A weekend of music
Alright, you know about Thursday.
Friday I attended "A Concert of New Music" at Christ Episcopal Church in the University district (47th & Brooklyn) thanks to an invite from my SCI comrade Greg Bartholomew (we also share David Mesler)
Greg had three pieces on the program; "Beneath the Apple Tree" a sweet love duet for viola da gamba and recorder, "String Trio for George Crumb" vln, vla, & vcl, and "Voyageur Suite"for brass quintet.
Other pieces included a charming piano solo written by 15 year old Lauren Geertsen, Gloria Wilson Swisher (apparently the chief honcho of The Seattle Composers Seminar, who were the instigators of this shindig), Bernard Super, and Georgia Lockwood.
David and I left right after Greg's brass quintet, the weather was inclement, the roads were infested with political traffic, and I live at the other end of town.
So I missed the reception following and a chance to talk with the composers.
The only problem I have with new music is that one generally gets to hear it only once and can't form any opinion other than "I like to listen to the stuff"
Then on Sunday it was Philharmonia Northwest who played Wagners "Flying Dutchman Overture" Wagner's music is BIG music and Saint Steven's Episcopal Church is a moderately sized one.
Felt like we were sitting inside one of the tubas.
A visceral thrill not unlike sitting at a traffic light next to a full throttle boom box bass rattling your windows.
Pretty exciting.
Also they played Roupen Shakarian's violin concerto, which was played magnificently by Victoria Parker (standing ovation)
Being a composer myself and entering the phase wherein I must start advertising, I must comment.
The piece sounded nice but there was little variation between the movements, either in tempo or dramatic content.
There was a Strauss wind band piece which I didn't like, and the finale was Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture which the intimate space of the church amplified and clarified magnificently.
It was like I had never heard it before.
A very enjoyable afternoon.
Then it was off to my book group meeting where we discussed the movies "Sullivan's Travels" and "Born Yesterday"
The seldom seen Jonathan was there. Good seeing you Jonathan.
(I gave him my card, so maybe he's reading this).
Now the important part.
Here's the only way to save our great country from perdition;
We must elect Barack Obama president and Hillary Clinton vice president.
That way we will have Barack to end the war, Hillary to get us health care, and Bill to balance the budget and catch the guys who knocked down the towers.
So hop to it America.
I've got the recording of the salon version of the violin duet and I'll post it as soon as I get to a fast enough connection. Maybe I'll post all three versions; the computer simulation, the rehearsal and the salon performance.
And maybe I won't.
Very soon, however I'll be posting "Minnesota Mittens", a hot-rod romp for full orchestra and a sure fire mega-hit if there ever was one.
Undoubtedly destined to outshine Frank Zappa's "Movin' to Montana"
Friday I attended "A Concert of New Music" at Christ Episcopal Church in the University district (47th & Brooklyn) thanks to an invite from my SCI comrade Greg Bartholomew (we also share David Mesler)
Greg had three pieces on the program; "Beneath the Apple Tree" a sweet love duet for viola da gamba and recorder, "String Trio for George Crumb" vln, vla, & vcl, and "Voyageur Suite"for brass quintet.
Other pieces included a charming piano solo written by 15 year old Lauren Geertsen, Gloria Wilson Swisher (apparently the chief honcho of The Seattle Composers Seminar, who were the instigators of this shindig), Bernard Super, and Georgia Lockwood.
David and I left right after Greg's brass quintet, the weather was inclement, the roads were infested with political traffic, and I live at the other end of town.
So I missed the reception following and a chance to talk with the composers.
The only problem I have with new music is that one generally gets to hear it only once and can't form any opinion other than "I like to listen to the stuff"
Then on Sunday it was Philharmonia Northwest who played Wagners "Flying Dutchman Overture" Wagner's music is BIG music and Saint Steven's Episcopal Church is a moderately sized one.
Felt like we were sitting inside one of the tubas.
A visceral thrill not unlike sitting at a traffic light next to a full throttle boom box bass rattling your windows.
Pretty exciting.
Also they played Roupen Shakarian's violin concerto, which was played magnificently by Victoria Parker (standing ovation)
Being a composer myself and entering the phase wherein I must start advertising, I must comment.
The piece sounded nice but there was little variation between the movements, either in tempo or dramatic content.
There was a Strauss wind band piece which I didn't like, and the finale was Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture which the intimate space of the church amplified and clarified magnificently.
It was like I had never heard it before.
A very enjoyable afternoon.
Then it was off to my book group meeting where we discussed the movies "Sullivan's Travels" and "Born Yesterday"
The seldom seen Jonathan was there. Good seeing you Jonathan.
(I gave him my card, so maybe he's reading this).
Now the important part.
Here's the only way to save our great country from perdition;
We must elect Barack Obama president and Hillary Clinton vice president.
That way we will have Barack to end the war, Hillary to get us health care, and Bill to balance the budget and catch the guys who knocked down the towers.
So hop to it America.
I've got the recording of the salon version of the violin duet and I'll post it as soon as I get to a fast enough connection. Maybe I'll post all three versions; the computer simulation, the rehearsal and the salon performance.
And maybe I won't.
Very soon, however I'll be posting "Minnesota Mittens", a hot-rod romp for full orchestra and a sure fire mega-hit if there ever was one.
Undoubtedly destined to outshine Frank Zappa's "Movin' to Montana"
Labels: Frank Zappa
posted by Lane Savant at 9:42 AM
2 Comments:
Sounds to me like you were about as busy as one mortal could be, cramming all sorts of music into your appreciation larder.
From the Church calendar;
:00 PM 5:00 PM Concert Rehearsal
7:00 PM 5:00 PM Contemplative Community Retreat, Off-Site
7:30 PM 9:30 PM Seattle Composer's Concert FREE Church
On November 1st, 1903, All Saint's Church, a mission of Saint Mark's Episcopal church, was started in the University District of Seattle, Washington. Because there was already an Episcopal Church with the name "All Saint's" in the Seattle area, the name of the church was changed in its early years to Christ Episcopal Church. A Chapel was built on the corner of NE 47th Street and Brooklyn Avenue NE in 1904, and the first church was built on that site in 1909.
In 1914 this structure was moved to the lot south of the corner lot, and it was remodeled to serve as a parish hall. A new church was built on the corner lot.
In 1954 the new church house was dedicated on November 21. This structure, erected on the corner lot, was to be used for offices, Sunday School classes and meeting rooms. Plans had been made to rebuild the church as well, but these were later abandoned, or at least put on indefinite hold, and the church building was bricked.
It really does sound exciting to be one of the fresh an vital new composer's on the Norhtwest scene. Doug Palmer will certainly become a force to be reckoned with. Can a CD be too far in the future?
Philharmonia Northwest is a chamber orchestra under the direction of Roupen Shakarian and is based in north Seattle. We perform a five-concert season from September through April.
We invite you to join us at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Seattle for five regular season concerts in October, November, February, March, and April. For ticket information, see our ticket order form, or contact us with any questions. For a preview, listen to clips from our audio recordings, or find out more about our organization, our conductor, or our orchestra members.
Roupen Shakarian
Music Director and Conductor
Born in Cairo, Egypt of Armenian parents, Roupen Shakarian’s interest in music began at the age of four when he heard Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture and Bach’s Little Fugue in g-minor. His musical studies in piano were interrupted when the family immigrated to the United States. When the family settled in Seattle, he began taking violin lessons and resumed piano playing. He also explored, in his formative years, the viola, composition and singing.
Roupen Shakarian received his musical training at the University of Washington, receiving his Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Music degrees in Music Composition. Along with private composition lessons, he studied, piano, harpsichord, viola, voice, choral and orchestral conducting. He led numerous performances of contemporary works, acting as the principal conductor for the Composer's Lab, student conductor of The Contemporary Group, conductor of several opera scenes and musical coach for various instrumental and vocal students. In addition, as a graduate student, he taught first year Theory and Ear Training courses for two years. After a four-month stay in London, England, Mr. Shakarian returned and entered Yale University for conducting studies with Otto-Werner Mueller.
Roupen Shakarian is now an active composer and conductor in Seattle, where presently he is in his 21st year as music director of Philharmonia Northwest. He is also a full-time music faculty member at North Seattle Community College. Mr. Shakarian has appeared as guest conductor with the Seattle Symphony, Seattle Symphony Chorale, the Seattle Youth Symphony, the Belle Arte Festival, Oregon's Peter Britt Festival Orchestra, the Northwest Mahler Festival, the California Youth Symphony and several of the community orchestras and choruses in the Seattle area. From 1992 - 1995, while still the music director of Philharmonia Northwest, he held the position of music director of the Cascade Symphony Orchestra in Edmonds, Washington. In December 1996, Mr. Shakarian appeared as guest conductor for the Pacific Northwest Ballet, conducting 10 performances of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Ballet. In the summer of 1996, Mr. Shakarian and Philharmonia Northwest recorded works by Mozart, Beethoven, and Ravel and in August 1998 recorded Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2 "Lobgesang". In November 1998, he was invited to guest conduct the Victoria Symphony in Victoria, B.C., Canada. For the 2004-2005 season, Mr. Shakarian has been appointed as the interim director of the Skagit Symphony.
A recipient of numerous commissions, his works include Whimsy and Chamber Symphony (both written for Philharmonia Northwest), The Turnip, Clock, and the Kid, commissioned and recorded by The Rainier Chamber Winds, Five Bagatelles for woodwind quintet, Concertino a Duende or flute, guitar and orchestra, Flute Concerto, and Pastime for a small ensemble, Inner Places for organ and brass, Other Voices for chorus and small ensemble, and choral works published by Oxford University Press. And more recently A Christmas Carol, for chorus, soloists and chamber orchestra, commissioned by the Old North Church Festival Chorus in the Boston area, and Bone Island Suite for Soprano and Orchestra, which received its premiere with Philharmonia Northwest in April 2006.
Interesting that you discuss films at your book club; very progressive.
SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS (1941)
This masterpiece by Preston Sturges is perhaps the finest movie-about-a-movie ever made. Hollywood director Joel McCrea, tired of churning out lightweight comedies, decides to make O Brother, Where Art Thou-a serious, socially responsible film about human suffering. After his producers point out that he knows nothing of hardship, he hits the road as a hobo. He finds the lovely Veronica Lake-and more trouble than he ever dreamed of.
BORN YESTERDAY (1950)
Dir George Cukor.
An Amazon reviewer wrote:
Eliza Doolittle Meets Betty Boop., June 1, 2002
By F. Gentile (Lake Worth, Florida, United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Born Yesterday (VHS Tape)
From the moment she enters the picture and screeches "Whaaaaattttt??", in a voice that could peel wallpaper, you can't take your eyes off Judy Hollidays "Billie Dawn." In this movie adaptation of the Garson Kanin play, directed by famed "womans director" George Cukor, she takes a wonderfully written character and turns her into a classic movie performance that no one else could have played. Her crass, monosyllabic Billie is SO dumb, that, when her corrupt bully boyfriend, played by Broderick Crawford, first proposes to the owlish journalist, played by William Holden, that he refine Billies rough edges so she can be presented into the Washington society that he hopes to manipulate, well...you wonder how he can EVER mold this dim-witted clay. Along the way, she, for the first time, begins to actually THINK, and her development of a conscience and awareness of her self worth is as moving as it is comical. The backdrop of corrupt politicians who can be bought for a price (some things never change), provides the moral (immoral) climate in which Billie has unquestioningly (til now) existed. Seeing her grow into someone with character is touching to behold. In the scene towards the end, in the Rotunda, where she finally realizes the changes within her, and the potential for the "good" in life, it always brings a tear to the eye. As everyone knows, Judy Holliday beat out the toughest competition ever, Bette Davis for "All; About Eve", and Gloria Swanson for "Sunset Boulevard", to win the best actress Oscar for 1950. A good friend of mine, who knew Judy Holliday, and is presently writing a play about her life, corroborates what many already know, that she was an intensely serious and intelligent woman. Tragically, she died much too young. But her film roles will always ensure her reputation as a brilliant actress, with her portrayal of "Billie Dawn" being the role for which she'll most be remembered. There will never be another Judy Holliday, nor another Billie Dawn. (Don't even MENTION the Melanie Griffith remake!) Thanks for all the joy, dear lady.
If you are reading this comment, Jonathan, you have way too much time on your hands. If not, read the card, join the Savant club, and enjoy.
I agree with your political savy and assessment 100%. If we could keep Obama alive for 4 years, and Hillary could overhaul the health services,or lack of them in this countey, and Wild Bill could reach out and touch Osama like toot sweet. I would be very pleased if this turned out to be America's actual future.
Glenn
Hallo, Lane!
An Obama-H.Clinton" ticket sounds ideal, with Bill coming out of "retirement" to be Secretary of the Treasury!!! Great!!! And McCain in retirement as President of the Retired Air Force Officers Ass(n).!!!
Also to read the initial part of your blog, it looks like the Episcopalians are really getting into music -- or is it "music is getting into Episcopal churches.
Bravo, Episcoplaians!! I was raised as one, but left because of inconsistencies in the Bible and between it and my Socialism.
Tschuess,
Anonomann
Post a Comment
<< Home