Concert Celebrates Permutations of World Music

GREENSBORO – The Local Folk Orchestra returned to the Highland Center for the Arts (HCA) in Greensboro Saturday evening to give a sold out concert that celebrated the numerous permutations of world music.

Under the enthusiastic direction of Roy MacNeil on violin, the group consists of 19 talented musicians, plus, for this performance, six guest artists. The program was sandwiched between two movements from Schubert’s Ninth Symphony and ranged from Bach to original compositions, Sephardic-Spanish, Egyptian, French and popular pieces. MacNeil did most of the transcriptions of the concert’s works in the first half, with consistently careful orchestration for this size ensemble.

The first selection was the “Fugue in C Major” (BWV1005) by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), which had a very stately rhythm in its exploration of counterpoint among the instruments. This flowed without interruption into the third movement (Scherzo, Allegro Vivace ; Trio) of the “Symphony No. 9” (B. 944) of Franz Schubert (1797-1828). This work (subtitled “The Great”) had a Beethovian scale with a grand architectural design whose underlying theme was the glory of the beauty in the natural world. All four movements total some 50 minutes in length, and the third section had unusual breadth and a richness of textures in the delightful melodies of its three parts, which came across well even within the limitations of a small orchestra.

Icarus Tyree was featured next in an original piece, “Siren Song,” singing with a strong, beautiful voice and playing the guitar. The poetic lyrics were about following someone to the sea and the rhythms were engaging.

“Hija Mia,” translated as “My Daughter,” was a song with a lot of history, dating back to the period in Spain where there was a dynamic mixture of Christian, Jewish and Islamic cultures, before the fall of Granada and the expulsion of the Jews and Moors in the 1490s. The language is Ladino, a Judeo-Spanish fusion. The music had driving rhythms and a certain haunting quality, ending in a fine trio of violin, flute and clarinet, all arranged by Jeff Reinhardt.

Randy Bulpin then sang and played a piece of his own composition on the dobro steel guitar, “Heal the Pain.” Its message of hope was particularly meaningful to our present times, as we struggle to deal with what appears to be a grim future. He is a master of his instrument, with its unique sound.

“Popcorn Party,” a playful children’s tune in the form of a round by Betty Barlow gave the opportunity for four of Roy MacNeil’s young students from the Epic Music program in St. Johnsbury to participate in the concert, three violinists and a cellist.

After the intermission, Mavis MacNeil sang with her husband Andrew Koehler on piano, Justin Lander on bass and Perry Heller on drums in an impromptu upbeat number before introducing themselves in their recent summer incarnation as the Birdhouse Band. Their rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” with Mavis and Annie Rowell blending their fine voices, had all the appropriate high energy.

“Les Yeux Noir” (“The Black Eyes”) was a lovely melody by Florian Hermann in French with an Edith Piaf flavor, which Annie Rowell sang with genuine feeling, accompanied by Mavis on saxophone, Koehler on piano and Roy on violin, who really took off in improvisations at the end.

The full orchestra returned for “Zenia,” a powerful song by Egyptian composer Mohammad Abdul Wahab. The lively beat and full blown momentum made this piece seem like dance music,. With Jeff Reinhardt’s orchestration, it was very accessible.

“Graze of the Abyss” was an original number by Roy MacNeil written several years ago, but now ever more relevant. It was divided into three sections: Estrangement, Revelation and Lackadaisical but Yearning. Moods varied with the rhythms and tempos, like a psychological journey in uncertain times.

Mavis’ “Milkweed” evoked bucolic natural landscapes overshadowed by an ending personal relationship, perhaps the dispersing seeds of the milkweed pods a metaphor for change. There was a lot of poignancy in the image of writing a letter to a parting lover, but then deciding not to send it.

Two special guest artists, brothers Will and J.D. Miller, harmonically combined their very professional voices in “I Talk to the Wind,” by King Crimson. In answer to the question, “Where have you been?,” the singer says, “I’ve been here, I’ve been there, I’ve been in between,” yet a pervasive frustration and sadness lingers in the phrase, “But the wind cannot hear.”

The first movement of “Schubert’s Symphony No. 9” rounded out the evening, the Andante, Allegro ma non troppo, Piu Moto. The first theme was stated by the French horn solo, but it was quickly expanded to the whole orchestra in monumental ways, as Schubert developed his wonderful melodies in imaginative directions, building to a well prepared ending. The audience responded with a standing ovation, and as an encore everyone joined in singing John Lennon’s “Imagine,” the lyrics of which were printed in the program, again a well-needed appeal to the best in us to come together in a world living in peace and brotherhood.