In the late afternoon of July 2nd 2010, people were leisurely making their way through the paths of Jerusalem’s Yemin Moshe quarter to the Jerusalem Music Centre, to be met and welcomed by Hed Sella, director of the JMC. Drinks were being served on the terrace that overlooks the Old City of Jerusalem. There was time to enjoy the late afternoon breeze, to meet and reminisce. We were gathered to remember the great violinist and musician Isaac Stern on what would have been his 90th birthday. Founded in 1973, the JMC was inspired by the vision of Isaac Stern, Yad Hanadiv (Rothschild family trusts) and the Jerusalem Foundation.
In the auditorium, the soiree program opened with Hed Sella welcoming members of the Stern family – Isaac Stern’s widow Mrs. Vera Stern, daughter Shira, son David and some members of the younger generation. Sella also welcomed the French Ambassador to Israel who was attending the event. Professor Menahem Ya’ari, chairman of the executive committee of the JMC, spoke about the “three maestros” whose initiative it was to found the JMC – Isaiah Berlin, Teddy Kollek and Isaac Stern. He referred to today’s JMC players as “Stern’s children”.
David Stern, one of Isaac Stern’s two conductor sons, addressed those present, explaining that he himself had a selfish reason for suggesting The JMC hold the event – he had the need to hear his father’s voice again, to hear what he had to say, to remember what he stood for, to keep his father’s values alive, to remind us that they continue to be relevant. David spoke of his father as a good man, humorous, incredibly sincere, an idealist, childlike in his desires and his simplicity but someone who breathed understanding and confidence on the concert platform. Isaac Stern’s idealism was never clearer than when, following the siren announcing a scud attack during the Gulf War of 1991, he stood alone on the stage of the Jerusalem Theatre and performed for the audience. David said the family had to share his father with many young musicians, several of them present at today’s event. He also mentioned how fitting it was for Isaac Stern to create a music centre in Jerusalem and added that his father believed that the best training for students was to give them the tools to teach themselves.
This was followed by a short film in which Isaac Stern talked about what performing music entailed. He referred to it as “an open invitation to all to create its power and dynamics” and as an “act of personal discovery and of strengthening ideas”. Stern talked about the fact that musicians know much about living together.
Maestro Zubin Mehta, musical director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, told those gathered that his first encounter with Isaac Stern had been in Bombay, that Stern was one of his first soloists with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Mehta said he misses Isaac Stern the artist who, on stage and in rehearsals, was sensitive to every note played by both soloist and orchestra. Mehta saw rehearsals with Stern as an education!
Benny Galed, president of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation, spoke of Stern as a father figure, a friend and a demanding but trusting boss.
‘Cellist Zvi Plesser, today a member of the faculty of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, spoke of when he joined the JMC’s outstanding young musicians’ program in 1979 or 1980. “My understanding of English was not of a high level, but I was, nevertheless, able to sense and admire Isaac Stern’s passion and presence. I learned much about expressive intonation and color from him and felt fortunate to be have stayed in touch with Isaac.” Plesser’s words were followed by a beautifully expressive performance of G.Faure’s Elegy for ‘Cello and Piano in C minor opus 24. Joining Plesser was pianist Yaron Rosenthal, adviser and tutor in the JMC’s program for outstanding young musicians and member of the Jerusalem Trio. The Jerusalem Trio – Yaron Rosenthal, violinist Roi Shiloah and ‘cellist Ariel Tushinsky, all graduates of the JMC’s outstanding young musicians’ program – then gave a tasteful, expressive reading of the second movement – Andante espressivo – of F.Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio in C minor opus 66.
Legendary violinist Ivry Gitlis talked about having spent much time with Vera and Isaac Stern in New York in the 1950’s adding that they were like family for him. Gitlis spoke of Stern as being timeless, of not being absent. He proceeded to perform Fritz Kreisler’s “Liebeslied” (Love’s Sorrow) with Yaron Rosenthal at the piano. Gitlis’ playing was spontaneous, ending the soiree on a nostalgic note.
Mrs. Vera Stern addressed the gathering briefly, expressing how happy she was to have been present and hoping that musicians present would have something to take away from what they had heard about Isaac Stern. I believe we all did.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
The annual gala concert of the Moran Choirs at the Tel Aviv Museum
The 2010 Annual Moran Choirs Gala Concert was held in the auditorium of the Tel Aviv Museum July 5th. The evening hosted the Friends of the Moran Choir, proceeds going to the in-depth musical and artistic training invested in each choir member, as well as to the Moran Organization’s several outreach programs. The original Moran Choir was established by Naomi Faran in 1986 at Beit Itzhak, Emek Hefer (an agricultural region in the centre of Israel, situated between Netanya and Hadera). Naomi Faran continues in her capacity as musical director, there now being four separate choirs – the Moran Little Ones Choir (for children aged 5 to 8; they did not take part in the evening’s concert), the Moran Youth Choir (for children aged 8 to 11), the Moran Choir (comprising of some 50 singers between the ages of 12 and 18) and the Moran Singers Ensemble whose members include graduates of other Moran choirs, Academy of Music students and soldiers from the Outstanding Musicians Program. The two more advanced choirs perform widely in Israel and overseas.
Words of welcome were expressed by chairman and president of the Moran Choirs committee Mr. Shmuel Ben Dror, by president of the Emek Hefer regional council Mr. Rani Idan and by Naomi Faran herself. Faran spoke of singing as promoting love and happiness, as training young people in the art of listening and as giving them self-confidence. Faran thanked all members of her staff for investing their talents and devotion in all four Moran choirs.
The concert began with Israeli composer Aharon Harlap’s (born 1941,Canada) “Jephtha’s Daughter” for horn and chorus, performed by the Moran Singers Ensemble, with Sharon Polyak playing the horn solo. An intense and moving work, choir and soloists presented its narrative and drama with articulate diction, Polyak’s playing shaped and highly expressive. Opera arias featured soloists from the Ensemble – Hadas Faran-Asia in a convincing, beautifully controlled presentation of “Il faut partir” (One Must Part) from G.Donizetti’s “Daughter of the Regiment” and soprano Alexandra Falkovsky with tenor Liran Koppel in “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici” (Drinking Song) from Verdi’s La Traviata. Joined by the Ensemble singers, the latter aria was charmingly staged. On a different note, “Yad Anuga” (A Delicate Hand), an oriental melody to a poem by Zalman Shneur, was given an exotic and theatrical reading by mezzo soprano Doris Nemni, who sang to the accompaniment of a drum. The Moran Singers Ensemble presented a number of Israeli songs, some of the arrangements tastefully created by composer Eyal Batt, the Moran Singers Ensemble’s home pianist.
The Moran Singers Ensemble was joined by singers from the Nitzan Onim Center, Kfar Saba (a residential facility for young adults with learning, functional and adaptive disabilities) to perform a medley of songs originally sung by the Israeli comedy group Hagashash Hahiver (The Pale Tracker), and perform they did! The audience loved every moment of this polished, musical and whimsical performance. Ofir Nuriel, a student of the Nitzan Onim Center, read one of the poems from a collection of his poetry soon to be published.
The Moran Youth Choir, a girls’ choir conducted by Sharon Ram, sang Idan Raichel’s (b.1977, Israel) song Mai Nahar (River Waters) arranged by Rani Golan (resident composer of the Moran Youth Choir).
‘Flowing waters of the river
See
These are the days of your life
Washed in the current
That begins with the first rain…’
Under the Sharon Ram’s expert guidance, this choir, most of its members being little girls aged eight to eleven from the Ethiopian community, produced a pleasingly velvety choral sound as they moved to the music. The Moran Youth Choir meets children from the Tokayer Boarding School at Kibbutz Bachan (a facility for at-risk youth) participating in joint activities. We heard the two groups collaborating in part of “Sar HaYeladim” (Leader of the Children), a musical play written for them by Avi Greinik and set to music by Rani Golan. It is based on Leah Goldberg’s story of the same name.
The Moran Choir’s competence and musicianship (singers from age 12 to 18) were obvious in a variety of songs they performed: two Hebrew songs: one poem by children’s author Yehuda Atlas set to music by Eyal Batt, the other, a choral arrangement of Israeli composer Yossef Hadar’s (1926-2006) “Hof Shaket” (Quiet Beach). Dedicated to Hadar’s memory, the work was heard in a richly blended choral sound. Etz HaLivneh (The Birch Tree) is a Russian song; arranged and performed superbly, with a gentle balalaika effect in the background, the solo in it was sung poignantly in Russian by one of the girls. An entertaining and strikingly different concert piece was an African song, performed with movements, vocal effects and drum accompaniment, giving it an authentic feel. From the Romantic repertoire, we heard “Removal of the Spells” from F.Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” opus 61(1843). It was musically and visually pleasing, with soloists Shira Kravitz and Adi Zur delighting the audience.
One of the Moran Choir’s community projects is singing together with pediatric cancer patients at the Schneider Children’s Hospital. Another is singing with special needs teenagers from the Dana Club of “Shafririm” – the Institute of Special Education – at Kibbutz Giv’at Chaim. These youngsters were joined by the Moran Choir to perform two songs. In the second, “Angel”, the young singers donned white gloves, accompanying the text with its equivalent in sign language. Soloists were from both vocal groups. It was a touching moment, one attesting to the joy of singing, to Naomi Faran’s meaningful message of togetherness, of all being part of the wider community. All vocal ensembles joined together for the final song “Hine,hine” (There it Goes Again) - words by Ehud Manor, music Matti Caspi.
Naomi Faran’s work brings her staff of fine music educators together with many children and young adults. Choir members receive vocal training, lessons in music theory, acting and movement. The young singers are disciplined and focused. They show respect for the wide gamut of musical repertoire they are exposed to and for the human voice and they show respect for each other. The results heard and seen attest to the culture singing instills in a person. Naomi Faran is touching many lives.
Words of welcome were expressed by chairman and president of the Moran Choirs committee Mr. Shmuel Ben Dror, by president of the Emek Hefer regional council Mr. Rani Idan and by Naomi Faran herself. Faran spoke of singing as promoting love and happiness, as training young people in the art of listening and as giving them self-confidence. Faran thanked all members of her staff for investing their talents and devotion in all four Moran choirs.
The concert began with Israeli composer Aharon Harlap’s (born 1941,Canada) “Jephtha’s Daughter” for horn and chorus, performed by the Moran Singers Ensemble, with Sharon Polyak playing the horn solo. An intense and moving work, choir and soloists presented its narrative and drama with articulate diction, Polyak’s playing shaped and highly expressive. Opera arias featured soloists from the Ensemble – Hadas Faran-Asia in a convincing, beautifully controlled presentation of “Il faut partir” (One Must Part) from G.Donizetti’s “Daughter of the Regiment” and soprano Alexandra Falkovsky with tenor Liran Koppel in “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici” (Drinking Song) from Verdi’s La Traviata. Joined by the Ensemble singers, the latter aria was charmingly staged. On a different note, “Yad Anuga” (A Delicate Hand), an oriental melody to a poem by Zalman Shneur, was given an exotic and theatrical reading by mezzo soprano Doris Nemni, who sang to the accompaniment of a drum. The Moran Singers Ensemble presented a number of Israeli songs, some of the arrangements tastefully created by composer Eyal Batt, the Moran Singers Ensemble’s home pianist.
The Moran Singers Ensemble was joined by singers from the Nitzan Onim Center, Kfar Saba (a residential facility for young adults with learning, functional and adaptive disabilities) to perform a medley of songs originally sung by the Israeli comedy group Hagashash Hahiver (The Pale Tracker), and perform they did! The audience loved every moment of this polished, musical and whimsical performance. Ofir Nuriel, a student of the Nitzan Onim Center, read one of the poems from a collection of his poetry soon to be published.
The Moran Youth Choir, a girls’ choir conducted by Sharon Ram, sang Idan Raichel’s (b.1977, Israel) song Mai Nahar (River Waters) arranged by Rani Golan (resident composer of the Moran Youth Choir).
‘Flowing waters of the river
See
These are the days of your life
Washed in the current
That begins with the first rain…’
Under the Sharon Ram’s expert guidance, this choir, most of its members being little girls aged eight to eleven from the Ethiopian community, produced a pleasingly velvety choral sound as they moved to the music. The Moran Youth Choir meets children from the Tokayer Boarding School at Kibbutz Bachan (a facility for at-risk youth) participating in joint activities. We heard the two groups collaborating in part of “Sar HaYeladim” (Leader of the Children), a musical play written for them by Avi Greinik and set to music by Rani Golan. It is based on Leah Goldberg’s story of the same name.
The Moran Choir’s competence and musicianship (singers from age 12 to 18) were obvious in a variety of songs they performed: two Hebrew songs: one poem by children’s author Yehuda Atlas set to music by Eyal Batt, the other, a choral arrangement of Israeli composer Yossef Hadar’s (1926-2006) “Hof Shaket” (Quiet Beach). Dedicated to Hadar’s memory, the work was heard in a richly blended choral sound. Etz HaLivneh (The Birch Tree) is a Russian song; arranged and performed superbly, with a gentle balalaika effect in the background, the solo in it was sung poignantly in Russian by one of the girls. An entertaining and strikingly different concert piece was an African song, performed with movements, vocal effects and drum accompaniment, giving it an authentic feel. From the Romantic repertoire, we heard “Removal of the Spells” from F.Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” opus 61(1843). It was musically and visually pleasing, with soloists Shira Kravitz and Adi Zur delighting the audience.
One of the Moran Choir’s community projects is singing together with pediatric cancer patients at the Schneider Children’s Hospital. Another is singing with special needs teenagers from the Dana Club of “Shafririm” – the Institute of Special Education – at Kibbutz Giv’at Chaim. These youngsters were joined by the Moran Choir to perform two songs. In the second, “Angel”, the young singers donned white gloves, accompanying the text with its equivalent in sign language. Soloists were from both vocal groups. It was a touching moment, one attesting to the joy of singing, to Naomi Faran’s meaningful message of togetherness, of all being part of the wider community. All vocal ensembles joined together for the final song “Hine,hine” (There it Goes Again) - words by Ehud Manor, music Matti Caspi.
Naomi Faran’s work brings her staff of fine music educators together with many children and young adults. Choir members receive vocal training, lessons in music theory, acting and movement. The young singers are disciplined and focused. They show respect for the wide gamut of musical repertoire they are exposed to and for the human voice and they show respect for each other. The results heard and seen attest to the culture singing instills in a person. Naomi Faran is touching many lives.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The 2010 "Sounding Jerusalem" Festival with a variety of chamber music concerts
In its fifth year, the 2010 Sounding Jerusalem Festival presented 17 chamber music concerts taking place in Jerusalem and on the West Bank from June 27th to July 11th. Supported by the countries of the various artists, but largely by the Representative Office of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ramallah, the festival’s mission is to offer high quality concerts free of charge to people of different religious, ethnic and social backgrounds of the region. The festival was created and continues to be directed by Austrian ‘cellist Erich Oskar Huetter. The festival’s musical, human and cultural aspects are summed up in the festival brochure with a quote of the great Spanish Catalan ‘cellist Pablo Casals (1876-1973): “Music must serve a purpose; it must be a part of something larger than itself, a part of humanity…”
Cello Bravery
On June 30th 2010 we heard “Cello Bravery”, a recital at the Jerusalem Music Centre by Australian ‘cellist Pei-Jee Ng and Israeli pianist Arnon Erez. Pei-Jee Ng was born in Sydney and grew up in Adelaide. Having recently completed studies with Ralph Kirshbaum at the Royal Northern College of Music (UK), the 26-year-old ‘cellist has performed widely in Australia, the USA, Asia and Europe.
Arnon Erez (b.1965) studied at the Rubin Academy of Music in Tel Aviv. He has performed extensively as a soloist and chamber music player in Israel, the USA, the UK and Europe and currently teaches at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music (Tel Aviv.)
The Australian Ambassador to Israel, Ms. Andrea Faulkner spoke of a sense of pride in supporting a festival that brings so many people together. Pei-Jee and Arnon Erez opened their recital with Claude Debussy’s Sonata for ‘Cello and Piano. From its opening fanfare motif, the artists set before the audience the lyrical, sentimental, impish and sometimes turbulent temperament of the piece, the work being inspired by the commedia dell’arte figure Pierrot. Ng moves easily from one abrupt change of musical idea to another in the second movement (Serenade) and the manages the wide variety of demanding instrumental effects in the Finale with aplomb.
The artists then performed L.van Beethoven’s Sonata in A major for Piano and Violoncello no.3 opus 69 (1808). A work of intense sentiment - Beethoven titled it “Inter Lacrimas et Luctum (Amid Tears and Sorrow) – its quasi-improvisational melodies providing Ng and Erez with the opportunity to give it much personal expression and individuality. Ng addresses each gesture with daring and conviction; the two artists collaborate well.
The concert ended with J.Brahms’ Sonata in F major for Piano and ‘Cello (1886). A work no less challenging to the pianist than to the ‘cellist, the artists opened with a rich Brahmsian canvas of cascading musical ideas. Ng reads emotion into each phrase, crafting magically beautiful endings, moving his audience. His technical brilliance and youthful energy are matched by his sensitive, profound and mature grasp of the music. Whisking away the multiple complexities of Brahms, Ng and Erez chose to play British composer Frank Bridge’s (1879-1941) delightfully sentimental and lyrical “Spring Song” from the Four Pieces for ‘Cello and Piano as their encore.
What Feelings Sound Like
This was a morning recital July 4th in the salon of the Austrian Hospice of the Holy Family, in Jerusalem’s Old City. Performers were French Soprano Magali Leger and Israeli pianist Efrat Levy.
Magali Leger has a background in dance and studied singing at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris; she has performed in opera performances in Europe and the USA since making her opera debut in 1999. Leger is also involved in performance of Baroque music.
Efrat Levy graduated from the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music (Tel Aviv) in solo piano performance and with an M.A. in vocal repertoire instruction. She has performed in solo recitals and chamber music in Israel, Europe and the USA and works as a vocal coach and accompanist.
The recital opened with three songs from Claude Debussy’s “Ariettes Oubliees” (Lost Ariettas) (1885-1887) to poems by Paul Verlaine. The artists presented these very French songs evocatively, bringing out their floating, pastel-shaded, fragrant melodic lines, their harmonic ambiguity and their exotic wistfulness. Leger’s diction is crystal clear, her application of the text dramatic and she communicates with her audience.
Gabriel Faure set to music his “La bonne chanson” cycle opus 61 of nine Verlaine poems between 1892 and 1894. The song cycle was originally scored for tenor and piano; its inspiration came from the composer’s love affair with Emma Bardac (Debussy’s future wife.) Leger presents the filigree lines in all their fragility and sensuous poignancy, her vocal strength at times overstepping the intimacy of the French Lied. Levy presents the glittering, impressionistic and sometimes subdued effects with good taste and finely controlled understatement.
Moving to the late Romantic German Lied, the recital ended with three songs of Richard Strauss, beginning with “Morgen!” (Tomorrow) opus 27 no. 4 (1894) to a poem of John Henry Mackay, the original text being in the German language:
‘And tomorrow the sun will shine again
And on the way which I shall follow
She will again unite us lucky ones
As all around us the earth breathes in the sun.
Slowly, silently, we will climb down
To the wide beach and the blue waves.
In silence, we will look in each other’s eyes
And the mute stillness of happiness will sink upon us.
Leger’s creamy timbre expresses the song’s tranquility, its background of harmonic shifts and interest always addressed by Levy. This was followed by “Allerseelen” (All Souls Day) opus 10 (1885) to a text by Hermann von Gilm and “Nichts” (Nought) another love song from opus 10, both fine vehicles for Leger’s lively temperament and theatrical approach.
Melange Oriental XXL
Melange Oriental XXL, July 7th in the Mary Nathaniel Golden Hall of Friendship, Jerusalem YMCA, was an concert spanning several centuries and four continents. Erich Oskar Huetter, Sounding Jerusalem’s founder and musical director, spoke of this concert as representing not only all quarters of Jerusalem’s Old City but also as bringing America and Africa to Jerusalem. Seated on the stage was an impressive line-up of musicians: ‘cellist Erich Oskar Huetter (Austria), qanun player Mahran Moreb (Galilee, Israel), clarinetist Michel Lethiec (France), accordionist and jazz musician Stefan Heckel (Austria), pianist Paul Gulda (Austria), the Ensemble Raro String Trio (Germany), the Merel String Quartet (Switzerland) and Studio Percussion Graz (Austria).
The evening’s program opened with all the players performing an anonymous 13th century Saltarello, its lively, earthy, leaping dance music peppered with the timbres of accordion and qanun. A violin delicately joined Paul Gulda’s fine piano improvisation over a drone to provide a middle section before a repeat of the energetic Saltarello.
Works with a Middle Eastern flavor were played by all the musicians; decisions as to how to arrange them were a matter of teamwork and arrangements were unmarred by western harmonies. They included Spasoum and a zesty Zartounk, both Armenian traditional dances and a piece by Egyptian composer Riad Sombati, in which accordion and qanun “conversed” pleasantly. We heard an instrumental version of the catchy, rhythmical love song “Al Bint El Chalabiya” (The Pretty Girl). “Lamma Bada”, a sentimental, erotic Arabic traditional song, opened with the qanun alone, to be joined by accordion and ‘cello. A highlight of the evening was Mahran Moreb’s poignant and delicate solo on the qanun (a zither-like instrument played in Turkey and Armenia.)
Two members of Studio Percussion Graz used clapping only to perform American minimalist composer Steve Reich’s (b.1936) “Music for Pieces of Wood”. With articulate skill, the artists guided their audience through gradual alteration of repetitive rhythmic patterns, creating subtle changes in musical texture. Studio Percussion Graz also performed the second movement of American composer John Cage’s (1912-1992) “Living Room Music”, a whimsical, entertaining speech quartet, in which the composer uses “Story”, a poem of Gertrud Stein, treating phrases, words, syllables and letters as musical material:
‘once upon a time
the world was round
and you could go on it
around and around.’
Mamadou Diabate (b.1972,West Africa), in Austria since 2000, is a member of Studio Percussion Graz. In “Femba” he plays the balafon (a resonated frame, wooden-keyed percussion idiophone), singing alternate phrases in a piece evocative of a timeless African landscape.
Taking his cue from “Femba”, pianist and composer Paul Gulda took some of the motifs of the above and began improvising on them. Unbeknown to the audience, this would eventually lead directly and smoothly into a performance of the first movement of W.A.Mozart’s Piano Quartet in G minor K.478. A totally unexpected and skillfully executed transition, however, this provided one of the most interesting moments of the evening. The K.478 Quartet, composed in 1785 in Mozart’s most dramatic key, was given a spirited, powerful reading, with players contrasting the dark drama of the piece with its lyrical vulnerability. No less moving was the performance of Gustav Mahler’s haunting and introspective Piano Quartet in A minor. The Merel String Quartet’s performance of Felix Mendelssohn’s Capriccio for String Quartet in E minor opus 81/3 (1843) was vigorous and convincing.
Sergei Prokofiev composed his “Overture on Hebrew Themes for Clarinet, String Quartet and Piano” in 1919 at the request of the Zimro Quintet (piano, strings and clarinet) in New York. The players wanted to raise funds from a concert tour to found a music conservatory in Jerusalem. The performance we heard of this fine concert piece created a veritable collage of Jewish life in Eastern Europe, with Klezmer melodies, pensive and lyrical moments and much joy with an element of sadness never far away. Eminent clarinetist Michel Lethiec’s playing is always rich in ideas, color and expression, always inspiring.
The Allegro pizzicato movement from Bela Bartok’s String Quartet no.4 (1928) played, indeed, pizzicato throughout, provided much interest in its modal, feisty, harsh drumming and strumming effects, the players investing virtuosity and a sense of urgency into their performance of the piece. Mahran Moreb was prompted to improvise on its musical ideas.
An impossible, disconnected pot pourri of works in one concert? Certainly not. Combining all in a rich kaleidoscope of styles and works, this moving concert brought together fine musicians in of a program of musical coexistence.
Cello Bravery
On June 30th 2010 we heard “Cello Bravery”, a recital at the Jerusalem Music Centre by Australian ‘cellist Pei-Jee Ng and Israeli pianist Arnon Erez. Pei-Jee Ng was born in Sydney and grew up in Adelaide. Having recently completed studies with Ralph Kirshbaum at the Royal Northern College of Music (UK), the 26-year-old ‘cellist has performed widely in Australia, the USA, Asia and Europe.
Arnon Erez (b.1965) studied at the Rubin Academy of Music in Tel Aviv. He has performed extensively as a soloist and chamber music player in Israel, the USA, the UK and Europe and currently teaches at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music (Tel Aviv.)
The Australian Ambassador to Israel, Ms. Andrea Faulkner spoke of a sense of pride in supporting a festival that brings so many people together. Pei-Jee and Arnon Erez opened their recital with Claude Debussy’s Sonata for ‘Cello and Piano. From its opening fanfare motif, the artists set before the audience the lyrical, sentimental, impish and sometimes turbulent temperament of the piece, the work being inspired by the commedia dell’arte figure Pierrot. Ng moves easily from one abrupt change of musical idea to another in the second movement (Serenade) and the manages the wide variety of demanding instrumental effects in the Finale with aplomb.
The artists then performed L.van Beethoven’s Sonata in A major for Piano and Violoncello no.3 opus 69 (1808). A work of intense sentiment - Beethoven titled it “Inter Lacrimas et Luctum (Amid Tears and Sorrow) – its quasi-improvisational melodies providing Ng and Erez with the opportunity to give it much personal expression and individuality. Ng addresses each gesture with daring and conviction; the two artists collaborate well.
The concert ended with J.Brahms’ Sonata in F major for Piano and ‘Cello (1886). A work no less challenging to the pianist than to the ‘cellist, the artists opened with a rich Brahmsian canvas of cascading musical ideas. Ng reads emotion into each phrase, crafting magically beautiful endings, moving his audience. His technical brilliance and youthful energy are matched by his sensitive, profound and mature grasp of the music. Whisking away the multiple complexities of Brahms, Ng and Erez chose to play British composer Frank Bridge’s (1879-1941) delightfully sentimental and lyrical “Spring Song” from the Four Pieces for ‘Cello and Piano as their encore.
What Feelings Sound Like
This was a morning recital July 4th in the salon of the Austrian Hospice of the Holy Family, in Jerusalem’s Old City. Performers were French Soprano Magali Leger and Israeli pianist Efrat Levy.
Magali Leger has a background in dance and studied singing at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris; she has performed in opera performances in Europe and the USA since making her opera debut in 1999. Leger is also involved in performance of Baroque music.
Efrat Levy graduated from the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music (Tel Aviv) in solo piano performance and with an M.A. in vocal repertoire instruction. She has performed in solo recitals and chamber music in Israel, Europe and the USA and works as a vocal coach and accompanist.
The recital opened with three songs from Claude Debussy’s “Ariettes Oubliees” (Lost Ariettas) (1885-1887) to poems by Paul Verlaine. The artists presented these very French songs evocatively, bringing out their floating, pastel-shaded, fragrant melodic lines, their harmonic ambiguity and their exotic wistfulness. Leger’s diction is crystal clear, her application of the text dramatic and she communicates with her audience.
Gabriel Faure set to music his “La bonne chanson” cycle opus 61 of nine Verlaine poems between 1892 and 1894. The song cycle was originally scored for tenor and piano; its inspiration came from the composer’s love affair with Emma Bardac (Debussy’s future wife.) Leger presents the filigree lines in all their fragility and sensuous poignancy, her vocal strength at times overstepping the intimacy of the French Lied. Levy presents the glittering, impressionistic and sometimes subdued effects with good taste and finely controlled understatement.
Moving to the late Romantic German Lied, the recital ended with three songs of Richard Strauss, beginning with “Morgen!” (Tomorrow) opus 27 no. 4 (1894) to a poem of John Henry Mackay, the original text being in the German language:
‘And tomorrow the sun will shine again
And on the way which I shall follow
She will again unite us lucky ones
As all around us the earth breathes in the sun.
Slowly, silently, we will climb down
To the wide beach and the blue waves.
In silence, we will look in each other’s eyes
And the mute stillness of happiness will sink upon us.
Leger’s creamy timbre expresses the song’s tranquility, its background of harmonic shifts and interest always addressed by Levy. This was followed by “Allerseelen” (All Souls Day) opus 10 (1885) to a text by Hermann von Gilm and “Nichts” (Nought) another love song from opus 10, both fine vehicles for Leger’s lively temperament and theatrical approach.
Melange Oriental XXL
Melange Oriental XXL, July 7th in the Mary Nathaniel Golden Hall of Friendship, Jerusalem YMCA, was an concert spanning several centuries and four continents. Erich Oskar Huetter, Sounding Jerusalem’s founder and musical director, spoke of this concert as representing not only all quarters of Jerusalem’s Old City but also as bringing America and Africa to Jerusalem. Seated on the stage was an impressive line-up of musicians: ‘cellist Erich Oskar Huetter (Austria), qanun player Mahran Moreb (Galilee, Israel), clarinetist Michel Lethiec (France), accordionist and jazz musician Stefan Heckel (Austria), pianist Paul Gulda (Austria), the Ensemble Raro String Trio (Germany), the Merel String Quartet (Switzerland) and Studio Percussion Graz (Austria).
The evening’s program opened with all the players performing an anonymous 13th century Saltarello, its lively, earthy, leaping dance music peppered with the timbres of accordion and qanun. A violin delicately joined Paul Gulda’s fine piano improvisation over a drone to provide a middle section before a repeat of the energetic Saltarello.
Works with a Middle Eastern flavor were played by all the musicians; decisions as to how to arrange them were a matter of teamwork and arrangements were unmarred by western harmonies. They included Spasoum and a zesty Zartounk, both Armenian traditional dances and a piece by Egyptian composer Riad Sombati, in which accordion and qanun “conversed” pleasantly. We heard an instrumental version of the catchy, rhythmical love song “Al Bint El Chalabiya” (The Pretty Girl). “Lamma Bada”, a sentimental, erotic Arabic traditional song, opened with the qanun alone, to be joined by accordion and ‘cello. A highlight of the evening was Mahran Moreb’s poignant and delicate solo on the qanun (a zither-like instrument played in Turkey and Armenia.)
Two members of Studio Percussion Graz used clapping only to perform American minimalist composer Steve Reich’s (b.1936) “Music for Pieces of Wood”. With articulate skill, the artists guided their audience through gradual alteration of repetitive rhythmic patterns, creating subtle changes in musical texture. Studio Percussion Graz also performed the second movement of American composer John Cage’s (1912-1992) “Living Room Music”, a whimsical, entertaining speech quartet, in which the composer uses “Story”, a poem of Gertrud Stein, treating phrases, words, syllables and letters as musical material:
‘once upon a time
the world was round
and you could go on it
around and around.’
Mamadou Diabate (b.1972,West Africa), in Austria since 2000, is a member of Studio Percussion Graz. In “Femba” he plays the balafon (a resonated frame, wooden-keyed percussion idiophone), singing alternate phrases in a piece evocative of a timeless African landscape.
Taking his cue from “Femba”, pianist and composer Paul Gulda took some of the motifs of the above and began improvising on them. Unbeknown to the audience, this would eventually lead directly and smoothly into a performance of the first movement of W.A.Mozart’s Piano Quartet in G minor K.478. A totally unexpected and skillfully executed transition, however, this provided one of the most interesting moments of the evening. The K.478 Quartet, composed in 1785 in Mozart’s most dramatic key, was given a spirited, powerful reading, with players contrasting the dark drama of the piece with its lyrical vulnerability. No less moving was the performance of Gustav Mahler’s haunting and introspective Piano Quartet in A minor. The Merel String Quartet’s performance of Felix Mendelssohn’s Capriccio for String Quartet in E minor opus 81/3 (1843) was vigorous and convincing.
Sergei Prokofiev composed his “Overture on Hebrew Themes for Clarinet, String Quartet and Piano” in 1919 at the request of the Zimro Quintet (piano, strings and clarinet) in New York. The players wanted to raise funds from a concert tour to found a music conservatory in Jerusalem. The performance we heard of this fine concert piece created a veritable collage of Jewish life in Eastern Europe, with Klezmer melodies, pensive and lyrical moments and much joy with an element of sadness never far away. Eminent clarinetist Michel Lethiec’s playing is always rich in ideas, color and expression, always inspiring.
The Allegro pizzicato movement from Bela Bartok’s String Quartet no.4 (1928) played, indeed, pizzicato throughout, provided much interest in its modal, feisty, harsh drumming and strumming effects, the players investing virtuosity and a sense of urgency into their performance of the piece. Mahran Moreb was prompted to improvise on its musical ideas.
An impossible, disconnected pot pourri of works in one concert? Certainly not. Combining all in a rich kaleidoscope of styles and works, this moving concert brought together fine musicians in of a program of musical coexistence.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
The Chopin Year in Israel: Polish pianist Karol Radziwonowicz in a solo recital of Polish music at the Einav Center
Polish pianist Karol Radziwonowicz performed an evening of Polish music at the Einav Center (Tel Aviv) June 26th 2010. Under the auspices of the Polish Institute in Tel Aviv, this unique recital was one of the events of the Chopin Year in Israel program. Maestro Radziwonowicz (b. 1958,Warsaw) began his piano studies with his father, and, on graduating from the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music (Warsaw), won a Fulbright scholarship to study under George Sebok at the School of Music of Indiana University, Bloomington (USA). Maestro Radziwonowicz performs widely. He is the first pianist to have recorded all the piano works of Paderewski.
Karol Radziwonowicz’s program presented works not only of Chopin but of other Polish composers whose music had been influenced in various ways and degrees by that of Chopin. 2010 marks the 150th anniversary of Ignacy Jan Paderewski’s (1860-1941) birth. A strongly patriotic Pole and talented orator known for his charisma, Paderewski divided his professional life between virtuoso piano performances far and wide and philanthropic and diplomatic functions. (He served as Poland’s prime minister and foreign minister.) His compositional oeuvre includes many piano pieces. Radziwonowicz performed a number of pieces by Paderewski, from the descriptive “narrative” of Legend no.2, opus 16 no.5, to the delicate, haunting inner sadness of Nocturne in B flat major, opus 16 no.4, to traditional Polish dances - the joyful, virtuosic and lively Cracovienne Fantastique, opus 14 no.6 and the proud, positive and festive Polonaise in B major, opus 9 no.6, taking us into the sparkle and excitement of the ballroom. Radziwonowicz played Paderewski’s much loved Menuet celebre, opus 14 no.1 with entertaining lightness and a wink of an eye, peppering his reading of it with whimsical fermatas.
Karol Szymanowski’s (1882-1937) Etude in B flat minor, opus 4 no.3, composed when the composer was 20 years old, was written for Paderewski whose playing of the work brought much fame to Szymanowski. Radziwonowicz’s treatment of it was sensitive, addressing its expressive sadness and intensity in depth. Szymanowski’s Variations in B flat minor opus 3, dating from 1901-1903, were dedicated to Arthur Rubinstein. Radziwonowicz presented the variation subject in carefully paced seriousness, this to be followed by variations delightfully contrasting with each other in mood and texture. Radziwonowicz brings out the richly varied, pianistic canvas of this virtuosic concert piece.
Of the works he composed later in his short life, we heard Polish pianist and composer Juliusz Zarebski’s (1854-1885) Polish Fantasy, opus 9 , imaginative in its pianistic orchestration and Two Waltzes from opus 30.
Works of Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849) were woven into the program between works of the other Polish composers. In an interview with Radziwonowicz, the pianist talked of Chopin’s music being more emotionally accessible to people of Polish origin due to its “zal” (Polish:sadness). Radziwonowicz’s performance of Nocturne in B major, opus 9 no.3 and of Nocturne in B flat minor opus 9 no.1 were created of this very underlying sadness. Fragile and unrushed, the pianist’s melodiousness defying the limitations of a hammer instrument, his gossamer passagework sketched in pastel, weightless shapes, Radziwonowicz gives melodic lines profile, his use of the sustaining pedal clean. He thus takes his listeners into the inner world of Chopin’s burdened soul. In strong contrast, the Mazurkas on the program were exhilarating, proud and noble, full-textured and energetic, the artist using rubato freely, expressing the joy of dance with a sense of well-being to be punctuated only temporarily by a hint of “zal”. Not so the Grande Valse Brillante in A minor, opus 34 no.2, its gloomy message stated in melancholic simplicity. Following a fine rendition of the Impromptu-Fantasie in C sharp minor, the recital ended with the rousing and lustrous Polonaise in A major, opus 40 no.1, sometimes referred to as the Military Polonaise. (Anton Rubinstein spoke of the latter as “the symbol of Polish glory”.)
As an encore, the pianist performed Chopin’s Nocturne no 20 in C sharp minor, opus posthumous. This was the first Chopin piece Radziwonowicz had learned from his father and the pianist dedicated his transparently delicate and poignant performance of it to his father’s memory.
The audience included many people of Polish extraction, interested to make a connection with their own culture and tradition. It was an emotional journey for them. For those of us not from a Polish background, it was thought-provoking, enriching and indeed moving. Maestro Radziwonowicz’s recital presented works not often heard in the Israeli concert hall alongside those of the great genius of Chopin. His program offered a rich picture of Polish Romantic music – its delicacy, its sadness, its wealth of folk influences and dances, its pride, joy and nobility. His virtuosic technique, his palette of colors and timbres, his rhythmic spontaneity and nuancing are matched with his profoundly sensitive reading into each phrase. Karol Radziwonowicz’s recital was surely a highlight of the concert season and the Chopin Year in Israel.
Karol Radziwonowicz’s program presented works not only of Chopin but of other Polish composers whose music had been influenced in various ways and degrees by that of Chopin. 2010 marks the 150th anniversary of Ignacy Jan Paderewski’s (1860-1941) birth. A strongly patriotic Pole and talented orator known for his charisma, Paderewski divided his professional life between virtuoso piano performances far and wide and philanthropic and diplomatic functions. (He served as Poland’s prime minister and foreign minister.) His compositional oeuvre includes many piano pieces. Radziwonowicz performed a number of pieces by Paderewski, from the descriptive “narrative” of Legend no.2, opus 16 no.5, to the delicate, haunting inner sadness of Nocturne in B flat major, opus 16 no.4, to traditional Polish dances - the joyful, virtuosic and lively Cracovienne Fantastique, opus 14 no.6 and the proud, positive and festive Polonaise in B major, opus 9 no.6, taking us into the sparkle and excitement of the ballroom. Radziwonowicz played Paderewski’s much loved Menuet celebre, opus 14 no.1 with entertaining lightness and a wink of an eye, peppering his reading of it with whimsical fermatas.
Karol Szymanowski’s (1882-1937) Etude in B flat minor, opus 4 no.3, composed when the composer was 20 years old, was written for Paderewski whose playing of the work brought much fame to Szymanowski. Radziwonowicz’s treatment of it was sensitive, addressing its expressive sadness and intensity in depth. Szymanowski’s Variations in B flat minor opus 3, dating from 1901-1903, were dedicated to Arthur Rubinstein. Radziwonowicz presented the variation subject in carefully paced seriousness, this to be followed by variations delightfully contrasting with each other in mood and texture. Radziwonowicz brings out the richly varied, pianistic canvas of this virtuosic concert piece.
Of the works he composed later in his short life, we heard Polish pianist and composer Juliusz Zarebski’s (1854-1885) Polish Fantasy, opus 9 , imaginative in its pianistic orchestration and Two Waltzes from opus 30.
Works of Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849) were woven into the program between works of the other Polish composers. In an interview with Radziwonowicz, the pianist talked of Chopin’s music being more emotionally accessible to people of Polish origin due to its “zal” (Polish:sadness). Radziwonowicz’s performance of Nocturne in B major, opus 9 no.3 and of Nocturne in B flat minor opus 9 no.1 were created of this very underlying sadness. Fragile and unrushed, the pianist’s melodiousness defying the limitations of a hammer instrument, his gossamer passagework sketched in pastel, weightless shapes, Radziwonowicz gives melodic lines profile, his use of the sustaining pedal clean. He thus takes his listeners into the inner world of Chopin’s burdened soul. In strong contrast, the Mazurkas on the program were exhilarating, proud and noble, full-textured and energetic, the artist using rubato freely, expressing the joy of dance with a sense of well-being to be punctuated only temporarily by a hint of “zal”. Not so the Grande Valse Brillante in A minor, opus 34 no.2, its gloomy message stated in melancholic simplicity. Following a fine rendition of the Impromptu-Fantasie in C sharp minor, the recital ended with the rousing and lustrous Polonaise in A major, opus 40 no.1, sometimes referred to as the Military Polonaise. (Anton Rubinstein spoke of the latter as “the symbol of Polish glory”.)
As an encore, the pianist performed Chopin’s Nocturne no 20 in C sharp minor, opus posthumous. This was the first Chopin piece Radziwonowicz had learned from his father and the pianist dedicated his transparently delicate and poignant performance of it to his father’s memory.
The audience included many people of Polish extraction, interested to make a connection with their own culture and tradition. It was an emotional journey for them. For those of us not from a Polish background, it was thought-provoking, enriching and indeed moving. Maestro Radziwonowicz’s recital presented works not often heard in the Israeli concert hall alongside those of the great genius of Chopin. His program offered a rich picture of Polish Romantic music – its delicacy, its sadness, its wealth of folk influences and dances, its pride, joy and nobility. His virtuosic technique, his palette of colors and timbres, his rhythmic spontaneity and nuancing are matched with his profoundly sensitive reading into each phrase. Karol Radziwonowicz’s recital was surely a highlight of the concert season and the Chopin Year in Israel.
Friday, June 18, 2010
The Perlman Music Program's 2010 Jerusalem workshop for outstanding young string players in collaboration with the Israel Festival
The Perlman Music Program, directed by Mrs. Toby Perlman and co-chaired by Maestro Itzhak Perlman, was founded by Toby Perlman in 1993. Based in New York City and Shelter Island, NY, the PMP conducted a two-and-a half week residency in Jerusalem May 20th to June 6th headed by Itzhak and Toby Perlman and joined by an international faculty, some teachers and students coming from the USA, with some students and faculty being from the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music (Tel Aviv) and the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. Many of the Israeli students taking part are recipients of America-Israel Foundation scholarships, graduates of the Outstanding Musicians Program of the Jerusalem Music Centre and participants in the Outstanding Musicians Program of the Israel Defense Forces Education Corps. Of the 42 young string players taking part in the workshop, half were PMP alumni from around the world. A long list of Israeli and American donors and supporters made the 2010 Jerusalem PMP workshop a reality.
The students’ daily program consisted of orchestral playing under the baton of Maestro Perlman, chamber music sessions, the opportunity to play classical Arabic ensemble music, individual lessons with faculty members, choral singing (students singing together with faculty) and performance. The chamber music repertoire chosen for the workshop was Ludwig van Beethoven’s Opus 18 quartets; alongside the chamber music coaches, the Ariel Quartet, its players graduates of PMP and the JMC Outstanding Musicians Programs, was chosen to be the quartet in residence in the 2010 Jerusalem PMP. When not busy with music, participants were taken on sight-seeing trips around Israel.
The Gala Concert of the 2010 Jerusalem PMP took place June 3rd in the Henry Crown Symphony Hall of the Jerusalem Theatre. Mrs. Toby Perlman spoke of the PMP representing the realization of her dream of providing outstanding young musicians with a nurturing and supportive learning environment in an atmosphere suitable and comfortable to young people. Hed Sella, director of the Jerusalem Music Centre, expressed how happy and excited the JMC was to host the first Jerusalem PMP program and thanked the Perlmans for the wonderful experience. Jerusalem mayor, Nir Barkat, also thanked the Perlmans for bringing the program to Jerusalem, adding that such events deepen and widen Jerusalem’s artistic- and cultural life. Barkat’s wish is that the program now be an annual event in Jerusalem.
The JMC’s Outstanding Musicians Program seeks to cultivate cultural diversity and places high value on Arabic music, offering its young players the opportunity to experience it at first hand. Toby Perlman talked about the PMP’s approach of “investigating” music, hence a series of lessons in classical Arabic music in the workshop in which participants played and improvised along with four of the outstanding musicians from the JMC’s program – violinist Firas Esami, percussionist Rami Anton, qanun player Osama Shahouk and oud player Thaer Bader. The evening’s program opened with two short classical Arabic pieces, played on bowed instruments, qanun, oud and tambourine, conducted by Professor Taiseer Elias of the faculty of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, Bar Ilan University and the musical director and conductor of the Youth Orchestra of Classical Arabic Music. The first piece performed, “Samai Shad Araban” (the samai is a composed genre consisting of four sections, each followed by a refrain) by Turkish virtuoso and composer Cemil Bey Tanburi (1873-1916), an arrangement created for the ensemble, was expressive and elegant, fine details addressed, each phrase finely chiseled. “Dhikrayati” (My Memories) by Egyptian oud player and composer Muhamad Al Qasabji (1892-1966), an evocative piece of temperament, contrasting bowed with plucked textures, lyrical- with intense moments and solo- with tutti sections, offered the audience a chance to hear delicate, intricate solos on oud (Bader), qanun (Shahouk) and violin (Firas).
The Perlman Music Program believes that the skills needed for singing relate directly to those demanded in instrumental playing and that non-trained singers can benefit from and enjoy being in a choir. All students and staff took part in a daily choral session run by tenor and choral conductor Patrick Romano, choral director of the PMP, of the Julliard School Pre-College Division and choral director and faculty member of Sarah Lawrence College. Romano and his choir performed a number of works by Johannes Brahms accompanied by faculty pianists Yi-Fang Huang and John Root. Two pieces from Brahms’ Requiem and three from the Liebeslieder Waltzes were given a detailed reading, attention given to diction, contrast, color and expression. In “Songbird” from the Liebeslieder cycle, Romano took the solo part, his rich, warm timbre and vocal presence indeed pleasurable.
The third part of the evening’s concert was devoted to performance of the students’ string orchestra, conducted by Itzhak Perlman. It began with W.A.Mozart’s Adagio and Fugue in C minor, K.546. Mozart’s exposure to the Bach fugues had had a profound influence on him. The fugue was originally composed for two pianos but Mozart arranged it for strings in 1788. Youthful energy and articulate, competent string playing made for a polished performance of this small but profound gem.
Composer and ethnomusicologist, Professor Andre Hajdu (b. Hungary 1932, in Israel from 1966) composed his Divertimento for Strings in 1988. Opening with the fresh, light and positive Allegretto precisioso and closing with the highly tonal, strongly profiled Finale-Vivo, the work presents a variety of moods, styles and modes, creating a musical canvas of humor, nostalgia, personal expression and, as in the fourth movement, reference to folk melodies, as well as offering small solos throughout. A lesson in miniatures, this attractive work gave the young string players a glimpse into Israeli music and was handled gracefully by Perlman and his players. Professor Hajdu was present at the performance.
The evening’s musical program ended with Antonin Dvorak’s Serenade for Strings in E major opus 22 (1875). Bringing out the hearty, positive and songful character of the work, its freshness and old-world naivete, with its blend of classical- and folk harmony, the young players’ performance was lush in sound, delicate and sympathetic, wistful at times, full and carefree at others. Perlman had his players changing places between each movement – a little disturbing to the audience, but of advantage to the orchestral experience of the students. The maestro is warm and informal with them, his direction giving expression to individual voices together with a richly blended and satisfying string sound. It was an evening sparkling with zest and fine musicianship, with enthusiasm and joy. The Jerusalem audience showed interest in hearing the 42 aspiring young string players in concert.
The students’ daily program consisted of orchestral playing under the baton of Maestro Perlman, chamber music sessions, the opportunity to play classical Arabic ensemble music, individual lessons with faculty members, choral singing (students singing together with faculty) and performance. The chamber music repertoire chosen for the workshop was Ludwig van Beethoven’s Opus 18 quartets; alongside the chamber music coaches, the Ariel Quartet, its players graduates of PMP and the JMC Outstanding Musicians Programs, was chosen to be the quartet in residence in the 2010 Jerusalem PMP. When not busy with music, participants were taken on sight-seeing trips around Israel.
The Gala Concert of the 2010 Jerusalem PMP took place June 3rd in the Henry Crown Symphony Hall of the Jerusalem Theatre. Mrs. Toby Perlman spoke of the PMP representing the realization of her dream of providing outstanding young musicians with a nurturing and supportive learning environment in an atmosphere suitable and comfortable to young people. Hed Sella, director of the Jerusalem Music Centre, expressed how happy and excited the JMC was to host the first Jerusalem PMP program and thanked the Perlmans for the wonderful experience. Jerusalem mayor, Nir Barkat, also thanked the Perlmans for bringing the program to Jerusalem, adding that such events deepen and widen Jerusalem’s artistic- and cultural life. Barkat’s wish is that the program now be an annual event in Jerusalem.
The JMC’s Outstanding Musicians Program seeks to cultivate cultural diversity and places high value on Arabic music, offering its young players the opportunity to experience it at first hand. Toby Perlman talked about the PMP’s approach of “investigating” music, hence a series of lessons in classical Arabic music in the workshop in which participants played and improvised along with four of the outstanding musicians from the JMC’s program – violinist Firas Esami, percussionist Rami Anton, qanun player Osama Shahouk and oud player Thaer Bader. The evening’s program opened with two short classical Arabic pieces, played on bowed instruments, qanun, oud and tambourine, conducted by Professor Taiseer Elias of the faculty of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, Bar Ilan University and the musical director and conductor of the Youth Orchestra of Classical Arabic Music. The first piece performed, “Samai Shad Araban” (the samai is a composed genre consisting of four sections, each followed by a refrain) by Turkish virtuoso and composer Cemil Bey Tanburi (1873-1916), an arrangement created for the ensemble, was expressive and elegant, fine details addressed, each phrase finely chiseled. “Dhikrayati” (My Memories) by Egyptian oud player and composer Muhamad Al Qasabji (1892-1966), an evocative piece of temperament, contrasting bowed with plucked textures, lyrical- with intense moments and solo- with tutti sections, offered the audience a chance to hear delicate, intricate solos on oud (Bader), qanun (Shahouk) and violin (Firas).
The Perlman Music Program believes that the skills needed for singing relate directly to those demanded in instrumental playing and that non-trained singers can benefit from and enjoy being in a choir. All students and staff took part in a daily choral session run by tenor and choral conductor Patrick Romano, choral director of the PMP, of the Julliard School Pre-College Division and choral director and faculty member of Sarah Lawrence College. Romano and his choir performed a number of works by Johannes Brahms accompanied by faculty pianists Yi-Fang Huang and John Root. Two pieces from Brahms’ Requiem and three from the Liebeslieder Waltzes were given a detailed reading, attention given to diction, contrast, color and expression. In “Songbird” from the Liebeslieder cycle, Romano took the solo part, his rich, warm timbre and vocal presence indeed pleasurable.
The third part of the evening’s concert was devoted to performance of the students’ string orchestra, conducted by Itzhak Perlman. It began with W.A.Mozart’s Adagio and Fugue in C minor, K.546. Mozart’s exposure to the Bach fugues had had a profound influence on him. The fugue was originally composed for two pianos but Mozart arranged it for strings in 1788. Youthful energy and articulate, competent string playing made for a polished performance of this small but profound gem.
Composer and ethnomusicologist, Professor Andre Hajdu (b. Hungary 1932, in Israel from 1966) composed his Divertimento for Strings in 1988. Opening with the fresh, light and positive Allegretto precisioso and closing with the highly tonal, strongly profiled Finale-Vivo, the work presents a variety of moods, styles and modes, creating a musical canvas of humor, nostalgia, personal expression and, as in the fourth movement, reference to folk melodies, as well as offering small solos throughout. A lesson in miniatures, this attractive work gave the young string players a glimpse into Israeli music and was handled gracefully by Perlman and his players. Professor Hajdu was present at the performance.
The evening’s musical program ended with Antonin Dvorak’s Serenade for Strings in E major opus 22 (1875). Bringing out the hearty, positive and songful character of the work, its freshness and old-world naivete, with its blend of classical- and folk harmony, the young players’ performance was lush in sound, delicate and sympathetic, wistful at times, full and carefree at others. Perlman had his players changing places between each movement – a little disturbing to the audience, but of advantage to the orchestral experience of the students. The maestro is warm and informal with them, his direction giving expression to individual voices together with a richly blended and satisfying string sound. It was an evening sparkling with zest and fine musicianship, with enthusiasm and joy. The Jerusalem audience showed interest in hearing the 42 aspiring young string players in concert.
Labels:
Itzhak Perlman,
Patrick Romano,
Taiseer Elias
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Le Poeme Harmonique in the 2010 Israel Festival
Le Poeme Harmonique (France) was founded in 1998 by lutenist Vincent Dumestre, who today continues to be its musical director. The ensemble’s performances focus on music of the 17th- and 18th centuries; they are presented in an authentic, theatrical manner, some performances being enriched by actors, dancers and even circus artists. Le Poeme Harmonique’s “Venezia dalla strade ai Palazzi (Venice: From the Streets to the Palaces) featured as part of the 2010 Israel Festival on May 31st in the Henry Crown Symphony Hall of the Jerusalem Theatre. “Venezia dalla strade ai Palazzi” presents music of composers active in Venice in the first half of the 17th century, with emphasis on those central to the development of vocal music and Venetian opera. The concert's program notes discuss the music of a composer calling himself “Il Fasolo” and whether Giovanni Battista Fasolo – a Franciscan friar – and Francesco Manelli – a composer working in Venice - were one and the same person. Soprano Claire Lefilliatre, tenor Serge Goubioud, Jan van Elsacker and bass Arnaud Marzorati were joined by Johannes Frisch-violin, Lucas Peres-lirone (a bowed, stringed, fretted member of the lira family), Francoise Enock—violone, Jean-Luc Tamby-lute and Baroque guitar, Joel Grare-percussion and Vincent Dumestre, himself, conducting and playing theorbo and Baroque guitar.
The stage is in darkness, to be lit only by two large candelabras. (Instrumentalists had electric lights on their music stands.) With the hall then plunged into darkness, the program opened with a rich and riveting performance by bass Marzorati of “Dormo ancora” (Am I still asleep?), the soliloquy from Claudio Monteverdi’s (1567-1643) “Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria” (1640), in which Ulysses expresses concern with his own state. This was followed by the “Lamento della Ninfa” (Lament of the Nymph) from Monteverdi’s Eighth Book of Madrigals (Madrigals of War and Love, 1638) in a heart-rending and profoundly emotional yet controlled performance by Lefilliatre, the male vocal trio alluding to her suffering, the insistent falling 4-note ostinato constantly reminding the listener of the madrigal’s message.
The program included languorous songs by composer and theorbo player Benedetto Ferrari (1603-1681) on the subject of suffering in love.
‘I am defenseless,
Fired with passion;
This traitor Love
Is leading me to the place
Where gradually
My ardour increases;
If I make haste
My heart languishes.
If I halt
I am told I am base;
How unhappy I am!
I am defenseless,
Fired with passion….’ “Son ruinato, appassionato” Benedetto Ferrari
Ferrari and Francesco Manelli (1594-1667) both settled in Venice in 1636, where their operas were performed for affluent members of the general public, not just for the aristocracy. There was much collaboration between the two. Manelli’s love songs heard in the program reflect the same despair as those of Ferrari. The ensemble’s performance of Francesco Manelli’s “Bergamasca: La Barchetta passagiera” (The Passenger Boat), published in Rome in 1627, however, brings about a total change in atmosphere: it is a colorful vignette of conversations between men on a boat . (The bergamesca is a lusty 16th century peasant dance, probably a fast, circular dance for men and women, depicting the reputedly awkward manners of the inhabitants of Bergamo, northern Italy, where the dance supposedly originated.) We hear the men - from Germany, France, Spain and from different regions of Italy, also the boat owner - in much discussion about the various kinds of food and drink they have with them. The male singers of Le Poeme Harmonique give it a dynamic, humorous and energetic performance, bringing a carnival atmosphere, well doused with drink, to the concert hall.
It was an evening of superb artistry, of much interesting movement - mostly expressive hand movements - on the part of the singers, of songs of delicate, sensuous textures and meaning, of heartbreak, on one hand, and of lusty- and lustful joie-de-vivre, on the other. Le Poeme Harmonique’s instrumental ensemble playing was outstandingly delicate and tasteful, its mix of timbres, indeed, delightful. Dumestre is daring and intense. His singers are forthright and impressive. Claire Lefilliatre is a soprano with a powerful mix of vocal colors that match her emotional expression and involvement. The program notes were informative, interesting and included all texts. Unfortunately, with the hall in complete darkness, the audience was unable to follow the texts.
The stage is in darkness, to be lit only by two large candelabras. (Instrumentalists had electric lights on their music stands.) With the hall then plunged into darkness, the program opened with a rich and riveting performance by bass Marzorati of “Dormo ancora” (Am I still asleep?), the soliloquy from Claudio Monteverdi’s (1567-1643) “Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria” (1640), in which Ulysses expresses concern with his own state. This was followed by the “Lamento della Ninfa” (Lament of the Nymph) from Monteverdi’s Eighth Book of Madrigals (Madrigals of War and Love, 1638) in a heart-rending and profoundly emotional yet controlled performance by Lefilliatre, the male vocal trio alluding to her suffering, the insistent falling 4-note ostinato constantly reminding the listener of the madrigal’s message.
The program included languorous songs by composer and theorbo player Benedetto Ferrari (1603-1681) on the subject of suffering in love.
‘I am defenseless,
Fired with passion;
This traitor Love
Is leading me to the place
Where gradually
My ardour increases;
If I make haste
My heart languishes.
If I halt
I am told I am base;
How unhappy I am!
I am defenseless,
Fired with passion….’ “Son ruinato, appassionato” Benedetto Ferrari
Ferrari and Francesco Manelli (1594-1667) both settled in Venice in 1636, where their operas were performed for affluent members of the general public, not just for the aristocracy. There was much collaboration between the two. Manelli’s love songs heard in the program reflect the same despair as those of Ferrari. The ensemble’s performance of Francesco Manelli’s “Bergamasca: La Barchetta passagiera” (The Passenger Boat), published in Rome in 1627, however, brings about a total change in atmosphere: it is a colorful vignette of conversations between men on a boat . (The bergamesca is a lusty 16th century peasant dance, probably a fast, circular dance for men and women, depicting the reputedly awkward manners of the inhabitants of Bergamo, northern Italy, where the dance supposedly originated.) We hear the men - from Germany, France, Spain and from different regions of Italy, also the boat owner - in much discussion about the various kinds of food and drink they have with them. The male singers of Le Poeme Harmonique give it a dynamic, humorous and energetic performance, bringing a carnival atmosphere, well doused with drink, to the concert hall.
It was an evening of superb artistry, of much interesting movement - mostly expressive hand movements - on the part of the singers, of songs of delicate, sensuous textures and meaning, of heartbreak, on one hand, and of lusty- and lustful joie-de-vivre, on the other. Le Poeme Harmonique’s instrumental ensemble playing was outstandingly delicate and tasteful, its mix of timbres, indeed, delightful. Dumestre is daring and intense. His singers are forthright and impressive. Claire Lefilliatre is a soprano with a powerful mix of vocal colors that match her emotional expression and involvement. The program notes were informative, interesting and included all texts. Unfortunately, with the hall in complete darkness, the audience was unable to follow the texts.
Monday, June 7, 2010
The King's Singers open the 2010 Israel Festival
The 2010 Israel Festival opened on May 26th with a performance of The King’s Singers(UK) at the Henry Crown Symphony Hall of the Jerusalem Theatre. No newcomers to Israeli audiences, the renowned a cappella ensemble – countertenors David Hurley and Timothy Wayne-Wright, tenor Paul Phoenix, baritones Philip Lawson and Christopher Gabbitas, and bass Stephen Connolly – have a large and varied repertoire, perform widely, have made over 150 recordings, have commissioned over 200 new works, hold master classes and have published many of their arrangements for the use of the public.
The program opened with a well-balanced selection of European Renaissance and Baroque pieces. Opening with the message of Orlando de Lassus’ (c.1532-1594) “Musica Dei donum”, The King’s Singers' superbly blended and richly colored signature sound, true in its absence of vibrato, promised for an evening of fine singing and luxuriant sounds:
‘Music, the gift of the supreme God, draws men, draws gods;
Music makes savage souls gentle and uplifts sad minds.
Music moves the very trees and wild beasts.’
Reflecting the many approaches to love, we experience a lively reading of Thomas Morley’s (1557-1602) flirtatious “Now Is The Month of Maying” and the mystery, tensions and suffering of the admirer in Spanish court composer Juan Vasquez’ (c.1500-1560) cancion “Gentil senora mia” (My gracious lady). Many of French composer Pierre Passereau’s (fl.1509-1547) surviving works are chansons of the Parisian type, popular in the 1530’s. Typically rustic in character, bristling with effects, patter and off-color humor, “Il est bel est bon” (He is handsome and fine) takes place in the market place where two women are discussing their husbands; the whimsical score includes the clucking of chickens, perhaps a reflection of the contents of the women’s conversation. Surely one highlight of the evening’s concert was The King’s Singers’ rendition of Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi’s (1567-1643) “Si ch’io vorrei morire” (Yes, I wish to die), from his Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) to words of Maurizio Moro. Opening with a burst of silvery energy, the singers present the sensuous text with volatile Italian temperament, the timbres of their voices “orchestrating” the score in scintillating colors, their all-out emotional reading of the piece leaving the audience moved and humbled.
Franco-Flemish court composer Heinrich Isaac’s (c.1445-1517) lament “Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen” (Innsbruck, I must leave you) was given a sympathetic, intimate and delicate reading. Ending the section of early music, the singers performed Thomas Weelkes’ (1756-1623) playful madrigal “As Vesta was in Latmos hill descending”, one of the 25 from the collection “The Triumphs of Oriana” (1601) dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I.
The second section of the program focused on Romantic pieces, most of which were, once again, on the subject of love. Bob Chilcott, a former member of The King’s Singers, arranged for a cappella sextet “Wenn ich in deine Augen seh’” (When I look into your eyes) from Robert Schumann’s(1810-1856) Dichterliebe cycle (1840). Poignant and expressive, with a lovely baritone solo, the poem’s end presents a bitter message to the pining admirer. The ensemble performed composer, arranger and conductor Goff Richards’ arrangement of Franz Schubert’s (1797-1828) “Who is Sylvia” (Shakespeare) in English. Allotting solos to tenor and countertenor, Richards translates the piano accompaniment into delicate, light vocal staccato textures, evoking a somewhat Swingles Singers effect (Richards has arranged works for the Swingles Singers.) Another arrangement for vocal sextet from voice and piano, Gabriel Faure’s (1845-1924) “Lydia” Opus 2(words:Leconte de Lisle), offering attractive, small solos, is subtly suggestive and fluid in its sophisticated asymmetry. The words to Edward Elgar’s (1857-1934) four-part strophic “O Happy Eyes” Opus 18 were written by his wife (and piano pupil) Caroline. The singers present the song’s sweet sentimentality with sincere simplicity and transparency. This section of the program ended with a carefully paced performance of Johannes Brahms’ (1833-1897) evocative and meditative “Waldesnacht” (Wondrously cool woodland night) opus 62, no.3 (text: Paul Heyse).
Following the intermission, taking leave of the mostly heavy issues concerning composers and poets of the Renaissance-, Baroque- and Romantic periods, we move into lighter, less formal 20th- and 21st century genres. British composer, conductor, pianist and teacher Paul Drayton’s (b.1944) “Masterpiece” is a witty collage of composers’ names, styles and catch-words, spanning over 400 years. The King’s Singers enjoy natural, British humor and aim to see their audiences well entertained; so whether one likes such a work or not, one can not but admit that they perform it flawlessly and with effortless verve. The concert ended with “Simple Gifts” – a selection of jazz, folk- and pop songs from The King’s Singers’ recent Grammy-winning album “Simple Gifts”. Whether an elegantly presented Nat King Cole piece, complete with double bass pizzicato, Beetles songs, a velvety choral blend in Manhattan Transfer’s “Chanson d’amour” or a trippy, pure-sounding bluegrass version of “Out of the Woods”, the singers address each piece, mood and individual style in the minutest detail.
The King’s Singers bring a cappella music to a level of musicianship that takes your breath away. The singers communicate with each other and with their audiences. Their programs appeal to people of different tastes and the 2010 Israel Festival was all the richer and more joyful for their visit.
The program opened with a well-balanced selection of European Renaissance and Baroque pieces. Opening with the message of Orlando de Lassus’ (c.1532-1594) “Musica Dei donum”, The King’s Singers' superbly blended and richly colored signature sound, true in its absence of vibrato, promised for an evening of fine singing and luxuriant sounds:
‘Music, the gift of the supreme God, draws men, draws gods;
Music makes savage souls gentle and uplifts sad minds.
Music moves the very trees and wild beasts.’
Reflecting the many approaches to love, we experience a lively reading of Thomas Morley’s (1557-1602) flirtatious “Now Is The Month of Maying” and the mystery, tensions and suffering of the admirer in Spanish court composer Juan Vasquez’ (c.1500-1560) cancion “Gentil senora mia” (My gracious lady). Many of French composer Pierre Passereau’s (fl.1509-1547) surviving works are chansons of the Parisian type, popular in the 1530’s. Typically rustic in character, bristling with effects, patter and off-color humor, “Il est bel est bon” (He is handsome and fine) takes place in the market place where two women are discussing their husbands; the whimsical score includes the clucking of chickens, perhaps a reflection of the contents of the women’s conversation. Surely one highlight of the evening’s concert was The King’s Singers’ rendition of Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi’s (1567-1643) “Si ch’io vorrei morire” (Yes, I wish to die), from his Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) to words of Maurizio Moro. Opening with a burst of silvery energy, the singers present the sensuous text with volatile Italian temperament, the timbres of their voices “orchestrating” the score in scintillating colors, their all-out emotional reading of the piece leaving the audience moved and humbled.
Franco-Flemish court composer Heinrich Isaac’s (c.1445-1517) lament “Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen” (Innsbruck, I must leave you) was given a sympathetic, intimate and delicate reading. Ending the section of early music, the singers performed Thomas Weelkes’ (1756-1623) playful madrigal “As Vesta was in Latmos hill descending”, one of the 25 from the collection “The Triumphs of Oriana” (1601) dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I.
The second section of the program focused on Romantic pieces, most of which were, once again, on the subject of love. Bob Chilcott, a former member of The King’s Singers, arranged for a cappella sextet “Wenn ich in deine Augen seh’” (When I look into your eyes) from Robert Schumann’s(1810-1856) Dichterliebe cycle (1840). Poignant and expressive, with a lovely baritone solo, the poem’s end presents a bitter message to the pining admirer. The ensemble performed composer, arranger and conductor Goff Richards’ arrangement of Franz Schubert’s (1797-1828) “Who is Sylvia” (Shakespeare) in English. Allotting solos to tenor and countertenor, Richards translates the piano accompaniment into delicate, light vocal staccato textures, evoking a somewhat Swingles Singers effect (Richards has arranged works for the Swingles Singers.) Another arrangement for vocal sextet from voice and piano, Gabriel Faure’s (1845-1924) “Lydia” Opus 2(words:Leconte de Lisle), offering attractive, small solos, is subtly suggestive and fluid in its sophisticated asymmetry. The words to Edward Elgar’s (1857-1934) four-part strophic “O Happy Eyes” Opus 18 were written by his wife (and piano pupil) Caroline. The singers present the song’s sweet sentimentality with sincere simplicity and transparency. This section of the program ended with a carefully paced performance of Johannes Brahms’ (1833-1897) evocative and meditative “Waldesnacht” (Wondrously cool woodland night) opus 62, no.3 (text: Paul Heyse).
Following the intermission, taking leave of the mostly heavy issues concerning composers and poets of the Renaissance-, Baroque- and Romantic periods, we move into lighter, less formal 20th- and 21st century genres. British composer, conductor, pianist and teacher Paul Drayton’s (b.1944) “Masterpiece” is a witty collage of composers’ names, styles and catch-words, spanning over 400 years. The King’s Singers enjoy natural, British humor and aim to see their audiences well entertained; so whether one likes such a work or not, one can not but admit that they perform it flawlessly and with effortless verve. The concert ended with “Simple Gifts” – a selection of jazz, folk- and pop songs from The King’s Singers’ recent Grammy-winning album “Simple Gifts”. Whether an elegantly presented Nat King Cole piece, complete with double bass pizzicato, Beetles songs, a velvety choral blend in Manhattan Transfer’s “Chanson d’amour” or a trippy, pure-sounding bluegrass version of “Out of the Woods”, the singers address each piece, mood and individual style in the minutest detail.
The King’s Singers bring a cappella music to a level of musicianship that takes your breath away. The singers communicate with each other and with their audiences. Their programs appeal to people of different tastes and the 2010 Israel Festival was all the richer and more joyful for their visit.
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