June 8th, 2008
Lois Perkins Chapel, on the Southwestern University campus, was a little bit of heaven for serious music lovers last Friday evening. An enraptured audience participated in a Cathedral Evensong service much like Felix Mendelssohn would have experienced. Bishop Joe Wilson celebrated with a slightly abridged version of the 1853 Anglican Book of Common Prayer, and the audience enjoyed a sonic and cerebral treat in the performance of new scholarly editions and rarely heard Mendelssohn works for chorale, boy soprano, and organ.
Organist John Schmidt chose the Sonata in A Major, Op. 65, No. 3 as the prelude to the evening. AVAE, under the leadership of Kenneth Sheppard, performed two motets in new editions by Southwestern University musicologist and Mendelssohn specialist J. Michael Cooper–the Magnificat, Op. 69, No. 1, and the Nunc Dimittis, Op. 69, No. 3. These are sung in English, as Mendelssohn intended in his original manuscript, which he managed to publish before his untimely death.
The highlight of the evening was a superb performance by Georgetown’s Trey Gurley in one of the most beloved boy soprano solo anthems, Hear My Prayer. His pure, clear voice displayed an exceptional grasp of tuning and musicality for a singer his age.
John Schmidt anchored the program with the Prelude and Fugue in C minor, Op. 35, No. 1. The piece is almost orchestral in nature, with an intricate fugue statement in a slightly unconventional rocking 6/8 meter. A fitting finish to a most satisfying musical evening.
Photos by The Good Musician. Coming soon: a series on the Chorus Austin Central European concert tour.
Tags: choral music, Georgetown Festival of the Arts, Mendelssohn, Mendelssohn in Georgetown, organ musicShare This
By csnowden -- 0 comments
June 5th, 2008
Bruce created a robust body of information for all good musicians before he said goodbye to his colleagues at b5media. I encourage you to take advantage of his expertise in the music business. His Music 2.0 and Music 2.0 Bookshelf pages will move you smartly toward building your personal database of helpful tips and resources from expert bloggers, a must-have for The Good Musician’s business needs.
In this age of indie music producing and promotion, it behooves aspiring musicians to gain some practical knowledge in the business side of the profession. Many schools offer degrees in music management, but you can quickly grasp the basics at most any community college, informal class offering, or independent music organization, sometimes for free, or a modest fee. Even a single online class can give you an idea of how to keep your business side running at a dull roar. Certainly take advantage of any opportunity to participate in workshops, master classes, jams, any sharing of relevant information that could mean the difference between being a happy good musician and a miserable good musician.
This is part of the good musician’s informal training, which according to commenter Eugene Cantera on Rick Blincoe’s thoughts on formal vs. informal music training, benefits from a balance. I’ll take my musical information any way, any time I can get it.
So Bruce, thanks for all the fish and especially the great tips! Good luck with hypebot.com, Skyline Music, and all your endeavors. We’re sure to cross paths across the music blogosphere. *Waving bye-bye*
Image details: Jimi Waves served by picapp.com
Tags: b5media Music Channel bloggers, Bruce Houghton, hypebot, SkylineShare This
By csnowden -- 2 comments
June 4th, 2008
Image details: Mendelssohn served by picapp.com
Neighboring Georgetown is building a nationally recognized mega-festival of the arts. The Georgetown Festival of the Arts is an exemplar of community involvement producing a highly educational, thoroughly interactive, fun place to be for all ages. Kids can explore an instrumental petting zoo, learn the history of the dulcimer, and play along during a performance. Art in the Park ran May 31-June 1, and featured two days of fine arts shows and sales in the lovely San Gabriel Park. Georgetown even has it’s own Festival Pyrotechnician.
This coming weekend, June 5-8 is all about Mendelssohn in Georgetown. Four jam-packed days with lectures, concerts, symposia and the gorgeous sounds of the gifted brother and sister composers during early nineteenth century Romantic. It is to die for. Handel, Haydn, and Schubert were featured in earlier festivals, and word is they were equally stunning.
Fortunately for all you Good Musicians, Southwestern University, one of the sponsoring organizations, and the primary Mendelssohn in Georgetown venue, added a world-renowned Mendelssohn scholar to their already stellar music faculty. Dr. J. Michael Cooper’s source-critical editions of works by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and his sister Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel are examined, discussed, and performed in non-stop action this weekend.
Ellsworth Peterson is the powerhouse impresario, along with The Georgetown Symphony Society dynamos–Penny Plueckhahn, Florence Gould, Nancy Bryan, and Bob Horick. These folks have contributed to the quality and success of the annual event.
Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble, directed by Dr. Kenneth Shepard, sings Cooper edition motets and an anthem for a Cathedral Evensong Friday, June 6 at 8:30 p.m. in the Lois Perkins Chapel, located right in the middle of Southwestern University. On Sunday, June 8 at 4:00 p.m. in the Klett Center for the Performing Arts at Georgetown High School, Dr. Shephard will conduct the Mendelssohn Festival Orchestra, Chorus Austin, and the San Gabriel Chorale in the Cooper edition of St. Paul.
Along with an astounding line-up of performances–the Miro Quartet AND the Shanghai Quartet, together, guys–this is the festival to attend for musicology of the highest caliber, grab a chance to make music in workshops with the pros, and get to hang with the VIPs. Visit The Georgetown Festival of the Arts site, or contact them at 512-639-0433 or www.GtownFestival.org.
Image details: German Pianist And Composer Fanny Hensel served by picapp.com
Tags: Early Romantic, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Mendelssohn in Georgetown, Miro Quartet, Shanghai Quartet, The Georgetown Festival of the ArtsShare This
By csnowden -- 0 comments
June 2nd, 2008
If The Good Musician were to travel due north from Budapest, she would cross the Polish border and explore Warsaw, birthplace of Anton Rubenstein. I was privileged to hear him in a 1963 concert, a high school graduation gift from my parents.
Actually, I was thinking of Bo Diddley, saying a fond farewell to an icon of my pre-teen and teen years. His music always made me get up and dance.
Somehow that led me to Rubenstein, and my night at the concert. He did a Beethoven concerto, several fiery Latin composers, one of my faves, Heitor Villa-Lobos, and a set of solo pieces as well.
The music alone was overwhelming, add to that a posh venue, Cattleman’s dinner pre-concert, and you’d think that was heaven on earth. As wonderful as it was, what stands out most, in that full to the brim evening, was the unfolding drama of a woman who sat several rows down and to our left. We were in the balcony, of course, and so I had an excellent view of this woman reading scores while he played.
She was obviously knowledgeable about music, and I found myself watching her as actively as I was Rubenstein. She was one with the music–her aura was fed by it, and I marveled at her total involvement. This is known as flow.
As the concert went on, the woman became so entranced with the sound, she unconsciously ceased to follow the score, clasped it to her breast, and positively glowed. This was my first encounter with the metaphysics of music–that flow. This woman, having no idea I was watching her, totally blissed out. Pretty heavy for a modest sixteen year-old preacher’s daughter.
I believe Rubenstein is credited with the axiom, “If I don’t practice for one day, I notice it. If I don’t practice for two days, my wife notices. If I don’t practice for three days, my audience notices.” Music is pretty cool, whether you’re making it or engaging by listening.
Image details: Heitor Villa-Lobos served by picapp.com
Image details: Rubinstein’s Award served by picapp.com
Tags: , Anton Rubenstein, Beethoven piano concertos, Bo Diddley, flow, Villa-LobosShare This
By csnowden -- 0 comments
June 1st, 2008
The Good Musician introduces a new project: TGM exclusive interviews with local Texas musicians.
Today we’re talking with Rick Blincoe, who just released his first solo CD, “Don’t Bet the Farm.” You can listen at Rick’s My Space page, or at CD Baby.
Rick has been a musician most of his life, and paid his dues down through the decades as a solo and band performer. You just can’t pigeonhole Rick. His musical influences come from classical, rock, jazz, country, and he distills his musical and life experiences into thoughtful, highly listenable material. In case you’re wondering, the reason his backup vocals are so tight is that he laid down ALL the tracks for this CD, and he is equally as fluent singing as he is playing. On top of that, he also engineered the CD himself.
Now all this might sound familiar to any musician who has tried to succeed in the business, which according to Rick’s Web page can be as much a competitive sport as an art. What is unique is that Rick is the real thing. He doesn’t need to boast–his music speaks to anyone who loves the independent, well-trained, soulful musicality of an authentic artist. This is a seasoned, satisfying CD, one you’ll want to listen to again and again.
TGM: Who is your greatest unsung influence (as opposed to favorite famous
composer/performer)?
RB: This is a very tough one to answer because I am a total product of my environment, but because you used the word “unsung” in your question, it becomes a little easier. My greatest unsung influence is a friend of mine that molded my musical being at a very young age (~13 to 15 y.o.). When I was about 12 years old I started attending The University Baptist Church, on Guadalupe (the drag), across the street from the University of Texas campus. I began going to this church regularly because my Mother re-married and her new husband was a long-standing member of the church. As fate would have it, there was a circle of friends that I quickly developed that would significantly change my life and mold my thinking. All of my close friends were blossoming young musicians at UBC. Rarely did we actually “attend” church or Sunday School services, but would find some hole in the back alley along Guadalupe and spend hours playing music and discussing life. One of these friends, in particular, stood out above the rest and left me in awe of what possibilities may exist in music. His name was David Harrell. David was about one year older than me. He had long, thin, red hair and was slightly built. He always had a smile and a twinkle in his eye. David was the first person that I would meet in my life that I could truly say was a “musical genius”, and honestly, to this day, I have never met anyone else that has the total package of capabilities to match this guy’s talent. David was a sort of musical savant. He had perfect pitch, perfect recall, perfect expressive technique, and creativity. I learned so much about musical approach and concepts from David, that even now, I am still recalling things that David taught me so long ago, and they are finally making sense to me, and he is still teaching me. I haven’t seen David for more than 30 years now. The last I heard, he was homeless and mentally ill. I guess that he couldn’t handle the world and the world couldn’t handle him. It’s so sad, yet he gave me so much. He is truly one of my greatest influences.
TGM: How did they influence you?
RB: He caused me to shatter walls and eliminate paradigms in my mind.
TGM: What is your musical background (formal and informal)?
RB: Formal Training: Piano lessons from age 4 to age 10. French horn in school band and orchestra from age 11 to age 18. Music courses in High School and College (History, Theory, Composition, etc.)
Informal Training: Picked up the guitar at age 11. Used chord books and friends to learn the basics. Sat in my room for several years with a guitar in my hands. Listened to every rock-and-roll record that I could get my hands on. Gravitated to Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page’s style. Played my entire life and learned something from every musician that I have encountered on the journey.
TGM: How important is it to get a formal music education?
RB: It is extremely important to get a formal music education. Understanding the complexities and relationships between musical notes and scales provides the foundation to open up your creativity. A music education gives you tools in your tool box. Life is so short and knowledge is power. Why would one not want to take advantage of as many short cuts as possible to achieve their musical goals? Why would someone want to perpetually reinvent the wheel when there are so many new frontiers to be explored? A formal music education is simply the dynamic map that shows you what has been done and more importantly, shows you what has yet to be done.
TGM: Do you have an articulated musical philosophy? What is it?
RB: My musical philosophy is dynamic. In other words, it moves and changes as I grow. This is the philosophy that I used when making this latest CD: Keep it simple. Try to paint a picture that can have some level of broad appeal. Don’t make a CD for other musicians. Keep it real.
TGM: What are your goals as a solo musician? Collaborative musician?
RB: My goals as a solo musician is to keep the content personal and speak to those that I love. My solo work is my reach for immortality, so the message needs to endure.
As a collaborative musician, my goal is to listen more than speak and enhance more than detract.
TGM: What is your dream music gig?
RB: Austin City Limits
TGM: If you could perform with anyone, anywhere, any genre, who/where/what would it be?
RB: It would be to work with Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull on any project. That would be the icing on the cake of my life.
TGM: What advice would you have for an aspiring musician?
RB: Don’t listen to all of the negativity in this world. Don’t listen to what you can’t do or why you will surely fail. When someone tells you that you will fail….it is probably because they know you won’t.
Tags: , Rick Blincoe, The Good Musician interviewShare This
By csnowden -- 3 comments
May 31st, 2008
The Good Musician travelog talked about Hungarian and Czech composers. Here are some of the astounding churches and cathedrals where those composers wrote and made music, and where Chorus Austin will perform this summer. I’ve been browsing the concert schedules, and it looks like there will be lots of fantastic music while we’re there.
Budapest is smaller than Prague, and sadly received more damage during World War II. This is a lovely church in Budapest.
Image details: A Church In Budapest served by picapp.com
Here’s a view of Budapest and the Danube–waltz, anyone?
Image details: Budapest and danube river served by picapp.com
This is the Prague cathedral.
Image details: Prague Cathedral served by picapp.com
With the Church of St. Nicholas in the foreground, you can see at least three other equally magnificent edifices.
Image details: Prague Emerges As A Major European Tourist Attraction served by picapp.com
Can’t wait.
Tags: Budapest, Central European cathedrals, Central European churches, PragueShare This
By csnowden -- 0 comments
May 30th, 2008
Next stop, Prague–capitol of the Czech Republic. Rich in ancient church music tradition, documented from the Sixth Century, this is a hotspot of Central European music. Bohuslav Martinu, Antonin Dvorak (sorry, don’t know diacritical marks yet), Leos Janacek, and Bedrich Smetana are composers you’ve likely run across, Romantic and 20th Century exemplars.
You can download Czech music mp3s here.
More about Czech music here.
From Radio Prague, an exceptionally well written piece on the history of music in general, and Czech music in particular.
Visit the Czech Music Information Centre to learn more about contemporary Czech music.
A really cool music festival site with tiny scrolling trams and bicycles.
Tags: Czech music, Czech Republic, PragueShare This
By csnowden -- 0 comments
May 29th, 2008
Jacobi Handl (Lat. Jacobus Gallus Carniolus), 1550-1591, is perhaps the best known Slovenian composer. Writing primarily masses and motets (374 of those mamas), he worked with a printer in Prague to ensure his compositions were printed before his death. Pretty remarkable in any period.
Here is a fascinating Web site that gives a run-down on Slovenian church music during the Reformation and subsequently a run-in with the Communist regime.
Composers of that time made their living as many do today–writing secular pieces, forming secular instrumental and vocal groups, and teaching in addition to the court duties to produce masses for the cathedrals in Prague, Vienna, those nice Alpen capitols. His students learned and performed his pieces, in a workshop environment similar to universities today.
Here is a quaintly phrased bio of the Slovenian rock band Siddhartha.
More photos from The Good Photographer, er, Musician.
Tags: church music, Instrumental, Jacobi Handl, Jacobus Gallus Carniolus, Siddhartha, Slovenian music, VocalShare This
By csnowden -- 0 comments
May 28th, 2008
I have a 1977 Sankyo Prima flute, sterling, low B foot. I love it. It has been my faithful companion for three decades. Flutes can be made out of wood, metal, stone, clay, most any material you can fashion into a long tube. The sound is made by the air spiraling through the tube, usually with finger holes to change the pitch of the notes. Instruments that are played by blowing air into or over them are called aerophones.
Cornell Kinderknecht plays several kinds of flutes, sometimes with Tibetan bowls.
Paul Horn plays an alto flute, among other woodwind instruments, sometimes in exotic places, like the Taj Mahal.
R. Carlos Nakai plays a Native American wooden flute, sometimes with unexpected musicians.
Tags: , aerophones, Cornell Kinderknecht, Paul Horn, R. Carlos Nakai, Sankyo fluteShare This
By csnowden -- 0 comments
May 27th, 2008
My three favorite foreign movies this decade are Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers, Deepa Mehta’s Water, and The Kite Runner from Swiss director Marc Forster.
I happen to adore Bollywood, it reminds me of the sumptuous saturated colors of 1950’s musicals of my childhood. Operetta under the stars on a Dallas summer evening was a treat for the family, following a dinner at the original El Fenix downtown.
Back to The Kite Runner. I always check out the music credits, and saw the composer was Spanish. Interesting. Then I remembered that there is an Arabic musical tradition in Spain from the time of the Moorish occupation, and it made perfect sense.
None of the three movies are in any sense musicals from the American version of the 50’s. The Battle of Algiers was filmed in documentary style, with the sounds of real life. Water was as well, with the sounds of life in an Indian nunnery for widows…of all ages. In TKR, contemporary popular music contrasts with classical Mideastern forms and instruments.
TKR introduced me to Islamic pop, Sami Yusuf, and a gorgeous palette of original music by Alberto Iglesias. Iglesias also wrote the soundtrack for Volver, The Constant Gardner, The Dancer Upstairs, Talk to Her, and Bad Education. The best Spanish flicks of the decade.
Check ‘em out.
Tags: Ethnomusicology, movie soundtracks, Music, The Kite Runner, WaterShare This
By csnowden -- 1 comment
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