Reviews
Among the eight works was a world premiere, Chicago composer Patricia Morehead’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” (1998). Inspired by a futuristic novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, the four movements cover a range of evocative moods derived from weird, even macabre, scenes in the book. The first section creates a feeling of eerie expectancy with its Aeolian-harp-like strums of piano strings “prepared” with pieces of tape; later on, the pianists hammer out shadowy honky-tonk. What could have devolved into a series of disjointed atonal effects impresses as absorbing, coherent music.— John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune
Pat [Morehead’s] own compositions are cerebrally inspired and disciplined in the best University of Chicago tradition. But they also display a feminine side in their playfulness and their intangible warmth.— Andrew Patner, Today’s Chicago Woman
Patricia Morehead’s “Triptych” for soprano and string quartet… shows her remarkable knack for capturing a mood. The first part is snarly and quizzical; the second luxuriates in an exotic languor. The third part takes the prize with its funky, bluesy, tipsy rant.— Ted Shen, Chicago Tribune
Morehead’s “Disquieted Souls” for solo English horn, string quintet and woodwind quintet featured a Chicago homecoming for Carolyn Hove, the solo English horn player with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, who cut her teeth on new music while performing with Ralph Shapey and the Chicago Contemporary Players in the 1980s. She displayed a lovely creaminess of tone and careful articulation, but also knew how to create urgency and tension. It’s not surprising that Morehead wrote the piece for and dedicated it to the very talented Hove.— M.L. Rantala, Hyde Park Herald
The work, inspired by pre-Christian Celtic legends of goddesses and the supernatural, juxtaposes the uncomplicated with the intricate. Simple melodies and rhythms bloom into complex thickets. The composer’s husband, Philip Morehead, conducted with every attention to detail.
The most interesting of the four works, Morehead’s “Good News Falls Gently” (1995) and Misurell-Mitchell’s “Sermon of the Middle- Aged Revolutionary Spider” (1997), drew on texts by Regina Harris Baiocchi and Angela Jackson, respectively, both African-American poets with strong Chicago connections.— John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune
The Morehead piece, for soprano and chamber orchestra, derives from three Baiocchi poems that represent the Holy Trinity as female (“Glorify God the Spirit/Mother of us all”). The musical setting, an outgrowth of the American spiritual tradition, is strongly rooted in tonal harmony. Jonita Lattimore brought affecting power and dignity to the score — her big, limpid voice soared comfortably over the lush scoring. This was its U.S. premiere…
The program also held … Morehead’s blackly comedic setting of an Anne Sexton poem, “The Wonderful Musician” (1990). Mezzo-soprano Julia Bentley traced the leaping vocal intervals with her usual accuracy of pitch and clarity of diction.”
But it was Morehead’s “It Is Dangerous To Read Newspapers” that seemed most relevant. Set to a Margaret Atwood poem about the cruelties of war, it’s ferocious in anger and anguish while sinking into deep pessimism. Soprano (Barbara Ann) Martin neatly conveyed the ambivalence urged on by Philip Morehead’s vigorous pounding.— Ted Shen, Chicago Tribune
— M. L. Rantala, Classical Music Critic, Hyde Park Herald, December 14, 2011…[There is] a new CD of Morehead’s music issued by Navona Records… Anyone who has followed Morehead’s career knows…of the long and active music career of this Chicago composer.
The disc opens with “Disquieted Souls”…This recording, as well as the world premiere in Chicago in 2010, features Carolyn Hove, the solo English horn player with the Los Angeles Philharmonic…Morehead wrote the piece for and dedicated it to Hove, who performs it with great suppleness, drawing out the beauty of the music…
This music is intriguing because of the way it combines melodies and ideas that seem very old with a completely contemporary sensibility. It opens with an almost jaunty little tune, but then meanders into something darker and at times mysterious.
“The Handmaid’s Tale” is a piece Morehead completed in 1998… It’s a fascinating work in four short movements (none over five minutes), which dances, floats, pounds and ponders. The piano playing is marvelous and wonderfully recorded from a live performance in Toronto nearly a decade ago.
Soprano Barbara Ann Martin somehow creates both a meditative sound with one that is full of urgency and pain in “It is Dangerous to Read Newspapers,” a song based on a poem of Margaret Atwood. Morehead wrote the song as a reaction to the Columbine shootings, although Atwood herself was commenting on the Vietnam War. Philip Morehead offers superb support and flex as pianist.
“Ladders of Anxiety” is a thoroughly gripping composition with the flute taking center stage in a small ensemble. Caroline Pittman, long associated with Morehead, offers a haunting, airy sound as she moves through the score. Along with the flute there’s a violin, a viola, a cello and in an inspired move by Morehead, a guitar. The last instrument sneaks in now and again with unexpected twangy punctuation and at times these five instruments create a sound so big you can’t believe it’s coming from such a small group.
“Good News Falls Gently” is set to poetry of Regina Harris Baiocchi. Soprano Jonita Lattimore sings with gorgeous, plump sound and the orchestra brings out glittering colors. This is music that makes an impression, and even with repeated listenings I can’t believe how much is packed into less than 10 minutes.
…”Good News Falls Gently” is new music with passion, mystery and inventive writing performed by committed musicians who have already discovered the charm of Morehead’s writing. Get this CD and you can discover it too.
