MUSIC OF MARK FRANCIS (APAC) AT THE MUNICIPAL ART GALLERY, MARCH 21, 2002

Mark Francis, composer, teaches at Power APAC and this program featured
his works, performed by various APAC faculty, including Sandra Polanski
(piano), Ty Maisel (violin), and Shawn Balentine (soprano). Additional
players were APAC senior Paul Yoder (cello), Stephanie Garrett (cello),
Julie Maisel (flute) and Francis himself (guitar). When one considers the
works of a newly-encountered composer, one is tempted to say that they
are reminescent of some other composer. I will (with one exception)
resist that temptation, because it makes a thoughtful analysis too easy.
Besides, the truth is that every composer strives for a style that is
distinctive and unique. My first comment is that all the pieces were
relatively short - some very short indeed. This had the advantage of
presenting Francis' compositional ideas individually. One that stood
out - from the very first piano sketch - was the use of an ostinato-like
figure in the lower range, using fourths and fifths, with a melodic
figure in the upper range. Another was the sequential contrast between
dissonance and consonance. Francis' music is tonal, and departures from
familiar harmonies were followed by returns to familiar sounds. Overall,
his approach was generally economical, but with some very effective and
interesting variations. Four - I think - deserve comment. First, the
second of the five dialogues (played by Ty & Julie Maisel) did remind
me of Peter Schickele (aka P.D.Q. Bach) and I thought it could have
been subtitled "Dialogue for Two Unfriendly Instruments". Second,
the Emily Dickinson song "Pursuing You" actually did have a relentless
rhythm (provided by the guitar) appropriate to pursuit, and third,
the setting of her "Now I Lay Thee Down to Sleep" was very tender,
While the finale, "Serenade", with flute, violin, and cello, was on
a larger scale, with four movements. Although the concert was a chamber
setting, some chamber works are large in scale, and I wondered if Francis
has written any larger works, and if so, what they are like. 
I hope he has, and that I will have the chance to hear them.

A word about the performers - were I Francis, I think I would be very
pleased with them!


                                                    - Glenn A. Gentry