A rave review of "Battle-Flags"
On Sunday, November 15, 2015, the Choral Arts Society of Washington, led by Scott Tucker, gave the premiere performance of Zachary's Battle-Flags. In his review of the concert for the Washington Post, Patrick Rucker wrote:
“Wadsworth, still in his early 30s, is someone to keep an eye on. His compelling “Battle-Flags,” using verse by Walt Whitman, was composed to be followed without pause by the Brahms, a function it fulfilled admirably. Delicately scored for chorus, obbligato string quartet and string orchestra, it was fresh, deeply felt and strikingly original in a way that complemented rather than competed with the gigantic “Requiem.”
Most impressive is Wadsworth’s feeling for text, which he sets with a sensitivity that is never obvious, yet always apt. Verses from Whitman’s poem, “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d,” were understandable in the hall, something only the most skilled vocal composers are able to pull off. Scott Tucker conducted with confidence and nuance.”