Sounds from Home

Last night I had the pleasure of hearing Northern Harmony, an American vocal group from Vermont. The group is known for its diverse repertoire and ability to sing in various ethnic styles. It is comprised of 16 mostly young singers who generally sing without a conductor. Throughout the concert, different singers would indicate a beat now and then or a gesture, but the expression was largely done just through the communication of the performers. The group started with some New England shape-note singing and wound its way through bluegrass (complete with fiddles and dancers!), Bulgarian and Georgian folk music, songs of South Africa and even bits of Pierre de la Rue’s famous Missa L’Homme Arme. In general, the singers sang with a very earthy sound that was very bright, with tight harmonies. There was a large dynamic range though, and the sound varied from ear-ringing fortes to hushed pianos. It was nice to hear American singers sing this music, fully immersing themselves in the vocal styles involved. It made for a very spontaneous, exciting feeling on stage, and each of the performers seemed to be enjoying themselves and sharing musical moments together. The lack of pretense and somewhat informal approach to performing helped break down any barriers between the performers and the audience. Let’s just say it was a stark contrast from groups in white ties and tails and ladies in black with pearls singing highly concerted music. Not that there’s anything wrong with that...