The Cliffrose String Quartet Begins The Beguine

By CATHERINE ELLERTON

Moapa Valley Progress

The Cliffrose String Quartet and guest artist brought the house down with their third concert of the current season held on Sunday, April 29 in Mesquite. This string quartet has grown in popularity as these local musicians continue to develop a musical relationship with each other and with the audience.

This program featured composers from Bach to John Newton; from Andrew Lloyd Weber to Franz Joseph Haydn; from Cole Porter to Stevie Wonder, Even Charlie Chaplin was involved . . . yes, Charlie Chaplin! Each piece was introduced by Announcer, Greg Hamilton while appropriate graphics appeared on the backdrop enhancing the music that was being played.

The Quartet began the afternoon with Bach’s Allegro, from Brandenburg Concerto IV. Their next segment featured Cole Porter favorites: ‘Night and Day,’ ‘Begin the Beguine’ and ‘I Get A Kick Out of You.’ The group then tackled Bach’s ‘My Heart Ever Faithful,’ Haydn’s ‘Theme and Variations: God Save Francis, the Emperor,’ and ‘Canzonetta’ by Felix Mendelssohn.

Barry Bowers, a regular member of the quartet, did several solo segments. He introduced the audience to a 7 String Electric Violin – an odd looking instrument that appeared like a large wishbone. This instrument has extra strings and is played over background accompaniment (using a computer and a synthesizer) for which Bowers has written the arrangements.

The first solo segment left the audience wanting more – much more! ‘Amazing Grace’ by John Newton, arr. by Bob Walters was followed by ‘How Great Thou Art!’ by Stuart Hine. The electronic sound was enhanced by the incredible fingering, vibratos and nuances created by this talented musician.
His next segment featured ‘My Heart Will Go On’ by Horner and Jennings; an incredible rendition of ‘Puszta, Puszta’ by Jos van den Dungen and a heart-wrenching ‘Time to Say Goodbye’ by Peterson, Quarantotto, Sartori.

The guest artist for the afternoon performance was Janet Anthony-Clark. Her instrument of choice is the harp which she played putting herself through college at UNLV. She received a Bachelor of Science Degree and became an elementary classroom teacher. Thank goodness she did not give up playing the harp! She retired from teaching but continues to perform as a harp soloist.

The audience was disbelieving as she played Salzedo’s ‘Chansons Dans La Nuit,’ ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’ by Andrew Lloyd Weber and ‘Tango’ by Salzedo. You could almost hear the audience members say “How did she do that?” “I didn’t know you could make a harp do that!”

Her second segment highlighted the variety of sounds a harp could deliver when played by an extremely talented harpist. This segment went from classical to impressionistic to jazz to swing music. Debussy’s ‘The Girl With the Flaxen Hair’ was followed by ‘A Time For Us’ by Nina Rota to ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ by Stevie Wonder and ending with Jobim’s ‘One Note Samba.’

The announcer had earlier read a quote when referring to the guest harpist which the audience agreed with whole heartedly when she had finished – “You have to play like the devil to sound like an angel!”

The afternoon concert came to a conclusion with the Cliffrose Quartet performing Charlie Chaplin’s ‘Smile’ from “Modern Times,” ‘Eternally,’ from “Limelight” and an arrangement by B. Larson of “Scarborough Fair.” The audience refused to leave the auditorium until the quartet performed one last number “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin. The air hummed with the enthusiasm and excitement of the audience as it departed.