By STEVE SMITH, The New York Times
Wed., March 10, 2010

By JOSEPH DALTON, Special to the Times Union
First published: Thursday, April 19, 2007

Albany— Max Lifchitz isn't just a composer, he's a storyteller, as well. And though his subject matter is usually rather grim, four of his works heard Tuesday night were consistently evocative, propulsive and succinct.

"Musical Narratives," an hourlong concert at the Performing Arts Center of the University at Albany (where Lifchitz has been a faculty member since 1986), offered performances by members of his New York City ensemble, North/South Consonance, with the composer at the piano.

"Blood Orange," written just last year, featured television actress Norma Fire ("Law & Order") in a conversational monologue that she commissioned from poet Kathleen Masterson. It centered on Fire's father, his emigration from Poland, the Nazi persecution back in the homeland, and the family's assimilation into Manhattan life.

The accompaniment from piano and violin made liberal use of minor-key tunes from Yiddish folk and liturgical music, while "Yankee Doodle" and the national anthem also made brief appearances. The musicians also played small gongs and whispered portions of the text, like "fire, fire, fire" and "water, water, water." It felt pretty corny at times, but the cumulative effect of the piece worked. In the end, it was like having watched a music video on the History Channel, though the only visual was an orange on the floor at center stage. (In the text, the fruit is shared during the final wedding scene.)

"Of Bondage and Freedom" shared a similarly somber ground, born out of the Holocaust. Scored for soprano, violin and piano, the piece was commissioned by Beno and Lisa Sternlicht of Schenectady in 1991.

The lasting impression is the quality of the performers. Violinist Claudia Schaer was a rock-solid centerpiece, her meaty tone functioning like an unblinking witness to the depth and bitterness of the piece. Soprano Elizabeth Farnum's part included English, Yiddish and Polish texts as well as sprechstimme—a kind of cadenced intonation. She brought an intimate and polished sound.

Two purely instrumental works were also inspired by difficult world events. "Yellow Ribbons No. 22" for viola and piano, part of an ongoing series begun during the Iranian hostage crisis, was atonal and unsettled—a style and feeling that usually go together. Unfortunately, violist Bernard Linden had intonation difficulties during the widely leaping lines. In "Elegia," written during the Vietnam War, Lifchitz hammered away at unchanging block chords on the keyboard. Tones rang out like sirens and demanded attention.

Joseph Dalton is a local freelance writer
who contributes regularly to the Times Union.

© 1996-2007, Capital Newspapers Division of The Hearst Corporation

June 10, 2002, New York-- Max Lifchitz and his North/South Consonance players closed their 22nd season on Tuesday evening at Christ and St. Stephen's Church with a program of four imaginative recent works. Three were by American composers (including Mr. Lifchitz); one was imported from Sweden. The musical languages were distinct, but each piece had something to draw the listener in -- an unusual use of rhythm or color, for example, or a peculiar interlacing of lyricism and spikiness.

     Still, the most fascinating of the pieces, and the one that lingered longest after the program ended, was the quirkiest, William Schimmel's "Empty World" (2001). Mr. Schimmel is a virtuoso accordionist whose own concerts and recordings can be both entertaining and provocative, not least because the musical connections he makes are surprising and fresh. "Empty World," an accordion concerto, is well within that tradition.

     Some of the thematic material in "Empty World" comes from the old Supremes hit, "My World Is Empty Without You," but there are also references to Elton John's "Sixty Years On" and broader allusions to the styles of Bach, Scarlatti and Brahms. Often, the allusions are either included within longer melodies or rendered in an odd stylistic context that veils the source material.

     Mostly, Mr. Schimmel's agility on the accordion, and the interplay between his instrument and arching solo lines for cello and violin, create a constantly shifting musical ground.

     The works that surrounded this endearingly daffy piece were more conventionally serious. Leonard Mark Lewis's Concerto for Six Players (1999) is a vigorous, often sharp-edged chamber work in which winding solo lines created a constantly shifting sense of ensemble perspective. Mr. Lewis's most alluring writing was near the center of the piece, when the piano and percussion created a shimmering and sometimes sparkling figure around which string and wind lines created an interesting symmetry.

     "Frameworks" (1997) by S. Pat Simmerud, the Swedish composer, also keeps the individual instrumental strands in the spotlight much of the time. The piece is based on a numerological game: the letters of the alphabet are assigned numbers, which also represent notes in the scale. The work's themes are drawn from a rendering of Bach's full name.

     In his program note, Mr. Simmerud writes that the work is inspired by events in Bach's life. He doesn't say which events, and it isn't easy to guess. But the piece works perfectly well as an entirely abstract work.

     Mr. Lifchitz's "Yellow Ribbons 37" (2002) -- the latest installment in a series he began in the early 1980's -- closed the concert. Cast in four movements called "The Last Trumpet," "Cataclysm," "Peace Dream" and "Dance of Hope," the work alludes to the current war on terrorism, but in a fairly subdued way. "Cataclysm," for example, is mildly dissonant, but not overwrought, and "Dance of Hope" is more of a Stravinskian exploration of rhythm than an optimistic celebration. Still, the piece was skillfully composed and included some athletic brass writing.

ALLAN KOZINN, The New York Times

© 2002 The New York Times Company

"Arthur Berger, born in New York 90 years ago, is an interesting and elegant composer who has, for whatever reasons, not received the performances he deserves. So it's good that on Tuesday night (March 12) the North/South Consonance Ensemble presented a birthday concert for Mr. Berger at Christ and St. Stephen's Church. Berger won acclaim as a skillful Neo-Classical composer" in the 1940's and 50's, writes Tommasini, who adds that Berger's "Neo-Classical works had spiky, astringent qualities that made them seem fully modern, and his 12-tone works retained Neo-Classical lucidity and charm."

    Reviewing the performance of Berger's "Collage III," Tommasini calls the music "bracing and mercurial," and writes: "a section deceptively marked 'tranquillo' is filled with insistent stuff that keeps protruding through the placid surface; spunky outbursts are oddly quizzical. Max Lifchitz, the ensemble's music director, conducted a strong performance, which included works by Amy Williams, Elizabeth Alexander and Mr. Lifchitz."

— New York Times

"The performers, all excellent...North/South Consonance is a high quality ensemble...The listener was rewarded with a diverting sampler of recent compositional styles."

"Max Lifchitz's group seeks out intriguing works from across the continent. The North/South Consonance Ensemble is New York's lifeline to the rest of the country."

"Founded in 1980 by Max Lifchitz, North/South Consonance is an excellent contemporary music ensemble, a composers' ensemble. Their CD recordings are of high quality; the packaging and program notes are in line with the quality of the music and performances. Highly recommended."

"Max Lifchitz, Mexican-born composer, pianist and entrepreneur, has one of the keenest senses anywhere for what belongs with what on a program. North/South Consonance offered a state-of-the art performance of Schönberg's expressionistic masterpiece Pierrot Lunaire."

"North/South Consonance's musicians clearly demonstrated their expertise in dealing with music of diverse styles ranging from romanticism to expressionism to jazz derived works."

"For more than fifteen years the North/South Consonance Ensemble has championed new chamber music of the Americas. Its yearly concert series in New York City is a well-established forum for lively and adventurous performances, and its seemingly-indefatigable conductor and pianist, Max Lifchitz, has proved to be a true and open-minded friend to contemporary composers of all musical persuasions."

"As both composer and listener, I can testify from first hand experience to the musical expertise of the North/South Consonance Ensemble and its commitment to giving the finest possible rendition of everything they choose to program. Furthermore, it is to their credit that they present a wide spectrum of fresh and exciting new works from all corners of the music world."

"So many musical projects are started and after a few years fade away. But North/South Consonance has indeed managed to not only continue year after year, but it seems to have prospered and certainly it has gained in stature and notoriety. Bravo!"

"Thank you again for the time, effort, artistry and sensitivity you put into my piece. It is very difficult for young composers like me to have our music performed by enthusiastic professionals like you and your ensemble. It was obvious at the concert that the performers love what they do and that they find new music a worthy cause."

"The devoted North/South players gave an excellent performance of my Sextet."

"The recent fine performance of my Character Studies under the auspices of North/South Consonance remains a happy memory."

"From its earliest beginnings, Otto Luening greatly admired the philosophy and mission of North/South Consonance: to present greatly diversified contemporary music from North. South, East and West by first rate performers."

"I congratulate North/South Consonance and its founder, Maestro Max Lifchitz, for the excellent work, realized for more than 20 years, of bringing the music of so many contemporary composers of the Americas to the attention of the New York audience."

"The members of North/South Consonance not only gave an accurate performance of my work but also played it with great artistry."

"North/South Consonance has championed emerging composers of every stylistic bent, giving life to important (and all too often, sadly neglected) segments of the contemporary repertoire."

"North/South Consonance's programs are, in some cases, a young composer's first professional exposure in New York City."

"The recent North/South program featuring Latin American music was well received by all my students. They thoroughly enjoyed the quality of the music selected and, of course, the vocalist and instrumentalists. This type of performance has a lasting effect on the many students we have, especially those from parts of Latin America. All the students really got a great deal from Max Lifchitz's presentation and wonderful explanations of the music."

"In 1997, North/South Recordings released a disk that included my Nocturne II. The recording was expertly produced, packaged and disseminated. As a result, my work is now known to a much wider audience, having received favorable reviews in a number of important publications."

"Many thanks again for last night's outstanding performance of my work, and congratulations on an outstanding program from beginning to end. The gratification of hearing my work done by such crack musicians was matched by the pleasure of discovering those other three marvelous works. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of a wonderful evening. Bravissimo!"

"I just wanted to thank you again for the fine performance of my piece, Convergences. I really appreciate the skill, talent and professionalism that you and your orchestra demonstrated in performing the piece. It was really a wonderful experience."

"I enjoyed very much your performance of my work Madrid, 11 de Marzo. Your dramatic interpretation climaxes in the most appropriate moment. Please also convey my thanks and congratulations to all the members of the orchestra for the excellent result."

"North/South Consonance's performances really show the composers' works to their full advantage. They are carefully and lovingly prepared. Max Lifchitz and his group are a jewel in New York City's crown."

"North/South Consonance gave a superb performance of my Bassoon Concertino on June 5, 2001. The excellent performers conducted by Max Lifchitz could not have been more satisfying. May we all say: Long Live Max Lifchitz and his work with this important concert series."