DANCE REVIEW : Cantinova in American Masterworks Concert

Ten more lesser-known works by well-known American composers proceeded without leaving an unusually bold or memorable impression Sunday evening at the third and final concert of a CalArts-sponsored series devoted to American Masterworks.

A 20-member vocal group, Cantinova, nonetheless superbly led off the event at Santa Monica Museum of Art.

Their vibrant vocal sound filled the resonant hall, creating musical lines that were remarkably full and crisp. Paul Vorwerk conducted the group with vitality, shaping each phrase carefully and expertly.

Samuel Barber’s “Agnus Dei” (1967), the composer’s vocal arrangement of his famous Adagio for Strings (1936), was given special, sensitive attention. Other notable efforts included Roger Sessions’ “Turn, O Libertad”(1944) and the choral version of Ives’ song “General William Booth Enters Into Heaven”(1914).

The second half of the program made use of chamber ensembles with members of the New CalArts Twentieth Century Players. Charles Griffes’ slow, impressionist Three Tone Pictures (1915), arranged for nine woodwinds and harp, proved the most ambitious undertaking, though the routine music challenged little of the players’ capabilities.