“Smiles, Pranks and Coughs at the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra” (ISBN 965-90982-0-0, Rotem Publishing Ltd.) is a book of amusing anecdotes compiled by Yaacov Mishori; Mishori, now retired, served as principal horn player of the IPO, as IPO spokesman and was a member of the management. Mishori has written other books and today teaches at the Buchmann-Mehta High School and presents a weekly radio program.
Beginning with Mishori’s early musical experiences and his joining the IPO, the book presents a wealth of hilarious stories about the orchestra, its players and conductors, its audiences and its performances in Israel and abroad. The book gives one a glimpse with a difference into the colorful history of the IPO since its founding in 1936. Imagine Maestro Zubin Mehta changing a concerto scheduled for a concert, but without letting the soloist, violinist Uri Pianka, in on the prank! This really happened at a concert one year around Purim. All ended well when Pianka, somewhat surprised, managed to play the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto by heart instead of that of Tchaikovsky. At a concert performed on a naval barge to an audience of soldiers, tourists and Bedouin at Sharm-El-Sheikh in 1973, Mishori recounts how a strong wind began to blow just as the orchestra was performing Dvorak’s “New World” Symphony, causing the players’ music to fly off into the sea or in the direction of the audience.
However, there is more to this book than stories of eccentric conductors and the suggestion of a “Symphony for Orchestra and Coughing Audience” to be composed for and performed by the IPO. Mishori nostalgically takes us back to the Tel Aviv of many years ago. Illustrated by Amnon Katz, the book has been translated into English from the original Hebrew version by Tal Rockman. I have read better translations than this one but musicians and music-lovers alike will, nevertheless, laugh and enjoy reading this collection of stories. The English translation of “Smiles, Pranks and Coughs at the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra” can be ordered by calling Rotem Publishing Ltd. at 077-3330775.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
J.S.Bach St. Matthew Passion, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra
J.S.Bach’s (1685-1750) St. Matthew Passion BWV 244 was composed in Leipzig in 1727. The composer’s longest work, it calls for vocal- and instrumental soloists, two choirs and two orchestras, and reflects Bach’s deeply religious conviction. In addition to texts from chapters 26 and 27 of the Gospel According to St. Matthew, there are lyrical, soul-searching sections written by Bach’s friend Christian Friedrich Henrici (1700-1764) (“Picander” was his pseudonym) and these add to the devotional aspect of the work. Since Mendelssohn’s revival of the St. Matthew Passion in 1829, its rich canvas and personal expression have attracted the concert-going public to experience its beauty and emotional impact again and again; the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra’s performance of it, conducted by its home conductor Leon Botstein, April 1 in Jerusalem, was no exception, with the Henry Crown Symphony Hall of the Jerusalem Theatre packed to capacity. People were genuinely curious to hear Botstein’s reading of this monumental work.
Following his informal, informative pre-concert discussion of the work, Leon Botstein conducted and coordinated his large group of musicians in a performance of precision and lush musical soundscape. A labor of love, I watched Botstein mouthing almost every word as he conducted (not using a baton.) In the hands of a classical orchestra, this was not a Bach performance on historical instruments; however, there were just a few Baroque-oriented timbres: the inclusion, for example, of the viola da gamba (Amit Tiefenbrunn) in the strings and in obbligato roles was effective and poignant. The work, altogether, has many beautiful instrumental solos and duets and these, always coming down to a more intimate form of expression, were handled sensitively by orchestra members. The two choirs taking part – the New Vocal Ensemble and the Kibbutz Artzi Choir, both trained by Yuval Ben-Ozer - added performance that was competent and clean, their diction good and their phrasing finely chiseled. Their superbly blended choral sound was a feast to the ears, whether in the comforting message of the chorales or in the vehement outbursts of the angry mob. Small solos, sung by choir members, were of a high quality.
Israeli mezzo-soprano, Rachel Frenkel, has fine vocal technique and interesting depth to her voice. Claire Meghnagi showed taste, color and vocal ease; she seemed to grow into the work as it progressed. German-born tenor Christian Baumgaertel was powerful and involved. Israeli baritone Gabriel Lowenheim’s singing is warm, full and rich; he was communicative and very much a part of the immediacy of the dramatic moment. Estonian bass Uku Joller was well cast as Jesus, his presence commanding, his voice large and stable with a fine mix of depth and lights; and he sang with conviction. German tenor Immo Schroeder, as the Evangelist, was brilliant in his narration. Using the whole spectrum of his voice, he was convincing and articulate; his dramatic timing, his well-sculpted phrases, his depth of emotion, his humility and the manner in which he addressed each and every nuance of the written text were moving, indeed, memorable.
Following his informal, informative pre-concert discussion of the work, Leon Botstein conducted and coordinated his large group of musicians in a performance of precision and lush musical soundscape. A labor of love, I watched Botstein mouthing almost every word as he conducted (not using a baton.) In the hands of a classical orchestra, this was not a Bach performance on historical instruments; however, there were just a few Baroque-oriented timbres: the inclusion, for example, of the viola da gamba (Amit Tiefenbrunn) in the strings and in obbligato roles was effective and poignant. The work, altogether, has many beautiful instrumental solos and duets and these, always coming down to a more intimate form of expression, were handled sensitively by orchestra members. The two choirs taking part – the New Vocal Ensemble and the Kibbutz Artzi Choir, both trained by Yuval Ben-Ozer - added performance that was competent and clean, their diction good and their phrasing finely chiseled. Their superbly blended choral sound was a feast to the ears, whether in the comforting message of the chorales or in the vehement outbursts of the angry mob. Small solos, sung by choir members, were of a high quality.
Israeli mezzo-soprano, Rachel Frenkel, has fine vocal technique and interesting depth to her voice. Claire Meghnagi showed taste, color and vocal ease; she seemed to grow into the work as it progressed. German-born tenor Christian Baumgaertel was powerful and involved. Israeli baritone Gabriel Lowenheim’s singing is warm, full and rich; he was communicative and very much a part of the immediacy of the dramatic moment. Estonian bass Uku Joller was well cast as Jesus, his presence commanding, his voice large and stable with a fine mix of depth and lights; and he sang with conviction. German tenor Immo Schroeder, as the Evangelist, was brilliant in his narration. Using the whole spectrum of his voice, he was convincing and articulate; his dramatic timing, his well-sculpted phrases, his depth of emotion, his humility and the manner in which he addressed each and every nuance of the written text were moving, indeed, memorable.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Ensemble Canzona, Musica Aeterna at Scottish Church in Jerusalem
A concert at the Scottish Church March 18 2009 featured works for women’s voices performed by two different choirs.
Ensemble Canzona, a choir of 15 women, affiliated with the Mevasseret Zion Conservatory, was founded by its present conductor Tatiana Mirsky in 1999. The singers are amateurs, but all have vocal experience; they perform liturgical- and contemporary music as well as Israeli works. In the summer of 2009, the choir will be taking part in “The Singing World International Festival” in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Ensemble Canzona opened the evening with short works by three French composers, beginning with Camille Saint-Saens’ (1835-1924) “Ave Verum Corpus” (Hail, True Body) (1860) for women’s voices and organ. This was followed by Francis Poulenc’s (1899-1963) exquisite last motet using the same text, quite demanding in its crossing voice parts and dissonances, after which we heard his expressive “Ave Maria” (Hail Mary). Gabriel Faure (1845-1924) composed at least two motet settings to the “Tantum Ergo” (Therefore we, before Him bending) by Thomas Aquinas. Accompanied on the organ by the ensemble’s pianist, Bracha Einav, who is also a member of the choir, the ensemble gave expression to the lush, French Romantic harmonies of the piece. Singers and conductor were at a disadvantage, with the organ and Einav at the back of the church, the distraction of which affected intonation.
Ensemble Canzona ended their part of the concert with Antonio Lotti’s (1667-1740) a cappella Mass in A minor, a major undertaking, competently performed by them. Soloist was alto Nurit Nirel, whose many interpolations presented contrast and interest with her unique vocal color. Mirsky’s direction was energetic and contrasted, the choir’s intonation and diction pleasing.
The second half of the concert was devoted to Giovanni Pergolesi’s (1710-1736) “Stabat Mater”, performed by women members of Musica Aeterna. Musica Aeterna was founded in 1996 by Ilya Plotkin, it performs a wide repertoire and has contributed much to the Israeli concert scene by introducing Russian music not previously heard here. In 2003, Plotkin founded Opera Aeterna, which, to date, has produced four operas and with great success.
Composed in 1736, this “Stabat Mater” is thought to have been Pergolesi’s last composition. Comprising of twelve sections, it boasts many moving melodies and has, indeed, been criticized for being too cheerful, considering it is a work describing the last breaths of Jesus. At the time he composed it, Pergolesi, himself was dying, probably of tuberculosis. The evening’s performance was one to delight the senses, Aeterna’s choral texture being rich and flexible, spiced with color and dynamic variety, voice-play and excitement. Soloists were Inessa Spak, Hilma Digilov, Anna Malania-Feder, Anna Yoffe, Helena Plotkin, Ekaterina Chepelev and Tatiana Mirsky, and they were outstanding. I felt the presence of a harpsichord, rather than the electronic keyboard used, would have done more justice to the singers and to Nataly Rotenberg’s attentive playing. Plotkin’s conducting and musical direction make for articulate and richly interesting musical performance.
St Andrews Scots Memorial Church, Jerusalem
March 18 2009
Ensemble Canzona, a choir of 15 women, affiliated with the Mevasseret Zion Conservatory, was founded by its present conductor Tatiana Mirsky in 1999. The singers are amateurs, but all have vocal experience; they perform liturgical- and contemporary music as well as Israeli works. In the summer of 2009, the choir will be taking part in “The Singing World International Festival” in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Ensemble Canzona opened the evening with short works by three French composers, beginning with Camille Saint-Saens’ (1835-1924) “Ave Verum Corpus” (Hail, True Body) (1860) for women’s voices and organ. This was followed by Francis Poulenc’s (1899-1963) exquisite last motet using the same text, quite demanding in its crossing voice parts and dissonances, after which we heard his expressive “Ave Maria” (Hail Mary). Gabriel Faure (1845-1924) composed at least two motet settings to the “Tantum Ergo” (Therefore we, before Him bending) by Thomas Aquinas. Accompanied on the organ by the ensemble’s pianist, Bracha Einav, who is also a member of the choir, the ensemble gave expression to the lush, French Romantic harmonies of the piece. Singers and conductor were at a disadvantage, with the organ and Einav at the back of the church, the distraction of which affected intonation.
Ensemble Canzona ended their part of the concert with Antonio Lotti’s (1667-1740) a cappella Mass in A minor, a major undertaking, competently performed by them. Soloist was alto Nurit Nirel, whose many interpolations presented contrast and interest with her unique vocal color. Mirsky’s direction was energetic and contrasted, the choir’s intonation and diction pleasing.
The second half of the concert was devoted to Giovanni Pergolesi’s (1710-1736) “Stabat Mater”, performed by women members of Musica Aeterna. Musica Aeterna was founded in 1996 by Ilya Plotkin, it performs a wide repertoire and has contributed much to the Israeli concert scene by introducing Russian music not previously heard here. In 2003, Plotkin founded Opera Aeterna, which, to date, has produced four operas and with great success.
Composed in 1736, this “Stabat Mater” is thought to have been Pergolesi’s last composition. Comprising of twelve sections, it boasts many moving melodies and has, indeed, been criticized for being too cheerful, considering it is a work describing the last breaths of Jesus. At the time he composed it, Pergolesi, himself was dying, probably of tuberculosis. The evening’s performance was one to delight the senses, Aeterna’s choral texture being rich and flexible, spiced with color and dynamic variety, voice-play and excitement. Soloists were Inessa Spak, Hilma Digilov, Anna Malania-Feder, Anna Yoffe, Helena Plotkin, Ekaterina Chepelev and Tatiana Mirsky, and they were outstanding. I felt the presence of a harpsichord, rather than the electronic keyboard used, would have done more justice to the singers and to Nataly Rotenberg’s attentive playing. Plotkin’s conducting and musical direction make for articulate and richly interesting musical performance.
St Andrews Scots Memorial Church, Jerusalem
March 18 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
J.S.Bach - St John Passion. Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra
The Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra’s fourth concert for the 2008-2009 season presented J.S.Bach’s “St. John Passion”. It was conducted by Andrew Parrott, the honorary conductor of the JBO. In his book “The Essential Bach Choir” (2000) Parrott writes that, in Bach’s choral compositions, there were few singers – often one to a part – and in the JBO’s performance, there were, indeed, only two vocal quartets.
J.S.Bach (1685-1750) composed some of the music for this work when in Weimar (1708-1717) but the bulk of the composition was probably written at the beginning of 1724 and first performed April 7 (Good Friday) of that year. Bach made subsequent changes to it but in his last version, in 1749, we see Bach returning to most of his earlier ideas. Bach has added commentary and sacred poems by contemporary writers into the text, the content of which can lead to much discussion. The work itself is highly emotional and theatrical in its approach, with many much-loved Lutheran chorales throughout.
From the initial turbulent strains introducing the first chorale, the drama of the Passion is set before us. New York-based tenor Marc Molomot, as the Evangelist, the major solo role in this work, his voice transparent and engaging, was a brilliant narrator, weighing each word and gesture, setting all sides of the dilemma before the audience, presenting each emotional nuance with personal expression. His performance of the following aria (no.20), for example, accompanied by bass instruments and two viola d’amores, was delicate and mellifluous, pensive and moving:
‘Ponder well how his back, bloodstained all over, is like the sky
Where, after the deluge from our flood of sins has abated,
There appears the most beautiful rainbow as a sign of God’s mercy!’
Israeli alto Noa Frenkel is a singer to watch, her reedy, richly-colored alto timbre commanding as she holds the listener within the tension of the moment. German-born bass Christian Immler, no newcomer to Israeli audiences, pleased the audience with his warmth and presence. Young Israeli bass Assif Am-David was highly commendable and convincing in the role of Pontius Pilate. The two vocal quartets, positioned separately, were outstanding in the verbal and musical detail addressed , in their vocal quality, shaping and expressiveness. Not to be ignored is the fine core of JBO instrumentalists.
Parrott’s conducting of the Johannespassion was every bit as detailed and emotional as the work itself. I later talked to David Shemer, the JBO’s musical director, who told me that he and his players find Parrott’s unconventional, almost dancelike style of conducting very articulate. Shemer’s program notes were interesting and thought-provoking. The performance, itself, was deeply moving.
J.S.Bach – St John Passion
Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra
Andrew Parrott(UK) – conductor
David Shemer- musical director
Emily van Evera (UK), Ayala Sicron – sopranos
Noa Frenkel (Holland-Israel), Avital Dery – altos
Marc Molomot (USA), David Nortman – tenors
Christian Immler (UK-Germany), Assif Am-David – basses
The Mary Nathaniel Golden Hall of Friendship, YMCA Jerusalem
March 10, 2009
J.S.Bach (1685-1750) composed some of the music for this work when in Weimar (1708-1717) but the bulk of the composition was probably written at the beginning of 1724 and first performed April 7 (Good Friday) of that year. Bach made subsequent changes to it but in his last version, in 1749, we see Bach returning to most of his earlier ideas. Bach has added commentary and sacred poems by contemporary writers into the text, the content of which can lead to much discussion. The work itself is highly emotional and theatrical in its approach, with many much-loved Lutheran chorales throughout.
From the initial turbulent strains introducing the first chorale, the drama of the Passion is set before us. New York-based tenor Marc Molomot, as the Evangelist, the major solo role in this work, his voice transparent and engaging, was a brilliant narrator, weighing each word and gesture, setting all sides of the dilemma before the audience, presenting each emotional nuance with personal expression. His performance of the following aria (no.20), for example, accompanied by bass instruments and two viola d’amores, was delicate and mellifluous, pensive and moving:
‘Ponder well how his back, bloodstained all over, is like the sky
Where, after the deluge from our flood of sins has abated,
There appears the most beautiful rainbow as a sign of God’s mercy!’
Israeli alto Noa Frenkel is a singer to watch, her reedy, richly-colored alto timbre commanding as she holds the listener within the tension of the moment. German-born bass Christian Immler, no newcomer to Israeli audiences, pleased the audience with his warmth and presence. Young Israeli bass Assif Am-David was highly commendable and convincing in the role of Pontius Pilate. The two vocal quartets, positioned separately, were outstanding in the verbal and musical detail addressed , in their vocal quality, shaping and expressiveness. Not to be ignored is the fine core of JBO instrumentalists.
Parrott’s conducting of the Johannespassion was every bit as detailed and emotional as the work itself. I later talked to David Shemer, the JBO’s musical director, who told me that he and his players find Parrott’s unconventional, almost dancelike style of conducting very articulate. Shemer’s program notes were interesting and thought-provoking. The performance, itself, was deeply moving.
J.S.Bach – St John Passion
Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra
Andrew Parrott(UK) – conductor
David Shemer- musical director
Emily van Evera (UK), Ayala Sicron – sopranos
Noa Frenkel (Holland-Israel), Avital Dery – altos
Marc Molomot (USA), David Nortman – tenors
Christian Immler (UK-Germany), Assif Am-David – basses
The Mary Nathaniel Golden Hall of Friendship, YMCA Jerusalem
March 10, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Salomone Rossi Choral and Instrumental Works and more...
The Barrocade Ensemble’s 3rd concert of the 2008-2009 season, “The Songs of Solomon”, focused mostly on the Jewish music of Venice and Mantua at the period ending the Renaissance- and beginning the Baroque period. Joining members of the Barrocade Ensemble in this festive concert was the “Profeti della Quinta” vocal quintet – countertenors Doron Schleifer and David Feldman, tenors Eitan Drori and David Nortman and bass Elam Rotem. Begun in 2003 by harpsichordist Elam Rotem, this quintet specializes in Renaissance polyphonic works, many of which are written for this very combination of voices. They have performed in Europe and Israel and have recorded a disc of works by Salomone Rossi.
Salomone Rossi (c.1570-1630), a Jewish composer and violinist, was born in Mantua and lived there for all of his life. In the early 17th century, there were some 23,000 Jews living in Mantua,; it is known that in 1630 there were nine synagogues there, most of them belonging to the “Italiani” Jews who followed the Roman rite. Rossi’s strong connections with the ruling Gonzaga family stood him in good stead; he enjoyed privileges not granted to most Jews and received some payment from the ducal court but he was also employed by the local Jewish theatrical group. In 1622, he published his “Shirim Asher l’Shlomo” - 33 songs, 20 of which are drawn from Psalms, all in Hebrew. However, none of the texts are from the “Song of Songs”, the word “Shlomo” alluding to Rossi himself. This collection was the first time Hebrew had been set in print and was produced as separate part-books rather than as a complete score. Most significantly, Rossi was the first Jew to compose, perform and publish polyphonic settings of synagogue liturgy for mixed choir. The “Profeti della Quinta” presented a number of these settings, opening with a lush, highly-colored and joyful reading of “For the chief musician of the gitit” (Psalm 8). The group’s profound performance of “By the rivers of Babylon” was imbued with the yearning and fearfulness of Psalm 137. “To whom would I desire” , a wedding ode probably sung in the house of the bride or groom, is written in the Venetian antiphonal style. With Doron Schleifer singing on stage and the other singers placed in the gallery, the audience enjoyed a dynamic and ornamented performance of this wedding ode. The Profeti’s timbre is young, bright, supple and rich, their voices blend superbly, their diction is outstanding and their phrasing well crafted. And what could be more suitable than hearing these gems sung by Hebrew speakers!
Rossi also made significant contributions to instrumental music; his four books of instrumental works include 116 pieces. The Barrocade Ensemble’s concert opened with Rossi’s “Canzon per sonar a 4”, structured from lively, small sections, played attacca.. In the “Sonata a 6” and , the ensemble delighted the audience with melodic interest moving back and forward from the two violins (Shlomit Sivan and Yasuko Hirata) to the two recorders (Katia Polin and Ayelet Karni) – four very fine musicians - as in the final Sinfonia, where we heard much fine ornamentation over the basis of a plucked sound. The program provided an extra attraction to lovers of recorder playing.
Two of Giovanni Gabrieli’s (1554/5-1612) antiphonal madrigals, written for two choirs of four singers each, “Lieto godea” (My Heart is Filled With Joy) and “O, che felice giorno” (Oh, What a Joyful Day) were played by Barrocade instrumentalists. “Lieto godea”, Gabrieli’s most famous madrigal, was also used by Schuetz and Banchieri and its repeated notes suggest it may have been instrumentally conceived. At any rate, the two mixed “choirs” produced a pleasing effect.
Italian composer and church organist, Carlo Grossi (c.1634-1688) was commissioned to write his “Cantata ebraica in diologo” by a Venetian Jewish organization called the “Shomrim la-Boker”, (Morning Watchmen). Tenor Eitan Drori was soloist, with the other singers forming the chorus; the dialogue, in the style of Monteverdi, is between a passer-by (Drori) in the form of recitatives and morning watchmen, in ritornelli. Drori’s performance in this colorful work was engaging.
Tenor David Nortman sang three unaccompanied “Piyutim” (Jewish liturgical poems) originating in Italian tradition. He opened with the beautiful Italian “Maoz Tzur” (Rock of Ages) which is sung during Chanukah (Feast of Lights), he continued with “Ya, Shema Evyonecha” (Lord, Hear the Misery of Your People) (text:Yehuda Halevi), sung during the days leading up to the Day of Atonement and “Tzur Mishelo Achalnu”, (Lord, Who Provides us with Sustenance) an early text, poet unknown, sung after a meal. Nortman, with a background in both church- and Jewish music, was outstanding in his performance; he has a golden tenor timbre, his singing glowing with excellent intonation, comfortable stage presence, fluency, directness and joy in the message of each piyut.
And another treat lay in store for the audience: arranged for ensemble and voices by Amit Tiefenbrunn in the Barrocade “folk Baroque” style, we heard the Judeo-Italian melody of the Aramaic Passover song “ One Kid Goat”. The soloist was Doron Schleifer, who took the audience all the way with him in his brilliant, foot-tappingly rhythmical and humorous performance of the cumulative story. Schleifer’s countertenor range is rich in color and stability and he has much stage personality.
Kudos to harpsichordist Yizhar Karshon for his creative and daring programming and to Barrocade and the Profeti della Quinta for polished performance of the kind that goes straight to the audience’s heart.
“The Songs of Solomon”
Barrocade Ensemble:
Katia Polin, Ayelet Karni-recorders
Shlomit Sivan, Yasuko Hirata-violins
Alexandra Polin-‘cello
Amit Tiefenbrunn-violone
Alon Portal-double bass
Michael Eli-colascione
Eitan Hoffer-theorbo
Yizhar Karshon-harpsichord
Profeti della Quinta:
Elam Rotem-artistic director, bass, harpsichord.
Doron Schleifer, David Feldman-countertenors
Eitan Drori, David Nortman-tenors
The Mary Nathanial Golden Hall of Friendship,
YMCA Jerusalem
March 4, 2009
Salomone Rossi (c.1570-1630), a Jewish composer and violinist, was born in Mantua and lived there for all of his life. In the early 17th century, there were some 23,000 Jews living in Mantua,; it is known that in 1630 there were nine synagogues there, most of them belonging to the “Italiani” Jews who followed the Roman rite. Rossi’s strong connections with the ruling Gonzaga family stood him in good stead; he enjoyed privileges not granted to most Jews and received some payment from the ducal court but he was also employed by the local Jewish theatrical group. In 1622, he published his “Shirim Asher l’Shlomo” - 33 songs, 20 of which are drawn from Psalms, all in Hebrew. However, none of the texts are from the “Song of Songs”, the word “Shlomo” alluding to Rossi himself. This collection was the first time Hebrew had been set in print and was produced as separate part-books rather than as a complete score. Most significantly, Rossi was the first Jew to compose, perform and publish polyphonic settings of synagogue liturgy for mixed choir. The “Profeti della Quinta” presented a number of these settings, opening with a lush, highly-colored and joyful reading of “For the chief musician of the gitit” (Psalm 8). The group’s profound performance of “By the rivers of Babylon” was imbued with the yearning and fearfulness of Psalm 137. “To whom would I desire” , a wedding ode probably sung in the house of the bride or groom, is written in the Venetian antiphonal style. With Doron Schleifer singing on stage and the other singers placed in the gallery, the audience enjoyed a dynamic and ornamented performance of this wedding ode. The Profeti’s timbre is young, bright, supple and rich, their voices blend superbly, their diction is outstanding and their phrasing well crafted. And what could be more suitable than hearing these gems sung by Hebrew speakers!
Rossi also made significant contributions to instrumental music; his four books of instrumental works include 116 pieces. The Barrocade Ensemble’s concert opened with Rossi’s “Canzon per sonar a 4”, structured from lively, small sections, played attacca.. In the “Sonata a 6” and , the ensemble delighted the audience with melodic interest moving back and forward from the two violins (Shlomit Sivan and Yasuko Hirata) to the two recorders (Katia Polin and Ayelet Karni) – four very fine musicians - as in the final Sinfonia, where we heard much fine ornamentation over the basis of a plucked sound. The program provided an extra attraction to lovers of recorder playing.
Two of Giovanni Gabrieli’s (1554/5-1612) antiphonal madrigals, written for two choirs of four singers each, “Lieto godea” (My Heart is Filled With Joy) and “O, che felice giorno” (Oh, What a Joyful Day) were played by Barrocade instrumentalists. “Lieto godea”, Gabrieli’s most famous madrigal, was also used by Schuetz and Banchieri and its repeated notes suggest it may have been instrumentally conceived. At any rate, the two mixed “choirs” produced a pleasing effect.
Italian composer and church organist, Carlo Grossi (c.1634-1688) was commissioned to write his “Cantata ebraica in diologo” by a Venetian Jewish organization called the “Shomrim la-Boker”, (Morning Watchmen). Tenor Eitan Drori was soloist, with the other singers forming the chorus; the dialogue, in the style of Monteverdi, is between a passer-by (Drori) in the form of recitatives and morning watchmen, in ritornelli. Drori’s performance in this colorful work was engaging.
Tenor David Nortman sang three unaccompanied “Piyutim” (Jewish liturgical poems) originating in Italian tradition. He opened with the beautiful Italian “Maoz Tzur” (Rock of Ages) which is sung during Chanukah (Feast of Lights), he continued with “Ya, Shema Evyonecha” (Lord, Hear the Misery of Your People) (text:Yehuda Halevi), sung during the days leading up to the Day of Atonement and “Tzur Mishelo Achalnu”, (Lord, Who Provides us with Sustenance) an early text, poet unknown, sung after a meal. Nortman, with a background in both church- and Jewish music, was outstanding in his performance; he has a golden tenor timbre, his singing glowing with excellent intonation, comfortable stage presence, fluency, directness and joy in the message of each piyut.
And another treat lay in store for the audience: arranged for ensemble and voices by Amit Tiefenbrunn in the Barrocade “folk Baroque” style, we heard the Judeo-Italian melody of the Aramaic Passover song “ One Kid Goat”. The soloist was Doron Schleifer, who took the audience all the way with him in his brilliant, foot-tappingly rhythmical and humorous performance of the cumulative story. Schleifer’s countertenor range is rich in color and stability and he has much stage personality.
Kudos to harpsichordist Yizhar Karshon for his creative and daring programming and to Barrocade and the Profeti della Quinta for polished performance of the kind that goes straight to the audience’s heart.
“The Songs of Solomon”
Barrocade Ensemble:
Katia Polin, Ayelet Karni-recorders
Shlomit Sivan, Yasuko Hirata-violins
Alexandra Polin-‘cello
Amit Tiefenbrunn-violone
Alon Portal-double bass
Michael Eli-colascione
Eitan Hoffer-theorbo
Yizhar Karshon-harpsichord
Profeti della Quinta:
Elam Rotem-artistic director, bass, harpsichord.
Doron Schleifer, David Feldman-countertenors
Eitan Drori, David Nortman-tenors
The Mary Nathanial Golden Hall of Friendship,
YMCA Jerusalem
March 4, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Handel the Entertainer , PHOENIX Ensemble
The PHOENIX Ensemble, under the musical direction of Myrna Herzog, presented an evening of music by Georg Frideric Handel (1685-1759). Artists performing in this delightful concert were Revital Raviv-soprano, Yasuko Hirata-Baroque violin, Myrna Herzog-viola da gamba and David Shemer-harpsichord.
The evening’s fare consisted mostly of arias and vocal pieces from Handel operas, oratorios and vocal works. Herzog’s program notes were helpful and informative, providing a brief outline of the plot of each and the specific situation wherein each aria appears. Israeli soprano, Revital Raviv, a graduate of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and the Royal Academy of Music (London) performs widely, singing Baroque opera and giving recitals.
Handel left Germany for England in 1711 in the entourage of the Duke of Hanover, who would become King George I of England. By the time George succeeded to the British throne, Handel was fully established as his loyal servant and his salary as court musician was raised. London aristocrats were developing a taste for Italian opera and, with the establishment of the Royal Academy of Music in 1719, opera was given more support, with the Queen’s Theatre offering subscriptions and becoming the London centre of opera. Here, from 1720 to 1728, Handel produced some of his greatest works for stage.
Composed to a libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym, “Julius Caesar”, premiered in 1724, was the composer’s most ambitious project to date. Richly orchestrated, it was a great success musically and as dramatic theatre. Israeli Soprano Revital Raviv, in the role of Cleopatra, with violin, harpsichord and supporting viol, performed two arias from the opera. In “Tu la mia stella sei”(You Are my Star) , Raviv presents a Cleopatra possessed with vengeance and greed for power, whereas in “Piangero la sorte mia” (I Will Cry for my Fate) she becomes a Cleopatra who alternates between cantabile lamenting and angry melismas of a scheming woman. Each phrase in the recitative, each idea, was given a different reading. In “Blessed the Day”, an aria graced with charm and dance rhythms, from the oratorio “Solomon” (1748), Raviv is amorous and coquettish, using facial expression and eyes to enhance her role as a queen recalling her wedding day.
‘Bless’d the day when first my eyes
Saw the wisest of the wise!
Bless’d the day when I was led
To ascend the nuptial bed!
But completely bless’d the day,
On my bosom as he lay,
When he call’d my charms divine,
Vowing to be only mine.’
In “Credete al mio dolore” (Believe my Pain) from “Alceste” (premiered in 1735), only viol and harpsichord play, with Herzog’s somber, rich, dark melodic lines contrasting vividly with the heart-rending chagrin expressed Raviv’s silvery register. Raviv sets the scene for the wonderful, soothing “Oh Sleep, Why Dost Thou Leave Me?” from “Semele”, a work that is more an opera than an oratorio, making use of her stable but controlled and delicate legato. Her diction is outstanding. (The Scottish Church’s acoustic puts any singer’s diction to test.) No less mellifluous was “Softly Sweet in Lydian Measures” sung by Thais, from “Alexander’s Feast” (1736), the setting being a banquet held by Alexander the Great and his mistress, Thais.
Three works on the program offered the audience an opportunity to hear each instrumentalist in a solo capacity. The Sonata in C major for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord Obbligato, performed here by Herzog and Shemer, had been found in Handel’s own hand and was initially attributed to him. It was later thought to have been composed by the German composer Matthias Lefloth (1705-1731) but this hypothesis has since been rejected, the work now being considered anonymous. We were presented with a communicative, brilliant and colorful performance, with melodic strands shining out and interweaving articulately, with Herzog assuming centre stage at a given moment, immediately stepping back to give the harpsichord the say at the next.
Japanese-born classical- and Baroque violinist Yasuko Hirata, in Israel since 2000, has studied and performed in Japan and Europe. Her commanding tone and reading of Handel’s Sonata for Violin and Continuo opus 1 no. 12 in F major, set off by Shemer’s fine continuo language, was a celebration of elegant, cantabile and dynamic playing, a myriad of nuanced phrases and varied textures.
Handel was among Europe’s best keyboard players. His 25 or so harpsichord suites are, however, a mixed bag; it seems he used them for teaching purposes, not originally intending to see them published. Some consist of only one movement. Two collections of them did eventually appear in print during his lifetime and another 12 remained unknown till the 20th century. Shemer, playing on a Klop harpsichord, performed Handel’s Suite in D minor HWV 436, from the second collection (1733). From the opening of the luxuriant Allemande, where Shemer allows each phrase to dictate pace and flexibility, through his fiery rendering of the Gigue, to the lilting final Minuetto con 3 Variazione, Shemer invites his audience to indulge in active listening, to be entertained at the royal court.
Dr. Myrna Herzog’s programming is creative and different. Each PHOENIX concert is a musical adventure and the players she chooses with whom to make fine music are of the highest quality. This concert was no exception.
“Handel the Entertainer”
Soloists of Ensemble Phoenix
Myrna Herzog-musical director, viola da gamba
Yasuko Hirata-Baroque violin
Revital Raviv-soprano
David Shemer-harpsichord
St Andrews Scots Memorial Church, Jerusalem
February 12, 2009
The evening’s fare consisted mostly of arias and vocal pieces from Handel operas, oratorios and vocal works. Herzog’s program notes were helpful and informative, providing a brief outline of the plot of each and the specific situation wherein each aria appears. Israeli soprano, Revital Raviv, a graduate of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and the Royal Academy of Music (London) performs widely, singing Baroque opera and giving recitals.
Handel left Germany for England in 1711 in the entourage of the Duke of Hanover, who would become King George I of England. By the time George succeeded to the British throne, Handel was fully established as his loyal servant and his salary as court musician was raised. London aristocrats were developing a taste for Italian opera and, with the establishment of the Royal Academy of Music in 1719, opera was given more support, with the Queen’s Theatre offering subscriptions and becoming the London centre of opera. Here, from 1720 to 1728, Handel produced some of his greatest works for stage.
Composed to a libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym, “Julius Caesar”, premiered in 1724, was the composer’s most ambitious project to date. Richly orchestrated, it was a great success musically and as dramatic theatre. Israeli Soprano Revital Raviv, in the role of Cleopatra, with violin, harpsichord and supporting viol, performed two arias from the opera. In “Tu la mia stella sei”(You Are my Star) , Raviv presents a Cleopatra possessed with vengeance and greed for power, whereas in “Piangero la sorte mia” (I Will Cry for my Fate) she becomes a Cleopatra who alternates between cantabile lamenting and angry melismas of a scheming woman. Each phrase in the recitative, each idea, was given a different reading. In “Blessed the Day”, an aria graced with charm and dance rhythms, from the oratorio “Solomon” (1748), Raviv is amorous and coquettish, using facial expression and eyes to enhance her role as a queen recalling her wedding day.
‘Bless’d the day when first my eyes
Saw the wisest of the wise!
Bless’d the day when I was led
To ascend the nuptial bed!
But completely bless’d the day,
On my bosom as he lay,
When he call’d my charms divine,
Vowing to be only mine.’
In “Credete al mio dolore” (Believe my Pain) from “Alceste” (premiered in 1735), only viol and harpsichord play, with Herzog’s somber, rich, dark melodic lines contrasting vividly with the heart-rending chagrin expressed Raviv’s silvery register. Raviv sets the scene for the wonderful, soothing “Oh Sleep, Why Dost Thou Leave Me?” from “Semele”, a work that is more an opera than an oratorio, making use of her stable but controlled and delicate legato. Her diction is outstanding. (The Scottish Church’s acoustic puts any singer’s diction to test.) No less mellifluous was “Softly Sweet in Lydian Measures” sung by Thais, from “Alexander’s Feast” (1736), the setting being a banquet held by Alexander the Great and his mistress, Thais.
Three works on the program offered the audience an opportunity to hear each instrumentalist in a solo capacity. The Sonata in C major for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord Obbligato, performed here by Herzog and Shemer, had been found in Handel’s own hand and was initially attributed to him. It was later thought to have been composed by the German composer Matthias Lefloth (1705-1731) but this hypothesis has since been rejected, the work now being considered anonymous. We were presented with a communicative, brilliant and colorful performance, with melodic strands shining out and interweaving articulately, with Herzog assuming centre stage at a given moment, immediately stepping back to give the harpsichord the say at the next.
Japanese-born classical- and Baroque violinist Yasuko Hirata, in Israel since 2000, has studied and performed in Japan and Europe. Her commanding tone and reading of Handel’s Sonata for Violin and Continuo opus 1 no. 12 in F major, set off by Shemer’s fine continuo language, was a celebration of elegant, cantabile and dynamic playing, a myriad of nuanced phrases and varied textures.
Handel was among Europe’s best keyboard players. His 25 or so harpsichord suites are, however, a mixed bag; it seems he used them for teaching purposes, not originally intending to see them published. Some consist of only one movement. Two collections of them did eventually appear in print during his lifetime and another 12 remained unknown till the 20th century. Shemer, playing on a Klop harpsichord, performed Handel’s Suite in D minor HWV 436, from the second collection (1733). From the opening of the luxuriant Allemande, where Shemer allows each phrase to dictate pace and flexibility, through his fiery rendering of the Gigue, to the lilting final Minuetto con 3 Variazione, Shemer invites his audience to indulge in active listening, to be entertained at the royal court.
Dr. Myrna Herzog’s programming is creative and different. Each PHOENIX concert is a musical adventure and the players she chooses with whom to make fine music are of the highest quality. This concert was no exception.
“Handel the Entertainer”
Soloists of Ensemble Phoenix
Myrna Herzog-musical director, viola da gamba
Yasuko Hirata-Baroque violin
Revital Raviv-soprano
David Shemer-harpsichord
St Andrews Scots Memorial Church, Jerusalem
February 12, 2009
Labels:
David Shemer,
Myrna Herzog,
Revital Raviv,
Yasuko Hirata
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra "The Double Leaf"
The Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra’s third concert of the 2008-2009 season, “The Double Leaf”, was a special affair. Guest artists from Italy were Baroque oboist Paolo Grazzi and his twin brother Alberto Grazzi, on the Baroque bassoon. Joining them was Israeli Baroque oboist Aviad Gershoni. The JBO’s musical director, Dr. David Shemer, conducted the concert.
Paolo Grazzi teaches, performs with several European ensembles, researches and manufactures replicas of historical Baroque oboes. Alberto Grazzi plays with various Baroque orchestras, records and teaches. He is co-founder of the Zefiro Ensemble. Aviad Gershoni studied oboe and composition in Israel, has recently been studying with Paolo Grazzi at the Verona Conservatory and performs widely.
The concert opened with Georg Muffat’s (1653-1704) Nobilis Juventus (Noble Youth) Suite on d minor from his Florilegium Secundum. Muffat, who considered himself German, was of Scottish parents but was born in Savoy, France. Showing great talent early in life, he was sent at age ten to study with Lully. After two years as organist at a church in Molsheim, he departed in 1674 in order to study Law. He never took up Law but secured a position in Salzburg in the service of Archbishop Gandolf. He took leave of the post in about 1861 to travel to Italy, where he studied with Pasquini and came under the influence of Corelli. In 1690, Muffat became Kapellmeister at the Passau court of Bishop Johann Philipp. It was there that he produced his important Florilegia orchestral suites, (the term “Florilegium” refers to a collection of excerpts from written texts, especially works of literature), the first in 1695; the second, written three years later, consists of eight suites for orchestra. In his prefaces, he gives valuable information as to performance practice of Italian- as well as French Baroque music. The suites are unusual in the sense that, although written by a German composer, they are fashioned in the French style. The Suite in d minor we heard is from the second collection. Played on strings, oboes, bassoon and theorbo, with Shemer at the harpsichord, Muffat presents us with an elegant dance suite opening with a French Overture, each dance depicting the character of noblemen, perhaps also hinting at national character traits, of different countries. Violinist Noam Schuss played the solo in the “Air pour les Hollandois”.
The evening’s program included three Vivaldi woodwind concertos. Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) composed three concertos for two oboes and strings. The Concerto in d minor for two oboes would have been composed some time between 1715 and 1725. Soloists were Paolo Grazzi and Aviad Gershoni. In a performance that was a joy to the senses, Grazzi and Gershoni’s phrases, many of them homophonic, were well etched, their ornamenting perfectly coordinated. In the second movement – Largo - sandwiched between two energetic and exhilarating movements, the oboes answered and imitated each other producing a dreamy, lyrical, piano tone to die for, they artists treating dissonances with articulate subtlety.
Of the more than 500 concertos Vivaldi wrote, some 39 were for bassoon. The Concerto in e minor for bassoon was written for performance at Venice’s Ospedale della Pieta, an orphanage for girls where Vivaldi taught. The demands made on the soloist are proof of the high standard of musicianship at the school. Bassoonist Alberto Grazzi was joined by four bowed instruments, theorbo and harpsichord, making for a delicate, velvety soundscape. Alberto Grazzi allowed each phrase to dictate its own natural pace in the first movement – Allegro poco – where the bassoon has much lively interplay with the strings. In the Andante movement, the violins collaborate in serious, poignant passages, with the bassoon adding warmth of sound. In the third movement - Allegro – Grazzi was commanding and wove his lines in with brilliance and ease, neglecting neither the shaping of small nuances nor a play of color and textures.
Vivaldi’s pairing of the solo instruments in his Concerto in G major for oboe and bassoon is a rare one but he makes an unforgettable statement as to the expressive possibilities of such a concerto. The Grazzi brothers were soloists for this concerto. The opening Andante molto establishes his soloists as independent of each other in a movement of lavish beauty, whereas, in the dignified middle movement, Vivaldi dispenses with the orchestra, leaving his soloists with the basso continuo. The audience reveled in the individual quality of colors brought out by the soloists, their technical ease, flexibility and accuracy and, overall, the delicacy of textures they produced.
Another opportunity to hear the Grazzi brothers was the Trio Sonata in F major for oboe, bassoon and basso continuo. This work is generally attributed to George Frideric Handel but the manuscript was never found. Slow movements were tender and melodic, with fine quality of tone. The Allegro movements were dynamic and performed with energy and brilliance, the soloists, however, never sacrificing good taste to showy performance.
Like Muffat, French composer and violinist Jean-Fery Rebel (1666-1747) studied with Lully. Rebel enjoyed a long, illustrious career that included playing in the “Twenty four Violins of the King” and serving as court composer to Louis XIV. Some of Rebel’s works, therefore, combine dance with music; a new theatrical form of entertainment referred to as the “ballet d’action” appeared around 1720, with dance and gesture combining to relate a story and express emotions. “Les Caracteres de la Danse”, Rebel’s second ballet, was premiered in Paris in 1715, featuring two great and very different dancers of the day - Marie Salle and Marie-Anne Cupis de Camargo. Voltaire admired both dancers, clearly not to the same extent, and dedicated the following to them:
‘Ah! Camargo how brilliant you are!
But Salle, great gods, is ravishing!
How light your steps; but how sweet are hers!
You are fresh, she is inimitable
Nymphs jump like you,
But the Graces dance like her!’
This unique and graceful composition is a pot-pourri of condensed court dances (of those elevated to a place of supreme importance by Louis XIV, a fine dancer, himself) , with two demanding, short sonata sections in the Italian style. The work is festive, its structure intelligent; the evening’s delightful and spirited performance was enhanced by having the Grazzi brothers join the ranks of the JBO.
“The Double Leaf” refers to the double-reeded instruments played by the evening’s soloists. These players’ strength lies in their ability to blend, their fine intonation and their joy in sharing the delights of courtly entertainment with the audience. In their hands, playing these tricky instruments looked easy! Added to these, Shemer’s fine programming made it a festive concert indeed.
“The Double Leaf”
The Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra
David Shemer-conductor
Paolo Grazzi (Italy)-Baroque oboe
Alberto Grazzi (Italy)-Baroque bassoon
Aviad Gershoni-Baroque oboe
The Mary Nathaniel Golden Hall of Friendship – Jerusalem YMCA
January 27, 2009
Paolo Grazzi teaches, performs with several European ensembles, researches and manufactures replicas of historical Baroque oboes. Alberto Grazzi plays with various Baroque orchestras, records and teaches. He is co-founder of the Zefiro Ensemble. Aviad Gershoni studied oboe and composition in Israel, has recently been studying with Paolo Grazzi at the Verona Conservatory and performs widely.
The concert opened with Georg Muffat’s (1653-1704) Nobilis Juventus (Noble Youth) Suite on d minor from his Florilegium Secundum. Muffat, who considered himself German, was of Scottish parents but was born in Savoy, France. Showing great talent early in life, he was sent at age ten to study with Lully. After two years as organist at a church in Molsheim, he departed in 1674 in order to study Law. He never took up Law but secured a position in Salzburg in the service of Archbishop Gandolf. He took leave of the post in about 1861 to travel to Italy, where he studied with Pasquini and came under the influence of Corelli. In 1690, Muffat became Kapellmeister at the Passau court of Bishop Johann Philipp. It was there that he produced his important Florilegia orchestral suites, (the term “Florilegium” refers to a collection of excerpts from written texts, especially works of literature), the first in 1695; the second, written three years later, consists of eight suites for orchestra. In his prefaces, he gives valuable information as to performance practice of Italian- as well as French Baroque music. The suites are unusual in the sense that, although written by a German composer, they are fashioned in the French style. The Suite in d minor we heard is from the second collection. Played on strings, oboes, bassoon and theorbo, with Shemer at the harpsichord, Muffat presents us with an elegant dance suite opening with a French Overture, each dance depicting the character of noblemen, perhaps also hinting at national character traits, of different countries. Violinist Noam Schuss played the solo in the “Air pour les Hollandois”.
The evening’s program included three Vivaldi woodwind concertos. Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) composed three concertos for two oboes and strings. The Concerto in d minor for two oboes would have been composed some time between 1715 and 1725. Soloists were Paolo Grazzi and Aviad Gershoni. In a performance that was a joy to the senses, Grazzi and Gershoni’s phrases, many of them homophonic, were well etched, their ornamenting perfectly coordinated. In the second movement – Largo - sandwiched between two energetic and exhilarating movements, the oboes answered and imitated each other producing a dreamy, lyrical, piano tone to die for, they artists treating dissonances with articulate subtlety.
Of the more than 500 concertos Vivaldi wrote, some 39 were for bassoon. The Concerto in e minor for bassoon was written for performance at Venice’s Ospedale della Pieta, an orphanage for girls where Vivaldi taught. The demands made on the soloist are proof of the high standard of musicianship at the school. Bassoonist Alberto Grazzi was joined by four bowed instruments, theorbo and harpsichord, making for a delicate, velvety soundscape. Alberto Grazzi allowed each phrase to dictate its own natural pace in the first movement – Allegro poco – where the bassoon has much lively interplay with the strings. In the Andante movement, the violins collaborate in serious, poignant passages, with the bassoon adding warmth of sound. In the third movement - Allegro – Grazzi was commanding and wove his lines in with brilliance and ease, neglecting neither the shaping of small nuances nor a play of color and textures.
Vivaldi’s pairing of the solo instruments in his Concerto in G major for oboe and bassoon is a rare one but he makes an unforgettable statement as to the expressive possibilities of such a concerto. The Grazzi brothers were soloists for this concerto. The opening Andante molto establishes his soloists as independent of each other in a movement of lavish beauty, whereas, in the dignified middle movement, Vivaldi dispenses with the orchestra, leaving his soloists with the basso continuo. The audience reveled in the individual quality of colors brought out by the soloists, their technical ease, flexibility and accuracy and, overall, the delicacy of textures they produced.
Another opportunity to hear the Grazzi brothers was the Trio Sonata in F major for oboe, bassoon and basso continuo. This work is generally attributed to George Frideric Handel but the manuscript was never found. Slow movements were tender and melodic, with fine quality of tone. The Allegro movements were dynamic and performed with energy and brilliance, the soloists, however, never sacrificing good taste to showy performance.
Like Muffat, French composer and violinist Jean-Fery Rebel (1666-1747) studied with Lully. Rebel enjoyed a long, illustrious career that included playing in the “Twenty four Violins of the King” and serving as court composer to Louis XIV. Some of Rebel’s works, therefore, combine dance with music; a new theatrical form of entertainment referred to as the “ballet d’action” appeared around 1720, with dance and gesture combining to relate a story and express emotions. “Les Caracteres de la Danse”, Rebel’s second ballet, was premiered in Paris in 1715, featuring two great and very different dancers of the day - Marie Salle and Marie-Anne Cupis de Camargo. Voltaire admired both dancers, clearly not to the same extent, and dedicated the following to them:
‘Ah! Camargo how brilliant you are!
But Salle, great gods, is ravishing!
How light your steps; but how sweet are hers!
You are fresh, she is inimitable
Nymphs jump like you,
But the Graces dance like her!’
This unique and graceful composition is a pot-pourri of condensed court dances (of those elevated to a place of supreme importance by Louis XIV, a fine dancer, himself) , with two demanding, short sonata sections in the Italian style. The work is festive, its structure intelligent; the evening’s delightful and spirited performance was enhanced by having the Grazzi brothers join the ranks of the JBO.
“The Double Leaf” refers to the double-reeded instruments played by the evening’s soloists. These players’ strength lies in their ability to blend, their fine intonation and their joy in sharing the delights of courtly entertainment with the audience. In their hands, playing these tricky instruments looked easy! Added to these, Shemer’s fine programming made it a festive concert indeed.
“The Double Leaf”
The Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra
David Shemer-conductor
Paolo Grazzi (Italy)-Baroque oboe
Alberto Grazzi (Italy)-Baroque bassoon
Aviad Gershoni-Baroque oboe
The Mary Nathaniel Golden Hall of Friendship – Jerusalem YMCA
January 27, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
