YGHT! Press |
The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY) CAMBRIDGE -- Baritone Steven Marking has a remarkable voice. On Saturday night at Hubbard Hall, he shared it with a small crowd in a program inspired by songs about rivers. His able accompanist was Lincoln Mayorga. The intimate evening of song, which included several excursions into the American Songbook, also featured video of the Mississippi River that Marking shot during a summer in Wisconsin near where he grew up, he said. The views, which were of moving water, egrets, eagles, stretches of water lilies and a barge, added peaceful overtones to the songs, many of which were based on poems by famous poets. Marking's voice was particularly suited to the repertoire he chose. His voice, which was smooth as silk, was wonderfully regulated and controlled. The color was consistent whether it was a clarion in Lee Hoiby's dramatic "I Was There" with words by Walt Whitman or a gravelly bass in H. T. Burleigh's arrangement of "Deep River." His phrasing was finished, his breath control and pitch excellent and his diction superb. Although any or all of these can be found in other baritones, Marking's ability to change the texture of his sound was unusual. He was able to lighten the color and tonal depth when he sang many of the "pop" tunes, such as Harold Arlen's "Get Happy" or "The Eagle and Me." But when he took on a more serious or thoughtful song, such as Samuel Barber's "Shining Night," the resonance and color seemed to deepen with darker overtones. It was an amazing display of vocal control that only the best singers achieve. As such, each of Marking's offerings became a gem. The program began with a river aria from Haydn's oratorio, "The Creation," that Marking sang in English. Copland's "At the River" had a beautiful melody and Harold Boatwright's "O Waly, Waly" had lovely lyrics and showed off Marking's full volume ringing tones. Other songs on this half included Hoiby's up- beat "Where the Music Comes From" based on Carl Sandburg's poem; Howard Swanson's dramatic "A Negro Speaks of Rivers" based on Langston Hughes' poem; and Chris DeBlasio's song about AIDS with lyrics by Perry Brass. Mayorga was an agile presence for these songs, only occasionally pushing Marking to a downbeat. Marking loosened his stance and leaned against the piano for the second pop half while Mayorga lit out with jazzy asides. Songs included Hoagy Carmichael's "Up the River," Henry Mancini's "Moon River," the spiritual "Ole Man River," and a gospel with backup singers Ingrid Schaaphok and Carmel Bowling. The encore was "Can't Help Falling in Love with You." Copyright (c) 2009 The Daily Gazette Co. All Rights Reserved. Record Number: 12B01E4616665C18 |