“Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week.” — Joseph Addison
July brings the return of the Old Deerfield Sunday Afternoon Concerts Series — eight return engagements by series favorites almost assuredly back by popular demand.
This is chamber music at its most authentic, with all of the performances in either solo, duet or trio settings.
Several of the combinations are quite rare to come by, even in mainstream and academic venues, such as that of unaccompanied violin and cello, guitar and flute, unaccompanied viola and violin and soprano and mezzo-soprano with piano.
Of course, the Valley’s Pioneer Consort is a configuration unique unto itself, sporting Michael Nix’s plucked strings, Greg Snedeker’s folk cello and Chris Devine’s instrumental grab bag, ranging from fiddle to mandolin, with many more between.
For those who have yet to have the Old Deerfield Sunday Concerts experience, essential to know is that they take place in the most idyllic of settings — the Music Room of Memorial Hall Museum, set amidst the balmy gardens of Memorial Street, just off Routes 5 and 10 in Old Deerfield.
Surrounded by shaded lawns and breeze-swept gardens, upon passing through the museum entrance, one moves from the sound and fury of the contemporary world, rife as it is with multitudinous, and often conflicting, virtual realities, into the welling stillness of another time, a time in which one’s only realities were actual ones, with no other requirement than that each be accorded full and caring attention, while it passed through our sphere. A radical thought, to be sure!
The Music Room is itself redolent with history, never having had the misfortune to encounter digital reality, and feels palpably intimate, comfortably seating 50, more or less. Though capable of cramming and standing-room-only upon highly-coveted occasions.
A sense of pre-technological peace pervades its slender space both before, during and after the concerts, and one inevitably comes away feeling one has had both a gratifying musical, as well an ineluctably human experience.
Tim Neumann oversees the series festivities with a light but committed touch, seeking out the best match between performer and audience, shunning even gifted musicians who may lean toward the primadonna-like in favor of those who, in addition to possessing great musical gifts, are capable of striking up a ready camaraderie with their almost disarmingly devoted audiences that gather to hear them.
A quick glimpse at the special gifts of the players (all concerts at 3 p.m.):
Ken Forfia, pianist, July 10, now in his third, or perhaps even fourth, decade at Deerfield, has become a perennial series kick-off favorite, with his proprietary blend of classical and popular keyboard works.
Carol Hutter, July 17, a colleague out of UMass Amherst, has been a core player with the Springfield Symphony and moves at ease between the flight-prone violin and earth-loving viola.
Akal Dev Sharonne, July 24, offers a charismatically played flute repertoire, usually in tandem with piano accompaniment.
The Pioneer Consort, July 31, delights in an irreverent, eclectic mix of traditional, popular and re-formatted classical works, and sports, among its more venerable members Michael Nix and Greg Snedeker and the court-jesterly wit and wizardry of the multifaced Chris Devine.
Flutist Sarah Swersey and multi-genre guitarist Joe Belmont, Aug. 7, generate a smoldering wind-string chemistry, featuring classical, Latin and original works that often wind up transfixing their audiences.
The Valtchev-Tchekeratova Duo, Aug. 14, violin and piano. Despite their now long immersion in American culture, the duo recreates the old-world Eastern European culture from which they originally emerged with classic works for this most popular duo setting.
Sopranos Lisa Woods and Terry LaFleur and pianist-composer Jerry Noble, Aug. 21, visibly enjoy both each other and their mutual music-making, and aren’t afraid to show it and share their joy with their audiences; a tough ensemble not to want to throw your arms around at the conclusion of one of their concerts.
Cellist Mark Fraser, now wearing the director’s hat for the Mohawk Trail Concerts, and violinist Anthony Berner, Aug. 28, are seriously committed, kick-butt musicians with a decided delight in plunging into challenging musical terrains, without, it should be added, the safety net of a big, lush piano to cover any exposed edges.
Best of all, as good as the music is, and as dreamily “Old World” the atmosphere, it’s all yours for a mere pittance — $10 for adults and $5 for seniors.
Why don’t you plan on it? I would!
Meanwhile, the Pioneer Valley Symphony is hosting its fourth annual Summer Sings on three Tuesdays in June and July.
All singers in all voice parts are welcome and choral scores will be provided, with instrumental parts available for the Brahms, Bach, and Mendelssohn for any interested instrumentalists.
All sings take place at Most Holy Redeemer Parish Hall, 120 Russell St. in Hadley and all start at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $10 each at the door or online, or sing passes are available for $25 for all three sings. Tickets may be purchased ahead of time at: www.pvsoc.org/summer-sings-2016
Calendar and repertoire:
June 28, 7 p.m.: Brahm’s “Requiem,” conducted by Paul Phillips.
July 12, 7 p.m.: Bernstein: “Chichester Psalms,” Bach’s “Magnificat” conducted by Jonathan Harvey.
July 26, 7 p.m.: Mendelssohn’s “Elijah,” conducted by Paul Phillips.
For more information, contact PVS Managing Director Susanne Dunlap at: susanne@pvso.org
An author and composer, columnist Joseph Marcello of Northfield focuses on music and theater. He can be reached at josephmarcello@verizon.net.