Last night, I played a recital with the violist David Rose on
the chamber series that has been launched by our chamber orchestra, group of twenty-seven. I would love to have all of my friends come to these concerts with me... this is the most vibrant orchestra that I know and I love them.
The concept of a chamber music series attached to an orchestral season springs from the percolating mind of our creative, energetic and buff conductor,
Eric Paetkau (all conductors should work out and eat right, just saying). This is our
first season of more concerts, namely 4 orchestra concerts and 12 (count ‘em)
chamber music concerts that feature the astonishingly good musicians within the
orchestra.
Today I want to talk about the idea of chamber music within
the orchestral context….
First of all, it is essential!
Eric has a vision that is both detailed and allows the
musicians to stretch out with their own particular style. group
of twenty-seven is actually drawn from a rotating pool 50 players based
mostly in Toronto who have distinctive style, spirit and virtuosity. Eric
is very committed to collaborating with independent-minded musicians, disciplined,
all-star players with minds of their own.
The results are vibrant yet cohesive in the extreme.
With group of twenty-seven,
this is the first time in my experience that an orchestral artistic director
has opened the door and made it a reality by booking a scheduled chamber series
as part of the orchestra’s season.
Eric has curated the series, choosing the artists, fitting
them into the schedule and working together to create short programmes (one
hour) that are performed without intermission in a comfortable setting. Part of the vision is having a host who
illuminates the music and draws out the musicians. For our first concerts, the popular CBC host
Tom Allen was the host, and for my recital last night with David Rose, Eric
himself was the host.
Which is what I really want to talk about.
And he is encouraging the musicians by committing his time
and reputation to creating chamber concerts that truly shine the spotlight on
them… this is not a conductor who stands back and waits to see if people are
worthy of his time and interest!
I have to admit that I have been too busy woodshedding my
concerti and recitals to attend any of the other chamber concerts, but after
last night, I am going to make every effort to get to the other chamber
concerts in the series… something this valuable needs a lot of support to
survive.
The concert last night with David Rose…
For such a short concert (one hour of music), there is so
much to say!!!
And what is it with musicians from Saskatchewan!? Now based in Fredonia at SUNYFredonia, David is originally from Regina and is one of
the most refined, thoughtful, responsive, utterly beautiful performers I have
ever played with. It was a complete joy
to rehearse with him and to also hear his solos in the concerts. His style is so different from mine… he takes
all the space that is available in the music, yet his pulse is vivid, alert,
vibrant. He is relaxed yet never ever
sleepy… it is a new kind of alertness that I will now try to own in my
playing. There is a frank grace, and
natural candor that I really have never seen before, and a generosity of spirit
that is startling. And I have never ever played a recital with only a single viola! A revelation.
When I arrived at the hall, the chairs had been all turned
to face the massive fireplace and our artistic administrator, Emma Walker, has
placed a log in the fire, ready to light just before the audience arrived.
Eric sat on a couch near where we played, and commented on
the music, then invited me and David Rose to join him on the couch to talk
about ourselves and our music. He also
invited composer Ann Park Rose to speak about her music, which she did so
simply, eloquently and directly. And he
brought artist/mezzo soparano PaulaAciniega, to the fore to talk about the painting that she did based on the new
work on our program, Three Short Stories by Gernot Wolfgang for viola and
bassoon. This is the third large work
that she has created this season, and she will go on to finish 9 more for each
of the remaining concert.
The small audience was talking cheerfully and there were at
least 6 children under the age of 9, all comfortable with their parents or
drawing on the vacant stage.
I had a young friend in the audience, a high school
bassoonist who was writing a report on the life of a professional musician
(well, me). Anyway, after the concert,
she told Eric that she so enjoyed the atmosphere where the music was serious but
the communication was casual.
I have pasted our programme below… I think I should end this
post now as it is already too long and I HAVE TO PRACTISE!!
David Rose and Nadina
Mackie Jackson
Wednesday, December
11, 2013
Heliconian Club
Sonata III Opus IV
(dedicated to Felice Baciocchi) Niccolò
Paganini
viola and bassoon
i.
Allegro con Zelo
ii.
Allegretto con Moto
Caprices *
Mathieu Lussier (b. 1973) solo bassoon
i.
Rapsodie (1999)
ii. Tarantelle (2001)
iii. Fantaisie (2001)
Mook-Nyum by Ann Park-Rose (b. 1979)*
solo viola
Sonata V Opus VI(dedicated to Madame T) Niccolò Paganini
i.
Adagio con grazia e trasporto
ii.
Andantino scherzando
Intermission
Suite No. 2 in D minor J. S. Bach
solo viola
i.
Prelude
ii.
Allemande
iii.
Courante
iv.
Sarabande
v.
Menuet
vi.
Gigue
Three Short Stories (2001)
Gernot Wolfgang
viola and bassoon
i.
Uncle Bebop
ii.
Rays of Light
iii.
Latin Dance
*Canadian
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