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| Event | Location and Time | Program Notes, Repertoire, Instruments, Performers, etc... |
| Borodin Society Spring Recital | University
of Michigan Hospital Lobby Thursday March 15, 2001 12:05 PM |
Program
Notes by Gary Meyer. ... Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin and String Orchestra in E Major, Op 8. no.1. ("Spring" from the Four Seasons) Performed by Akiko Kurachi (violin) and Paolin Chi (piano) This is the third of a four performance cycle - one for each of Vivaldi's Four Seasons - that Akiko Kurachi is playing this year. Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) was a music teacher, violin virtuoso, and a priest. While he wrote many violin works for educational purposes, some of his compositions were written specifically to showcase his virtuoso talents. The most well-known of his virtuoso violin concerti are his "Four Seasons". Each piece is based on a poem Vivaldi had written about the events associated with each of the four seasons. The music specifically depicts these events. For instance, in the first movement to "Spring" Vivaldi writes music depicting bird song, thunder, and flowing water. The second movement illustrates rustling plants and a sleeping goat herder. The final movement is a country dance. Written originally for violin soloist and a small string orchestra, Akiko and PaoLin perform "Spring" in an arrangement for violin and piano. ... Max Burch: Kol Nidrei Performed by Anna Rotberg (cello) and Gary Meyer (piano) Max Bruch was a romantic composer known especially for his string and choral works. One of his most popular compositions is the Kol Nidrei, for cello and orchestra. Bruch turned to his Jewish roots for inspiration when setting the Kol Nidrei, a Jewish prayer. He uses the cellošs somber color to evoke the sounds of the chanted prayer in the first half of the piece. Moving from D minor into the D major, the second half presents a lyrical cello theme over flowing arpeggiations in the piano. This section has a Brahmsian lushness, but still maintains a reverent and reflective mood. ... Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Trio in E-flat Major for Piano, Clarinet and Viola, K498. "Kegelstatt-Trio" Performed by Amy Meyer (viola), David Wu (Clarinet) and Gary Meyer (piano). Mozart signed the autograph copy of this trio "Vienna, 27 July, 1786, while playing skittles." As happens frequently to musical compositions, a mysterious statement from the composer leads to a fanciful interpretation being applied to the music in this case, the popular rumor that Mozart dashed off this composition while playing a game of skittles in the street. ("Kegelstatt" means "skittle alley".) The finely crafted music would indicate, though, that Mozart spent some careful time composing this work, and the inscription more likely refers in general to happy times spent with friends. The trio is in three movements: a moderato, a minuet, and an allegretto. Mozart wrote the piano part for one of his students and the clarinet part for a friend. As he often enjoyed being in the middle of the musical texture, he played the viola part himself. |
| Borodin Society Autumn Recital | University
of Michigan Hospital Lobby Thursday October 19, 2000 12:05 PM |
Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart: Sonata in C Major, First movement. Performed by Michele Gray (piano) ... Frederic Chopin: Nocturne Performed by Paolin Chi (piano) ... Claude Debussy: Dr. Gradus and Parnassum Performed by: Paolin Chi (piano) ... Antonio Vivaldi: Autumn from the Four Seasons Performed by Akiko Kurachi (violin) and Paolin Chi (piano) This is the first of a four performance cycle - one for each of Vivaldi's Four Seasons - that Akiko Kurachi is playing this year. ... Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Rondo from the Mozart Clarinet Concerto Performed by David Wu (clarinet) and Gary Meyer (piano) ... Alexander Borodin: Serenade from String Quartet No. 2 Performed by Amy Meyer (violin), Estelle D' Souza (violin), Steven Ewer (viola), and Anna Rotberg (cello). |
| Borodin Society Chamber Music Recital | University
of Michigan Hospital Lobby Thursday, April 27 2000 12:05 PM |
Program
Notes by Gary Meyer. ... Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto for violin and oboe. Performed by Sharon Baughman, oboe; Steve Ewer, viola; and a guest pianist. Bach frequently re-arranged his concerti for different sets of instruments. Sometimes he even "borrowed" complete concerti from other composers and reassigned the instruments, then signed his own name as the composer. (This was a common practice among all composers of the period.) This work of three movements (fast, slow, fast) has had a previous life as a concerto for 2 harpsichords before being set for violin and oboe. In keeping with the tradition, Steve Ewer will play this work with viola instead of violin. ... Johannes Brahms: 2nd movement from Quintet in f minor for piano and strings, Op. 34. Performed by Debbie Kwon and Amy Meyer, violins, Steve Ewer, viola, Anna Rotberg, cello, and Gary Meyer, piano. Brahms penned some of the most inspired chamber music of the late 19th century romantic period. His quintet in f minor consists of four movements of symphonic proportions. (Only the slow movement will be performed at this event.) The quintet went through several reworkings before it arrived at its final form. Brahms had first written it as a sonata for two pianos, then a quintet for 5 strings (a second cello added to the usual string quartet). Melding the two ideas, the final version for piano and strings is the most often performed. The second movement begins with a gently rocking tune, but leads to more impassioned themes before returning to the original idea. ... Francis Poulenc: Sonata for Oboe and Piano (1963). Performed by Sharon Baughman (oboe) and Gary Meyer (piano). Francis Poulenc's last composition before he died is the elegiac oboe sonata. Paris had been a major hub for classical composers during the earlier part of the 20th century, and Poulenc became friends with many, including the Russian Sergei Prokofiev. As Poulenc's friends died, he turned his memories of them into compositions during the last years of his life. Prokofiev is the focus of the oboe sonata. He had returned to the Soviet Union several decades before 1963 and died after years of struggle against Soviet censorship. Poulenc's sonata borrows from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet ballet music. It begins with a lyrical "Elegie". The second movement is a fast and percussive scherzo, interrupted in the middle by a contrasting lyrical trio section. The final movement is entitled "Deploration"; the oboe delivers a melancholy line over the tolling of funeral bells in the piano. ... Aaron Copland: Final section from Appalachian Spring, original version for 13 instruments. Performers: Akiko Kurachi, Debbie Kwon, Alice Lin, Alison Gehle -- violins; Steve Ewer, Amy Meyer -- violas; Anna Rotberg, Heather Kesler -- celli; Amanda Bauer -- flute; David Wu -- clarinet; Monica Jushchyshn -- bassoon; Gary Meyer -- piano. Rehearsals conducted by Chaplain Joel Beam, U-M Hospitals Chaplain services. Aaron Copland, born in 1900, was one of the most well known of the 20th century American composers. Many of his compositions reflect musical styles popular in America or aspects of American culture. The choreographer Martha Graham asked Copland to write music for a ballet about a recently married couple in the Appalachians. As they look forward to their future together, they receive advice from the experienced members of their community. The ballet, originally titled Ballet for Martha, was renamed by Graham Appalachian Spring. The orchestral suite Copland adapted from the ballet music is surely one of the most loved American classical music compositions. The original orchestral suite Copland adapted from the ballet music is surely one of the most loved American classical music compositions. The original ballet music was scored for only 13 instruments, however, due to the very small orchestra pit where Graham was to premiere the work. This smaller scale, more intimate version is often performed by chamber orchestras. This performance will include the final sections of the work, which are based upon the Shaker hymn tune "Simple Gifts". The hymn tune is first presented by the solo clarinet, then played by different combinations of instruments as it builds to a proud climax. |
