The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By Virginia Ross-Special For The Quill
No orchestra or piano but only a bongo, a tambourine/drum and a guitar meant that 95% of the program depended on the nine handsome men who harmonized in the group known as Cantu.
Eight of the singers originated in the Midwest and all had impeccable credentials.
The tenors: Zachare Colby, Crown Point, IN; Adam Fieldson, Lincoln, NE; Paul John Rudol, Kenne, NH; Paul Scholtz, Waverly, IA; Jode Shaddy, Indianapolis, IN;
the baritones: Matthew Goinz, Bemidji, MN; Matthew Tintes, Fargo,ND;
and the Basses: Samuel Green, Webb City, MO; and home town favorite-Chris Foss, Council Bluffs, IA-the grandson of Bea Foss of Burlington, IA, make up the internationally known group.
Their program was based on the four kinds of love as defined by the Greeks: Agape, Storge, Philia and Eros. A member of the group explored each kind before that part of the program.
The first, Agape, is unconditional love such as love of God and in that vein a favorite of the audience was "23rd Psalm" which is a personal statement of faith.
The second, Storge, was explored in "Three Male Choruses" which was a letter to a dead wife and "To My Brother," a poignant remembrance of a gay brother who committed suicide.
Under Philia which is the celebration of friendship and platonic love, the group sang several songs but memorable was "Philia" which sang of friends in common and how the friendships make us grow and in turn makes those involve grow too.
In Eros the group included a Beach Boy number "Their Hearts were Full of Spring" which was a lament to a lasting love even beyond death.
Other numbers were included in this program and yes, the harmony and technicality was exquisite. I'm sure serious musicians appreciated it totally and even the ordinary concert goer marveled at the tonality and range of the program.
As an encore the group sang "Unforgettable" and those around me declared it the best piece of the program.
However, if I were to choose, I would pick these two: "Zikr," a Mideastern melody in the vein of Israeli or Arab music which inspires one to form a chain and dance up and down the aisles (of course, we didn't do that) and the last piece "Wedding Qawali" from the Broadway Show, Bombay Dreams; it was Bollywood melodies that exhibit an exotic flavor.
Civic Music is the best bargain and now individual tickets may be purchased .
So, mark your calendar for November 12th when the The Five Browns will fill the stage at Burlington's Memorial Auditorium, and show up.