The Stillwater Chamber Singers, accompanied by the Stillwater Baroque Players, performed an excellent concert this afternoon called “Back to Baroque”. I was starving when we left the house a little past one o’clock, so I dropped Nettl off at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (the concert venue), and beat a track to Perkins, where I ordered some brecky. It was nearly a twenty-minute wait for my food. That’s a long time when you’re all by yourself with no one to talk to. Nevertheless, I had no place to be until 2:30, so I didn’t mind, and I sipped at my large tomato juice on the rocks, hoping to soothe my stomach from the mild hangover I had.
Before 2:30 I went back to the church and took a seat. The music was beautiful, of course, the spotlight piece being Bach’s cantata no. 78, Jesu, du der meine Seele, and the ensemble’s performance was outstanding. This group has really gelled since director Mark Lawlor took the baton. They’ve never sounded better than they did today. Although the music was challenging, there was no sense of difficulty; they were confident and up to the task. For me, the best were the two Lotti pieces. I love a capella, and the choir performed them from the choir loft above the sanctuary. The effect of that is well known, and the music, full of dissonances and resolutions, soared and floated like a feather caught in a current of air. I just shut my eyes and breathed it in. The rest of the concert was performed as usual, with the musicians at the front of the church.
Tomorrow night we’re invited to a party at the Lawlors’ home. I’m really looking forward to that!
