, the Vox Renaissance Consort will recreate in music how people throughout Europe greeted, with anticipation, the all-important bounty of the Renaissance Harvest.
The professional singers of the Vox Renaissance Consort will be attired in lush High Renaissance dress, accompanied by a musical ensemble performing on Renaissance period instruments and conducted by Maestro Valentin Radu. This program is presented FREE to the public in cooperation with Jenkins Arboretum; no tickets are required. For information the public is invited to contact Vox Ama Deus at 610-688-2800 or www.VoxAmaDeus.org.
Maestro Radu has selected a diverse program of High Renaissance miniature musical masterpieces from four lands: Italy - Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Giovanni Gabrieli and Claudio Monteverdi; Spain - Tomas Luis de Victoria; Germany - Johann Pachelbel; and, England - William Byrd and Henry Purcell.
Featured in the instrumental ensemble that will accompany the costumed singers will be Rainer Beckmann (recorder), Daniel Boring (theorbo), Vivian Barton Dozor (cello) and Bronwyn Fix-Keller (harpsichord). The audience members will celebrate the arrival of Fall and the harvest season in the beautiful, historic stone chapel of The Baptist Church in the Great Valley.
Come back in time and be uplifted!
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Spotlight on ...
Renaissance Harvest
An Explanation of Some of the Lesser Known Musical Instruments
Used in Vox Renaissance Consort Performances
The Recorder is a hollow woodwind instrument of the flute family and was popular at least since the Middle Ages. Unlike the recorder's well known descendant, the transverse flute (the flute we commonly see in symphony orchestras), the mouthpiece of the recorder is placed into the performer's mouth, similar to playing a clarinet. Next the player blows air into the recorder.
The air goes down the hollowed-out shaft of the recorder and out its open bottom. To play the different notes of a melody the player places her/his fingers over a combination of seven holes that are drilled through the wood. During the 18th century, the soft and sweet sound produced by the recorder declined in popularity for use as an orchestral instrument.
A member of the "lute" family and predecessor of the guitar, the Theorbo is a string instrument that is plucked or strummed by the player's fingers. Throughout Europe it was also known as the chitaronne, which is Italian for "large guitar." Visually, it is distinguished by its very long neck and use of 14 to 18 strings. Theorboes were developed during the late 1500s in response to a demand by composers for an instrument that had a deeper bass range than was generally available.
This was especially useful in the "pit orchestras" (to use a modern term) that accompanied the "new" art form of "opera." The long neck of the therobo, and the long strings on it, created the lower notes composers craved...such as its lowest "G" that was used as a sustained note called a "drone."
The Harpsichord is a forerunner of the modern piano and like the piano it is played by means of a keyboard. The piano produces sound when the player's fingers depress any of the 88 keys on its one keyboard to activate padded "hammers" which "strike" its tuned strings. The smaller harpsichord usually has between 56 to 60 keys, but may have one or two keyboards. "Flemish" harpsichords have one keyboard; their "French" cousins have two.
In comparison to the piano, the harpsichord produces a delicate, distinctive tinkling sound when a "quill" attached to the key mechanism "plucks" a string when the key is pressed. The harpsichord was widely used in late Renaissance and Baroque music, and even into the time of Mozart.
However, during the late 18th century it gradually disappeared from the musical scene with the rise of the louder, stronger and more expressive piano. The advanced keyboard "touch sensitive" mechanism of the piano permitted the performer to play a wide range of dynamics-from soft (piano) to very loud (forte). The mechanics of the harpsichord did not offer this dynamic flexibility. In the 20th century the harpsichord experienced a resurgence and was employed in historically informed performances of older music, in new classical compositions and in popular music, such as in Beetles songs!
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EASY ONLINE ACCESS TO OUR NEWEST CD's & DONATIONS PAGE
Thank you for your continued and renewed donations! The wonderful programs of Vox Ama Deus are only possible with your support.
VIVALDI: THE FOUR SEASONS and More with Baroque Instrumental Soloists: Thomas DiSarlo, Thomas Jackson, Colin St. Martin, Elin Frazier, and Daniel Orlock.
 Vivaldi's greatest orchestral masterpiece, the Four Seasons, brilliantly performed by Thomas DiSarlo, our own genius concertmaster - this CD also features three other "more" concerti: two doubles (violin & trumpet) & a single (flute). A true collector's item! Recorded live at the Kimmel Center on April 17, 2009. You can buy our CD's and make donations online easily and securely. Our prior release, Judas Maccabaeus, is now available. 
Did you know this Lyrichord release is so exceptional that there is serious talk that it might be nominated for a Grammy? Get your copy today!
Click here to purchase CD's and/or make a secure online donation, or simply call us today at 610-688-2800! | |
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