Auf dem Wasser zu singen

So this is not exactly “On the Road” – more like “In the River”, but any concert experience at NYC’s Bargemusic is a unique one, so I thought I’d share some thoughts…

Bargemusic is a real gem of a venue, and its title says it all.  A retired and restored coffee barge, it sits docked in the East River at Fulton Ferry Landing in Brooklyn, just below the Brooklyn Bridge.  This “floating concert hall” has been hosting chamber music programs year-round since 1977, and many of my instrumentalist colleagues have often played there over the years.  In the vocal music world, however, it seems like Bargemusic is still fairly unknown; I’ve been fortunate to perform there a few times in the last couple of years, and I hope that more and more vocal recitals will be happening there in the future.

A word to the wise, however: performing on the Barge is not for the faint of stomach!  You are literally afloat IN the East River, one of NYC’s busiest waterways.  I have yet to discover whether the river is more busy during the day or during the week, but all I can tell you is that when you see a big boat go by, you’d better hold on to something.  As a singer, especially, who is not grounded at a piano or in a chair, you really have to keep your knees bent and your poise intact, and remember that the piano is your best friend, for the occasional lean or grab.  The small stage has windows at its back, giving the audience a terrific view of the river and the lower Manhattan skyline, but this means that while you’re performing, you’ll be facing the other way, and will have no warning when a large wake approaches!

Last night, pianist Martin Katz and I performed Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin on the Barge, and, as I expected, such distractions were not absent from the experience.  Of course, at the center of this song cycle is The Brook (read: East River), a central character that sees The Miller all throughout his journey, and many of the songs took on additional meaning in last night’s performance.  In fact, some of the most pronounced rolling occurred during the final song, where The Brook is cradling The Miller in its waves, and several audience members commented on the visceral poignancy of the moment!  Even going to sleep last night, I definitely felt like I was still rocking in gentle waves, but I suspect that was only because I spent over three hours there.  I would guess that most audience members get their land legs back pretty quickly.

Tomorrow night we return to the Barge for more Schubert, this time with Winterreise.  Unless the forecast changes dramatically, the East River will not be appropriately iced over and covered in snow.  We can only hope that this time any disturbances of balance will only serve to enhance the increasingly fractured mental state of our protagonist…we’ll see how this goes.  But if you’re looking for something to do in NYC tomorrow night, come join us for some great music and a friendly float!