Concert at Wildebraam

CONCERT AT WILDEBRAAM, Swellendam

15th October 2010

Venue: Wildebraam Cellar Tickets: R140pp (meal incl)

R100pp (meal excl)

Time: 7pm for meal. 8pm for concert.

Booking: Tel. 028 – 514 3132

Marcelle Volckaert, Soprano

Sylvia Schulman, Pianist

Aspectos D'amore http://cantolyrico.com

The art of love celebrated with song; and the art of song celebrated with love.

Programme:

1) Vesperal - O. Lorenzo Fernandez

2) Intorno all'idol mio – Marcus Antonio Cesti (1623 – 1669)

3) Amarilli – Giulio Caccini (1551 – 1618)

4) Cujus animam gementem -Stabat Mater - Pergolesi (1710 - 1736)

5) Vidit suum -Stabat Mater - Pergolesi (1710 - 1736)

Waltz Opus 64 No. 1 (The “Minute” Waltz) - Chopin

6) Le Spectre de la Rose - Hector Berlioz

7) Serenade - Franz Schubert

8) Melodia Sentimental - Villa Lobos

Interval

9) Gretchen am Spinnrade - Franz Schubert

10) Spoza son disprezzata - Vivaldi

Preludes Opus 34 Nos. 13,14,17 - Shostakovich

11) La mort d'Ophélie – Hector Berlioz (1803 – 1869)

12) Deh vieni, non tardar - Le Nozze di Figaro - Mozart

“If music be the food of love, play on...” (Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare)

Love and music are linked in such a way, that to think of the one is to automatically think of the other. This relationship is explored here as the various aspects that make up love.

Vesperal is a Brazilian song which deals with the beauty of Sunset. When the shadows of night touch the world like a kiss...

From the tragedy of a mother's loss in the Stabat Mater to the worshipping desire of Intorno and the painfully fearful longing of Amarilli; music has a way of capturing these emotions that are all one great emotion, love, as no other medium can. The purity of line in these Aria Antiche transcends both translation and time and so we are able to enjoy them 400 years on!

Le Spectre de la Rose tells us that love is a fragile thing of beauty to be admired while Schubert deals with passion, its promise and its consequences! Melodia Sentimental takes passion to new heights! What is love without passion after all? These soaring lines and sumptuous rhythms capture the vastness of this emotion in all its tangled glory as only the wild Villa Lobos can!

Love is not always wonderful though and while Vivaldi deals with neglect, who more fitting than Shakespeare's doomed Ophelia to remind us of how fragile we can become in the face of loss and rejection? Poor Ophelia's madness and death by drowning are beautifully captured in Berlioz's haunting melody. So taken was Berlioz with the works of Shakespeare that this Frenchman undertook the study of English for the sole purpose of being able to read more of the great Bard's plays!

Ending the program on a lighter note we have Mozart's wonderful heroine, Suzanna. She sings a cheeky song about a romantic rendezvous with a mysterious lover ...

These songs, bring to light a partnership that is also a powerful 'love affair' of sorts - as artists ~ pianist and singer ~ work together to make music that would not be possible alone. It is a relationship that is stronger for being together than for being apart. That supports and enhances when the going is good and detracts and destroys when the going is bad! That soars and creates in a passion shared – “if music be the food of love,” indeed, “play on!”

Bahá'í World Centre

Some photos with background music taken from my CD - "Rosemary" by Frank Bridge

After hours and days of investigating, I finally managed to get this "movie" on to my blog. It is not perfect and I will keep editing till I get something much better. But I hope you enjoy it in the meantime!! Just click on the image and another page will come up, click on the same image on the left of the page and then it will then play the slide show.

Master Class Update

The Piano Master Class at Swellendam High School took place very successfully today. Apart from the 4 girls who presented their pieces, the Headmaster, the Music Mistress and four other people attended as spectators. There were supposed to be 5 girls but one of them was not well and could not be there. Those who came each presented one piece whereas I had been expecting a total of 7 pieces. However, the girls were reasonably well prepared even though the Grade VIII exam will not be taken until next year. At some later date there will be another Master Class when I will help the girls improve their performances of the other pieces. On all my visits to this school I have been very impressed by the excellent behaviour and helpfulness of the learners. In my experience of teaching and performing at various schools, both in South Africa and the UK, I have noticed that the qualities of good character in the learners is directly related to the quality of the Headmaster or Headmistress. It is reported that this School has had 100% Matric passes for many years! This can only happen in a very well-run and happy school.

Concert at Wildebraam

The next concert at Wildebraam will be on Friday 15th October featuring a song recital by Marcelle Volckaert. I shall be accompanying her and playing some solos. The notice from Wildebraam went out to their email list today. The programme will be announced later. Tickets are R140 for the recital and dinner, R100 without the dinner. Phone Wildebraam to book: 028 514 3132

Master Class

Who would have thought that a piano master class could be held in this small but historic and beautiful town in the Western Cape Province of South Africa? But this is what is going to happen at the Swellendam High School on 10th September 2010. The students who are preparing to take the UNISA Grade VIII piano exam will be playing a range of interesting pieces from Bach to Shostakovitch and I shall be there to help them improve their performances primarily from the point of view of musicality and interpretation, also suggesting adjustments in technique where necessary. To be in a position to nurture musical talent is very exciting and a great privilege. The event will be open to the public.

Concerts

This was a recital on 22nd January 2010 with Dr. Brad Liebl, the well-known baritone who is professor of singing at the College of Music, University of Cape Town. As you see, I am accompanying and also played some solo pieces. It took place Wildebraam, the Berry Farm in the Hermitage, Swellendam. Brad is a wonderful singer and I was thrilled to work with him. Before I went to Johannesburg in 1997 I had played for him both for his students whilst he was teaching and for a recital in Picketberg. We are hoping to repeat this concert at other venues.