Gone Fox Hunting
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

One reason to appreciate the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center is that they give you a varied program. Oh, sure, once in a while they’ll throw six Brandenburg concertos at you, or all 43 Birtwistle polonaises (I made that last example up). But as a rule, they provide a many-flavored menu. If you don’t like the first item, wait for the second, or third, or sixth. This is what a musical evening should be, much of the time, and what – especially in New York – it so often fails to be. Program-makers tend to think that a diverse evening is musicologically slack. I always say, a concert should not – or need not – be a musicology class.
For its season-opening concert on Wednesday night, CMS had four items, ending with a rooster strutting around. (I’ll explain.) First, the chairman of the board, Peter Frelinghuysen, introduced CMS’s new artistic directors, David Finckel and Wu Han, a cellist and pianist who are husband and wife. They replace David Shifrin.
And the opening work on the program was the “Introduction and Allegro” for Flute, Clarinet, String Quartet, and Harp, by Ravel. This is the “other” big harp piece, its companion being Debussy’s “Danse sacree et
Danse profane.” On hand was Nancy Allen, one of the finest harpists in the world. Her technique is sure, and her musical sense excellent. She is an aristocrat of that instrument, exuding confidence and taste. She is precise, but not fussily so. When she engages in rubato – rhythmic license, roughly speaking – she does so sensibly. In the Ravel, she was forceful, where appropriate, not merely ethereal, as a harp is usually expected to be. She brought out the melody while deftly handling the (many) notes underneath.
In short, it was hard to see how Ravel’s work could have been better exploited. And all seven of these players seemed to be enjoying this piece – as well they should have.
Next up was Jennifer Larmore, the redoubtable mezzo-soprano from Atlanta. She sang Berlioz’s “Nuits d’ete,” which we are used to hearing either with orchestra or with piano. Here, however, we had the arrangement for chamber orchestra made by Philip West for his wife, Jan DeGaetani. This arrangement is a nice middle ground between full orchestra and lonely piano. Berlioz, I believe, would approve.
The first song in this cycle, “Villanelle,” began with a botched entrance (in the orchestra).And when Ms. Larmore came in, she was big, hooded – not light enough for this bouncy, very-French song. But her diction, as usual, was superb, and her intonation too. The little orchestra – conducted by Ransom Wilson – was far too unrelaxed, all wound up. This is most un-“Villanelle.”
In the next song, “Le Spectre de la Rose,” Ms. Larmore’s voice seemed more appropriate, although this song still seemed like an oratorio piece. The singer shaped the song attractively, and her final low notes – on the wonderful word “jalouser” – were great. Hers is a great instrument, no matter what I or anyone else might say about the use of it.
“Sur les Lagunes” had pathos, but, fortunately, not an excess. “Absence” could have stood to move a little more. In “Au Cimitiere,” Ms. Larmore suffered intonation problems for the first time,her voice sounding tired. Also, she did some operatic face-making and gesturing, which is acceptable, but barely.
The final song in “Les Nuits d’ete” is “L’Ile inconnue,” one of the most fabulous songs in the entire repertory. The chamber orchestra committed another bad entrance, but Ms. Larmore was magnificent – there was no flatness, no tiredness. Only the lift and ecstasy that this song deserves. Thus was one of the best songs we have royally treated by one of the best singers we have.
After intermission, about a dozen musicians came out for Wagner’s “Siegfried Idyll,” the composer’s birth day present to his wife in 1870. (This was also Christmas Day.) What have you given your spouse lately? The CMS group’s performance was flawed, technically, but it was enjoyable. They took a nice, breathable tempo, and they were often quite passionate: This was not a dainty serenade.
And now for something completely different: The Chamber Music Society’s opening concert ended with “Renard,” The Fox, by Stravinsky. This is a burlesque, involving four dancers, four singers (two tenors and two basses), and chamber orchestra. Based on Russian folk tales, “Renard” tells the story of a fox who plots against a rooster; said rooster is saved, twice, by two friends – a goat and a cat – who finally vanquish the fox for him.
The story was first read out by Bruce Adolphe, an adviser to CMS, then all of a sudden it was Cirque du Soleil: Out came those dancers, dressed – and acting – like those animals. Choreography by Peter Pucci was a hoot. The rooster, Eric Dunlap, exhibited a strutty nervousness – perfect. Even some of the apparently mandatory cutesy interaction with the conductor and other musicians was okay.
Singers were apt – sometimes better than that – and instrumentalists were slick. “Renard” is not a towering work, mind you. It is a party trick. But a very, very good party trick.