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The Michigan Daily

Friday, March 20, 1992

Page 8-; 'r

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It's not often that we get to see the work of University students who are
planning to dedicate their lives to art. That's what makes an exhibition of
BFA student works unique.
The current BFA exhibition at the Rackham third floor galleries features
drawings, paintings, sculpture, ceramics and photography by Mark Ferrer,
Jeanne Philben, Michael Austin, Steve Dick, Susan Lewandowski and
lAebecca Christianson and Henry Fung. All are not afraid to take chances
and experiment in their work, for the most part. As a result, their work may
not always completely succeed, but it is always fresh.
Mark Ferrer's untitled Ektacolor photographs play with the idea of col-
lage. Ferrer takes several large photographs, mainly of figures and the
Art review
American flag, cuts them up, and then reassembles them. What makes this
process work is the way Ferrer uses fragments of photographs to talk about
the fragmenting of society in America. The style expresses something about
the work, rather than coming across as gratuitous.
When you walk in the gallery where Jeanne Philben's sculptures are lo-
cated, you will immediately be drawn to her red-brown wood-colored earth-
enware sculpture, whose forms suggest a heart muscle, or a tulip bulb. This
strong piece conveys the strength of life forces like a heart beating.
Philben's photographs rival her earthenware sculptures. The artist uses a
blurry focus to a achieve a time-worn, nostalgic quality, as seen in a touch-
ing photograph of an old lady in white, who seems to have existed so long
ago that her edges have simply diffused into the background of the picture.
Michael Austin provides a sharp contrast to the soft focus of Philbin's
photos with his drawings. Austin's black and white pastel drawings, done on
ared background, show a firm hand using crisp edges to render figures.
No one can say that Steven William Dick's work isn't politically correct.
Dick deals with the theme of abortion head-on in his photograph
"Decisions" as well as in one of his paintings. Dick's work, though a bit
limnt, makes the viewer confront issues directly, sometimes uncomfortably.
< Susan Lewandowski's works seem heavily influenced by the work of
Helen Frankenthaler and Abstract Expressionists. Her delicate watercolors
feature shades which drip and fade into each other. On the other hand, her
bold paintings show heavy, almost sculpture-like surfaces achieved by
Lewandowski's use of thick dark paint, with a few red or white accents. Her
art is so tactile that it's difficult to resist reaching out to stroke the surfaces.
The ceramic and metal "daisy shoes" of Rebecca Christianson, the high-
light of her collection, are much more frivolous than some of her peers'
works. The shoes, which come in the high-heeled and flat variety, feature
daisies, sometimes delicate, sometimes gaudy.
One thing that strikes you about Henry Fung's work is his use of space.
Fung goes to great lengths to create a unique space in his pictures, even us-
ing three-dimensional canvases. His use of space is most compelling, how-
ever, in his two dimensional paintings. In particular, Fung places two trian-
gles at the edge of the picture plane, colored in such a way that the viewer is
left unsure of whether the triangles are turned inward or are pointing out.
The BFA exhibition will be on display at the Rackham third floor gal-
lgries through Sunday. - Aaron Hamburger

These aren't your everyday, run-of-the-mill Beaux-os, these are really hard-working guys who are on a mission to undermine all evil quartets.
Theconversionoquresob

by Roger Hsia

In the realm of piano trios, the
Beaux Arts Trio is the crme de la
crme, drawing universal apprecia-
tion which at times borders on wor-
ship. The ensemble has almost sin-
gle-handedly illuminated an under-
recognized corner of chamber music.
Group pianist Menahem Pressler
unabashedly states, "Trios have not
been one of the more popular forms
of chamber music. People who have
slighted it say that a balance cannot
be achieved. They say the piano can-
not help but drown out the other two
instruments. The Beaux Arts Trio
has dispelled this myth."
In addition to Pressler, the group
also features violinist Isidore Cohen
and its newest member, cellist Peter
Wiley. Fresh from a performance at
Avery Fisher Hall in New York, the
Trio hopes to continue converting
any non-believing quartet snobs on

Saturday at Rackham.
While the Beaux Arts Trio does
not have a hidden agenda, (e.g. to
revive a particular composer or
movement) they obviously feel they
are on a mission. The spoils of the
ensemble's venture into this niche of
chamber music are inestimable.
Pressler celebrates the fact that,
"For the first time, the less heralded
works of such magnificent com-
posers as Brahms, Beethoven and
Schubert have come to life. The
other outcome is the expansion of
the literature because of the group."
One of the works composed for
the Trio, Ned Rorem's Spring Mu-
sic, will be performed tomorrow
night, along with Mozart's Trio in G
major and Schubert's Trio in B-flat
major, Op.99.
Of Rorem's piece, Pressler ex-
plains that it is "a very exciting
work. It starts with a beautiful open-
ing and then moves to a toccata

which is very vital. Then, a baga-
telle, which is like a French folk-
song, rounds out the piece." Perhaps
Mr. Rorem's Spring Music will in-
voke a kind weather muse.
In his description of the Schubert
trio, Pressler is less restrained, call-
ing it "heaven on earth."
"What is remarkable about this
stunningly attractive and exuberant
work which seems to dance its way
to heaven, is that Schubert wrote it
just a few months before his death,"
Pressler adds.
Although the group pays less
than strict attention to reviews, Pres-
sler stresses the group's responsive-
ness. "While we do not go out of our
way to find out what was written in
the paper (about us), we like to know
what people think of us. We may
consider revising something if we
find the comment holds."
Ultimately, it is the trio that must
deliberate over interpretations and

styles. Herein lies "the great advan-
tage to being a trio," Pressler muses.
"When we argue it out someone has
to win." However, so as not to alien-.
ate anyone, "they may play work
one way and then switch the next
time."
Pressler says all of this with the
assurance of a member of a piano
trio that Gramophone employs as its
"measuring stick against all other
groups. When reviewing other per-
formances, critics will often com
mend a trio for its similarity in bal
ance to us. That is our trademark."
That just about says it all.
THE BEAUX ARTS TRIO will per-
form Saturday at 8 p.m. in Rackham
Auditorium. Tickets range from $18
to $29, and rush tickets will be
available Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1
p.m. at $9 each.

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Sav!ing estTonEIw! esavns ow!To

Students sing of social conscience.

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Graduate Vocalist Recital
Rackham Assembly Hall
March 17, 1992

On Tuesday night four graduate
students from the University School
~ of Music performed an eclectic re-
cital of 19th and 20th century vocal
music. Michelle Weger, one of the

vocalists, devised the theme of the
concert - to explore classical works
with a socially conscious theme.
Selections ranging from Ravel to
Weill were chosen, and were sung in
French, German and English.
Susan Stott and Alan Darling
started off the performance with
Ravel's "Sheherazade." Stott had an
excellent, dynamic mezzo-soprano
voice, which was perfectly show-
cased by her opening set. Starting
slow and soft, Stott's voice matched
Concert review
the emotions in the music. However,
Stott put more feeling into her
German selections, such as Mahler's
"Rheinlegendchen," than her French
solos.
"Rheinlegendchen" is a beautiful
piece to begin with - Stott en-
hanced the romantic aspect of it,
making the audience feel as if they
were part of the work. Darling, on
piano, was more than just an accom-
panist; he helped Stott to put emo-
tion behind the lyrics. There was
also one specific movement in Ra-
vel's "La Flute Enchante" where
Darling successfully made his piano
sing like a flute.
Weger performed from Poulenc's
"Deus Poemes de Louis Aragon".
Her husky soprano sassed its way
through the second movement,
"Fetes Galantes" which was enjoy-
able. Weger then adopted a more

WE ARE A
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TICKET CENTER

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light-hearted tone, with the clear,,
sweet "Priez Pour Paix." Her piano
accompanist, Hal Lanier, allowed,
the soprano to shine. Lanier's pla-
ying was not second-string, how-
ever, and he performed with enthusi-
asm.
In the duet "Recordare" by Verdi,
Stott and Weger sang together and
were accompanied by Lanier and
trumpeter Jeffrey Stannard. The two
singers were perfect contrasts to one
another - where Weger had a ligh-
ter edge to her voice, Stott brought
her down with a more melancholy
tone.
Equally impressive was Weger
solo, singing from John Musto's
"Shadow of the Blues." The third4
movement, "Could Be" evoked im-
ages of an old-time detective movie,
complete with Stannard's trumpet
,providing muted street sounds.
As a final selection; Weger sang
wonderfully with just a hint of hu-
mor in Weill's "Nanna's Lied," a
piece about becoming a prostitute,
and with intimacy in "Wie Lange'
Noch" a song describing love, with a
subtext about Jews fleeing Germany.
Touching on other subjects such
as racism, poverty and the destruc-
tion of war, the graduate students not
only offered a strong and impressive
concert, but also gave the audience
something to think about.
-Nicole Baker.
DAILY ARTS SEZ:
Support Campus Cinema
e Ann Arbor Civic Theatre
Second Stage Productions
Michigan Counc i
4g for the Arts

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