Even though April in Paris was all gourmet food and wonderful classical music, I couldn’t get that Charles Boyer song out of my head: “Ah, yes, I remember it well.” (It’s mostly the French accent, I’m sure.)
It was the second of Music in the Mountains’ fundraisers featuring fine food and great music this year, and 53 people came away raving.
This time, the food was courtesy of new American citizen Michel Poumay and Jean-Pierre Bléger at the latter’s eponymous Bakery and Wine Bar. The evening began with appetizers of pâté, smoked salmon on toast with capers and dill and my favorite, Bléger’s scrumptious escargots in puff pastry, accompanied by a Segura Viudas Arias Estate Brut from Cataluña, Spain.
The music was only possible because of a collaboration between three local organizations – Music in the Mountains, San Juan Symphony and Fort Lewis College. We may be small, but when we work together, we are mighty!
Musicians included Greg Hustis, the artistic director of the classical music festival, guest trumpeters Mary Elizabeth Bowden and Marc Reed, accompanied by Linda Mack Berven, who did yeowoman’s work by accompanying all permutations of the brass players. They presented an intimate (if brass can ever be called intimate) program of primarily French composers. Reed is the chairman of the FLC Music Department and co-principal trumpeter of the symphony, and Mack Berven seems to be finding retirement busier than her many years with FLC, if that’s possible.
On Friday, she was off to Cortez to play a recital, and next weekend, she will be directing her Durango Choral Society cohorts at Soli Deo Gloria, including Faure’s Requiem, at 7 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. April 28 at St. Columba Catholic Church. Tickets are available at (800) 838-3006 or the door.
Hustis, of course, could not resist pointing out that he was there because he plays the French horn. He and Bowden will be performing at the San Juan Symphony’s “Bach and Beatlemania” season finale at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College and at 3 p.m. Sunday at Henderson Hall in Farmington as well as giving a master class to FLC music students. Busy week, but at least they can say it was delicious, too.
They played a number of pieces. My personal favorites were Hustis and Mack Berven on Gabriel Fauré’s Four Songs for Horn and Piano (they added one to the original program) arranged by longtime Music in the Mountains musician Sterling Proctor; Bowden’s lyrical Nocturne by Henri Tomasi, which had a touch of jazz; and Bowden on Maurice Ravel’s “Habanera.” (He didn’t just compose “Bolero.”)
But for me, the highlight of the evening was Reed and Bowden in a trumpet duet with piano on Fauré’s “Puisqu’ici bas toute âme” or “As Each Soul Here Below” and Leo Delibes “Sous le dôme épais” from “Lakmé,” called “The Flower Duet,” which is one of my favorites any time. The two Gemmas, also known as Gemma Kavanagh and Gemma Coma-Alabert, sang the latter as a duet at Chez Grandmère, Poumay’s former restaurant, many years ago, at a San Juan Symphony friendraiser hosted by Bill and Bonnie Lupien, so it seemed like a fitting piece for the evening.
The diversity and variety of the program included something for all tastes.
A successful French evening requires three things: delicious food, fine wine and interesting conversation. The chefs took great care of the first, Stan Crapo from Star Liquors provided the second, and I don’t know what folks were talking about at other tables, but my table companions Ed and Bernardine Cox, Cindy Cortese and Gail Harris and I enjoyed a wide-ranging discussion about current events, national security, the role of the press, great meals and performances we have enjoyed and some cool apps for smartphones.
The first course was a choice of asparagus velouté, made with both white and green asparagus, or a rich sea scallop terrine with lobster-brandy sauce (completely plate lickable), paired with a 2010 Rafael Palacios Louro Do Bolo, made with the godello grape in Valdeorras, Spain.
Guests “pre-ordered” their entrées, choosing between rack of lamb with mustard-parsley crust and an herbes de Provence sauce (ooh là là); salmon strudel with shrimp and fresh basil sauce; or duck breast marinated in a cinnamon, nutmeg, port and other ingredients – I couldn’t write fast enough – served with a raspberry vinegar sauce.
All were served with a 2010 Domaine Lafage Cuvée Centenaire, made with grenache gris and blanc grapes along with macabeau and roussanne grapes; and a 2009 Chateau Puech-Haut Coteaux de Languedoc Prestige, made with grenache and syrah grapes from old vines in one of the coolest parts of France.
Dessert? Bléger’s delightful macaroons and meringues with a raspberry coulis, accompanied by a 2008 Ricossa Casorzo, a not-too-sweet dessert wine.
After a round of applause for the chefs, guests table hopped to catch up with friends before heading out into the cold night after a warm evening that delighted all the senses. We all walked out with a party favor of macaroons and a tin of those wonderful little Vosgienne strawberry candies.
Thanks also go to Hanson Honda in Farmington, which sponsored the evening. Owner Gail Hanson, who lives in Durango, was on hand to share how important she thinks an active arts scene with community support is. She certainly walked the talk Thursday.
President of the board John Anderson reminded everyone that this has been a busy week for festival staff members as they coordinated both the fundraiser and Music in the Mountains Goes to School’s Taste of Music and Music Extravaganza. So kudos to Angie Beach, executive director; Julie Brown, operations manager; Amber Neumann, program and education manager; and Cory Jameson, accounting manager. Beach, Brown and Neumann still managed to be elegant and all smiles after an exhausting week at the party.
Tickets for Music in the Mountains’ 27th season, which runs July 7 through July 28, went on sale Monday. Visit www.musicinthemountains.com, stop by the festival offices at 1063 Main Ave., or give them a call at 385-6820 to get yours. More and more concerts are selling out each year, and one great way to support Music in the Mountains is to get your tickets early so they have the money before the beginning of the festival to help put it on.
Merci beaucoup for the trip to Gay Paree.
HHH
It’s “Springtime in the Rockies” (with all that entails) for the birthdays of Beth Green, Allan Green, Norm Goldman, Laura Jaramillo, Ronda Conrad, Liz Callard, Jean May, Pam Leder, Annslee Crouch, Sophia Raymond, Duane Smith, Al Studer, Kathy Anderson, Coy Bryant, Doris Higgins, Kyle Houle, Jeanette Johansen, Ashlee Hermesman, Caleb Johnson, Jean Pearthree, Aidan Roessler, Erica Max and Rebekah Markley.
Special greetings go to Dorothy Gore, for whom this might not be a happy birthday, but I hope it’s one filled with comfort from friends and family. More special greetings go to Herb Sutcliffe, who turned the august age of 94 earlier this month.
HHH
Love is blowing in the wind for these couples who are celebrating their anniversaries – George and Aurora Rose, Steve and Marti Kiely, Charlie and Julie Arbaugh, Barry and Phyllis Stone, John and Kathryn Ogier and James and Susan Hamilton.
HHH
Here’s how to reach me: neighbors@durangoherald.com or phone 375-4584.
