Its spring, a season of blooming flowers and beautiful weather. For the University of Florida’s school of music, it is also recital season. Last week and this week, in the University’s music building or MUB, there were several junior and graduate voice recitals featuring classical Italian, German, French, and English repertoire. The four I attended were soprano, Hannah Hough’s graduate recital, and tenor, John Payne, and soprano, Erica Scaglione, and baritone, Timothy Williams’s junior recitals.
Hough’s recital, consisted of an hour’s worth of music.
The “Zigeunerlieden” song cycle from Johannes Brahms, included 8 songs, each with their own challenges. Her German diction was very impressive, and the entire show was enjoyable. Hough has a very full and powerful voice that is both tender and passionate.
John Payne’s recital, like the other junior recitals lasted about 30 to 45 minutes. Payne, has a nice forward and clear, bell-tone voice. He did a wonderful job performing the song “the lass of Richmond Hill” by James Hook. A very lively and fun piece, Payne’s emoting and energy while performing this song made it a great piece to end his recital.
Erica Scaglione, although a soprano like Hough, sang a very different set of repertoire. Scaglione performed more pieces with coloratura. For example, for her third piece, she performed George Frederick Handel’s “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion”. Scalione’s performance of “Bester Jungling” by Mozart was very impressive. She has a very strong voice that is also light and capable of quick movement and lovely ornamentation.
The last recital I attended this week was Timothy Williams’s recital. He did a wonderful job emoting and utilizing dynamics in “Der Doppelganger” by Johannes Brahms as well as the four Aaron Copland “Old American Songs”. Williams has a pleasant voice with lovely resonance. The song “Sonntag” also by Brahms really suited his voice nicely.
In the University of Florida music building, you can catch many performances, by looking for flyers posted on bulletin boards all around the building. There will be more recitals, voice and other instruments, this upcoming week.
