My Dancing Sweetheart-Just Songs
Microfest, 2025
9/10
Listen to My Dancing Sweetheart-Just Songs
The award-winning outfit Brightwork Ensemble treat us to world premiere selections by Ben Johnston, Bill Alves and Helmut Oehring, where Stacey Fraser, Aron Kallay, Nick Terry and Shalini Vijayan are in fine form.
Johnston’s “Calamity Jane” opens with Fraser’s expressive pipes that suit the folkish cowboy delivery that enlists animated strings from Vijayan.
“Ma Mie Qui Danse”, also by Johnston, follows, and benefits from the lively keys thanks to Kally and Fraser’s colorful pipes that illustrate an impressive range, while Alves’ “Time Resonances” unfolds with a dreamy ambience that’s cinematic.
Alves’ “A Sonatina” and Oehring’s “Die Stille stürtzt” exit the listen. The former blends Donna Walker’s narration with Fraser’s soaring voice amid Kally’s mesmerizing piano, and the latter finishes with just Fraser’s intimate vocals that tug on the heartstrings.
Nick Terry’s percussion is unpredictable and engaging too, as Brightwork Ensemble sure do put a modern spin on classical sounds, where tonality and intonation are utilized like a refined science.
Travels well with: Janet Axelrod- Act One; Sharon Isbin- Romántico