PARTCHopyrighEt © 20N09, EarlyI MuAsic America,V Inc. ReEprintedN with peTrmissioUn. RES INTO NEW MUSIC FOR VIOLS

WO DIFFERENT VIOLS … fugue new musical ideas, but it can be a chal - The members of the New York City around each other like a chromatic lenge for adventuresome performers to viol consort stretch themselves Tmirror, leaving a trail of sound lumin- bring audiences along for the journey. as performers by regularly escent like mother-of-pearl…with gor - Founded in 1989, Parthenia special - presenting modern works geous sound and interplay.” izes in the Renaissance repertoire for These vivid words by Mark Greenfest viols, especially the rich and abundant were written in response not to an Eliza - music from the Elizabethan to Jacobean By David Glaser bethan fantasy from the 16th century but eras. In 2000, Parthenia started its own to a newly commissioned duo for tenor New York City concert series and also and bass viols, Fantazy , that I wrote in a made its first commission. In partner - modernist idiom last year for the viol ship with the late mezzo-soprano ensemble Parthenia. Rosamond Morley Alexandra Montano, Parthenia asked and Lawrence Lipnik premiered it on a composer Phil Kline to write a piece that program of new music written especially would involve viols, mezzo, and two for the New York City-based consort. children’s voices. Performers and composers assemble For the past several seasons, the mem - Lisa Terry, one of the bass violists of for a photo shoot after a “Hot Off bers of Parthenia have devoted an entire Parthenia, explains: “Both Larry [Lipnik, the Press” concert in March 2008. evening to a program of new music. the tenor violist of Parthenia] and Back Row: Frances White, “It’s the stretch that counts!” says Alexandra had already been doing a lot David Glaser, Paul Hecht, Morley, Parthenia’s treble violist, speak - of new music – Larry with Lionheart, Barbara Feldon, David ing about the perspective on historical mixing old and new pieces. Alexandra Thompson, Max Lifchitz, repertoire that is gained by venturing was actively involved in new music, Paul Richards, Kristin into new musical territory. Audiences, working with Philip Glass and others. Norderval. Front Row: too, can come to appreciate their old They both thought it would be nice to Beverly Au, Lawrence Lipnik, favorites in a fresh way by exposure to do a concert that included Alexandra Rosamund Morley, Lisa Terry. S S O R

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: O T O H P singing Elizabethan songs with us, and Parthenia’s interest in presenting new then Alexandra had the idea to ask Phil music interspersed with old repertoire to write a piece for the combination of continued for the next two seasons; in her, viols, and her children’s sweet treble May 2005 and February 2006, works by voices. I believe she had just worked John Stone and Nicholas Patterson were with Phil at that time and had already introduced in concerts featuring Renais - discussed him writing something for sance repertoire. The group’s first con - “The viol has this special her and her kids. Phil even joined us in cert completely dedicated to new music Poem with Paula – singing in falsetto – was a program of Will Ayton’s music. As resonance, so, although dynamite!” a result of the success of these projects, quieter than modern strings, In 2002, Maverick Concerts in Wood - Parthenia made a commitment to pres - the sonority has almost a stock, New York, commissioned Brian ent one concert each season dedicated to built-in ‘reverb’ effect that is Fennelly, a professor of composition at newly written works. Their “Musica most beautiful. Also, the New York University and part-time resi - Nuova” concert in March 2007 featured sound has an exquisite dent of Woodstock, to write a piece for a premiere by Anthony Piccolo, pieces Parthenia, doing so at the suggestion of new to the group by Roy Marks, and delicacy and clarity that really Vincent Wagner, a former member of favorites from past seasons by Ayton, allows counterpoint to sound. the board of EMA as well as of Maver - Fennelly, Patterson, and Kline. And I love the purity of the ick. The piece premiered on a program March 2008’s concert, “Hot off the non-vibrato playing.” of Renaissance repertoire. That same Press,” featured five world premieres and – Frances White year, Parthenia supporter Edward Truet - one work refitted for viols. In addition to tner commissioned composer Will my Fantazy , the compositions were by Ayton to set the poetry and prose of Max Lifchitz, Frances White, Kristin William Blake to music for Parthenia and Norderval, David Thompson, and Paul mezzo, and the group first performed Richards. Actors Paul Hecht and Barbara selections of Ayton’s A Reliquary for Feldon preceded each piece with a poem William Blake in October 2003 on the chosen to complement the music. In group’s regular New York City concert addition, the composers introduced their series. This was another program that pieces to the audience and were present mixed the new with the old. Shortly after during the post-concert question and From left, composer Frances White with Ayton’s premiere, Parthenia recorded a answer session with the performers as Parthenia’s Lisa Terry and Beverly Au CD dedicated to his viol music (MSR part of a Meet the Composers Met Life after the “Hot Off the Press” Concert. Classics MS1216). Creative Connections program. All of these components are successful out - reach tools, as audience members like to hear composers introduce (and explain) their works and appreciate the opportu - nity to ask questions following a per - formance. Integrating new works A perennial question for an ensemble interested in adding contemporary music to its repertoire is whether the new works should be integrated into its regu - lar programs or presented in concerts devoted exclusively to new music. Bever - ly Au, one of Parthenia’s two bassists, acknowledges that it is difficult to inte - grate 21st-century music with music of the Renaissance and says a program needs to be crafted “with a strong sense of how the new and old pieces relate to S S

O each other.” Some contemporary com - R

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U posers write in a style that fits easily with A P

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O early music. Lisa Terry, the other bass- T O H

P playing member of the ensemble, says

32 Summer 2009 Early Music America Opening page of “The Doubt,” one of four movements of Nothing Proved , a piece for voice, viols, and interactive audio processing by Kristin Norderval. MP3 files of the complete work may be heard by visting the EMA web site at www.earlymusic.org.

Queen Elizabeth I The Doubt Kristin Norderval

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Sampler ! & # & # ### # " ! ' ((( ' Low D and filtered bass notes

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warns shun Snares threaten annoy 25threaten annoy The doubt of ' ' " ) ) ) ) )) )& ) # ' & * * * * * * * * * * * * sul ponticello ! me to such as mine and    && #)))# # ) # # "       * ( * ' ' ' ' ' ' ' sul ponticello Falsehood now doth flow, and subjects faith doth ebb, me to such as mine and     # # # # # $ ' ' ' ' '& &'#&  # # # # #$ and * * ( * ' me to such as mine Falsehood now doth flow, and subjects faith doth ebb,   % ' ' ' ' ' &&' ## &) * ( pizz Falsehood now doth flow, and subjects faith doth ebb, me to such as mine "% & & ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '

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34 Summer 2009 Early Music America Will Ayton’s music “mixes very well with our Renaissance repertoire because he writes so well for viol – it feels like a nat - ural idiomatic transition between the periods.” Ayton does write well for the instrument – as do other modern com - posers – but he also works in a rather conservative musical style. His har - monies are not unfamiliar; his melodic writing is straightforward and direct. Any music with such a clear link to the past can easily be integrated into a program of early music. Another approach to uniting new and old works is exemplified in Kristin Norderval’s Nothing Proved , which utilizes live electronics and voice with the viols. This piece, which was made possible by the Jerome Foundation’s Composers Commissioning Program, sets texts writ - ten by Elizabeth I and sung by Norder -

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val with readings of Elizabethan texts by E E S

E actors Roberta Maxwell and Paul Hecht. I L L E

For all its use of modern technology, : O T

Norderval’s music is quite approachable, O H and the familiar elements outweigh the P new. In spite of this, Terry tells of one to explore more fun venues, such as art Singer-composer Kristin Norderval performs audience member who approached her galleries and photo studios – places with her work at the Corpus Christi Church in New York City in November 2008. after the premiere and said, “If I’d a contemporary feel.” Parthenia’s venue known there was going to be electronic for concerts of historical music is usually music on this concert, I would have Corpus Christi Church; its most recent stayed home!” Terry adds, “With this concert of new music took place at Pic - awareness, we usually keep our new ture Ray Studio in Manhattan. music repertoire separate from our early The challenges of doing new music music and only occasionally combine the extend well beyond audience develop - two.” The electronic component of ment. In some respects it is as if the Nothing Proved was not particularly chal - players are learning an entirely different lenging, so the response of this audience musical language. Terry observes, “One member reveals the kind of entrenched important aspect of working on new “What I love about the sound prejudice that early music ensembles repertoire is the learning curve. We have of the consort are the rich must be willing to accept if they are to give ourselves a lot more time when harmonics in the tones. going to seek to include new works on preparing new works, because the new They are yummy and full, their regular programs. music is often a real stretch for us indi - In fact, when a portion of Nothing vidually and as a group. It is really like really good Proved was presented on the “Hot Off healthy for Parthenia as an ensemble to chocolate mousse!” the Press” concert last year, it was very have these opportunities to work outside – Kristin Norderval, composer well received. During the question and of our comfort zone of Renaissance answer period following the concert, style.” many of the questions from the audi - Au notes that because there are no ence were about how the electronic “original” recordings of early music, per - sounds were generated and manipulated, formers tend to “create rather personal and the consensus was that the new interpretations based on a combination sounds were well integrated with the of our knowledge of historical sources, viols. along with a performer’s own sense of A program devoted to modern music how a piece might best connect with an allows for the exploration of new venues audience. When interpreting contempo - as well. Terry says, “It gives us a chance Continued on page 56

Early Music America Summer 2009 35 textbooks. Unfortunately, very few of Parthenia Ventures into New Music these texts have much to say about early Continued from page 35 instruments. This necessitates conversa - tions with players. Discussions always rary music, we similarly cannot rely quartets. With that music there is a long include the particular strengths and limi - much on sound recordings from the tradition and plenty of interpretive tations of the instruments and their abil - past, or on an oral/aural interpretive tra - examples to emulate or differentiate ity to play the extended techniques so dition passed down from generation to your performance from.” often required in contemporary music. generation, so in this sense early music Lifschitz says, “I was vaguely familiar performers are already well trained to Working with composers with the tuning and ranges for each tackle the decision-making process that Finding composers to write for of the instruments. I was also somewhat goes into preparing a piece of new Parthenia has been easy. In addition to in the dark as to how they would behave music.” There are challenges as well. “It the opportunity to work with first-rate when producing effects associated with is a great advantage to be able to ask the musicians (Ayton says “Most composers modern instruments such as pizzicato, composer questions. Adding a living would almost kill to be able to write for sul tasto , and sul ponticello .” composer to the mix makes a performer such an ensemble.”), many composers White asked Terry to demonstrate worry just that much more about what various sonorities and also wanted exam - the composer is looking for, and with ples of the great consort music to listen early instruments, this is trickiest where a “The viols’ mysterious to. Richard Einhorn had the same composer writes in a musical language veneer is most appropriate request: “repertoire, repertoire, reper - that asks for non-traditional, extended to project moods and affects toire! I want to hear more of the great techniques, or ‘sound effects.’ that modern instruments pieces and composers – and study “The notation of barring, bowing, might have trouble with.” their scores.” articulation, and phrasing in modern What some composers may view as a – Max Lifchitz, composer music may appear fussy or confusing at limitation of early instruments, a some - first. The conventions used in early what narrower dynamic palette, is some - music can be quite baffling to the new - are drawn to the particular qualities of thing that can be taken advantage of by bie, just as a contemporary score can at the viol. Richard Einhorn loves the sensitive composers. Lifschitz says, “The first look undecipherable, so that an sound of the instruments: “they have an dynamic range of the viols is more than early music expert sometimes has to take attractive, hauntingly familiar quality, a adequate. The viols’ mysterious veneer is two leaps into the future of music nota - yearning, and a sense that the sound is most appropriate to project moods and tion in order to make sense of a contem - ancient and mysterious. The ensemble effects that modern instruments might porary score. Often the same marking sound epitomizes desire and longing, but have trouble with.” will mean two different things (some - they can also be regal or even formally With their success in presenting new times opposite things) in early and con - abstract.” music and their fruitful collaborations temporary music. (“Up” and “Down” “What I love about the sound of the with living composers, Parthenia is plan - bowing markings are just one example.) consort are the rich harmonics in the ning to continue its annual concerts of It really involves honing fluency in a tones. They are yummy and full, like new music for viols. The ensemble is different musical dialect.” really good chocolate mousse!” said now commissioning new works by Au finds that the best part of per - Kristin Norderval. myself and Frances White, both of forming new music on early instruments Frances White, who, like Norderval, whom received Fromm Foundation “is the thrill of going beyond the bound - uses electronic media along with acoustic Commissions at Harvard University to aries of historically-informed technique instruments, sees an interesting intersec - write for Parthenia. The group plans to and idioms and yet finding ways to tion between the sounds of electronics seek funding for Richard Einhorn’s work express the same fantastic range of and the viol, which she says “has this for Parthenia and mezzo-soprano human emotions and levels of musical special resonance, so although quieter Jacqueline Horner-Kwiatek. Other inter - communication through a new color than modern strings, the sonority has ested composers are in discussion with palette.” almost a built-in ‘reverb’ effect that is the group; the future of new works for For Morley, one of the pleasures, and most beautiful. Also, the sound has an the viol looks very bright indeed.  surprises, is what the piece will actually exquisite delicacy and clarity that really Composer David Glaser is assistant professor sound like, both on its own and in the allows counterpoint to sound. And I at Stern College of Yeshiva University in New context of the program as a whole. “So love the purity of the non-vibrato York. He has received an Academy Award in often in both early and new music, you playing.” Music from the American Academy of Arts have no idea as a performer how the The “intimacy and delicate coloring” and Letters and the Dr. Boris and Eda Rapoport music will end up sounding, how it will appealed to Max Lifchitz. When com - Prize in Composition at Columbia University. In work in a concert. This is different from, posing for unfamiliar instruments, most 2007, he was awarded a Fromm Foundation say , a quartet performing Beethoven late composers first turn to orchestration commission to compose a piece for Parthenia.

56 Summer 2009 Early Music America