The Collegian

Issue date: 3/27/08 Section: Arts

The dreamy, misty soundscapes of French impressionistic music drifted out of Howard Music Hall last night. Artist in Residence Brad Blackham and his wife Kristen Matson performed in the ninth faculty recital this year.

The recital, originally slated for February, featured piano compositions by Francis Poulenc, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.

"We had to cancel the recital in February because of our one-year-old," Blackham said. "Kristen's pretty much a stay-at-home mom, but I thought it'd be fun to get her to sing at least one set of songs."

The couple has performed recitals together before, including a piece they performed on Wednesday.

"We know this set very well," Matson said. "Every time we do it we get to different layers. With Debussy's music, I'm always finding new meaning, concepts, and interpretations. It's like reading a book you've enjoyed over again."

Matson said she enjoys researching the history and the meaning behind the texts she sings.

"With this particular set, since we've revisited it, I've done more research about the text," Matson said.

"What's different and unique about these pieces is that Debussy was his own poet," Matson said. "The pieces were dedicated to four different people, and the third piece was to another man's wife."

Blackham, a fan of French impressionist music, said the program was not originally intended to be all French.

Instead, it was the result of a gradual selection of longtime musical favorites.
"The Ravel is something I've wanted to do for a while," Blackham said. "It's kind of a challenging piece, but it was one of those things I was determined to do."

"When I made the program all French, it made sense to put Gaspard in there," Blackham said.

Blackham said all the composers have substantially different styles.

"People say that Debussy and Ravel are the same, but I disagree," Blackham said. "Ravel's music has more of an earthy quality. He's a bit more grounded, while Debussy tends to be a bit more in the clouds."

Prior to the recital, Music Department Chairman James Holleman said he was enthusiastic about the pair.

"I think that the audience is in for a real quality performance," he said. "[Blackham] performs at a high level, and I'm looking forward to hearing Kristy sing since I haven't really heard her before."

Holleman, satisfied by the high caliber of the music department's faculty, also boasts of the frequency and the quality of their performances.

"We have the most actively performing faculty on board this year that we've ever had," Holleman said. "It's the best example for their students, who get their lessons with them and then are able to see them perform. It's a young faculty that performs at a high level."

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