Lloyd Arriola and Hammerklavier

If you're looking for a classical work with great emotional breadth, a work worthy of obsession, you ought to consider Beethoven's Hammerklavier Sonata, Op. 106.

For a review of a terrific recording of this great sonata, check out my good friend Lloyd Arriola's review.

Flute Music and the Olympics

While the Winter Olympics were going on, I was preparing and performing a flute recital with my friend Jeremy MacEntire.

One of the pieces we played was Casella's Sicilliene and Burlesque. The Burlesque is full of directions from the composer to the performer to speed up. Thus, playing this piece seems a lot like downhill skiing. I heard that Casella was from Turino.

Another of the works we played was Schubert's Introduction and Variations which is based on Schubert's own song "Trockne Blumen." I think this work is a real masterpiece for flute and piano. One of the variations features rapid ascending scales in the piano part. Normally I think of scales of this sort as representing getting somewhere. But to me, having watched the Olympics quite a lot, these scales suggested a figure skater twirling around in place. This phenomenon reminds me of something Fleisher once said. He was discussing a piano piece in which there was a downward spiral of notes that somehow suggested an upward movement, as if the music were somehow implying an ascent into heaven. The idea that musical materials could suggest some movement other than what seems like the obvious choice based on register, is fascinating. Perhaps it depends on context and also harmonic content.

Mozart Marathon

Last week, I took part in a Mozart marathon at the University of Richmond. Upwards of three hours of Mozart's music were presented by various Richmond performers.

One nice thing about important composer anniversaries is that they encourage musicians and the public to take another, and perhaps better look at the composer. I haven't played much Mozart in years, but the anniversary is drawing me back into relationship with his music.

I was surprised that hearing as much Mozart as I did during the marathon did not leave me with as joyful a feeling as I had anticipated. Maybe this is only because of the specific repertoire performed on the occasion, but it may be that his works are somehow more somber than I had realized before.

Horowitz Plays Mozart

A while back, a blogging friend mentioned that he would like to have some recommendations regarding classical recordings to buy, so I got inspired to start making some recommendations.

2006 is this 250th anniversary of the birth of Mozart.

My favorite Mozart recording is "Horowitz Plays Mozart." On the recording Horowitz performs the Piano Concerto, K. 488 and the Piano Sonata, K. 333.

Of course the music-making is energetic and refreshing, but what makes it my favorite is that Horowitz's musicianship is more than aural or conceptual here, it is somehow palpable.

Even better than the CD would be the film that was made about the making of the recording!

Christmas Contrast

On Sunday, we sang "What Child is This" at church. As I considered how best to play the hymn, I noticed the constant contrast between the verses and the chorus. Each verse focuses on the humanity and lowliness of the Baby Jesus: "What child is this who laid to rest on Mary's lap is sleeping?" The verse emphasizes the glory of Christ's divinity: "This, this is Christ the King whom shepherds guard and angels sing."

As I thought on the contrast and paradox of God becoming human, I realized that this concept might be the most profound and poignant archetype with which many other contrasts resonate.

As a musician, I see this as a possible insight into the interpretation of sonata forms. Sonata forms are structured around the contrast of two themes. Traditionally, one theme is of an assertive quality while the other is more passive and lyrical. Perhaps these qualities suggest to us the majesty of God and the tenderness of the incarnation. And maybe the tumult of the development sections of sonata forms sound out the mysteries of God becoming human.

Juries

"Jury" is the ominous sounding name music schools have given to the end-of-semester exam for students studying to play an instrument or to sing.

I enjoy listening to juries, but they can be very stressful for the students playing them. Last Saturday, we held juries at the University of Richmond. This time around, most of the students seemed pretty relaxed, and most also did a very good job.

Part of the fun of listening to juries is to see what music teachers are assigning. Sometimes you learn of good material to use with students through this process.

This time, I heard several piano preludes by the composer Mompou. The first of these was for left hand alone, and sounded a little like Scriabin. Another had a very interesting shape, beginning in the upper to middle registers of the piano and descending ratther rapidly and unexpectedly to the lower registers towards the end.

I was also introduced to two pieces for saxophone and piano by Hartley. These pieces use what sounds like a twelve-tone vocabulary, and are constructed in such a way as to keep the listener closely engaged throughout. I was also struck during one of these pieces at how loud and beautiful sounding an instrument the baritone saxophone can be given the right acoustic.

Holiday Performances

I will be involved in several Christmas-related musical events this Decemeber that may be of interest.


12-4
11:00 AM
Woodland Heights Baptist Church - Richmond, VA

During the worship service a cantata I have been composing this fall will be presented. It is entitled "The Promise of a Child" and is based on passages in Genesis, Matthew, Luke, and Revelation. In addition to the choir and instrumentalists of the church, soprano Susan Meador and bass-baritone James Lynn will be singing.


12-15
7:30 PM
Woodland Heights Baptist Church

During this Christmas concert, I will perform arrangements of music from Handel's Messiah and will accompany hornist Kathy Hulin (my wife) and tenor and soprano Jeff and Tracee Prillaman in a varity of Christmas carols.


12-18
7:00 PM
Lasker Baptist Church - Lasker, NC

In this solo concert I will play a set of Christmas pieces by Mendelssohn, the Messiah arrangements, and arrangements of favorite carols.

Faure Songs

Last week we attended Richmond Ballet performances that incorporated songs by Gabriel Faure. Since then, I have been struck afresh by how haunting and exquisite the melodies of these songs are.

When we got home from the Ballet, we took out a volume of Faure songs and sang and played a few because we were both still thinking about them.

In the middle of that night, I woke from a dream to find myself singing Faure's "Apres un Reve" in my mind!

And in the days following, I have enjoyed strolling the leaf-scattered streets of my neighborhood in the autumn moonlight and humming more Faure songs to myself.

Third Practice

A major musical event that happens in Richmond each year is the Third Practice Electro-Acoustic Music Festival that takes place at the University of Richmond. This Friday and Saturday, there will be five free concerts of music by innovative composers who are visiting from around the country and beyond. There works incorporate aspects of performance using traditional acoustic instruments mediated in some way by electricity. This could mean anything from a piece of music that exists entirely on tape, to a duet between a violinist and a computer, to a work for a traditional instrument that the composer used a computer to compose. Eight Blackbird, the University's ensemble-in-residence will be performing five new commissions on these concerts. You can see a complete schedule and other information by clicking here.

Hulin Gallery

I have recently started a second blog. It is devoted to exhibiting my mother's art work. Some of you might enjoy taking a look. I'll be adding other works periodically.

Click here for Hulin Gallery.

Here's a photo I took in an ice cream shop in Sharpsburg, MD this weekend. Those who enjoy saxophone jokes should appreciate it. 

Student Canons

In response to remarks on my last post, I am posting the canons my three classes constructed. The process by which the canons were constructed was as follows:

1. Each student compiled a list of 20 works from any style, genre, artist, etc. I encouraged students to be very reflective in this process. For each work, they needed to articulate what made it canon-worthy in their mind. Also, they had to hypothesize about why that quality is important to them personally.

2. In groups of 5, students combined their individual lists and whittled the combined list down to 20.

3. In the final stage, we posted all of the lists that the groups generated in the classroom. This was followed by periods of questioning, debate, and advocacy regarding works on those lists. Finally, we voted for a new list of 20 extracted from the posted lists. Each student was allowed 20 votes. What follows is three lists of the top 20 from my three classes with the numbers of votes works received.

In discussion following this exercise, students noticed that most of the music in their canons is new in the whole history of music, but relatively old in the context of pop culture. This relative oldness suggests that a cultural filtering process has gone on with pop music from the 60's-90's and that certain works have achieved a sort of classical status, which is of course a typical phenomena in the building of canons.

Class 1

16 votes
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana

14
Thriller - Michael Jackson

12
Mo Money, Mo Problems - Notorious Big

11
Stairway to Heaven
We Didn't Start the Fire
Changes - Tupac
New York, New York - Frank Sinatra

9
Hotel California - Eagles
Sexual Healing - Marvin Gaye
Juicy - Notorious Big

8
Living on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
Crash into Me - Dave Matthews Band
Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Born in the USA - Bruce Springstein

7
Buffalo Soldier - Bob Marley
More Than a Feeling - Boston
What I Got - Sublime
Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
Georgia on My Mind - Ray Charles
Respect - Aretha Franklin


Class 2

15
A Whole New World
Eye of the Tiger

14
Since You've Been Gone

13
Don't Stop Believin'
Carol of the Bells - Trans-Siberian Orchestra

12
Thriller
Free Bird

11
Brown Eyed Girl
American Pie
Summer of '69
Margaritaville

10
Proud to be an American

9
Hotel California
Stairway to Heaven
Changes - Tupac
Pachelbel Canon
Tears in Heaven
Baby Got Back
In the Air T'night

8
My Girl


Class 3

20
Thriller

15
Piano Man

14
Mrs. Robinson

13
Changes - Tupac
Georgia on My Mind
Tiny Dancer
Stairway to Heaven
American Pie

12
The Star Spangled Banner
Heard It Through the Grapevine

11
Buffalo Dancer
Let It Be

10
Don't Stop Believing
Juicy

9
Sweet Home Alabama
Margaritaville

8
New York, New York
White Christmas - Frank Sinatra

7
Black Magic Woman
Bohemian Rhapsody

Late September

I notice that my blog-writing friends are not writing much these days. Some are busy with work, some have crisis situations to deal with, and I imagine that some are not motivated. I haven't had any blog-inspiring musical experiences lately.

This might be a little interesting:

I have 84 Music Appreciation students divided into three sections. We have been studying the concept of canon as it relates to classical music. As part of this study, each of the three groups constructed its own canon of 20 works. They were free to choose from any style, era, genre, artist, etc.

The only classical work to even be considered was Pachelbel's Canon. It made it onto one of the group's canons with 9 votes.

The only other works that belonged to any sort of remotely classical genre were Carol of the Bells as performed by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and the Star-Spangled Banner.

I wonder if the classical repertoire will consist primarily of Pachelbel's Canon and a few other favorites in a few hundred years.

Penderecki Viola Concerto

Last night, I heard Roberto Diaz and the Richmond Symphony perform Penderecki's Concerto for Viola and Orchestra. Also on the program was Rimsky-Korsakov's Russian Easter Overture and Tchaikowsky's 5th Symphony. Eighty of my students also attended this weekend's Richmond Symphony Concerts.

After class today, one student asked me about what he perceived as a lack of emotion in Diaz's playing. I responded with the following points:

1. A performer's emotional response to a piece they are playing is not the same every time. For various reasons, sometimes you might not feel much of anything that's relevant to the music at hand. The place of emotion in performance is an issue that many performers grapple with.

2. It may be possible for a performer to focus entirely on the musical details of a score, and thus to bring it to life for the listeners. Such a performer might be trusting the music to evoke the appropriate emotions in the listeners, not his or her own expression or charisma.

3. Maybe the meaning or application of a particular work is so universal that the injection of a performer's personal emotional emphasis might interfere with the work's true scale and power. I wonder if the overly emotional presentation of a large symphonic work might paradoxically weaken its impact.

4. Finally, a performer's appearance is not a trustworthy measure of his or her emotional engagement. Not everyone looks the same way when they are angry or sad or enjoying themselves. Also, a performer's emotional experience in performance may involve emotions we have never felt.

Looking towards the "Golden Plain of Sinai" - The Golden Plain was a secret worship site until the Shakers built their meeting house. 

The Meeting House - with separate entrances for men and women. 

Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill

On the way home from Missouri, Kathy and I spent the night at Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, Kentucky. Pleasant Hill is a half hour south of Lexington, and the village consists of thirty-three buildings that are operated as a living museum in the daytime and as hotels at night. The surroundings were charming, peaceful and inspiring, and the meal we ate there was tremendous. (To spend the night there only costs ten dollars more than the Holiday Inn Express where we stayed on the way out there.)

The Shakers were a Christian sect known for their commitment to living the way Christ did. They were celibate and pacifists. They were known for their great hospitality, their simplicity, and their hard work.

In the realm of music, they composed thousands of hymns. As far as I can tell, very few of these works were adopted by other Protestant groups. Some of their hymns were written as though they were dictated by spirits or angels who speak in unfamiliar languages.

There is a great CD of Shaker Music available on the Erato label. It is entitled "Simple Gifts" and features The Boston Camerata with the Shakers of Sabbathday Lake, Maine. Sabbathday Lake is the one remaining group of Shakers, or at least they were according to the CD liner notes in 1995.

Below I am going to quote the text from a Shaker spiritual written by Sister Polly M. Rupe at Pleasant Hill back in the 1860's.

What the dew is to the flower,
Gentle words are to the soul.
And a blessing to the giver,
And so dear to the reciever,
We should never withhold.

Gentle words,
kindly spoken,
often soothe the troubled mind,
While links of love are broken
by words that are unkind.

Then O, thou gentle spirit,
my constant guardian be,
"Do to others," be my motto,
"as I'd have them do to me."

Poulenc Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra

This week I performed Poulenc's Two Piano Concerto with my friend Randy Schilb and the Columbia Civic Orchestra in Columbia, Missouri.

Lloyd Arriola had recommended the piece to us, and it was a very good recommendation. One reason for this is that Poulenc's style requires very little fluctuation of tempo, so it presents very few ensemble problems. This is important when there may not be a lot of rehearsal time available. Another reason that this was a good choice for this situation is that there's something interesting for everyone in the orchestra to play, and as Randy pointed out, in a volunteer orchestra, people want to play! The other piece that we seriously considered was by Mozart and wouldn't have provided the winds and percussion with so much to do.

The Concerto is packed with neat details regarding instrumentation such as a duet between the first piano and the principal cellist at the end of the first movement. The orchestral parts often seem to grow right out of the piano parts. This is a pleasure for the musicians. What's more, the two audiences for which we've played this piece really seemed to enjoy it.

Rhapsody

At Lloyd Arriola's concert, which I mentioned two entries back, an audience member asked me a very good question. She was wondering about the exact meanings of some of the titles on the program, "Rhapsody" and "Prelude" in particular.

These titles for short piano pieces came into frequent usage during the Romantic period. My first response was that these were short free forms, but that doesn't explain how to differentiate the two. I've done a bit of research, and here's what I came up with.

"Rhapsody" often connotes one of the following:
1. having the character of an epic tale - this idea has its roots in the Greek origins of the word "rhapsody"
2. having a national or regional character, as in the Hungarian Rhapsodies of Brahms
3. being episodic in structure

Preludes
In earlier periods, preludes were exactly what the term sounds like - pieces to preceed other pieces. These pieces were for the purpose of establishing the key of the piece that would follow, and they were often improvised.

In Romantic era preludes, the improvisatory mood is maintained. Also, it seems that an individual prelude usually presents a small number of ideas and has very little time for development. Thus, preludes still serve an introductory function. That is, they introduce a musical idea as opposed to developing it over an extended period of time.

Brother Roger

On August 16th, Brother Roger of the Taize Community in France was murdered during a prayer service. I'm sure this terrible event is saddening and sickening to anyone who knows about Brother Roger and Taize.

Brother Roger did the danergous work of helping Jewish refugees during the Second World War. After the war, he focused on working for unity among Christians and on helping the poor around the world. He has been joined by many devoted brothers and sisters who choose to live in some of the poorest communities in the world.

Thousands of people, particularly young people, make pilgrimages to Taize every year. Because of the diverse nationalities represented, the brothers at Taize found it necessary to compose a type of music that would make reverent corporate worship possible. Many Taize songs consist of a simple phrase that anyone can learn, repeated numerous times. Added to this phrase are other texts sung by soloists in many languages, as well as instrumental lines.

I have added two links to this blog regarding Taize. One is to the Taize site and deals with music, prayer, and meditation. The other ("Sabbatical Journeys") is the blog of a friend who has recently visited Taize.