The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 19

THE COURIER-JOURNAL, MONDAY, APRIL 9, 1990 3 MUSIC REVIEW THE LOUISVILLE BACH SOCIETY vvvvvvvvvvvw MARILYN BECK It Lounge Showgirls SO beautiful Girl And Utfly Ones George Michael to tell all in his new autobiotome FROG LEG DINNER LfaVly eaelcce' Fra wild a Nial el garlic lemon eerves Willi Steak Z. MONDAY TONIGHT 9 PM AMATEUR HOT LEGS CONTEST CASH PRIZE OPCN TO THE PUBLIC 7 VyyyyyyyyyyyV 595 trial, Cela Sim HnnnnxM HolU. in Ike Pali Roam 5-10 a.m. lB.nl.to-a Hit. I Hitnl.il.

458-1111 Hi" :4 By ANDREW ADLER Staff Critic The Louisville Bach Society ended its 1989-90 season last night in a blaze of excitement, giving a terrific performance of Rossini's "Stabat Mater." Director Melvin Dickinson led an account combining high drama with the kind of fresh, nuanced singing and playing that matched the composer's inspiration at nearly every turn. In seven years of attending Society concerts, this listener has never heard the ensemble achieve anything quite so impressive. Tremendous credit must go to soprano Mary Shearer, who made some stunning sounds inside St. Francis of Assisi Church. A Society alumna and Louisville native, Shearer has built an enviable career singing, it seems, virtually everywhere except her birthplace.

Her arresting way with the duet, quartet and single great aria in the "Stabat Mater" proved she has mastered a peculiar style that requires operatic effects in a liturgical setting. Verdi's "Requiem" is probably the best-known example of such a stylistic merger. But "Stabat Mater," while not as extended or grandiose, is in several respects a more cogent piece. The orchestration is shrewdly effective, even in a reduced string complement like the one Dickinson employed last night Above all, the choral writing spans the complete range of expressive possibilities, with intriguing divisions of forces and no concessions to easy ways of solving a challenge. Dickinson's chorus, which can appear overwrought in Baroque repertoire, was precisely suited to the demands of this work.

The dark tone of the men in the introduction, the collective diction during frequent soft passages all was managed skillfully. Rossini was as much a man of the theater as Verdi, and the occasional vocal extravagances are consistent with the scope of this score. Shearer took about three seconds to establish her interpretive credibility. The text may be Latin, but the music is Italianate in temperament, and Shearer knew how to shade her phrasing to best suit a specific turn of the musical line. One is not accustomed, for instance, to such pointed portamento in the "Sancta Mater" quartet, but it was no mere extraneous effect Moment after moment was like that: surprising, yet intelligent Mezzo-soprano Antoinette Hardin sounded a mite strained in the early going, though she punched through with the aria "Fac un portem Christi mortem." Tenor William Bastian, who lacked bite and articulation at the beginning of his tenor aria, was strongest in his middle voice.

Bass John Ostendorf sang vigorously throughout. The orchestra was in excellent fettle: examples included the blend of the horn choir in the epilogue to the sopranomezzo duet and the even, unforced tone of the strings at all dynamic levels. Before intermission, Dickinson conducted two J. S. Bach cantatas (Nos.

182 and 95), separated by Mel-chior Vulpius's 12-voice motet "Gloria, laus et honor." Neither cantata emerged with much conviction. The austere Vulpius motet however, was a welcome departure from the society's customary repertoire (boasting particularly adroit playing from the trombones). Perhaps Dickinson can be persuaded to explore more 16th-and early 17-century literature this piece was a fascinating precursor to later efforts by Bach and others of his tradition. The Bach Society will open its 1990-91 season Oct 14 at Calvary Episcopal Church with performances of Vaughan Williams' "Serenade to Music" and Brahms' "Ein Deutsches Requiem." Check your Kentucky State Income Tax Booklet for 1990 Intangible Tax Returns to file investments owned January 1, 1990. The Tangible Property Tax Form Booklet will be Mailed by Revenue Cabinet to all prior year taxpayers.

Intangible Form 62A376 and Tangible Form 62A500 are available in local Property Valuation Administrator's Office Personal Property Department 704 Fiscal Court Building. 625-6860 Deadline for filing April 16, 1990 Tim Firkins Property Valuation Administrator, Jefferson County HOLLYWOOD George Michael's much-anticipated follow-up to his multiplatinum "Faith" LP has been pushed back because the superstar singer is concentrating on his autobiography. The book, which insiders are calling a "tell-all" tome, should be interesting reading. While still a teen, Michael jetted to international attention as half of the astronomically successful Wham! In the years since, he has been linked with such beauties as Brooke Shields and Madonna. And he went through emergency surgery on his vocal cords in the middle of his smash "Faith" concert tour of 1988.

Michael is spending his breaks from his literary pursuit in the recording studio. He has reportedly recorded half of the double-disc effort, which is now set for release at year's end. I GOT NEWS FOR YOU: Jennifer Grey has just been tapped to star in the HBO movie "Criminal Justice." Patrick Swayze had told me that he and Jennifer would be starting "Dirty Dancing II" in February, but there are no signs of that flick being made anytime soon. Johnny Depp might be going around bad-mouthing his "21 Jump Street" series and saying that he wants no more to do with the show now that his contract has expired, but producer Stephen Canned tells me he's been assured that Depp will be on board if "Jump Street" is renewed. THE INDUSTRY EYE: Ned Tanen puts down as "patently untrue" the Hollywood trade paper report that he's giving up his role as a George Michael Record will have to wait Paramount consultant to become actively involved as an independent producer.

Tanen, who gave up his post as Paramount prexy in November '88 "to take life a bit easier," tells me now that he has every intention of continuing as a consultant for the studio. "If I find something out there I like, I'll try to get it made. But there isn't even a project to talk about now." The big-screen adaptation of Tom Wolfe's "Bonfire of the Vanities," which was to have gone into production last month, is now expected to go before the cameras in April maybe. At this point Warner Bros, doesn't have a new date for the start of the Tom Hanks starrer. "Marilyn Beck" appears Monday through Thursday in the Features section.

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But the acclaimed 3rd Bass was a mess, with no sense of how to structure a set and the worst sound of a less-than-CD-clear evening. Griff, still a non-performing Public Enemy member, disproved widespread suspicions that he couldn't rap his way out of a paper bag. He can he's competent but unexciting, and his lyrics weren't the least controversial. His strange notions of world history were never evident. But he was almost entirely upstaged by Clarksville, dancers Erick Cheatham and John Meeks also known as Boardwalk and Park Place who danced behind the Disciples' last number.

By JAMES NOLD JR. Special Writer You've heard of too much of a good thing. Maybe if your life is luckier than most you've even had a chance to discover what it is. But what does way too much of an only OK thing feel like? Ask any of the 6,636 people who attended last night's "Rapamania" show at Louisville Gardens. The concert's lineup was too strong and diverse for any self-respecting rap fan to skip, even at $17.50 a pop.

You had three of the music's most intriguing up-and-com-ers Queen Latifah, Digital Underground and 3rd Bass. You had saucy female rapper M.C. Lyte and sex symbol Big Daddy Kane. And you had the music's two most controversial artists: the oft-banned, thoroughly filthy and indomitably danceable 2 Live Crew (the Robert Mapplethorpes of rap); and Professor Griff, the Public Enemy factotum whose spouting of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories almost broke up the group. But all those acts at least two too many added up to a rap glut and dragged the show toward the five-hour mark.

Deadlines caused me to leave during 2 Live Crew's opening, thoroughly filthy and eminently danceable number, "We Can Do This." Anyone who wants to be offended by this group has every reason to be the group had a room full of young people, many of them looking to be in junior high, chanting some of the language's more obscene words and phrases. But their evident glee at what they were doing undercut it for me the act seemed like some gigantic frat prank, not the decline of Western civilization. Big Daddy Kane proved to have a star's energy and control of the stage, and he's able to bob and weave through tongue-twisting phrases. Despite her talent for hard and heavy testifying, M.C Lyte was more disappointing every time she got a groove going, she spoiled it by stopping short. The evening's best surprise was replacement parts Includes Replacing Lava Rock Cleaning Burner and Grids 1 Flame Adjustment Safety Inspect WE SELL, SERVICE, REPAIR, DELIVER AND INSTALL GwGnai Fmde Stop A Insnn.

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Call Harold Rosen, (502) 625-6439. Senior Citizens East, 311 Browns Lane, needs a person with knowledge of the BASIC computer-programming system to help with data-base management in the fund-raising department. (502) 896-2316. The American Red Cross needs people to drive Bullitt County senior citizens to their doctors. Drivers are trained at Red Cross expense, and Red Cross vehicles are used.

Call the Red Cross' Bullitt County Service Center, (502) 543-7501 or (502) 955-6259. Humana Hospital University of Louisville Bone Marrow Transplant Program needs people to help transplant recipients and their families throughout their hospital stay. Volunteers receive a four-hour training session. Call, (502) 562-4555 or (502) 562-3008. "A Helping Hand" appears Monday in the Features section.

Non-profit organizations with specific needs should provide written information to Karen Smith, "A Helping Hand," The Courier-Journal, 525 W. Broadway, Louisville, Ky. 40202. Items will be used as soon as possible after being received, allowing for deadlines and available space. Benefit performances and fairs will be listed elsewhere, and requests for assistance should be communitywide, not directed at the membership of one organization.

jm fa i nr -jm Interested in helpings others? Each Monday this column wUl tell you of ways to assist those in need. Adopt a child Mikey, 2, and Gary, 1, are physically healthy children who rarely get sick. Mikey is at the exploring stage, and Gary is a stocky little fellow who likes to run and play. Many black children are waiting for homes. If you're interested, call the Special Needs Adoption Program at (502) 588-4303 or, toll-free in Kentucky, (800) 432-9346.

Foster parents needed The Cabinet for Human Resources' Department of Social Services needs foster parents for children of all ages. Call (502) 588-3275. Adopt a pet Mick is a 10-month-old, neutered, red Australian cattle dog who is used io children. Mick is a house dog, but he hasn't been with other dogs. The Animal Care Society, 12207 Westport Road, has many cats and dogs available for adoption.

You can visit from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call (502) 426-6303. Also, the Humane SocietyAnimal Rescue League, 241 Steedly Drive, has dogs and cats to adopt Call (502) 366-3355.

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