Carolina Baroque
Sanctuary, St. John's Lutheran Church, Salisbury, NC, April 28, 2002

Front row: John Pruett, baroque violin; Holly Maurer, viola da gamba;
Doris Powers, baroque violin & baroque viola; Mary Frances Boyce, baroque viola;
Dale Higbee, Music Director & recorders
Back row: Daniel Hannemann, harpsichord & organ; Teresa Radomski, soprano;
Lee Morgan, alto; Richard Heard, tenor; John Williams, bass-baritone

The title and program are a bit curious since Mozart (1756-91) was not a contemporary of Bach and Handel, both born in 1685 and dying respectively in 1750 and 1759. Indeed, Mozart belongs to the "Classical" rather than to the "Baroque" period, and the group's focus (stated on the tray card, which also lists all of the CDs available) is "Music of 1600-1750," thus ending before Mozart's birth. This aberration can perhaps be overlooked in this Mozart anniversary year, however, especially since he is represented here only by two organ works, the Adagio and Allegro in F, K.594, and the Gigue in G, K.574, very nicely played by Susan Bates, that serve as an interlude amidst the vocal works. Of course, it could also be argued that Bach wrote plenty for that instrument and Handel did not ignore it either.

The featured works are Bach's Cantatas "Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen," S.12, and "Die Elenden sollen essen," S.75, which open and close the program. Two selections from Part III of Handel's Theodora – a soprano Aria from Scene 1 and a chorus from Scene 7 – round out the performance, following the two organ works in the middle.

Carolina Baroque consists of four singers, one per part, and six instrumentalists. They sound authentic and appropriate for the period of the music with the exception of some of the singers occasionally having a slight case of the wobbles that do not suit the generally accepted pure tone of the Baroque vocal style. There is an occasional lag in the tempi; this is slightly distracting but does not mar the performance. The choral work and some of the vocal solos are indeed often quite impressive for such small forces.

The CD does not have a booklet per se but merely a folded "cover" sheet in the jewel case, featuring a photo and list of the performers on the front and track listings (in English translation and without timings, alas) on the back, and completely blank inside. The review copy was accompanied by a copy of the concert's printed program, which features notes by Higbee and texts/translations (although disappointingly not the original sung German of the Bach works) as well as brief bios of the composers and performers. We trust that other purchasers of the product will receive one also, so that it is not merely a souvenir for those who attended the concert and kept theirs? This group admirably fills an important niche in North Carolina's classical music scene and is one of the state's principal exponents of the music of this period. It is laudable that it is archiving its work in this manner, but it would be better yet if the packaging matched the professionalism of the sound and the performance. We are happy to recommend that others who have not heard Carolina Baroque take a chance on this CD; we think they will not be disappointed.

The wonderful disc Music for Two Sopranos & Chamber Works by Handel (CB-118) provides triple pleasures. Carolina Baroque's fine instrumentalists are heard in two substantial works, the Trio Sonata in B minor, Op. 2, No. 1, HWV.386b, and the Trio Sonata in B-flat, Op. 2, No. 3, HWV.388. The colors and tones of each player are most realistically captured. It is especially rewarding to hear Susan Bates' tasteful harpsichord continuo in a true concert hall ambience. The ensemble's accompanying roles for the vocal works are just as demanding, calling for extended obbligato solos from each player. The baroque instrumental ensemble consists of violinist John Pruett, cellist Gretchen Tracy, harpsichordist Bates, and director Dale Higbee on a variety of piquant recorders.

Soprano Teresa Radomski is a familiar voice from this Carolina Baroque CD series as well as a performer throughout the Piedmont. Her solid, dark-tinged soprano is distinctive, and the mezzo-soprano-like firmness of her lower extension is particularly noteworthy. This makes her the perfect foil for another of the Triad's treasures, soprano Marilyn Taylor, whose bright and focused voice soars seamlessly to the heights. Her training "stable" at the NCSA has produced an enviable roster of first-rate singers; alas, she herself has been too seldom heard east of the Triad.

Each singer can be savored in a sequence of seven solo arias alternating with recitatives in Handel's Aminta e Fillide, HWV.83, a cantata for two sopranos with instruments. This enchanting work culminates with a duet. The part of Aminta is taken by Taylor and Teresa sings the role of Fillide. The piece abounds with gorgeous melodies that lie perfectly for the voices and give the instrumentalists plenty of scope for showmanship.

A startling surprise is to be heard in Italian Duets for Two Sopranos and Continuo. Originality was not such a bug-a-boo for baroque composers as it was to become later, and Handel never threw away any piece of music – he often recycled the notes in entirely different compositions. The music from these two duets comes from his stay in London (1710-45). The secular themes of Duet No. 15, "Quel fior che all'alba ride," HWV.192, and Duet No. 16, "No, di voi non vo'fidarmi," HWV.189, were transformed into the choruses "His yoke is easy," "And he shall purify," "For unto us a child is born," and "All we like sheep," in his oratorio Messiah. The strongly-contrasted timbre of Radomski and Taylor make it easy to savor each line as they are interwoven and exchanged.

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Dale Higbee's CDs make satisfying souvenirs of the live performances. German Genius: Bach & Handel (CB-121) is a rewarding program that mixes reduced chamber music versions from Handel's opera and choral works with duo instrumental works by Handel and Bach.

When the Chandos label issued the complete "Chandos" Anthems of Handel on four CDs, they quickly became best sellers. The 32-year old Handel was appointed composer-in-residence to the Duke of Chandos in 1717. That able administrator became rich by speculating with the monies he received as Paymaster of the Forces Abroad during the War of the Spanish Succession. The composer chose the Biblical texts himself from the Psalms. Each anthem consists of arias and choral movements. For this program, Higbee selected the anthem psalm and an aria from Anthems Nos. 7-9. Played in the sequence of No. 8, No. 9, and No. 7, they form a pleasing fast-slow-fast suite.

Handel's opera Partenope, first performed at the King's Theatre on February 12, 1730, is based on a libretto by Sivio Stampiglia (1699). It depicts romantic intrigues at the court of Queen Partenope, the legendary founder of Naples. It can be considered a sophisticated tragicomedy of manners, where the Queen juggles no fewer than three suitors over the course of the action. At least one critic – Brian Robins – has drawn a parallel with another opera set in Naples, Mozart's Così fan tutte. Teresa Radomski sings the aria "Io ti l'impero dell'armi," from Act I, scene 11.

Imeneo was the last opera Handel presented before switching to a long series of oratorios. First performed November 22, 1740, at Lincoln's Inn Fields theatre, it was advertised in the press as an operetta. Its plot is derived from a Neapolitan serenata by Nicola Porpora in 1723, and love at cross purposes is the theme. Radomski gets to portray both leading women. In Rosmene's arioso, "Deh! m' ajutate, oh Dei!," in Act I, s.1, she expresses her doubts about choosing between two suitors. Clomiri's aria, "Se ricordar ten vuoi," about unrequited love of the hero Imeneo, is from Act III, s.3.

One vocal setting from J.S. Bach is given: the aria "Seele, deine Spezereien," from the Easter Oratorio, S.249.

All the vocal works are stylishly performed by Wake Forest University Professor Radomski. Listed as a soprano, she possesses unusually granite-like middle and lower ranges – almost a mezzo-soprano extension. She is sensitive to the expressive possibilities of the texts, and her diction is fine.

Two purely instrumental works are featured. From J.S. Bach's works for viola da gamba and continuo, the Sonata No. 2 in D, S.1028, is performed by cellist Gretchen Tracy and harpsichordist Susan Bates. Tracy's cello has a wonderful full warm tone, and her intonation is excellent, with no harsh notes. Bates' keyboard is naturally recorded and perfectly balanced. Her execution of trills and her clean articulations in fast passages are outstanding. The harpsichord is recorded just as it would sound in concert, with no artificial spotlighting.

Handel's settings for violin and continuo are rarely heard in this area. This makes listening to his Sonata in D, HWV.371, for violin and harpsichord, all the more rewarding. All the virtues of Bates' continuo playing described above are present here. There is a wonderful passage in which the harpsichord has the main theme while the violin takes the continuo role. Nicolae Soare's violin tone is burnished, and his articulation is clear as a bell. It is too bad this isn't a DVD. At the March 4, 2006, performance of Handel's Jephtha by the Piedmont Chamber Singers, one of the most striking sights was the unusual configuration of Soare's violin. It is a modern replica of a 1692 Testore, a model he informed me was known in those days as the "Devilfish." That is an apt allusion to its weird triangular upper portion.

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In reviews of past issues, my colleagues and I have sometimes quibbled about programs that contained too many excerpts of works. While excerpts may work very well for the one-time experience of a live concert, rabid music collectors want complete recordings. This flaw is not present in Bach, Handel & Vivaldi (CB-122), which contains free-standing arias from a cantata, an oratorio, and two superb operas plus two concertos and a famous trio sonata, making for interesting and substantial works. Minimal forces are used in the concertos; this is a side effect of a very tight budget, but it often reaps musical dividends.

One of Vivaldi's best-known works, the Recorder Concerto in G minor ("La Notte"), Op. 10, No. 2 (RV.439), opens the CD. Its five movements run the gamut of program music. The ambiguous opening is reminiscent of the chaos at the start of Haydn's Creation. The next movement has eerie harmonies and timbres suggestive of ghosts, a build-up of tempo, and a churning of parts that evoke a rainstorm. The largo is an onomatopoeiac passage for snoring sleep, and the swirling strings and fleet recorder runs paint a sunrise with birdcalls. Higbee may be a retiree, but he still has his chops, knife-edge intonation, and the ability to turn on a dime effortlessly, whether changing tempo or dynamics.

Soprano Teresa Radomski sings the aria "Veni, veni, me sequere fida," from Vivaldi's great oratorio Juditha Triumphans, RV.644. A lovely instrumental introduction features the recorder singing a melody and trilling. The aria exploits Radomski's firm lower range, which verges on the mezzo-soprano register. A highlight finds the soprano in lock step with the recorder, each spiraling about the other. Her diction is exemplary in this and all the other vocal excerpts.

This disc would be worth getting just for the superb performance of Vivaldi's Trio Sonata in D Minor, Op. 1, No. 12 (RV.63), famous for its variations on "Folia," which originated as a folk dance in late 15th-century Portugal. This popular theme was exploited as a subject for clever variations by many composers over several centuries. Carolina Baroque featured violinists John Pruett and Guy Oldaker IV with the continuo provided by baroque cellist Gretchen Tracy and harpsichordist Mary Louise Kapp Peeples. The twists and turns of each variation are a constant delight to the ear and mind.

J.S. Bach's soprano aria "Mer en neue Oberkeet," from the secular Peasant Cantata, wishes an abundance of blessings upon the small village of Klein-Zschocher. It features a playful recorder melody above a measured accompaniment. Radomski's equally well-placed high range is brought into play, and her intonation is as pure as the notes of Higbee's recorder.

There have been several complete recordings of Handel's opera Rodelinda, Regina de Langobardi, HWV.19. Radomski plumbs the depths of grief in the aria ""Ombre, piante, urne funeste," from Act I, s.7. Hesitations in the opening measures and Higbee's plaintive recorder set the mood of mourning that dominates the selection. There is a moving solo from violinist John Pruett.

Real musical dividends come from Carolina Baroque's almost "trio sonata" performance of J.S. Bach's Concerto in F minor for solo harpsichord, two violins, viola, and cello, S.1056. Each musical line is crystal clear. The beautifully balanced sound of Peebles' harpsichord is captured superbly. These instruments' color and timbre make for maximum contrast. Program annotator Leonard Burkat describes this concerto as "rich in texture and vigorous in rhythm." The gorgeous purity of the solo line in the slow movement lives up to its reputation as "one of Bach's most beautiful instrumental arias." The harpsichord's melodic line is supported most of the time by crisp and pungent string pizzicatos.

Handel's opera Bernice, Regina d'Egitto, HWV.38, has an intricate and complicated plot (A loves B, B loves C, and C loves A) with various reversals. The soprano aria "Chi t'intende?," from Act III, s.4, finds Queen Bernice in despair, prepared to commit suicide because of her betrayal by her unrequited love, Demetro. This selection gives the greatest range of virtuosity for both Radomski and the ensemble. The unique, dusky sonority of Marian Wilson's baroque viola is as welcome in this as it is in several earlier selections.

CB-122 has very good sound quality. Unlike some of the series, there is no problem with ambient noise in the church from air conditioning or audience noise. I heard one muffled cough. The tone quality of the strings sounds natural and – best of all – the harpsichord is not artificially boosted."

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And finally, Carolina Baroque is in the news, since part of the ensemble's November 12, 2004, concert is being used in a new commercial film:

"Music from the CD Handel Sonatas & Telemann Quartets, recorded live on November 12, 2004, by Carolina Baroque, Dale Higbee, Music Director, in the Chapel of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Salisbury, NC, will be included in a commercial film titled Little Chicago, now being made by Nimbus 9 Productions in Gastonia, NC. The film is being directed by Richard Clabaugh, Filmmaker-in-Residence: Cinematography, on the faculty of the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, NC. The work featured is Handel’s Trio Sonata in A major, Opus 5, No. 1 (HWV.396), performed by Dale Higbee, recorder, John Pruett, baroque violin, Brent Wissick, baroque cello, and Susan Bates, harpsichord.

Carolina Baroque concluded its 18th season April 7 with “Telemann Concertos Plus Mozart,” presented in the Chapel of St. John’s Lutheran Church. As in their previous concert, the group stretched beyond the boundaries of the Baroque period to include music of classical Mozart in this, the 250th year of his birth, being celebrated year-long and worldwide.

Telemann was not afforded the same treatment on his 300th birthday in 1981, even though he was the leading composer of his day and possibly the most prolific composer who ever lived. He was more famous and successful than Bach, who has now eclipsed him.

Only a small fraction of Telemann’s prodigious output is still performed. Thanks to the efforts of music director Dale Higbee, always ready to champion and present neglected works of genius, Salisbury audiences were treated to a healthy dose of Telemann’s talent last Friday.

In each half of the concert, a Mozart work was sandwiched between two of Telemann’s, giving the evening variety and symmetry. The pairing of these two composers makes musical sense, and is a suitable concluding program for the ongoing “Salisbury Bach and Handel Festival” because it tells the next chapter of the story – music’s direction after Bach.

Telemann moved away from the contrapuntal style of most of his German contemporaries to a lighter, less intricate approach, more appealing to a wider public. His works progressed into the “style nuovo,” the precursor of the “classical” idiom, for which Mozart was the epitome. Living 85 years and composing 17 years beyond the death of Bach, Telemann was still around as Mozart’s star was rising.

In last week’s concert, the ensemble’s virtuosity and rapport was obvious. Since Telemann’s style allows for trading and tossing about of melodic lines and “taking turns,” the performance sometimes had the feeling of a sporting event, the listener’s attention directed from one player to the next depending on who has the “ball.”

Holly Maurer, playing viola da gamba, was highly featured in the first half of the program. It’s rare to see and hear this Baroque instrument performed these days. At first glance, it appears to be a cello, but it has six strings rather than four, frets like a guitar, and no endpin, so it has to be supported by the legs (hence its name). The bow is held underhanded, unlike a cello grip. It may appear unwieldy to modern eyes, but Maurer is obviously comfortable with the instrument, making it sing in solo sections and in duet with Higbee’s rich recorder sound.

Maurer frequently plays a supporting role with Carolina Baroque; it was good to see her front and center this time. In Telemann’s “Pastorale in F major” the second movement was especially pleasing, Maurer and Higbee taking turns demonstrating their lyrical abilities over a harpsichord accompaniment reminiscent of a music box. The viola da gamba was also outstanding in Telemann’s “Concerto in A minor.” The final Allegro movement was especially satisfying and brought the first half of the program to a rousing finish.
Baroque cellist Barbara Blaker Krumdieck, making her Carolina Baroque debut, traded places with Maurer as the center of attention for the second half of the program. She had a number of opportunities to shine in Telemann’s Concerto in F major for recorder, cello, strings and continuo, and in the Concerto in A major from “Musique de Table, I.”

Violinists Gesa Kordes, Marian Wilson and Greg Pannell filled out the ensemble with well-balanced sonorities and tasteful ensemble nuances in the Telemann works.

John Pruett’s violin provided a strong lead in the Telemann performances, and he was featured in the first half in Mozart’s Sonata in E flat major for violin and harpsichord, executed with aplomb. In sonatas of that time, the keyboard is an equal partner rather than an accompaniment, and harpsichordist Susan Bates’ hands flew seemingly effortlessly in accord with Pruett’s virtuosic violin.

Bates performed solo midway through the second half of the concert in a rendition of Mozart’s 12 Variations on “Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman” in C major. This theme is a folk song better known as “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” While based on a simple tune, the variations are anything but easy. Bates navigated the elaborate workings of the variations with ease and precision. While accepting her applause, Bates gestured in acknowledgement to the beautiful 1986 Kingston harpsichord, her partner in the performance.

The appellation “golden age” is relative to whomever is making the designation, but few could argue against awarding this title to the entire 18th century, spanning the High Baroque and the entire career of Mozart during the Classical period. Music Director Dale Higbee ventured beyond the group’s usual Baroque boundaries in planning this performance, including music of Mozart in honor of the composer’s 250th birthday this year.

It was a busy concert for Higbee. The works were transcribed for reduced forces, so the recorder acted as a “mini band” playing parts originally scored for other instruments, such as oboe and trumpet. The strings and harpsichord served a mostly accompanying function in Friday’s performance, but the recorder was prominently featured in sinfonia and instrumental passages as well as in duet with the vocalists’ arias. Higbee played with finesse, never upstaging the singers, and keeping good balance with the other instruments, whether performing an ornate counterpoint or a sustained chorale melody.

To say the other instruments had an accompanying role is not to take away their performance or musicianship. Violinists John Pruett and Greg Pannell, violist Mary Frances Boyce and cellist Gretchen Tracy all played their baroque instruments beautifully, and along with harpsichordist Susan Bates, provided a reliable continuo and outstanding accompaniment any singer would envy.

The concert included two Bach cantatas. As in the past, Carolina Baroque employed OVPP (one voice per part) approach to the works. Rather than have a full choir sing the chorus parts of the cantatas, the four soloists performed the choruses, one on a part.

Lack of performance instructions in Baroque music has led to speculation as to how music of that age should be performed in order to approximate the original intentions of the composers. Bach’s choruses were not performed by huge choral ensembles as they are today. But some researchers have asserted that Bach actually intended the chorus sections of his cantatas to be sung by soloists on each part.

Higbee did not say whether their OVPP performance was in support of this radical movement, or if their use of only four voices was in keeping with the reduced size of the overall ensemble. The vaulted space of the sanctuary proved no obstacle to the singers, whose voices easily filled the room.

In the opening cantata, “Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen,” (“Weeping, lamenting, worrying, fearing”) soloists sang with pathos and feeling. It was unusual to see contralto Lee Morgan conducting the players during her recitative. In the aria that followed, she exhibited a rich, alto tone complemented by Higbee’s recorder.

Bass-baritone Doug Crawley’s voice resonated with startling strength and conviction in his aria proclaiming loyalty to Christ. Crawley seemed more visually engaged with the instrumentalists than is typical. His apparent interest in their playing drew attention to them in a way that I found refreshing.

In the next aria, Christians are assured that their suffering will not be in vain: “after the rain, blessings flower, all storms pass over.” Tenor Richard Cook sang his complex melismatic part with vocal dexterity while the chorale tune “Jesu, Meine Freude” floated above, played by recorder.

The brief concluding chorus with the full ensemble with performed with vitality. The final cut-off was uncharacteristically ragged, but could be forgiven in light of the glorious performance that preceded it.

Susan Bates switched from harpsichord to the sanctuary’s recently renovated Casavant organ to perform two organ works by Mozart. The first, Adagio and Allegro in F minor, was commissioned for a 1790 exhibition where it would be played by a cylinder-driven musical clock. Bates’ playing was anything but mechanical. She played the framing Adagio sections with as much poignancy as is possible on an organ, and the contrapuntal Allegro was delightfully buoyant.

Bates also played Mozart’s Gigue in G major, a boldly chromatic and contrapuntally complex work which she navigated with ease.

There had been no solo for soprano Teresa Radomski in the first half of the program, but she had several chances to shine after intermission. In an aria from Handel’s oratorio “Theodora,” the da capo form allowed Radomski to display impeccable ornamentation in the repeat of the A section.

The remainder of the concert consisted of Bach’s cantata “Die Elenden sollen essen.” Written in two parts, it was designed to have part I, the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, presented before the sermon, and part II, applying the text to the Christian life, after. In Friday’s concert, part II followed part I without interruption, but it did not seem unduly long, thanks to the fine performances by each of the soloists. Especially notable was the soprano aria “I assume my suffering with joy,” in which Radomski’s impressive vocal work and Higbee’s recorder counterpoint flowed together in remarkable concordance.

Both parts of the cantata concluded with the same chorale. The ending of the second part, concluding the concert, was achieved with a tapered, controlled finish punctuated by a subtle recorder arpeggio, a refined ending to a tasteful evening.

Salisbury Post's Rowan County Explorer - Fall/Winter 2005-'06
Carolina Baroque
Salisbury and Rowan County are fortunate and proud to be the home of Dr. Dale Higbee and Carolina Baroque, an ensemble organized by Dr. Higbee in 1988 to share his love of the rich sounds of some of the great composers from 1600 to 1760 on the period instruments those composers loved.
Contrary to a great portion of today's music - particularly the techno/pop genre most often computer generated - Carolina Baroque will indulge your love for real musical talent from the first moment, with gifted artists taunting your senses through a variety of timbres and moods. Years of practice and experience have afforded these world-class musicians the skill of delighting those whose tastes include the likes of Monteverdi, Couperin, Purcell, Vivaldi, Telemann, Bach and Handel. You're sure to love an evening with the offerings of Carolina Baroque.
Dr. Higbee is enthusiastic when talking about Carolina Baroque, which he founded in 1988.
"Carolina Baroque is something I do for fun," he says. Retired since 1987, he says "one of the things that you need in order to enjoy life is to have a passion, and I have always been crazy about classical music. At this point in my life, I am very fortunate to be able to give concerts that I would like to go to! Our programs are so unusual that many of the finest musicians in North Carolina have been happy to have the opportunity to work on great music with Carolina Baroque."
Dr. Higbee, who is known for his knowledge and skill on a variety of recorders, says that many people think of the recorder as a pre-instrument, a primary instrument, used to assist students in learning to play. However, many pieces of music that flutists play are actually written for the recorder. He says he played the flute for 20 years before he even learned to play the recorder. "I thought it was a toy," he says.
But when you hear the fluid strains Dr. Higbee coaxes from a recorder, you will understand that this is anything but a toy. Though it is difficult to play well, it is easy to play badly, thus used a lot by students to learn to play, he says.
This season, Carolina Baroque will treat hometown folks and visitors from near and far to a Bach and Handel Festival, a series of three concerts to be held at St. John's Lutheran Church, 200 W. Innes St. in Salisbury. All concerts are free, with donations gratefully accepted.

The purely instrumental portion of the concert consisted of two trio sonatas - in B Minor, Op. 2, No. 1 (HWV.386b) and in B-flat, Op. 2, No. 3 (HWV.388). Both had four movements in the typical pattern of slow-fast-slow-fast. The basso continuo was realized by harpsichordist Susan Bates (a Salem College alumna) and cellist Gretchen Tracy. Tracy is the only baroque cello player I have ever seen who retains the modern pin on the instrument; most grip its body between their knees. Nevertheless there was nothing wanting in her phrasing or intonation. Bates' modern reproduction harpsichord had a fine mellow tone and a gorgeous lute stop. I am so accustomed to seeing John Pruett leading the viola section in regional ensembles that it seemed odd to find him playing baroque violin. His intonation and phrasing were superb. In these trio sonatas the violin often answered or sang in tight step with one of several recorders played by Music Director Dale Higbee. For the B Minor Sonata he used a soprano recorder sometimes called a "sixth flute," which sounds an octave higher than the baroque flute. This recorder made fine bird-like chirpings. A recorder sometimes called a "fourth flute" (because it sounds a fourth higher than the standard baroque alto recorder) was used for the B-flat Sonata. Higbee is the most undemonstrative recorder player I have ever seen: there was no hyper-dramatic twisting and turning for effect. Like Jascha Heifetz used to do, he just stood and delivered some of the most refined recorder playing I have heard live.*

With just Bates and Tracy providing the continuo support, soprano Marilyn Taylor, Chair of the NCSA's Voice Department, and soprano Teresa Radomski, Professor of Music at WFU, joined for the real treats of the concert, two Italian duets. It is too bad that the Italian texts were not given - only a translation was provided - because the unfamiliar words were set to some of the most recognizable tunes in all of music.

Duet No. 15 was composed July 1, 1741, and Duet No. 16 was composed July 3, 1741. The first stanza of Duet No. 15, "Quel fior che all'alba ride," HWV.192, is set to the tune used for "His yoke is easy" in Messiah while the second is the tune of "And He shall purify." Likewise, the first stanza of Duet No. 16, "No, di voi non vo'fidarmi," HWV.189, is the tune of "For unto us a child is born," while the second dances along to the music known as "All we like sheep." Messiah was composed between August 22 and September 14, 1741. Scholars assert that the composer seldom threw anything away. No wonder the oratorio was finished so rapidly!

The concert ended with the earliest work on the program, Aminta e Fillide ("Amyntas and Phyllis"), HWV.83, a cantata. According to the program notes, it "dates from 1707-08 when Handel was working in Rome under the patronage of the Marquis (later Prince) Ruspoli, who was active in the Arcadian Academy." While the full text was given, only about 60% of the cantata was performed. Taylor took the higher role of Aminta, and Radomski sang the relatively lower role of Fillide. It was a delight to hear the voices treated almost instrumentally, matching or echoing the recorders of Higbee and baroque violin of Pruett, which often "sang" on their own As befits the amorous "shepherds and shepherdesses" theme of the Academy, both vocalists and instrumentalists did many bird-like imitations, and there were beautiful trills from all concerned. Higbee began with a "fourth flute" (recorder), playing the cantata's first violin part, but in one stanza he used a larger instrument known as a "voice flute," more than a foot long, which has the same pitch and range as the baroque transverse flute.*

It is reassuring to know there is an oasis in Salisbury where one can go to hear unadulterated music performed by musicians who have mastered their art through years of practice and refinement. That haven of pure music is Carolina Baroque, bestowing its musical gifts upon the Salisbury Community for a 16^th season.

On Oct. 17, the Handel Festival continued, as the Chapel of St. John’s Lutheran Church provided an inspirational and intimate setting for this season’s first concert, “Telemann and His Friends, Bach and Handel.”

Although J. S. Bach is now regarded as the most outstanding German composer of the Baroque period, Georg Philipp Telemann was more famous and successful at the time. Teresa Radomski’s splendid soprano voice blended beautifully with Dale Higbee’s recorder in Telemann’s Cantatas No. 45 and No. 4.

Radomski sang with seemingly effortless grace in the recitative and aria “Ach Schmerz!” – “Chi piu mi piace il voglio” from Handel’s “Almira, Queen of Castile.” This was Handel’s first opera, debuted in his native Germany, which is why, as Higbee explained, the recitative is in German and the aria in Italian.

This was followed by the aria “Care speme” from Handel’s later and most-performed opera “Julius Caesar in Egypt.” Radomski sang as the ill-fated Sextus with emotion and conviction.

Higbee was featured in Handel’s Sonata in A minor, Opus I, No. 4, for recorder and continuo. The performance included a variety of timbres and moods; the ensemble’s wordless communication led them seamlessly and in perfect synchrony through transitions and climaxed in the last movement in a flowing cascade of sound.

Performing for the first time with Carolina Baroque was Susan Bates, on harpsichord and organ. She plays remarkably, whether featured performer or as continuo.

She began the concert with Bach’s Organ Prelude, BWV 639, “Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ.” Before playing she recited the words of the first verse of the chorale so the audience could meditate upon the words as she played.

During the second half of the concert, the audience responded enthusiastically to Bates’ renditions of Bach’s Prelude and Fugue No. 19 in A and No. 15 in G from “The Well-Tempered Clavier.”

Cellist Gretchen Tracy also made her Carolina Baroque debut, playing Baroque cello. She provided a solid, assured foundation to the continuo throughout the concert, and she stepped out of the accompanist role to shine alone in the Suite in G major for solo cello by Bach.

A concertgoer said that if that piece had been the only thing on the concert, he still would have been satisfied.

Get out your calendars and make note – the Handel Festival will continue, with two more concerts this season: “Handel and His Peers” on Feb. 20 and “Music for Two Sopranos and Chamber Music by Handel” on April 16. -Sarah Fuller Hall

Salisbury Post- November 26, 2002:
Carolina Baroque salutes George Frideric Handel with performance of his work
There was a celebration in the Chapel of St. John's Lutheran Church the afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 24, as Carolina Baroque performed a glorious salute to composer George Frideric Handel. The group's musical director, Dr. Dale Higbee, proclaimed unequivocally that Handel is his favorite composer, and his passion for Handel's music is evident in both his speaking about the composer and his programming of works that represent the composer at his finest. The music was presented with joyful integrity, and afforded the opportunity to bring the listeners hidden gems seldom performed today (due to no fault of Handel's, but rather to changes in vocal practice and public taste). Handel's Messiah and Water Music have so eclipsed his other works that many do not realize Handel's fame in his lifetime was due to his vast output of Italian opera. Most people do not associate ballet with Handel, but he included a bit of instrumental ballet music in his stage works after the French form became the rage across Europe and was incorporated into Italian opera (partly to give the audience a rest from all the singing). Handel was quite a celebrity in his adopted home, England, and his music was immensely popular, known even by people who could not afford to attend the opera. Selected parts of his larger works were often performed separately in concerts. In this tradition, Carolina Baroque performed short instrumental selections that accompanied ballet in the operas "Il Pastor Fido," "Ariodante" and "Radamisto." These pieces ranged from flowing, to stately, to subdued elegance. John Pruett (Baroque violin), Daniel Hannemann (harpsichord), Holly Maurer (viola da gamba) and Dale Higbee (recorders) all performed with the beauty and attention to detail Salisbury audiences have come to expect from their repeated triumphs in concerts here. The dances also gave Ms. Maurer's viola da gamba a chance to perform a more prominent counterpoint with the other instruments, with less basso continuo than in some performances. The viola da gamba, a six-string fretted instrument similar to the cello, is rare today. Ms. Maurer's artistry demonstrated the beauty of this seldom-heard instrument. The intimate space of St. John's Chapel is ideal for the Baroque instruments. The gut strings have a sweeter, softer sound than the strings of modern instruments which are designed for large concert halls. The dances were framed by performances of arias and duets from Handel operas featuring alto Lee Morgan and soprano Teresa Radomski. The opening performance was the aria "Cara sposa, amante cara, dove sei?" from Rinaldo. Lee Morgan's voice seemed to unfold from the music with startling beauty rather than just appear at the appointed time. She sang Rinaldo's aria of lost love with convincing sadness and as Ruggiero from Alcina, Ms. Morgan performed with a deep richness. Teresa Radomski then commanded the stage as the deceived Alcina, singing the Recitativo accompagnato with vivid drama, then launching into an aria with all the fury and energy of a woman scorned. Handel demonstrates his mastery of tone painting, as Alcina rebukes the "pale shadows" that "hover around" her and invokes their help in stopping Ruggiero from fleeing. The sound of the instruments seemed to circle and enfold the scene, and then chase as commanded. Ms. Radomski demonstrated incredible range and vocal dexterity with prompted a rousing ovation from the audience. For the second half of the program, Ms. Radomski and Ms. Morgan joined in duets from "Julius Caesar in Egypt." Their voices blended beautifully, performing dynamics and subtleties as if one voice. The concert skipped gracefully to its conclusion with a sprightly, joyful duet between Cleopatra and Caesar. The happy ending suited the audience's pleasure well for the outstanding performance they had just enjoyed. The celebration continues Feb. 16 and April 6, when Carolina Baroque presents more music by Handel, as well as Bach and Telemann. -Sarah Fuller Hall

AMERICAN RECORDER, Volume XLIII, Number 4, September 2002:
(www.recorderonline.org)

Compact Disc Reviews, G.F. Handel: Viva Voce!–Two Mini-Operas by Handel.
Carolina Baroque: Dale Higbee, Dir. & Rec.; Teresa Radomski, Soprano; Richard Heard, Tenor; John Williams, Bass-Baritone.
Carolina Baroque CB-111, 2002, 2 CDs, 91:17, $15.00.
Handel's Apollo and Daphne and Acis and Galatea are two of the most charming works from the Baroque era. Tuneful and intimate diversions, they require only modest vocal and instrumental forces.
Apollo and Daphne is an early work, stemming from Handel's sojourn in Italy during the first decade of the 18th century when he soaked up Italian opera and developed his hallmark lyrical style. It is set for soprano and bass and a small orchestra.
Handel was firmly established in London when he composed Acis and Galatea for soloists, chorus, and a small orchestra. Higbee, the director and recorder soloist of Carolina Baroque, abridged the scores by substituting recorder for the other winds, reducing the string complement to a quintet, leaving the choruses of Acis and Galatea on the cutting room floor - and resulting in delicate chanber settings of both works.
This recording is of a live performance at Wake Forest University on February 28, 2002, by Carolina Baroque, a marvelous group of professional early music specialists. Radomski as Galatea and Daphne sings the parts with finesse, tender at the right moments but always ready to assert her characters into the fray. Tenor Heard as Acis is the star of the program; his clear voice and consumate expressive abilitities are perfect for Handel's lyrical lines. The part of Apollo is sung by Williams. He has a quality of lightness, rare for a bass-baritone, that matches the obbligato instruments and is good foil for Radomski's Daphne. Higbee is dazzling on the recorder obbligatos, which are the all the more prominent because the recorder is the sole wind instrument in these versions.
Live performances are never perfect. This one suffers from occasional lapses in intonation, but they are fleeting and never mar the overall effect. This CD can be obtained from Carolina Baroque, 412 S. Ellis Street, Salisbury, North Carolina 28144.
Thomas Cirtin

AN ONLINE CLASSICAL MUSIC JOURNAL FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA, May 2002:
(www.cvnc.org)
Viva Voce!–Two Mini-Operas by Handel.
Carolina Baroque directed by Dale Higbee.
CB-111: 2 CDs, 45:27 & 45:39, recorded in concert February 28, 2002. $10 plus $5 postage/handling, available from Dale Higbee, 412 South Ellis Street, Salisbury, NC 28144-4820 or online at www.carolinabaroque.org

Many residents of the Triangle (and beyond) lament the demise of UNC-based Ensemble Courant, formerly A Society for Performance on Original Instruments, and the loss here of the enthusiasm its members brought to baroque music. In recent months, we have learned more about an ensemble based in Salisbury that has–since 1988–been pursuing similar repertoire, using original instruments and historically-informed approaches to performances. Its director is Dale Higbee, whose editorial skill, expertise as a recorder virtuoso, and delight in his work are readily apparent in this live-performance recording of one of Carolina Baroque's concerts earlier this season. The music is by Handel, and the works presented are Acis and Galatea, given in an abridgement by Higbee that nonetheless retains, as he says, "the whole story," and Apollo e Daphne, given complete, in Italian, but with instrumentation that differs from that listed in several published sources. This is of relatively minor importance, for Higbee's widely respected players–John Pruett and Mary Frances Boyce, baroque violins, Doris Powers (distinguished classical columnist of The Chapel Hill News), baroque viola, Holly Maurer, viola da gamba, Daniel Hannemann, harpsichord, and Higbee, who plays recorders and keeps the music moving along briskly–are all experts in the field. The singers are soprano Teresa Radomski (as Galatea and Daphne), tenor Richard Heard (Acis), and bass-baritone John Williams (Poylphemus, in A&G, and Apollo). The soprano and tenor are based at Wake Forest University, and the performances were recorded there, too, in Brendle Recital Hall.
These are first-class readings of Handel, but because they are live recordings, there are some minor problems. There is a good bit of reverberation in the hall itself, and while it doesn't appreciably cloud the sound, it takes a few minutes to become acclimated to it. There are very few technical problems–these historically informed performers are clearly experts, so at only one point is there a hint of ensemble and/or intonation trouble, and it passes quickly. The works are from early in Handel's career–Apollo and Daphne (sometimes referred to as "La terra è liberata"), completed in 1708, was written as Handel traveled north, from Venice to England; and Acis and Galatea (the librettists of which included John Gay, best known for The Beggar's Opera) was composed a decade later, after he had arrived in London. Whether either of these may properly be called an opera could be debated; the former is generally included among Handel's dramatic or secular cantatas, and the latter, with the odes and oratorios. That they work effectively as mini-operas, whether staged or not, is clear, and they certainly have recitatives and arias that resemble (in both form and inventive musical content) those contained in works that indisputably are operas.
Radomski is the vocal star here, but Williams' singing will amaze and astonish those who have not had the pleasure of hearing him recently (he used to visit the Triangle with some frequency but has not been heard here of late). Heard is no slouch, and his voice is pleasing, but he seems, comparatively, a bit less comfortable in his solo parts than the others.
The instrumental work gives constant pleasure, as well it should, in view of the artists involved. The Triangle may have lost Ensemble Courant, but North Carolina has another ensemble that has replaced it. Those who enjoy savoring Handel's music as Handel might have heard it or who find one-or-two-to-a-part performances of baroque works appealing owe it to themselves to investigate this 2-CD set and Carolina Baroque's offerings next season, in Salisbury and Concord. See our 2002-3 Series tab for complete details.
John W. Lambert

Salisbury Post- May 2, 2002:
Carolina Baroque presents ‘controversial’ Bach cantatas
“A controversy is raging. It is a dispute so big that it was only a matter of time before it reached our community – and now it has, in the form of a bold performance by Carolina Baroque April 28 in the sanctuary of Salisbury’s St. John’s Lutheran Church.
The controversy is the OVPP debate (one-voice-per-part in the cantatas of J.S. Bach). Most Bach fans are accustomed to hearing his choruses performed by large choirs. But in 1981, after much research, Joshua Rifkin asserted that Bach had actually intended the chorus sections of his cantatas to be sung by soloists on each part. Rifkin’s proposal was largely scorned for years, until 1999, when suddenly there was a surge of support for his assertion, and performances and recordings increasingly reflected the OVPP practice.
We don’t need Joshua Rifkin in Salisbury, because we have our own master of Baroque musicology, Dale Higbee, founder and music director of Carolina Baroque. Sunday’s performance featured Bach’s Cantata No. 21 and No. 182, with one person singing each chorus part. In order to carry this effectively, talented signers are required, and they were present. Soprano Teresa Radomski, alto Lee Morgan, tenor Richard Heard and bass-baritone John Williams were easily heard above the instruments, and balanced each other. Their performances were consistently outstanding.
Higbee explained before the performance that the group plays period instruments tuned to the pitch of the Baroque period, which was a half-step below modern pitch. Since this puts less tension on the strings, and because of Baroque instrument construction, the sound is softer and “sweeter” than modern instruments.
This helps make the OVPP practice possible; if the voices were forced to try to balance modern instruments, the effect would be less satisfying. Sunday’s offering produced a choral sound cleaner and more intimate than the typical full chorus performance.
The title of the concert was “Bach: Music to Challenge the Intellect and Touich the Heart.” In his opening remarks, Higbee said that Bach’s music “makes you think” and can “grab you by the arm.” Musicologists can admire Bach’s intricacies and symbolism even as music lovers enjoy his beautiful melodies.
Cantata No. 21 “Ich hatte viel Bekummernis in meinem Herzen” (I had much sorrow in my heart) was inspired by the parable of the lost sheep, and it reflects anguish not only by its text, but by the downward inflections and diminished intervals of the music.
In the fifth movement, beneath the tenor’s aria about brooks of tears and a sea full of afflictions, the violins and viola produced a quavering pulse that painted the scene of torrents of tears and overwhelming waves.
Only part one of the cantata was performed, and the mood of the desolation was never quite lifted. This was well-suited to Bach’s persona, though, since he viewed life as a period of pain and struggle which would be alleviated only by redemption after death.
The second Cantata performed, No. 182, “Himmelskonig, sei willkommen,” (Welcome, king of heaven) was more joyous in nature, having been written for Palm Sunday. One of the best instrumental moments of the concert occurred in the opening sonata of this work, where violinist John Pruett, in duet with Higbee on recorder, performed an enchanting musical dialogue, underscored by delicate pizzicatos from Doris Powers and Mary Frances Boyce on baroque violin and viola.
In the sixth section, an aria beautifully sung by tenor Richard Heard, the virtuosity of Holly Mauer was also apparent as she executed flawlessly numerous flowing runs on her viola da gamba while never overwhelming the tenor line. The entire work celebrates Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, and “alludes to the entry of Christ into the heart of the believer.” Bach provided this image in the last movement where there is a lively “skipping” duple meter with the text translated as “So let us go into Salem of gladness… He leads the way and opens the path.” There was a musical effect of the recorder leading the way, followed by the first violin, then the other instruments. The voices then followed the path, entering one at a time, and then blending together.
Daniel Hannemann provided a steady continuo on harpsichord throughout each cantata. Between these two works, he demonstrated that he is equally at home on organ, as he performed Bach’s Ricercar a 6(Six-part fugue) from The Musical Offering, BWV 1079. Bach was much more famous during his lifetime as an organist than as a composer, and Hannemann’s wonderful performance paid tribute to the insturment’s most famous master.
This concert was the third and last of Carolina Baroque’s 2001-2002 Bach and Handel Festival. But the festival continues. Next season Carolina Baroque will again present three concerts of music from Bach cantatas and Handel operas.” –Sarah Hall

Salisbury Post- March 7, 2002:
Carolina Baroque offers outstanding program in ‘Viva Voce!’
“Viva Voce!” and Viva Carolina Baroque for another outstanding musical offering to Salisbury in a concert presented Feb. 24 in the chapel of St. John’s Lutheran Church.
The program, “Viva Voce! Two Mini-Operas by Handel,” consisted of two rare Baroque treats – Acis and Galatea and Apollo and Daphne.
These works are not opera in the modern sense – no costumes, sets, or props were used. Technically, Acis is of the pastoral genre, and Apollo is a “dramatic cantata.” But the drama of the stories and the interplay of the characters make these works come across as miniature operas. Handel, a supreme master of tone painting, set the stories to scores so vivid and evocative that scenery is unnecessary. The instruments aptly represented the “warbling quire” of birds hushed by Galatea, her happy skipping with her beloved Acis, and the flowing, rippling fountain Acis becomes after he is killed by the jealous giant Polyphemous. Handel also excelled in instrumental writing that evokes the emotion of a scene which ranged in these works form longing to loathing and from happiness to furious rage.
When Apollo describes Daphne – “What a voice! What loveliness! This sound, this vision fills my heart with rapture,” he could just as easily be describing soprano Teresa Radomski, who sang the roles of Galatea and Daphne in the performances. Richard Heard’s clear, pure tenor gave life to the love-struck and unfortunate Acis. Bass-baritone John Williams has a magnificent voice perfectly suited for portraying the giant Polyphemous and the god Apollo. He sang with a powerful voice that was not overpowering, never obscuring the intricate passages by the Baroque instruments and never seeming too big for the relatively small chapel. This is the first season Williams has appeared with Carolina Baroque. I hope it is the first of many.
The instrumentalists of Carolina Baroque are to be commended for their work in preserving the intentions and sounds of baroque composers, rather than translating them to modern instruments and interpretations. These musicians have obviously spent a great deal of time mastering and promoting instruments which had almost been abandoned and forgotten as technology led to stronger, louder instruments. Thanks to their efforts, we can still experience the different, gentle timbres Handel heard as he composed these works.
John Pruett led the strings with his baroque violin, playing with a steady virtuosity as Holly Maurer’s viola da gamba provided an impeccable continuo. Mary Frances Boyce, baroque violin, and Doris Powers, baroque viola, wove the ensemble’s inner voices beautifully. The harpsichord is played almost constantly throughout these works, but master keyboardist Daniel Hannemann never faltered. Dr. Dale Higbee, Carolina Baroque’s music director and founder, elevates the recorder to its historic position of orchestral prominence. In Dr. Higbee’s hands, the seemingly simple recorder becomes an instrument of declarative brilliance. He utilized different sizes of recorders in various movements, depending on the range and timbre required, playing each with a purity in sound and remarkable facility.
If you missed the concert, take heart; you have another chance to hear Carolina Baroque.
Mark you calendar for April 28, when the group will be performing again in Salisbury in the chapel of St. John’s. This concert is entitled, “Three Sacred Cantatas by J.S. Bach: Music to Challenge the Intellect and Touch the Heart.”
Salisburians are fortunate to have in our midst an ensemble of such professional caliber and so dedicated to their art.
–Sarah Fuller Hall

		Gian Lorenzo Bernini Apollo and Daphne (1622-25) Carrara's marble cm. 243