By Michael Reckord, Contributor
Marilyn Brice-MacDonald (left), mezzo-soprano, and her daughter Christine MacDonald, contralto, in concert at the University Chapel at the University of the West Indies, Mona, on Sunday night. - WINSTON SILL/Freelance Photographer
THE PHRASE 'gruelling but glorious' aptly describes the concert given by mother and daughter singers Marilyn Brice-MacDonald (mezzo-soprano) and Christine MacDonald (contralto) at the University Chapel on Sunday evening.
It was gruelling not only in its sheer length it lasted more than two hours but also in the variety of the demands made on the two women.
They sang opera, lieder, a long religious work, spirituals, Jamaican folk songs and show melodies.
But the show was also glorious the quality of the performances by both singers and their accompanists was first class, and the standing ovation they received at the end of the evening was well deserved. There were also cries of "encore" but, understandably, those were ignored.
HIGH STANDARDS
No one in the full house should have been surprised at the high standard of the presentation as all the musicians involved have both impressive credentials and many years of experience.
Even Christine, the youngest of the performers, gained experience as a member of the Grace Children's Club led by Dr. Olive Lewin.
Christine has been a member of the University Singers for more than 12 years and has sung with the National Chorale of Jamaica, the Jamaican Folk singers and the Jamaica Musical Theatre Company.
Mrs. Brice-MacDonald's experience and achievements are even more impressive, as are the accomplishments of accompanists Donald Hossack (piano), Winston Ewart (piano) and Maurice Gordon (double bass), noted personalities in the areas of Jamaican art and religious music.
A fourth accompanist, Andrew Cavell (clarinet), a tutor at the School of Music, is less well known. His backing of Brice-McDonald's rendition of the folksong Eva, arranged by Dr. Lewin, who was among the many distinguished music lovers in the audience, was as haunting as the song.
Introduced by Gervaise McLeod, himself a singer, the evening's programme was launched by the solo singing of two lieders, the first, a flowing, lyrical Schubert composition, done by MacDonald; the second, a more dramatic work by Richard Strauss, done by Brice-MacDonald.
The two songs served to warm up the voices, and perhaps the audience, for the major work of the evening, Stabat Mater, written by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736) and tells of Christ's crucifixion, emphasising His mother's grief and sorrow at his death.
The work consisted of 14 solos and duets which, by and large, alternate. A translation of some of the Latin titles Mother Bowed With Grief Appalling, Through Thy Heart, Thus Sorrow Riven, Oh, How Mournful gives an idea of the sombre mood of the piece.
It was a mood caught and maintained very well by the performers.
A firmly-played Rhapsody in G minor (Brahms) by Hossack gave the singers a much-needed breather especially MacDonald who started
perspiring freely toward the end of the major work and appeared to be getting flustered.
However, both were cool and collected when they returned to bring part one of the programme to a close with two operatic pieces, Art Thou Troubled (Handel), sung by Brice-MacDonald, and Che Faro (Gluck) sung by MacDonald.
LIGHTER FARE
Having proved themselves masters of the art music of part one, the singers returned to stake a similar claim on lighter fare. Needless to say, they were successful.
Their textured, expressive voices delivered the spirituals with deep feeling and they gave full rein to their previously constrained dramatic talent in the songs about Jamaican girls. These included Eva, Liza, Miss Mattie and Lizzie Jane.
The performance of the last-named song was especially note-worthy. Arranged by the singers, Gordon and Hossack, it cleverly combined the I'm Getting Married in the Morning song from My Fair Lady with the Jamaican folk song.
The final segment, 'A Happy Mix', included songs from well-known musicals The Sound of Music and Guys and Dolls with a couple of humorous songs, one performed by Brice-MacDonald (Someone is Sending Me Flowers), the other by MacDonald (A Word on My Ear).
Appropriately, the delightful musical evening ended with the title song from The Sound of Music. An enthusiastic standing ovation followed.
