Charismatic a cappella Chanticleer crows clear

I am not a fair critic. In fact, I employ a double standard. I am unabashedly and consistently much harder on guest artists and professional ensembles than I am on local groups.

In general, I tend to give our local community musicians credit for being involved in the arts and for performing for very little money or none at all. So I always leaven my criticism with well-deserved praise But when it comes to professional musicians, I expect more. For the professional, technical virtuosity should be a mere baseline, on top of which I insist upon color, charisma, flair and finesse. So I expected a great deal from the 12-member vocal ensemble Chanticleer in its performance Sunday afternoon at the Maine Center for the Arts in Orono.

A strictly vocal, a cappella ensemble which touts itself as “An Orchestra of Voices,” Chanticleer exceeded all of my expectations. A better assortment of technically excellent singers could not be hoped for. Their repertoire was wide and richly varied, and they performed with an understated, easy elegance. I loved every minute.

In a program titled “Women, Saintly and Otherwise,” the music, all inspired by women, ranged from that of 15th century composer Josquin Desprez through the works of Thomas Weelkes and Claudio Monteverdi to 20th and 21st century pieces by Duke Ellington and Francis Poulenc. In all cases, whether performing a polyphonic series of madrigals or belting out a version of the American folk classic “Frankie and Johnny,” every arrangement, every styling, every combination of voice inspired, amused and surprised the listener.

The name Chanticleer, after the “clear singing” rooster from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, is so appropriate for this ensemble. Nearly half its members are countertenors, the extra-high male voices that sing parts normally reserved for female sopranos and altos. In Sunday’s performance, the soaring timbre and perfect diction of the high voices were astounding. In “Lay A Garland” by Robert Lucas Pearsall, one of the most hauntingly lovely pieces of the 19th century, the high, clear voices of countertenors Timothy Maguire, Eric Brenner, Dylan Hostetter, Jesse Antin and Clifton Massey evoke great pathos as they sang lingering, hanging, unresolved notes over the hymnlike melody. Later, in a performance of the traditional Korean piece “Mong-Gum-Po Taryang,” their voices resonated in the harmonic so that chimes or some other indefinable instrumentation seemed behind the voices.

Tenors Justin Montigne, Matthew Oltman and Fraser Walters gave passionate performances, particularly in “Down by the Sally Gardens” and in the sophisticated swing of “Satin Doll” by Duke Ellington.

But the basses and baritones, Eric Alatorre, John Bischoff, Ben Johns and Mark Sullivan, were responsible for the major frisson of the afternoon as the ensemble performed John Tavener’s “Song for Athene.” Written as an elegy on the death of a talented young actress and performed before millions at the funeral of Britain’s Princess Diana, the piece relies on a continuous deep drone against which lines from “Hamlet” and orthodox liturgy are sung. Chanticleer’s bass drone was seamless, immense and tremendously moving, fading away in a smooth diminuendo at the end and leaving many with chills of pleasure.

So let me sum up this concert: the best. Chanticleer was transcendent, emotional, intelligent, funny, lively and technically without compare.

Chanticleer will perform at Portland’s Merrill Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28. I for one hope they return to Maine for more concerts on a regular basis. For information on the Portland concert, check out the Web site www.chanticleer.org .

Helen York can be reached at heyork@hotmail.com .