In case you’ve never heard of “Winterreise.” according to Britannica.com , “Winterreise, (German: “Winter Journey”) (is a) cycle of 24 songs for male voice and piano composed in 1827 by Austrian composer Franz Schubert, with words by German poet Wilhelm Müller. Schubert was reviewing the publisher’s proofs of the cycle in the weeks before his death, shortly before his 32nd birthday. He had already performed the songs for a gathering of friends, but they had not yet reached the public.”

And to sing all these songs in one fell swoop, without a single break … not even to have a sip of water … and to sing it so beautifully and sensitively, as baritone Jeremy Wong did last night at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, was truly a “tour de force”: “an impressive performance or achievement that has been accomplished or managed with great skill.”

Even though I honestly came up with the description of “tour de force” on my own about to describe this work, I’m not the only one to do so. I found this description on the Washington University St. Louis website: An emotional tour-de-force, “Die Winterreise” explores themes of love and mortality, darkness and light, heartbreak and redemption. Based on poems by Wilhelm Müller, the 24-song cycle was written during the final years of Schubert’s life and published just weeks after his death, in November 1828. It charts an allegorical “winter journey” across a snow-covered landscape, as the unnamed protagonist mourns his lost love and ponders a bleak future while dreaming of warmth and remembering happier times.

And don’t forget the flawless and sensitive performance by pianist Tyler Ramos, whom you may remember just played a brilliant piano duet recital just five days ago with Thomas Yee. Plus, Tyler is also my organ student!

Hawaii should be doubly proud of these two “local boys.” In the program, we read the current bio of Jeremy Wong: Baritone and conductor Jeremy M. Wong enjoys a versatile musical career with focuses in early music, oratorio, art song, and ensemble singing. He is in his second year as an artist and co-artistic director with Cantus, a professional tenor/bass ensemble based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he also serves as Educational Outreach Coordinator. With Cantus, he has had the honor of performing at venues such as the Tanglewood Music Festival and the Chautauque Institution, and collaborating with fellow vocal ensemble Chanticleer in concert. Other concert highlights include premiere performances of new art song with the Source Song Festival; a recital at Harvard University with mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Eschern; premiering the baritone solos of Herb Mahelona’s Kinohi; as well as soloing on Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 under the baton of Jo Ann Falletta. As an ensemble singer, Jeremy has appeared as a member of the Carnegie Hall Chamber Chorus in concert with The Tallis Scholars; the Berwick chorus of the Oregon Bach Festival; the JSB Ensemble in Stuttgart, Germany; and the Weimar Bach Cantata Academy, where he was also an assistant conductor. He is an active recitalist with interests in German Lieder, and Japanese and American Art Song.

As I was listening to the concert, one phrase kept popping into my head: Pure maple syrup to describe Jeremy’s sweet voice! Yet, of course, he expressed the full range of emotions as well.

Tyler Ramos had a different bio in last night’s program compared with the one from a week ago: Pianist and cellist Tyler Ramos is a lecturer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music where he also acquired a Music Theory minor and Arts Leadership certificate, and held assistantships in Applied Piano, Class Piano, and Collaborative Piano. He began his musical education with the late Ellen Masaki from 2002-2009. He participated in her 5-piano ensembles, performing with his studio mates in Honolulu and on the Big Island, and fondly remembers performing on From the Top. In 2009, Tyler started studying with Dr. Thomas Yee at the University of Hawaii, where he also graduated with his Bachelor of Music in 2017. He then studied with Dr. John Milbauer at the University of Arizona, where he held a class piano teaching assistantship under the director of Dr. Lisa Zdechlik.

Tyler’s 2007 performance at From the Top in Kahului, Maui, was news to me, so I found that the broadcast was archived online! Tyler was 12 years old at the time and played as part of a group of 10 pianists, along with his brother. Part of the broadcast included an interview with the legendary piano teacher, Ellen Masaki.

Guess who I sat next to at the concert: Baritone Leon Williams! I first met Leon 22 years ago when he was engaged to sing the role of Pilate in our performances of Bach St. Matthew Passion.

It was a fantastic concert!