THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 19, 1995 TAG: 9511190155
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Music review
SOURCE: BY LEE TEPLY, SPECIAL TO THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
In Ronn McFarlane's lute performance Friday evening at the Chrysler Museum Theater, part of the Tidewater Classical Guitar Society series, he maintained a very high level of technical precision. But what made his playing stand apart from that of other lutenists, or indeed of many guitarists, was the wide range of tone colors he drew out of the quiet instrument.
The venue for this concert is well-suited to solo recitals and to chamber music. In both of these, the key factors for a successful performance are communication with the audience and refinement of musical details. As these were McFarlane's strengths, he was right at home in the intimate space.
He organized the program into groups of similar types of pieces, and he gave short introductions to each group that had enough detail to enhance the listener's appreciation of the less familiar lute repertoire. Each group was well-planned to show a variety of moods and textures.
The first half of the program opened with some light British pieces from the 16th century. After some lively French dances, it ended with two sets of pieces by anonymous Scottish composers. The character of this music, quite different from the program's better-known repertoire, had elements of folk music and improvisation.
They were rather sentimental and quite moving works, and they seemed to be very dear to McFarlane's heart.
In the second half, he explored Italian and German works, before returning to England for three versions of ``Greensleeves'' and two pieces by John Dowland, which ended the program with the highest levels of both technical complication and dramatic expression. His ``King of Denmark Galliard'' sparkled with cleanly performed scales and figuration.
McFarlane played through the free structure and wide emotional range of ``A Fancy'' with an assurance that helped the listener follow the unusual form.
Standing above all the fine aspects of McFarlane's playing was his control of the lute's tone. He was able to draw out of one instrument a large number of colors that were almost orchestral in their variety.
He used his palette wisely to clarify counterpoint, to bring out melodies or inner lines, and to communicate the mood of each section in every piece. And the result was music-making of the very highest caliber. by CNB