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FEATURESThe Recorder Music of Frans Geysen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10New research on the music of the Belgian minimalist composerby Flanders Recorder Quartet member Bart Spanhove
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Photographing musiciansText and photos by William Stickney
DEPARTMENTS
Advertiser Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Chapters & Consorts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Music Reviews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
On the Cutting Edge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Tidings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Steve Reich for recorders; early music played at Ground Zero in
New York City, NY; the recorder in bathroom and vest design;
and the recorder during the EMA conference and fringe
festival in Berkeley, CA (on page 40)
ON THE COVER:Photo
by William Stickney.
©2004
Volume XLV, Number 4 September 2004
GAIL NICKLESS, Editor
Contributing EditorsFRANCES BLAKER, Beginners; JOHN H. BURKHALTER III, Book ReviewsTHOMAS CIRTIN, Compact Disc Reviews; JODY L. MILLER, Education
CONSTANCE M. PRIMUS, Music Reviews; CAROLYN PESKIN, Q & ATIMOTHY BROEGE, 20th-Century Performance
LISA SCHMIDT, Design Consultant
Advisory BoardMartha Bixler • Valerie Horst • David Lasocki
Bob Marvin • Howard Schott • Thomas Prescott • Catherine TurocyKenneth Wollitz
Copyright © 2004 American Recorder Society, Inc.
Visit AR On-Line at <www.recorderonline.org>American Recorder (ISSN: 0003-0724), 5554 S. Prince, Suite 128, Littleton, CO 80120, is published bimonthly (January, March, May, September, andNovember) for its members by the American Recorder Society, Inc. $20 of the annual $40 U.S. membership dues in the American Recorder Society is for asubscription to American Recorder. Articles, reviews, and letters to the editor reflect the viewpoint of their individual authors. Their appearance in this magazinedoes not imply official endorsement by the ARS. Submission of articles and photographs is welcomed. Articles may be typed or submitted on PC discs (Wordfor Windows 95, or RTF preferred) or as an attachment to or text in an e-mail message. They should be for the exclusive consideration of AR, unless otherwisenoted. Photographs may be sent as color or black-and-white prints, or 300-dpi TIFF images. Advertisements may be sent in the PDF or EPS format, with fontsembedded.
Editorial office: Gail Nickless, Editor, American Recorder, 7770 South High St., Centennial, CO 80122; 303-794-0114 (phone & fax);<[email protected]>. Deadlines for editorial material: November 15 (January), January 15 (March), March 15 (May), July 15 (September), andSeptember 15 (November). Books for review: Editorial office. Music for review: Constance M. Primus, Box 608, Georgetown, CO 80444. Recordings forreview: Thomas Cirtin, 8128 N. Armstrong Chapel Road, Otterbein IN 47970. Cutting Edge: Editorial office. Chapter newsletters and other reports: Editorialoffice. Advertising: Steve DiLauro, LaRich & Associates, Inc., 15300 Pearl Road, Suite 112, Strongsville, OH 44136-5036; 440-238-5577; 440-572-2976(fax); <[email protected]>. Advertising Closings: December 1 (January), February 1 (March), April 1 (May), August 1 (September), and October 1(November). Postmaster: Send address changes to American Recorder Society, Box 631, Littleton, CO 80160-0631. Periodicals postage paid at Littleton, CO,and at an additional mailing office.
10
40
25
I’ve been a fan of minimalist music since Iwas in music graduate school in the early1980s—a time when anyone studyingcomposition could absorb and processstyles from world music of many cultures,easily available through recordings andlive touring performances; to classical“new music” that included highly expres-sionistic performance art with music, im-provisation and minimalism.
I found the minimalist music of PhilipGlass, Terry Riley and Steve Reich to bestraightforward, yet elegantly devised—music that couldn’t be taken at face value,both to play and to hear. I thought of it asmusic to listen “through” rather than “to.”
Glass started writing music in the1970s (and remains very active as a com-poser; his most recent commission wasOrion, a 90-minute work premiered inJune at the Cultural Olympiad 2004 inAthens, Greece). For many, the Glass workthat made a big impression was his land-mark 1976 opera Einstein on the Beach.During a 1984 trip to New York City, NY, I heard the last live performance in a three-month run of Einstein during that year’sNext Wave Festival at the Brooklyn Acade-my of Music. Lasting nearly five hours, andwith no intermissions, the performancewas enthralling: almost no one in thepacked house left for any sort of break.
This was the work that also influencedBart Spanhove to embrace minimalism,as he tells in his article on Belgian com-poser Frans Geysen (page 10). Geysenhas also composed a new work for ARSmembers (placed on page 21 so that youcan lift it out of this issue; thanks to AnneChetham-Strode for typesetting it).
It’s gratifying that one of Reich’s fluteworks has been transcribed for recordersby Reine-Marie Verhagen (page 5). Newminimalist works are also being composedspecifically for recorders; see Music Re-views (on page 31, including the review ofa minimalist piece by Caldini on page 35).
While minimalism might seem to be arepeating motive in this issue, there’s a lotmore to read—including a useful articleon photographing musicians byWilliam Stickney (page 25). Enjoy!
Gail Nickless
EDITOR’SNOTE______________________________
6 American Recorder
AMERICANRECORDER
SOCIETYINC.
Honorary PresidentERICH KATZ (1900-1973)Honorary Vice President
WINIFRED JAEGER
Statement of PurposeThe mission of the American Recorder Society is
to promote the recorder and its music bydeveloping resources and standards to help
people of all ages and ability levels to play andstudy the recorder, presenting the instrumentto new constituencies, encouraging increasedcareer opportunities for professional recorderperformers and teachers, and enabling and
supporting recorder playing as a shared social experience. Besides this journal,
ARS publishes a newsletter, a personal studyprogram, a directory, and special musicaleditions. Society members gather and playtogether at chapter meetings, weekend and
summer workshops, and many ARS-sponsoredevents throughout the year. In 2000, the
Society entered its seventh decade ofservice to its constituents.
Board of DirectorsAlan Karass, President
Marilyn Perlmutter, SecretaryAnn Stickney, Treasurer; Chair, Finance
John Nelson, Asst. SecretaryKathy Sherrick, Asst. Treasurer;
Chair, Fund-raisingRebecca Arkenberg, Chair, Publications
Letitia BerlinFrances Blaker, Chair,
Special Events/Professional OutreachKathryn Cochran, Chair, Chapters & Consorts
Mark DavenportAmanda Pond
Sue Roessel, Chair, Membership
P. O. Box 631Littleton, CO 80160-0631 U.S.A.
303-347-1120Faxes & membership questions:
303-347-1181 or <[email protected]>
General e-mail: <[email protected]>
Web site: <www.AmericanRecorder.org>In accordance with the Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Bill of Rights 2,passed by the United States Congress in 1996, the American Recorder
Society makes freely available through its office financial and incorporation documents complying with that regulation.
ALABAMABirmingham: Ken Kirby(205-822-6252)
ARIZONAPhoenix: Linda Rising (602-997-6464)Tucson: Scott Mason (520-721-0846)
ARKANSASAeolus Konsort: Don Wold (501-666-2787)
Bella Vista: Barbara McCoy (479-855-6477)
CALIFORNIACentral Coast: Margery Seid (805-474-8538)
East Bay: Helga Wilking (415-472-6367)
Monterey Bay: Sandy Ferguson (831-462-0286)
North Coast: Kathleen Kinkela-Love(707-822-8835)
Orange County: Doris Leffingwell(949-494-9675)
Sacramento: Robert Foster (916-391-7520) or Elsa Morrison (916-929-6001)
San Diego County: Richard Chang (760-726-8699)
San Francisco: Florence Kress (415-731-9709)
South Bay: Joanna Woodrow (408-266-3993)
Southern California: Lynne Snead(661-254-7922)
COLORADOBoulder: Rose Marie Terada(303-666-4307)
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Denver: Keith Emerson (303-750-8460)
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CONNECTICUTConnecticut: Dorothy Vining(203-267-6513)
Eastern Connecticut: Joyce Goldberg(860-442-8490)
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAWashington: Myrl Powell (301-587-4799) or Jane Takeuchi Udelson (703-369-3022)
DELAWAREBrandywine: Roger Matsumoto (302-731-1430)
FLORIDAGainesville: Russell D. Moore (352-378-0567)
Miami: Zulema Garraffo (305-374-1879)
Sarasota: Valerie Sizemore (941-484-9589)
GEORGIAAtlanta: Brigitte Nahmias (404-634-9955)
HAWAIIHawaii: Irene Sakimoto (808-734-5909)
Big Island: Roger Baldwin (808-935-2306)
ILLINOISChicago: Kim Katulka (708-484-4578) Chicago-West Suburban: Christopher Culp (630-690-7304)
LOUISIANABaton Rouge: John Waite (225-925-0502)
New Orleans: Chris Alderman(504-862-0969)
MARYLANDNorthern Maryland: Dawn Culbertson(410-235-2354)
MASSACHUSETTSBoston: Laura Conrad (617-661-8097)Recorders/Early Music Metro-West Boston: Sheila Beardslee (978-263-9926)
Worcester Hills: Madeline Browning(508-842-5490)
MICHIGANAnn Arbor: David Goings(734-663-6247)
Kalamazoo: Wade Lawrence(269-353-9885)
Metropolitan Detroit: Claudia Novitzsky (248-548-5668)
Northwinds Recorder Society:Janet Smith (231-347-1056)
Western Michigan: Marilyn Idsinga (231-894-8415)
MINNESOTATwin Cities: Dave Bucklin (612-824-7724)
MISSOURISt. Louis: Norm Stoecker(636-532-3255)
NEVADASierra Early Music Society: Karlene Dickey (775-832-9124)
NEW HAMPSHIREMonadnock: Barbara George (802-257-1467)
Upper Valley: Barbara Prescott(603-643-6442)
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Highland Park: Donna Messer (732-828-7421)
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Princeton: Peter Lindenfeld (609-921-9524)
Somerset Hills: Keith Bernstein(908-722-6572)
NEW MEXICOAlbuquerque: Ray Hale(505-286-8604)
Rio Grande: Joyce Henry (505-522-4178)
Santa Fe: Jane Miller (505-984-0851)
NEW YORKBuffalo: Charles Hall (716-835-5573)
Hudson Mohawk: Darleen Koreman(518-482-6023)
Long Island: Margaret H. Brown(516-765-1867)
New York City: Michael Zumoff (212-662-2946)
Rochester: Frank Amato (716-225-6808)
Rockland: Lorraine Schiller (845-429-8340)
Westchester: Carol B. Leibman (914-241-3381)
NORTH CAROLINATriangle: Cindy Osborne (919-851-1080)
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Toledo: Marilyn Perlmutter (419-531-6259)
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Nashville: Janet Epstein (615-297-2546)
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VERMONTUpper Valley: Barbara Prescott (603-643-6442)
VIRGINIANorthern Virginia: Edward Friedler (703-425-1324)
Tidewater (Williamsburg): Vicki H. Hall (757-565-2773)
WASHINGTONMoss Bay: Louise Hotaling (206-723-3811)
Seattle: Belinda Frazier (206-522-7342)
WISCONSINMilwaukee: Diane Kuntzelman (414-654-6685)
Southern Wisconsin: Margaret Asquith (608-233-4441)
CANADAToronto: Alison Healing (905-648-6964)
Montréal: Patrice Mongeau (514-341-3449)
Please contact the ARS officeto update chapter listings.
ARS Chapters
September 2004 7
I am grateful thatAR appears in mymailbox and on mycomputer screen fivetimes a year, filledwith all of this infor-mation. Althoughrecorder blogs couldbe interesting, inform-ative, quirky and funny, AR is a muchmore reliable source of recorder-relatedinformation.
Wishing you a musical autumn,Alan Karass, ARS President<[email protected]>
PRESIDENT’SMESSAGE___________________________________
One of the new cultural phenomenaspreading through the internet
these days is the blog. According to theWebopedia, <www.pcwebopedia.com>,a blog—short for Web log—is “a Web pagethat serves as a publicly accessible person-al journal for an individual. Typically up-dated daily, blogs often reflect the person-ality of the author.”
Besides being a noun, the term can al-so be used as a verb, meaning “to author aWeb log.” The person who authors a blogis called a blogger.
There are only a few blogs with earlymusic coverage, and to the best of myknowledge, there are no blogs with any sig-nificant recorder content. I think recorderplayers need to start blogs. Just as SamuelPepys documented his life and his musicalactivities (which included the recorder)through his diary, blogs may be the way forus to document and comment on our livesand musical activities.
For example, if a recorder blogger hadgone to the Early Music America confer-ence in Berkeley, CA, from June 10-13, theperson would have described the rich ar-ray of concerts, panel discussions, break-out sessions and lectures. Our bloggermight have described in great detail thefabulous ARS benefit concert that featuredJudy Linsenberg and Charles Sherman;Frances Feldon and Kay Stonefelt;Adam Gilbert, Rotem Gilbert, and Mahan Esfahani; Tibia (Frances Blakerand Tish Berlin); and the Farallon Quar-tet (Blaker, Berlin, Louise Carslake and
Hanneke van Proosdij). The bloggerwould have been excited to report that allof the proceeds from the benefit concertsupport ARS scholarships.
Or, maybe the blog would have de-scribed the exceptional master class withGeert Van Gele on Friday morning or theexciting Great Recorder Relay on Saturdaymorning that included performances byTibia, Rotem and Adam Gilbert, EileenHadidian and Natalie Cox, Tom Bickleyand David Barnett. After a deliciouslunch at one of Berkeley’s eclectic restau-rants, the blogger might have offered re-flections on the Saturday afternoon roundtable discussion on maintaining a career asa professional recorderist, or the Saturdayafternoon play-in led by Glen Shannonand myself (photo below).
It is unfortunate that this blog does notexist. However, there is no need to despairsince many of the conference events aredescribed in this issue of AmericanRecorder.
If some of the ARS Board members hadblogs, you would be able to see the evolu-tion of the plans for the first ARS Confer-ence. The conference, with sessions onrecorder pedagogy and chapter leader-ship, will be held July 28-31, 2005, at Reg-is University in Denver, CO. It will coin-cide with the dedication of the RecorderMusic Center located in the DaytonMemorial Library at Regis. The conferenceannouncement appears in the SeptemberARS Newsletter, and further details will ap-pear in the November issue.
Blogs
There are only a few blogs with early musiccoverage, and to the bestof my knowledge, thereare no blogs with anysignificant recordercontent. I think recorder players need to start blogs.
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Ensemble Breve offered a program ofmusic at St. Paul’s Chapel in lower Man-hattan of New York City, NY, on April 9. Inmany ways, the program reflected the spir-it of the location and of the day.
St. Paul’sChapel and near-by Trinity Churchare adjacent tothe 9/11 groundzero site of the2001 terrorist at-tack. In additionto sharing thismelancholy link,they also share amid-day concertseries, hosting a
broad spectrum of performers and performances offered without charge tothose who care to listen.
Indeed, the Breve performance waspresented as a “sound installation” forGood Friday. Numerous hangings alongthe chapel walls and balcony provided analmost overwhelming visual remem-brance of 9/11. Throngs of people from allwalks of life passed slowly, and mostly respectfully, around the exhibit in thesanctuary while the music was performed.
Breve has reconfigured recently andnow includes Deborah Booth, recordersand flute; Jay Elfenbein, gamba; and theredoubtable Morris Newman, recordersand rackett. The latter instrument is a“buzzy” double reed, producing a deepsound from a narrow tube folded manytimes to fit in a relatively small cylinder.
The group opened the program with aset of “golden oldies” from Flanders—ananonymous early-16th-century setting ofJay pryse amours (I have taken love) andseveral settings of O Venus bant (O shack-les of Venus), including versions byJosquin and Isaac. Booth used recordersand flute in this section, while Newmanplayed rackett and recorders. Shifts of in-struments afforded differences of col-oration for the multiple versions, as didElfenbein’s use of plucked as well asbowed strings on the gamba.
The second section of the programagain featured music from Flanders.
I especially liked the contrast of move-ments between the Brumel and theMorales versions of Missa L’Homme arme.Brumel keeps the theme primarily in thecantus firmus, with the other two voicesrather independent. The Morales versionseemed more complex, but was equallycompelling.
Other composers on this part of theprogram included Agricola, Ghiselin, Bar-bireau and Anon. Here I especially likedthe mass movement from Agricola’s Missain myne Zyn, lovely writing and playing—a reminder that in the breath and fingers ofgifted musicians, vocal music fits well andsounds “right” on recorders and viol.
The latter part of the program broughtus musically to Renaissance England, andthen to Baroque France. I really lovedSomewhat musing—a little gem of a pieceby Robert Fayrfax, tenderly and expertlyoffered. Breve then gave us three elegantexamples of late Renaissance fantasias(White, Tomkins and Lupo) with the col-oration of each differentiated by choices ofinstruments as well as of articulations.
The segue to J.B. Boismortier andFrench Baroque style was not as jarring assuch a juxtaposition might suggest. Thesecond movement of the Ballet de Villageen trio, “Doucement, ” was both sweet anda bit sad, and the final movement, a chaconne, also conveyed a sense of melancholy to 21st-century ears.
The St. Paul’s Chapel acoustic swal-lowed some bottom notes of the largerrecorders, bass and C bass, although theviola da gamba sound was quite clear, per-haps because of the spatial orientation ofthe viol vs. the “big” recorders. But overallthe emotional span of music , from MissaL’Homme armé to Somewhat musing, spokeclearly for itself—and for the emotions ofthe day and the site, proving once againthat music can convey to the listener theremembrance of things past, while givingus hope for the future.
For more information, see Breve’s website, <www.breveboxwood.org>.
Nancy M. Tooney
8 American Recorder
TIDINGS___________________________________Arranging Reich, mandolins meet recorders,
and recorder decorating and fashion ideas
During April, ONI, The Netherlands’ old-est mandolin orchestra, came to Texas forconcerts. Their trip was arranged by ARSmember Alice Derbyshire, and spon-sored in part by the Texas Toot, DallasRecorder Society, Mesquite Arts Council,and Texas Commission on the Arts.
ONI consists of six mandolins, threemandolas, a mandocello, three acousticguitars and an upright bass. They concen-trate on a repertoire written expressly forthe mandolin orchestra. Although this ismostly 20th-century music, it is more Romantic than modern in sound.
At two points during the program, theorchestra was joined by recorder players.Peggy Turner joined ONI on stage as arecorder soloist, playing the Baroque styleConcertino Veneziano, by Ralph Paulson-Bahnsen. The slow middle movement fea-tured a particularly haunting melody.
During the second half of the program,ONI was joined by a recorder trio—Turner on soprano, Derbyshire on alto,and Karen Ferrer on bass (l to r in firstrow, photo above)—playing Concerto in Dminor for mandolin orchestra andrecorder trio by Hermann Abrosius. It wasthe most “modern” sounding piece of theprogram, with a decidedly oriental cast toits harmonies and rhythms, writes Ferrer.
L’Ensemble Portique, founded anddirected by recorderist Lisette Kielson,will be in residence at Calvary Presbyter-ian Church in Milwaukee, WI, for its2004–05 season. Built in 1868, CalvaryPresbyterian’s innovative space and wel-coming ideas will provide a fitting homefor the ensemble’s devotion to a fusion ofearly and contemporary repertoire.
Kielson will make Calvary her site forMilwaukee-area performances, work-shops, classes and lessons. The chambergroup’s season includes three programsof Baroque and contemporary music, fea-turing world premieres of works by Wis-consin composers Julie Brandenburg,Michael M. Bell and David Drexler.
Seven Times Salt, with recorderistDaniel Meyers, plays English consortmusic of the 16th and 17th centuries.Their June live radio performance onWGBH’s Performance Today was entitled“Pilgrims’ Progress” and used music to
Bits & Pieces
Ensemble Breve: Good Friday at Ground Zero
September 2004 9
trace the footsteps of the original Ply-mouth Colony Pilgrims—beginning withEnglish consort and theater music, travel-ing to Holland (where many Separatistslived for years before the journey to theNew World), and ending with music rep-resenting Plymouth daily life, c.1620. Theprogram included Morley, Simpson, TheEnglish Dancing Master, Robert Johnson, ‘t Uitnement Kabinet, Merula and others.
The program was also performed fourtimes under the auspices of the Boston-area (MA) Society for Historically Informed Performance (SoHIP) concert series—in Weston, Ipswich and Boston,and at Plimoth Plantation, a recreation ofthe original colony at Plymouth, MA.
The name Seven Times Salt comesfrom Shakespeare's Hamlet, but refers in abroader sense to the "melancholie mu-sick" popular in Queen Elizabeth's court.
Dale Higbee was the featured recordersoloist on March 23 in the monthly con-cert series at Catawba College, Salisbury,NC. He was assisted by Adam Ward, organ, and Rosemary Kinard, soprano.
The program opened with the Sonatain B minor, Opus 1, No. 9, HWV 367b,played on “Sixth Flute” (soprano recorderin d'', pitched a sixth higher than altorecorder in f'). Then followed Andante in C,K.315, by Mozart, originally for flute andorchestra, but performed on alto recorderin f'; Higbee says, “it suits perfectly.”
An almost exact contemporary of Han-del, Willem de Fesch (1687-1761) wasrepresented by his Sonata in G major, Op.8, No. 4, played on soprano recorder(“Fifth Flute” in c''). After this came amovement from Sonatina for Recorder(1939, originally scored with piano) byPeggy Glanville-Hicks (1912-1990). The
program ended with “Meine Seele hört inSehen,” HWV 207, from Handel’s NeunDeutchen Arien. “The unspecified obbliga-to treble instrument in these lovely NineGerman Songs, composed 1724-27 ontexts by Barthold Heinrich Brockes aboutthe beauties of nature, was probably vio-lin, but they are fine additions to therecorder repertory,” said Higbee.
Among the finalists in Early MusicAmerica’s Medieval/Renaissance MusicCompetition is Ciaramella with Adamand Rotem Gilbert, recorders. The six finalists compete in an October 6 concertin New York City’s Corpus Christi Churchas part of the New York Early Music Cele-bration.
The peaceful rural atmosphere andpanoramic vista of Bennington College(VT) provided the perfect venue for SteveReich’s expansive work Vermont Counter-point. Reine-Marie Verhagen gave theU.S. premiere of her recorder transcrip-tion to a full house during the July 2004Amherst Early Music Festival .
Vermont Counterpoint was written in1982 and scored for flute soloist with pre-recorded 11-part flute “ensemble.” Eachof the four movements is in a different key,with the third also in a slower tempo, andeach movement merges into the next. Thecomposition builds canonically, withchanging tonalities, rapid tempos, andcomplex rhythmic patterns combining in-to a unified texture. The solo contains thesame rhythmic and melodic motifs as theensemble parts, and is amplified by mi-crophone to be heard over the ensemble.
In her transcription for recorders, Ver-hagen replaced the piccolo parts with so-prano recorders, the C flute parts with so-prano and tenor recorders, and the altoflute part with bass recorder. In her Ben-nington performance, she brought herown recording of the ensemble, againstwhich she played the solo part onrecorders ranging from soprano to bass.The composition alternately shimmeredand sparkled, as various patterns and mo-tifs emerged from the texture. Therecorders provided a greater spectrum ofsound colors, which gives a different effectthan when the piece is performed onmodern flutes.
In 2003, a live ensemble (with Verha-gen as soloist) premiered the recorder ver-
sion at the Royal Con-servatoire at The Hagueduring the Steve ReichFestival. An advanceperformance provideda unique experience forthe composer, who upto that point had notheard his work per-formed live. Verhagenreported that Reichlaughed withdelight at thespectacular en-trance of thesopranorecorders.
At the Ben-nington con-cert, Verhagenperformed the10-minutepiece, then gave a short explanation of thecomposition and the issues involved inscoring it for recorders and performing itwith a live ensemble. She felt that VermontCounterpoint fit well into an early musicfestival, given that it explores counter-point, uses instruments from the samefamily, and continues the tradition offlutes and recorders sharing repertoire.“Would you like to hear it again?” sheasked, and got a resounding, “Yes!”
Modern recorder repertoire is enrichedby Verhagen’s transcription. Contact Verhagen, <[email protected]>, formore information or to inquire aboutavailability of the piece.
Rebecca Arkenberg
With six ARS Board members presentduring the Amherst Early Music Festi-val 2004, several ARS-sponsored activi-ties took place. A booth with materials,magazines and information about theSociety was set up during the instrumentexhibition July 17 and 18—a perfectspot for recorder players to gather, jointhe ARS, buy a lapel pin, get a free penciland bookmark, and ask questions of theboard members staffing the booth.
An ARS play-in was held on July 18.Furniture was moved to accommodatethe musicians, stands, and instruments,plus borrowed folding chairs, in the liv-ing room of Stokes Dorm as 35 recorderplayers gathered. Coach Cléa Galhano (aformer ARS board member) arrived justin time, despite a shuttle delay from theAlbany, NY, airport, and enthusiasticallyled the group through a variety of music,including Renaissance double choirworks, Bach, and jazz. Despite the heatand somewhat cramped space (the legallimit for this room is 45), everyone en-joyed the reading session. ARS materialswere distributed, and players were en-couraged to join or renew their member-ships.
A July 19 reception honored past andpresent ARS scholarship recipients, in-cluding 2004 recipient, Missouri highschool student Rachel Siegel, who wasa first-time Amherst attender. ARS Boardmembers provided information aboutARS scholarships, including deadlines,eligibility (anyone can apply) and appli-cations. Rachel’s parents also attended.
Reich work receives premiere during 2004 Amherst workshop
See page 40 for coverage of the Early MusicAmerica conference and fringe festival heldin Berkeley, CA, in June.
Reine-Marie
Verhagen,and a
shot ofthe
Vermont campus.(Photos
byWilliam
Stickney)
A Pipe of a Different ColorRecently ARS Board member Rebecca Arken-berg visited with Joseph Peknik III, PrincipalTechnician of the Department of Musical Instruments at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, NY.
Those visit-ing Joe Peknik’sNew York apart-ment would expect to see musical instru-ments—and, infact, his collec-tions of rattles,mouth harps,whistles, tuningforks, bells, pitchpipes, stuffed ex-otic birds, andbird calls coverthe walls. Heowns 25 Tarahu-mara fiddlesfrom Mexico,and collects mu-sical ephemera,including photo-graphs and autographs ofopera singersand musicians.He even has twovintage photos ofArnold Dol-metsch, one ofwhich is signed.
Peknik is an artist himself, and a regular exhibitor in the employee art show at TheMetropolitan Museum, where his multi-media and assemblage works explore musicaland artistic themes, and sometimes incorpo-rate actual sound, like the New York-China-town Bird of Paradise that plays four tunes.
Visitors to his bathroom might be sur-prised to see a selection of soprano recorderson the wall.
RA. Is this an extension of the musical instru-ment installations in the rest of your apart-ment?JP. The recorders represent the musical in-strument section of my bathroom gallery.I presently display eight recorders; besidesthe blue, pink and green Yamahas, thereare brown, black, and white recorders,and an assortment of reds. RA. I’ve been in New York apartment bath-rooms, and for the most part they are not ex-actly spacious. Was it difficult to get this shotof your artwork?JP. Yes, I had to balance on the rim of thebathtub. I felt it was important to includethe toilet paper roll to give a sense of the lo-cation.RA. What about the location? What inspiredyou?JP. A few years ago, when I saw the translu-cent Yamaha recorders, I had to order onein each color. I was inspired by therecorders, but also by the plumbing con-figuration in my bathroom. I wanted to ex-plore the motif of pipes—plus, the plasticrecorders are impervious to moisture, thatis a plus.
RA. Does the symbolic aspect of the recordercome into the picture here?JP. No, let’s not go there.RA. OK, on a practical note, are the recorderspermanently attached?JP. No, I can take one down to play in theshower, if I want to get special water ef-fects.RA. So you play the recorder, too? JP. I once had a Moeck Rottenburgh alto,and when I lived in Chicago I played witha small early music group. We mostlyplayed Praetorius and Christmas music inhospitals.RA. What got you interested in the instru-ment?JP. When I was living in Chicago, I heard aconcert by New York Pro Musica at theHoward School Auditorium in Wilmet, IL.This was March 19, 1964, and I still havethe program. It was LaNoue Davenport,Judith Davidoff, Shelley Gruskin, and oth-ers. Then in 1973, when I was living inBoston, I took a class at the CamerataSchool of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.One of the teachers was Friedrich vonHuene, who taught woodwind historyand construction. It was a bargain at $38 a course!RA. Do you plan to keep adding coloredrecorders to the installation?JP. It’s a budding collection; eventually Iwould like to cover the whole wall. Andyes, I will accept donations of funky or un-usual plastic recorders.RA. Is your installation open to the public?JP. Viewing is by appointment only.
10 American Recorder
Department of Curiosities
Bloksin SoxIn coldweatherand in air-condi-tioning,recordersplay moreeffectivelywhen theyare warm.What easier source of heat than one’s ownbody? Janice Arrowsmith (shown at right,wearing vest with recorders inside) of Trenton, NJ, hand-sewed four socks to the inside of a bulky cotton vest so that the entire soprano recorder and thehead-joints of the alto, tenor, and bass would stay warm and convenient. Close-up shot at left shows the vest wrong-side out.
Courtly Music Unlimited
800-2-RICHIE (800 274-2443)
www.courtlymusic.com
"Everything for the recorder enthusiast, or those who
would like to be."
Fine wood and plastic recorders, sheet music, method books, play-along CDs,
accessories, workshops.
12 American Recorder
Q & A___________________________________ Going back to the beginning
Question: I would like to know when andwhere the first recorders were made in
connection with an article I am writing aboutmy Junior Recorder Society students. —Sue Roessel, Rogersville, AL
Answer: This subject is discussed in detail in two articles by Anthony
Rowland-Jones in AR (November 1999,pp. 10-14, and November 1997, pp. 7-13)and in an article by Nicholas Lander on theweb site <www.carolinaclassical.com/nickl/medieval.html>. My answer is com-piled from those three sources.
Before answering your question, I needto define what a recorder is. The recorderbelongs to an ancient family of wind in-struments known as “duct flutes,” i.e.,flutes with a windway, which directs theplayer’s breath against a sharp edge.Archeologists have discovered duct flutefragments made of bone in Paleolithic siteswell over 10,000 years old, and duct flutes
made of clay, bamboo and wood are foundin many folk cultures scattered through-out the world, but those instruments arenot recorders. The recorder differs fromother duct flutes in having seven fingerholes, which make it fully chromatic, anda single thumbhole, which allows the upper registers to be blown gently.
The recorder doubtless evolved from afolk instrument, but nobody knows exact-ly when or where. Information about earlyrecorders has been obtained from threeimportant sources—archaeological digs,works of art, and written documents—butthe information obtained so far has not al-lowed us to determine with certainty whenand where the first recorders were made.
Two recorders believed to date from the
1300s have been discovered by archeolo-gists. One, the so-called Dordrechtrecorder, was found in the 1940s in a moatsurrounding a Dutch castle, which hadbeen occupied from 1335 until destroyedby a flood in 1423. The other was found in1987 in a deep latrine in the north Germancity of Göttingen. Both of them are now inmuseum collections and have been stud-ied and copied by recorder makers. Twoyears ago, fragments of a third 14th-centu-ry recorder were reported to have been ex-cavated from sediment in the mill channelof a monastery in the South German townof Esslingen (near Stuttgart). No earlier in-struments unambiguously identified asrecorders have been found.
Identification of early musical instru-ments depicted in works of art is difficultbecause Medieval artists were more inter-ested in the symbolic value of an instru-ment than in an accurate representation ofits construction, and the whole instru-
Where and when was thefirst recorder made?
September 2004 13
ment was not usually shown. If themouthpiece area is not clearly depicted, aduct flute cannot be distinguished from areed pipe, and it is not always possible todetermine the number of finger holes ordiscern the presence of a thumbhole. Ac-cording to Anthony Rowland-Jones, theearliest known work of art unambiguous-ly depicting a recorder is the center panelin Pere Serra’s Altarpiece of Our Lady of theAngels (c.1390), now housed in the Mu-seum of Catalan Art in Barcelona, Spain.
Further information about the age ofearly instruments comes from their men-tion in written accounts. According toRowland-Jones, the earliest known use ofthe word “recorder” to describe our instrument occurred in an entry dated1388 in the household accounts of Henry,Earl of Derby (later King Henry IV).
Where and when was the first recordermade? All of the current evidence strong-ly suggests that it was made somewhere inwestern Europe some time during the14th century, but we cannot pinpoint thetime and place more accurately than that.
Carolyn PeskinRobert AmchinAlto Antics ensembles for beginning alto recorder with percussion accompanimentRecorder Frolics for beginning C-pipes (Play-along CD available)Moods and Modes for intermediate classroom ensembles: includes play-along CD Brent M. Holl and Michael R. NicholsThe Beatin' Path Consort Collection for beginning and intermediate ensemble Michael R. NicholsChristian Harmony Sacred Harp (Shaped Note) music arranged for SATB consort
302 East College StreetBridgewater VA 22812
540-478-4833
See our online catalogue of Church,choir, Orff and recorder music at:www.beatinpathpublications.comor visit your favorite music dealer
Beatin’ Path PublicationsMusic That Works!
Send questions to Carolyn Peskin, Q&A Editor, 3559 Strathavon Road, Shaker Heights, OH 44120;
14 American Recorder
It was July 1983. I had just finishedteaching a weeklong workshop for
young players. Exhausted, I left for a vaca-tion in Italy with a car full of family andfriends—an 800-mile trip. About halfway,in the 10-mile Gotthart tunnel in Switzer-land, my composer friend Peter Pietersplayed a tape of Philip Glass’s Einstein onthe Beach for me. At that point, I had nev-er heard of American minimalist music.As a recorder player, I had been preoccu-pied with early music.
That introduction to minimalist musichas stayed in my mind ever since. TheGotthart tunnel—dark, seemingly end-less, narrow, oppressive, mysterious—combined with the striking, drivingsounds of Glass’s music, affected medeeply. It was like heaven on earth. I fellhard under the spell of minimalist music.
Belgium has a brilliant minimalistcomposer, Frans Geysen (born 1936),
although perhaps I should not comparehim to American minimalists such asGlass, Steve Reich, Terry Riley and La Monte Young.
Thanks to his recorder works, Geysenis known around the world. As a judge atthe 1972 Musica Antiqua competition inBruges, Belgium, Frans Brüggen was so taken with Geysen’s recorder quartet Periferisch-Diagonaal-Concentrisch(see below) that he had it published at onceby Schott in London. The work was per-formed at the competition by the HuelgasEnsemble with Paul Van Nevel, which atthat time was still a recorder consort.
Since 1975 Geysen has written com-positions for many recorder players, start-ing with commissions by the Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Quartet (ALSQ), the Flan-ders Recorder Quartet (FRQ) and GeertVan Gele. Over the last 20 years, other in-ternationally known recorder ensembles,including Frullato (Spain), Flautando(Cologne, Germany), Malle Symen (TheNetherlands), and Carré (Belgium), haveperformed and loyally supported his music. His recorder works are now deservedly known worldwide.
THE RECORDER MUSIC OF FRANS GEYSEN
by Bart Spanhove
transl. Maria van der Heijde-Zomerdijk
Musical Example 1: Two pages from Geysen’s manuscript for
Periferisch–Diagonaal–Concentrisch
Frans Geysen
September 2004 15
Twenty years ago, Geysen was my mu-sic theory and harmony professor. I re-member when he came into the classroomone rainy day, telling us how struck he hadbeen on the way to school by the ratio pro-duced by the windshield wipers and theturn signals of his van (three to two).
He is also intrigued by sounds of thesea. Rather than hearing just a high-pitched shimmer, he hears a simultaneousbroad sound spectrum. He can listen forhours to the stories the sea tells him. “Thescreeching of sea gulls is not necessary togive meaning to this listening.”
He also testifies that “the monotony ofthe landscape in Flanders and Limburg[where he grew up], with its unvaryingpine forests and row upon row of treesalong canals and rivers, uninterrupted bymountain tops and deep valleys, is incred-ibly fascinating—especially from a speed-ing train, when one sees how these canon-ic rows of trees in their different arrange-ments form counterpoints, overlappingastonishingly, reflected in the borderingwaters.”
As a teacher, his motto was: “A power-ful concept will always sound good!”
A great architectGeysen’s acute perceptions of the soundsof nature form the basis for his composi-tions. His style is not like any other. Start-ing with a striking simplicity and a strongstructure, he invents ingenious musicalschemes that seem unpredictable, creativeand inexhaustible.
For a performer, a thorough under-standing of his ways of thinking and of or-ganizing his ideas is essential to reaching awell-informed interpretation. He searchesfor music that does not express anythingand that does not want to express any-thing: sober music that does not try tocharm, impose, convince or affect, but justwants to exist—without frills or sensa-tionalism, avoiding psychological or dra-matic explorations.
According to Geysen, a pursuit of pur-posely monotonous music opens fascinat-ing aural possibilities. Geysen’s music re-quires a special kind of listening. It is con-structed in an idiosyncratic manner, butcan produce pure amazement and enjoy-ment about what music is, or can be.
Geysen was born in almost the sameyear as Glass, Reich, Riley and Young. Like
them, but independently of them, he began to use repetitive structures.
Beyond this initial similarity, there aremany differences in their approaches tocomposition. Geysen is a solitary thinkerwho—once the work has been committedto paper—leaves everything up to the per-former. He creates his own idiom, basedon a variety of very specific repetition tech-niques, but often avoiding exact repeti-tions.
In contrast, the American minimalistsoften are performers as well as composers,and develop their musical ideas throughimprovisation. They work rather intuitive-ly and compose generally simple, conso-nant, repetitive music that tries to influ-ence the consciousness of listeners andchange their state of awareness, very dif-ferent in style and æsthetics from Geysen’sideas and processes.
Some characteristics of Geysen’s musicare strongly related to European serialism.Geysen often uses the 12-tone rows foundin serial music, although he does not seri-alize all the parameters (rhythm, dynam-ics, etc.) as other serialists have done.
Using 12-tone rows, references to a keyare generally avoided. Thus intervals suchas thirds and perfect fifths are not used, asthey could be heard tonally. Minor sec-onds are avoided as well, to avoid suggest-ing a leading tone. There is no mutual attraction between any of the pitches. Thecenturies-old duality between dissonanceand consonance, alternating tension andrelaxation, is no longer present.
The serialists perceive themselves as architects, or engineers, of sound. Although Geysen doesn’t adhere to thestrictest elements of serial music, he is likethem in his quest to achieve as much rational control as possible over his compositions.
Geysen’s use of structure, togetherwith the way he writes his own exercises asan aid to composing, strike me as his mostimportant qualities. His mental processinvolves devising schemes and determin-ing the different possible combinations ofnotes that can be used in his music. (See musical example 2.)
Geysen perceives himself also as a remote successor of the Flemish poly-
The centuries-old dualitybetween dissonance andconsonance, alternatingtension and relaxation, is no longer present.
16 American Recorder
phonists in the 15th and 16th centuries,specifically in his music’s strong tendencytowards constructivism. He has in factcreated a new kind of polyphonic stylethat harks back to the old polyphoniccompositional techniques, such as fugaland canonic structures—but couplesthem with rhythmic manipulations suchas augmentations and diminutions. Theway his music tends to be divided intocountless small fragments often obscures the canonic structure, creating a purelyabstract sound show—almost a formof”inaudible” polyphony.
Geysen pays much attention to canon-ic and mirroring structures. The tone rowthat he uses as the basis for each piece canbe changed from its original form in vari-ous ways:
· a row can be read backwards (retrograde)
· the direction of the movement of intervals can be altered (inversion)
· a row can be read backwards and the direction of interval movement altered (retrograde inversion)
· the entire row can be transposedIndirectly, Geysen is also influenced
by cosmic ideas: music as a reflection ofthe perfect order of the universe. Thecomposer does not believe in a universethat was created suddenly and evolved insuch a way that it will cease to exist atsome point, as described in the Big Bangtheory. Rather, he subscribes to more re-cent theories: the universe has always ex-isted, but is constantly changing throughthe movement of its most important com-ponent, “plasma.” The cosmos follows itsown, but not a purposeful, direction.
This theory is also in line with the an-cient Greek thesis of Heraclite, “PantaRhei” (everything flows). Visual artistshave expressed this in the so-called“Möbius strip” (a curved surface with nobeginning and no end, created when atwisted loop is joined after giving one enda 180-degree twist—as made popular inthe art of M.C. Escher).
In Geysen’s works, the element of timedoes not create a sense of purpose.. Eachmoment is part of the overall structure,but is also an independent unit. It is as ifthe music was poured into a mold, but al-so exists without the mold; as if it weresounding before the first note and keepsgoing after the last note. On the otherhand, the music can change or stop at anymoment.
To me, Geysen resembles a great chessmaster, who carefully thinks throughevery action in his compositional process
Musical example 2: MAMGeysen’s manuscript is in a different key from this teaching version (set with and with-
out bar lines by the author, for use with his students), a key change recommended by thecomposer himself: “Transposed a minor third lower, to 2 alto recorders and 2 bassrecorders.” I find MAM to be a real puzzle; the longer you look at it, the more you see.Note especially:
· The equal treatment of all 12 tones· The vertical chords created every five pulses· Numerous canons and mirror structures· The relationship between the first and the third voice, and also the first and the
second voice (e.g., the first voice read backwards is the second voice read forwards)Geysen’s plan in this piece is brilliant, imaginative and incredible. However short,
MAM is a precious, well-thought-out composition. The idea is to perform it as a loop: immediately after the last note in the third voice, MAM can be played again.
September 2004 17
and rationally weighs every move. Hesays: “For me, creating art remains anawesome business.... Rationally I lay outthe textures I want to use, but the order inwhich they will be strung together is com-pletely random, intuitive, and unpre-dictable. This means that the overall formand structure of a composition is almostnever fixed beforehand. As I compose, musical ideas are developed in a strict fashion; this is where different sectionsoriginate. Afterwards these are put in adefinite order, strictly intuitive and with-out any pre-determination.”
Another striking characteristic of hismusic is the creation of palindromes. A palindrome is a word, phrase, verse or sentence that reads the same backwardor forward. Every language includespalindromes: “kayak” or “radar” in English; “parterretrap” in Dutch; and“Retrowörter” in German.
Palindromes are not limited to words;there are also palindrome sentences. InDutch, for instance: “Nee, editor, las udus al rot-ideeën?” (This means in Eng-lish, “No, editor, did you read terribleideas already?” I hope this article doesn’tfall into that category!) In German, for instance: “Eine treue Familie bei Limafeuerte nie” (in English, “A faithful familyin Lima never fired”).
I learned an example in English fromstudents that I taught at the Long Island,NY, recorder workshop last spring: “Ablewas I ere I saw Elba” (Napoleon’s sup-posed lament).
There are also palindrome numbers,such as 12321; and palindrome dates,such as 10.11.01.
Geysen creates many palindromes,horizontally as well as vertically (wherethe notes of a chord, read from top to bot-tom or bottom to top, are in the same or-der), and even rhythmically. Musical example 3 shows a horizontal and rhyth-mic palindrome.
To me, Geysen resembles a great chess master, who carefully thinks through every action in his compositional process...
Musical example 3: Lichtspleten(Cracks of Light), mm.187-192
(Used with kind permission of Mieroprint Musikverlag Münster/Germany)
18 American Recorder
Geysen’s preoccupation with Fibonac-ci numbers as a structural element is alsoremarkable. Leonardo of Pisa, also knownas Fibonacci (literally, “son of Bonacci”),lived from about 1170 to 1250. Besides in-troducing the Arabic numeral system to aEurope that still used Roman numerals,his claim to fame is the number sequencethat bears his name, in which every num-ber is the sum of the previous two num-bers. This infinite sequence begins with:
1,1, (1+1=)2, (1+2=)3, (2+3=)5,(3+5=)8, (5+8=)13, (8+13)21,(13+21=)34, (21+34=)55…89,144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 1597, etc.
This sequence was the answer to aword problem that Fibonacci posed forreaders of his 1202 Liber abbaci (Book ofCalculating): a farmer buys two young rab-bits, a male and a female (1 couple). Thefirst month no offspring are produced, butin the second month two rabbits are born:a male and a female (2 couples). In each ofthe following months, this first pair of rab-bits produces two rabbits, a male and a fe-male (3 couples). But the descendants ofthis couple, at one month of age, begin toreproduce (5 couples) and also deliver apair of rabbits each month. The problemwas to calculate how many pairs therewould be in a year.
While somewhat unrealistic as an ex-ample of reproductive science, this prob-lem that seems to be only mathematicalhas many applications in other disciplinessuch as biology, architecture, music andthe visual arts. The best-known example isthe sunflower, whose seeds are arranged inthe flower in two sets of spirals. These spi-rals usually contain 34 and 55 seeds—butsometimes there are 55 and 89, or 89 and144—all Fibonacci numbers.
From my classes with Geysen, I re-member that Béla Bartók’s music is full ofFibonacci numbers. Geysen also usesthem frequently (see musical example 4).
Performing Geysen’s Recorder WorksThe many CD and radio recordings ofGeysen’s works show striking diversity inthe way the compositions are performed.As a composer, Geysen leaves a lot of free-dom for performers to suggest creative so-lutions, with their particular instrumentsin mind or drawing from their own musi-cal sense.
It seems like a paradox: music that isconceived in such a rational manner butperformed in such an intuitive way. In fact,Geysen indicates only the pitch and dura-tion strictly, but leaves many other param-eters free. For example, some works can beperformed at any tempo from very fast tovery slow. Rarely are factors such as dy-namics, articulation, tone production orphrasing indicated in the score. In short,the score as a source of information hasbeen kept to a bare minimum.
So far, very little has been publishedabout his compositions. To achieve a trueand consistent performance, his musicfirst needs thorough analysis. A clear understanding of his construction—including mirror images, palindromes, Fibonacci numbers and canonic struc-tures—is a start towards achieving a con-sistent performance.
I am currently involved in research thatincludes the exchange of ideas amongmusicians, musicologists and composers,aiming for a new understanding of, and in-creased satisfaction in, performing Gey-sen’s recorder works. Suggestions, cre-ative solutions, and possible innovations
for performance of his recorder musiccould include:
· Use of sound technology. Geysen’sown answer: “The biggest advantage ofelectronics is its autonomy: it is what itis, and the resulting product is irrevoca-ble, untouchable and everlasting. In-deed, to me, this seems ideal, providedthat someone knows how electronicequipment actually works. Through dig-ital, computer-aided conversion of mywritten compositions, some peopleachieve a sound reproduction that stim-ulates live performances. This very close-ly approaches the ideal I mentioned.”· Combination of Geysen’s music withpoetry reading or visual art (which, as ithappens, are often his sources of inspi-ration)· Use of light effects· Combination of his music with repeti-tive dance or movement· Addition of avant-garde techniques.Geysen does not think these techniquesare a necessity, but he does not rejecttheir use. From various recordings, it isclear that almost every recorder playeruses these techniques, a practice withwhich I also strongly agree. Such techniques—including flutter tongue,sputato, white noise and vibrato—helpto create an evocative language that addsanother dimension to Geysen’s music· Use of his music as a source of inspiration for improvisation· Use of recorder choirs for instrumenta-tion
As a composer, Geysenleaves a lot of freedom for performers...
Musical example 4: Lichtspleten (Cracks of Light), mm.144-183Hats off to Geysen for his strong use of Fibonacci numbers. This is just one of many examplesfrom his recorder works. The rhythmic organization follows the proportional pattern 1-2-3-5.The basic cell of this section is two eighth notes + one eighth rest (first alto, m.144). The factorof augmentation increases with every lower voice (times two in the second voice, times three inthe third voice, and times five in the fourth voice). The proportional canon, entirely based on Fibonacci numbers, determines the rhythmic aspect as well as the melodic. The voices move inintervals determined by the same proportions: the first alto descends a minor second (one halfstep), the second alto descends a major second (two half steps), the first bass descends a minorthird (three half steps), and the second bass descends a perfect fourth (five half steps). Geysenproves to be a brilliant architect in the way he has incorporated this material into the entirecomposition. (Used with kind permission of Mieroprint Musikverlag Münster/Germany)
September 2004 19
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Phone: -- Fax: --E-mail: [email protected]: www.prbmusic.com
Geysen wrote his early works in hisown notation in order to get away from thestrict metrical-rhythmical framework thatdoes not apply in his music. Notes are rep-resented without stems or flags, but in-stead as sound impulses that are notarranged in any meter; there are no barlines. He thinks that the name “pulse notation” best describes this system.
His notation is similar to the notationof Renaissance polyphonic music in itslack of bar lines. Dotted lines representrests, of the same length as the soundingnotes. Arches between the different “pulses” indicate notes that are to be held.Geysen makes clear what rhythmic unithe is using as the basis from which all of his values are deduced. In using this notation, he tries to avoid metric accentsthat might shape the rhythmical layeringin his music.
About that, Geysen says, “I have al-ways considered this notation to be amore truthful representation of the audi-tory reality than traditional notation. Ofcourse, traditional notation is, for variousreasons, more practical, especially forgroup playing. This pulse notation provedespecially fruitful to me, because symmet-rical structures, which are very difficult toindicate in traditional notation, became
quite clear. This pulse notation has no relation to graphic notation, since thecomposer does not use aleatory [chance]techniques.” (See musical example 5.)
20 American Recorder
Musical example 5: Excerpt from F'';example in Geysen’s hand of his “pulse notation”
September 2004 21
For amateurs, I highly recommendGroot Kwartetboek (see musical example 6 ),a set of 15 different character pieces, eachlasting less than one minute. The rhyth-mic and melodic material is very accessi-ble, and allows flexible performance.
Revelations continueThere is still much to be discovered inGeysen’s music. From a pedagogical andartistic viewpoint, the language employedin his music is fascinating. I find it a never-ending quest in which I continue to findnew, interesting things. In Op de fles, hehid part of a Brandenburg Concerto, divided over four voices!
I made a striking discovery by accidentin Installaties: play the first page of the firstInstallatie; turn the first page upsidedown, and it becomes the composition’ssecond page (see musical example 7).
Occasionally I am able to meet with thecomposer. Recently I discussed with himthe interesting titles he uses for his works.One of his works for solo alto recorder,
Geproesterol (in English, this might beLaughesterol) is dedicated to Geert VanGele. The title also represents an anagramof “Erop los Geert,” which in Dutchmeans something like, “Geert, go for it.”
The recorder is very much alive in2004. Never before have we seen so manyprofessional players, and never have tech-nical and musical levels been higher. Thereare so many musical styles available to thisinstrument, and so many quality instru-ments for sale. Numerous competitions,events, festivals, lecture demonstrationsand concerts are organized.
Never before has there been so muchinterest in contemporary music. The Website <www.blokfluit.nl>, maintained byWalter van Hauwe and Paul Leenhouts, includes a comprehensive database ofcontemporary recorder music and standsas proof of this vitality.
I hope that this article will spark moreinterest in contemporary music in the U.S.My experiences in Long Island, NY, lastMarch, when I devoted all of my workshopclasses to Geysen, were very positive (seeNancy Tooney’s report, May 2004 AR). Iemphasized that Geysen is a great archi-tect, and the students proceeded to discover more features of the structures
than I could ever have wished for. At theend of the workshop, there were 30 newarchitects. The future looks bright!
Searching for Geysen’s constructionsand thought processes is a true ricercare. Ihope you will enjoy his latest recorderquartet, Noodzaak van Ommekeer–Ommekeer van Noodzaak (Necessity of Reversal–Reversal of Necessity), a composi-tion written especially for ARS membersand published in this issue.
Bart Spanhove is professor of recorder atthe Lemmensinstituut in Louvain, Belgium, and a performing member of the FlandersRecorder Quartet. His recent book, The Finishing Touch of Ensemble Playing,is published by Alamire and availablethrough several ARS Business Members. He is open to any ideas and reactions youhave relating to the music of Frans Geysen.He may be reached at <[email protected]> or <[email protected]>. See “On Tour/In Concert” in the September ARS Newslettercalendar for upcoming activities of bothSpanhove and the FRQ.
Composer Frans Geysen may be reachedat: Rozenlaan 3, 3360 Korbeek-Lo, BELGIUM.
Musical example 6: From Groot Kwartetboek (Used with kind permission of MieroprintMusikverlag Münster/Germany)
22 American Recorder
Musical example 7: Installation No. 1Page one is shown full size; the second page(shown smaller at right) is the first oneturned upside down. (Used with kind permission of Moeck Musikinstrumente und Verlag e.K. Celle/Germany)
September 2004 23
Honeysuckle Music
Recorders & accessories. . .
Music for recorders & viols
Jean Allison Olson1604 Portland Ave.St. Paul, MN 55104
Installation No. 1, page two ( page one turned upside down)
24 American Recorder
List of Frans Geysen’sRecorder Works As of 2004, Frans Geysen has written250 compositions, of which 30 requireone or more recorders. Much ofGeysen’s music is published byMieroprint, Germany.
Key: Title (year—arrangedchronologically), instrumentation Publisher, if known (thosemanuscripts that are privatelyowned are designated “MPO”),publication number; additionalpertinent information
Solo recorderKleine vegetatie (1974) for alto recorderAscolta, The Netherlands, ASC 345
Solo (1992) for alto recorderAscolta, The Netherlands, ASC 346
Geproesterol (Laughesterol) (1994) for alto recorderAscolta, The Netherlands, ASC 348;commissioned by Geert Van Gele;recorded on CD by Geert Van Gele,Flemish Contemporary Recorder Music(Vol. II), Vox Temporis Productions CD92 031 (available through the ARS CDClub)
City of Smiles (2001), 20 solos for onerecorder player, playing soprano to bassMPO; commissioned by Frank Algoedt
Ehrung an M.C.E. (E=mc2) (2001) foralto recorderMPO
One recorder and keyboardWoekering tot aan de grens (1992) forrecorder and piano or harpsichordAscolta, The Netherlands, ASC 347
Prille ontmoeting (Erste Begegnung)(1995) for tenor recorder and pianoMieroprint, Germany, EM 1048
Tijdsrekking (1999) for alto recorder andpiano or harpsichordCebedem, Belgium; commissioned byAxion Classics (competition for youngmusicians in Belgium)
Met gekend elan (2002) for tenor recorder(or oboe or flute) and organMPO; commissioned by Ben Van Nespen (Geysen scholar in Belgium pre-eminent for his organ compositions)
Two or three recordersWingerd in een natte zomer (1974)for two recordersDe Monte, Belgium, Adrians Compendium, Volume II
Vier korte stukken (1976) for two recordersEigentijdse Muziek
Kokon (1990) for two recordersMPO
Nevel tot leven (2002) for recorder trioMieroprint, Germany, EM 1097; commissioned by Apsara
Four recordersMAM (1972)MPO
Nonak (1972)MPO
Periferisch–Diagonaal–Concentrisch(1972) for recorder quartetSchott & Co, Ltd., London, The ModernRecorder Series TMR 4, RMS 1376; commissioned by Huelgas Ensemble;recorded on LP by ALSQ in Muziek vooreen piek, BFO 6814-482; recorded onCD by Flautando Köln, La Spiritata, Ars Musici “Essence” 3027-2, 1996
De Stockmansinstallaties (1983) Moeck Verlag, Germany, Ed. 2806 [pub-lished as Installaties]; commissioned byALSQ; recorded on CD, Quatrolog byBlockflötenquartett Springflut(e), Midas LC 8230
Langs hoeken en kanten / Langs Ecken undKanten (1990)Mieroprint, Germany, EM 1044; com-missioned by FRQ; recorded on CD byFRQ, Flemish Contemporary RecorderMusic (Vol. I), Vox Temporis Productions“Novecento” CD 92 004
Groot kwartetboek / Das Grosse Quartett-buch (1992)Mieroprint, Germany, EM 1042; com-missioned by FRQ; recorded on CD,Kasseler Avantgarde–Reihe II, Mieroprint,Germany, EM 6003. DDD LC 4960 (seven of 15 movements recorded);recorded on CD by FRQ for recordermethod Easy Going by Sieglinde Heilig,Heinrichshofen, Germany N 2551 (three of 15 movements recorded)
Lichtspleten (1996)Mieroprint, Germany; commissioned byCarré
Op de fles (2001) for four players and 16 bottles (performance also possiblewith four players and 16 recorders)MPO; publication in near future byHeinrichshofen, Germany; commis-sioned by FRQ
Noodzaak van ommekeer–ommekeer vannoodzaak (April 2004)Published in American Recorder, September 2004; commissioned by the American Recorder Society
Various combinations up to eightOmtrent ABC (1984) for five recordersMPO; commissioned by Antwerps Blokfluitenconsort
Digitaal–Analoog–Identiek (1986) forrecorder duo, trio and quartetStichting SONBU, Utrecht, The Nether-lands (which also commissioned it);recorded on CD by FRQ, Flemish Con-temporary Recorder Music (Vol. I), VoxTemporis Productions “Novecento” CD92 004; recorded on CD by ALSQ, Timeand Time Again, SONBU Stemra C 6824
Ottoflotto (1995) for double recorderquartetMieroprint, Germany, EM 1043; com-missioned by FRQ and ALSQ
Twelve recordersF'' (1970) MPO
Met zijn twaalven (2001) MPO; commissioned by Mechelse Blokfluitdagen (Bart Spanhove)
Chamber musicSlegov Erar (1972) for recorder, violin,’cello and pianoMPO; commissioned by Koen Dieltiens
Niet elke minuut duurt even lang (1993)for recorder and marimbaMPO; commissioned by Frank Algoedt
Energie ter plekke 1 (1997) for fourrecorders and string orchestra (or string quartet)MPO; commissioned by FRQ and theRubio String Quartet
Flanders Recorder Quartet performs Geysen’s Op de fles (On the Bottle,
meaning “To be bankrupt, out of business”)
Recorder 1
Recorder 2
Recorder 3
Recorder 4
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
9
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
17
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
25
Noodzaak van ommekeer-ommekeer van noodzaak (Necessity of reversal-reversal of necessity) Frans Geysen (born 1936)
For the American Recorder Society (2004)
Alto
Alto
Alto
Alto (Tenor)
Copyright © 2004 Frans Geysen. All rights reserved. A MIDI playback of this piece is available in Recorder On-Line at <www.recorderonline.org>.
ARS members may make photocopies of this music for their own use.
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
33
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
40
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
48
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
56
To Tenor
To Tenor
(c may alsoreplace cin mm.47-53)
Play measure 3X
Play measure 3X
Play measure 3X
Play measure 3X
Copyright © 2004 Frans Geysen. All rights reserved. A MIDI playback of this piece is available in Recorder On-Line at <www.recorderonline.org>.
ARS members may make photocopies of this music for their own use.
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
64
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
72
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
80
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
88
To Tenor(Alto)
To Tenor
Play measure 3X
Play measure 3X
Play measure 3X
Play measure 3X
Copyright © 2004 Frans Geysen. All rights reserved. A MIDI playback of this piece is available in Recorder On-Line at <www.recorderonline.org>.
ARS members may make photocopies of this music for their own use.
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
95
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
103
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
111
Rec. 1
Rec. 2
Rec. 3
Rec. 4
119
(To Alto)
(To Alto)
(To Alto) (Repeat entire piece as desired)
Copyright © 2004 Frans Geysen. All rights reserved. A MIDI playback of this piece is available in Recorder On-Line at <www.recorderonline.org>.
ARS members may make photocopies of this music for their own use.
Text and photos by William Stickney
September 2004 29
This article addresses the photographyneeds of publications like American
Recorder as well as newsletters, concertbrochures and programs, workshopbrochures, and press releases for ensem-bles or organizations. These needs prima-rily include documentary coverage of per-formances, workshops, master classes,and events including receptions andaward presentations (“grip and grins,” asthey are known in the trade). Other edito-rial needs are photos of ensembles, and in-dividual portraits (“head shots”).
Occasionally a photo from one of thesesituations may be used as a publicationcover, but usually such photos provide vi-sual interest to accompany articles in apublication like AR. Exceptional imagesalso provide valuable visual “grabbers” forworkshop or concert presenter publica-tions, or to accompany press releases.
I am often asked, “what kind of camerado you use?” and then, “what kind of cam-era should I get?” My answer inevitablystarts with, “Well, it depends…”, quicklyfollowed by, “The most important part ofphotography is the creative mind—the “eye”—behind the camera.”
There are some similarities betweenphotography and recorder playing. It’seasy to take a picture, but it’s much moredifficult to take a really good picture—rather like the first scales on a recorder ascompared to a virtuosic performance of aTelemann sonata.
What to look for in a cameraI won’t go into the brands and models ofcameras, as they are constantly changing.Any specific recommendations would behopelessly out of date by the time this ispublished.
First, I strongly suggest using a digitalcamera. With most commercial printersand many publications, a film image mustbe turned into a digital one for publica-tion, so producing a digital image from thestart produces fewer quality issues.
There are some technical specifica-tions that are good to keep in mind for thekinds of photography under discussion. Afour- or five-megapixel camera is morethan adequate for brochures, public rela-tions photos, and photos on the insidepages of magazines, and may even be goodenough for a full cover in some cases.
Of the criteria you might use to decidewhich camera to purchase, the most important ones are lens speed and response time (or shutter lag).
Since much event photography is doneunder rather poor lighting conditions, alens that admits a lot of light is important.This means a maximum aperture of f2.0 orf2.8 (known as a “fast” lens). Most digitalcameras allow selection of sensitivity, orISO. A high ISO setting is like choosing a“fast” film and helps to insure taking a us-able photograph by minimizing the effectsof camera shake and subject movement.
The time it takes a camera to actuallytake a picture after the shutter button ispressed is also important. “Shutter lag”refers to the delay between pressing theshutter and making the exposure. A fastresponse time is vital when photograph-ing situations that can change rapidly.
Flash photography isn’t often appro-priate, but, when it is, I have found that a built-in camera flash isn’t very satisfac-tory. In these circumstances, the capabili-ty of attaching a more powerful flash unitmay also be important.
Considering these factors will proba-bly rule out most inexpensive “point andshoot” cameras. For the kind of photogra-phy that will produce high-resolutionphotos necessary for publication, the nextstep up in cameras is a better choice.These are often called “prosumer” cam-eras because they would sometimes beuseful to professionals as well as amateurs(“consumers”).
For example, I use an Olympus E10camera (an older model, now available asan E20) that I often find more suitable forthis kind of work than my high end NikonD1x. An added plus is that these camerasoperate almost silently.
One last point that I would suggest, re-gardless of which camera is used: read theinstruction manual, learn about the cam-era’s capabilities, and practice using it be-fore getting into a “real” situation. A visitto the library, or a search for “beginningphotography” or “digital photography”on a site like <www.amazon.com>,would provide background for more gen-eral topics. Photography courses are of-fered widely at local high schools, col-leges, and even sophisticated camerastores.
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Notes:Photographing Musicians
There are somesimilarities betweenphotography and recorderplaying. It’s easy to take apicture, but it’s muchmore difficult to take areally good picture—rather like the first scaleson a recorder ascompared to a virtuosicperformance of aTelemann sonata.
30 American Recorder
Technical FactorsWhat do editors and publication de-
signers need? Some basic technical criteriamust be met in an effective photograph.
It seems almost too obvious to men-tion, but photographs submitted for pub-lication must be in focus. A classic exam-ple of this is when two subjects are pho-tographed side by side, and the cameraautomatically focuses on the wall behindthe two people. To get around this, focuson one of the people, hold that focus (usu-ally by partially depressing the shutter but-ton), move the camera back so that theshot includes both subjects (“recomposethe shot”), and take the picture. Read thecamera manual and practice this one—it’sa very useful trick.
The photographs should be exposedproperly—they should be neither too darknor too light. In many situations, this re-quires setting the exposure manuallyrather than using an automatic setting.This is necessary when the subject is litvery differently from the background—forinstance, a spot-lit subject on an otherwisedark stage, or a person in front of a brightwindow.
If your camera has a date stamp fea-ture, turn it off so that this doesn’t requireyour photographs to be cropped.
With digital photos, the file size of the
image has a lot to do with how it will re-produce. This could spin off into a wholeseparate article, but setting the camera toproduce a high quality JPEG file is a goodstarting point.
Photos for inclusion on the interiorpages of American Recorder generally needto be 3”x4”x300dpi or greater. Check withyour local media to find out their specifi-cations (JPEG or TIF format), and howthey prefer to receive photos (by e-mail,CD or diskette, as hard copy, etc.).
Know your subjectOnce past the technical issues, we
enter the realm of creativity—the eye behind the camera, of which I wrote earlier. Images with dynamic visual inter-est are the most effective for grabbing areader’s interest. Think National Geo-graphic, and trust your own knowledge ofmusic and the recorder. Interesting com-positions that combine creative arrange-ments of the subjects in the photo with ef-fective use of lighting and contrast are aneditor’s dream. Good action, expressionsand gestures add greatly to the visual im-pact and the message being communicat-ed. Try to avoid shots of the backs ofheads—faces are far more interesting.
What can you do, then, when realityrears its ugly head? Many chapter meet-ings are held in relatively dim living roomsand church basements. Workshops andmaster classes are frequently held in fluo-rescent-lit classrooms. Early music per-formances, even on a professional level,are often in abysmally lit churches—lotsof atmosphere, and maybe good acoustics,but very little light with which to work.
This is where one must be both techni-cally and aesthetically creative. Using acamera with a “fast” lens and a high ISOsetting—and then finding creative ways tohold it still enough for a crisp image, whilepaying attention to interesting composi-tions—is a juggling act that only gets easi-er with patience and practice.
A trick of the trade is to take lots ofshots of every situation, deleting the badones later. People are very unpredictable,and, the more people in the shot thegreater the degree of unpredictability. Takeas many shots as circumstances permit.Try for many similar shots of each scene—wide angle shots and close-ups, changingcomposition, taking both horizontal andvertical versions of the shot. There’s no“wasting film” in the digital world!
Another trick of the trade is to learn toanticipate what’s going to happen. With
candid and documentary situations, takea bit of time to observe the subject andlearn that person’s characteristic gesturesand expressions. This helps to capture abit of the subject’s personality or energy,and makes the photo more interesting. Ifphotography during a performance is pos-sible, listen to the music, watch how theperformers move, and take the picture atthe end of a phrase or when there is a longheld note.
Photography can be highly distractingto participants and the audience in somesituations. During events (the “grip andgrins”), scheduled “photo-ops,” and casual musical get-togethers, the photog-rapher can be fairly conspicuous—evendownright pushy—in moments when thephotography is expected.
Other situations must be handled withvarying degrees of tact and discretion.Workshops, master classes and perform-ances fall into this category. In addition tothe technical and creative aspects, thephotographer must be constantly aware ofthe impact his or her presence is having onthe situation being photographed. Thefirst rule is never to use flash—it’s too distracting in candid situations. This is another reason for a fast lens and a highISO setting.
It’s important to check with workshopfaculty and participants to make sure youhave their consent to photograph them—and then to be subtle, courteous, and,above all, inconspicuous while takingphotos. Get the shots needed, and thenleave quietly .
Performances are an even more deli-cate situation. Most professional musi-
A trick of the trade is to take lots of shots ofevery situation.
Examples of photos using selective focus.
Photo showing poor timing, subjects in motion, back of one person’s head.
cians with whom I’ve spokenhave told me that photographyduring a performance is simplynot appropriate. Permission mustbe obtained from the performers,and often also the venue manage-ment—any photography duringthe performance will be highly restricted, if it’s permitted at all. It may be necessary to do thephotography during a rehearsalor warm-up.
If a couple of shots must betaken during a performance, theyshould be done in a manner thatwon’t disturb either the musicians or theaudience—shoot from the back of the hallor a balcony, where there are few people;time shots for the loud moments, ca-dences, or the bows; and make sure anycamera sounds are turned off. And, asmentioned, never use flash.
In the end, there are other considera-tions that are far more important than thetechnical issues. How one approaches thesituations and subjects is really where thetrue art of editorial and documentary pho-tography comes into play.
September 2004 31
Four photos (above) of Charles Coldwell (left) and Rachel Berkowitz,showing different angles, selective focus, and horizontal and vertical shooting.
Vertical and horizontal photos of Han Tol (standing) conducting the
2004 Amherst Early Music Festival recorder orchestra.
32 American Recorder
All of this can be summarized as follows:· Use a digital camera with more than
“point and shoot” capabilities and animage size of at least four megapixels.
· Read the manual; become completelyfamiliar with the camera before goingon assignment. Educate yourselfthrough photography books andcourses.
· Take lots of shots, both for insuranceand for variety. Learn how to anticipatethe action.
· Learn how to use the camera effectivelywithout using flash. Ambient light maybe more difficult to work with, but theresults are often more rewarding.
· And, above all, be a thoughtful, consid-erate and inconspicuous photographer. William Stickney started playing the
recorder at age eight. Over the years, he hasaccumulated a collection of Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and modern recordersfrom sopranino through contra bass. Heplayed the clarinet and the saxophone inconcert bands, orchestras and various rockbands in high school and college. He alsoplays Renaissance and Baroque flutes.
Stickney is ac-tive in several earlymusic ensembles inthe Seattle, WA,area and has per-formed withBaroque North-west. He has playedin recorder masterclasses with Petervan Heygen, EvaLegêne and VickiBoeckman, andstudies Baroqueflute and recorderwith Kim Pineda. A current boardmember of severalSeattle early musicorganizations, hehas also served aspresident of the Seattle Recorder Society.
He has been a professional photographerfor 35 years, including serving as staff pho-tographer at the Morton Arboretum and atTellabs, both in Lisle, IL. He is currently self-employed, doing commercial and editorialphotography in Seattle. His images have appeared in numerous issues of AmericanRecorder, including the cover of this issue.
Stickney shot the September AR coverwith his Nikon D1x with a Nikkor 28-105 zoom lens (exact exposure data notrecorded). It was photographed in the Gribskov Forest, Denmark, in overcast after-
noon light.Recordersby TureBergstrømand TomPrescott,providedcourtesy of Wood’NFlutes (VickiBoeckman,GertieJohnsson and Pia Brinch Jensen).
Simplifying the TermsF stop, or lens “speed”This is a mathematically derived numberthat represents how big an opening thelens has to let light in. This opening is ad-justable in order to let just the rightamount of light into the camera for a“good” exposure. F2.0 is a wide openingwhich will let through a lot of light; f8.0 isa small opening. Lens “speed” is photojargon for the size of this opening; f2.0 isa “fast” lens, and f8.0 is a “slow” lens.With the low light levels that we usuallyhave in musical situations a “fast” lens isa good thing.
ISOA standardized representation of howsensitive the image sensor in the camerais. The higher the number (ISO400, forexample), the more sensitive it is and lesslight is required to make a photograph. A high ISO setting will allow shorter shut-ter speeds, or will let us get away with
“slower” lenses. There is a tradeoff, how-ever. A higher ISO setting will result in alower quality photograph, usually seen asa grainy effect.
JPEG (or TIF)Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG)or Tagged Image File Format (TIF) refer tostandard formats used in digital photogra-phy, as well as in other computer images.A JPEG (or JPG, using the file extensionacronym) employs a file compressionmethod that tends to make the file sizesmaller, so is often desirable both for stor-ing and e-mailing photos. Check yourcamera’s manual to set the parameters forfile type, resolution and size.
MegapixelA pixel is the basic unit of a digital image.In simple terms, the more pixels, the bet-ter an image will be. A four-megapixelcamera produces images made up ofabout four million pixels and is quite ad-equate for the purpose described here.
Response TimeA reference to the time between pressingthe shutter button and when the cameraactually takes the picture. In less expen-sive cameras, this can be a significantamount of time; that expression or ges-ture you were trying to capture is longgone.
Shutter SpeedThis refers to how long the shutter is openwhen a picture is taken. If the shutter isopen too long and either the camera or thesubject move (or both), the picture will beblurry. For example, 1/125 second is com-fortably short enough to minimize the effects of motion; 1/8 second, on the other hand, will usually result in blurry orshaky photos unless the camera is heldvery still and the subject doesn’t movemuch. Unfortunately, we must often workwith fairly long exposures, like the 1/8second example, so a lot of care must beused. Learn to brace yourself (against awall, if possible) and hold your breath.
In the end, there are otherconsiderations that arefar more important thanthe technical issues.
Look for a photo composition that includes interesting angles, as in the topphoto of flutists Rebecca Arkenberg and Abe Santiago, and the lower photo of the gesturing Michael McCraw. The top photo is also an example requiringcompensation for abright window in the background.
Reconstructed Flute ConcertoI was pleased that you mentioned the“new” Tchaikovsky flute concerto in theMay issue of AR. You were quite correct insaying that I was the one who reconstruct-ed Vivaldi’s RV312r flautino concerto inthe 1990s. But the sketches for theTchaikovsky flute concerto were in fact dis-covered by the flutist James Strauss, whowill give the first performance of his ownreconstruction of the work.
Yours sincerely, Jean Cassignol
Keeping up with ThalheimerMay I correct an error in David Lasocki’s“The Recorder in Print 2002” (AR, May2004, p.11)? Reviewing my article, “TheHindemith Trio – Seventy Years On,”David states I “was apparently unaware ofPeter Thalheimer’s pathbreaking arti-cle...”. I can assure readers I was and amaware of the article referred to by DavidLasocki.
Yours, Alec V Loretto, Auckland, NZ
Moveable Thumb-RestsIn my recent book Introduction to theRecorder (Ruxbury Publications/Magna-music), on p.65, I advocated the use of amolded piece of “Blutack” as a temporarythumb-rest, to be taken off and replacedwith a permanent thumb-rest when theplayer has had enough experience to knowfor certain exactly where he wants to posi-tion his right thumb for accurate and com-fortable finger-hole covering. I did not re-alize that Blutack is not known by thatname in America, although it is in Aus-tralia.
Blutack is a malleable plastic adhesivethat can be rolled into any shape andsticks on to almost anything (except yourfingers!), but it does not completely hard-en as a permanent fix. I am told that theAmerican version of this product is col-ored pink, and is known under anothername.
I had foolishly overlooked that there isanother alternative. A Japanese firm calledFCN make plastic thumb-rests in threesizes, to fit soprano, alto and tenorrecorders. They are very cheap, and aresimply clipped on to the recorder. At riskof some very slight scratching of the wood,
they can be moved up or down the barrelof the recorder, or pulled off altogether. Al-though not particularly comfortable, theymay serve as permanent thumb-rests.They are a great deal less unsightly than alump of Blutack or whatsoever. Thesethumb-rests are distributed in America byRhythm Band.
Bass recorders are of course mainlysupported with an [easily adjusted] sling,[which is some players’] preferred methodfor supporting even a tenor or alto. Largebasses rest on the floor. Some basset bass-es have spikes so that they too can rest onthe floor. As there is then little adjust-
ment, the height of your music stand be-comes critical.
But whatever the means of support, theexact placing of the right thumb remainscrucial to good recorder playing.
Anthony Rowland-Jones, Cambridge, UK
RESPONSE___________________________________Correction and clarification,
and do-it-yourself thumb-rests
Responses from our readers are welcomed and maybe sent to American Recorder, 7770 South High St.,
Centennial, CO 80122. Letters may be edited for length and consistency.Blutack is a malleable
plastic adhesive that can
be rolled into any shape...
September 2004 33
34 American Recorder
Ihave received some additional news per-taining to my January 2004 column,
where I mentioned a new type of recorderdesigned by Ragnar Arvidsson. He hasbeen kind enough to send along the fol-lowing information:
“This new recorder is fundamentally ofRenaissance type; it has a rather wide, al-most cylindrical bore, and the finger-holespacing conforms to that of a renaissancerecorder. The sound is close to the renais-sance recorder. My invention is to intro-duce a sharp step reduction of the bore di-ameter at a special point in the low end ofthe instrument. This arrangement makesthe lowest tone and its first harmonic flat,so to counter that the low end of the in-strument must be shorter compared to acorresponding Renaissance type.
“For the second and all higher har-monics of the lowest tone the step in thebore acts as a mirror or end stop of thepipe. With the step at the right point, thepitch of the higher harmonics will be
moved upwards on the order of a semitoneto resemble the situation in a baroquerecorder.
“The highest tones in the second oc-tave on a Baroque recorder are producedby a resonance phenomenon in the wholelength of the instrument, where the sec-ond and third harmonics of the lowesttone play an important role. By achievingthe same harmonic situation, but in a dif-ferent way, the high-end Baroque fingeringwill apply on this modified Renaissancerecorder. The instrument still has a reso-nant first harmonic on the lowest tonewhich makes it stronger and more stablethan on a Baroque recorder.”
From Arvidsson’s description, it is evi-dent that he has sought the ideal of a pow-erful low end (Renaissance recorder) and aresponsive and in-tune high end (Baroquerecorder).
Recordings that feature these instru-ments (soprano and alto) played bySwedish professional recorderists includeKerstin Froedin continua, a solo CD re-leased by dB Productions Sweden,<www.db-productions.se>, and GoeranMaansson: Inland, a CD of Swedish folkmusic released by Drone Music Sweden,<www.drone.se>.
In Germany this past May, Deutsch-landRadio Berlin broadcast a productionof a remarkable “Music-Theater-Perfor-mance Project” entitled Kathryn und Peterdurchqueren die Antarktis. This is a post-modern radio play with music. MichaelWolters and Marcus Dross are creditedwith its conception, composition, text andrealization.
Opera director Dross (born 1968) andcomposer Wolters (born 1971) have basedthe “radio opera” on the Antarctic Expedi-tion of explorer Robert Scott in 1911 and1912. The work includes a mini-song cycle that uses texts from Scott’s expedi-tion diary (in English) as well as interviewswith participants in the production.
The Kathryn and Peter of the title areKathryn Bennetts and Peter Bowman,an English-Australian recorder duo(whose CD A Journey Among Travellers isavailable through the ARS CD Club).Throughout almost the entire 53-minutework they play a microtonal duet in which
each part mirrors a particular geographicdiagram of the 5250 kilometer journey ofthe Scott expedition. During interviewsthat occur from time to time, the recorderduo explains that both quarter-tone (24notes to the octave) and eighth-tone (48notes to the octave) scales are used.
The recorder duet is essentially a seriesof long tones, interrupted by quickbreaths (circular breathing does not seemto be employed) that accompanies thenarration of the Scott expedition. Othermusic in the work includes an introducto-ry chorus and, in a scene set in a pub, a punkish rock band.
Included in the cast are therecorderists’ son Tim Bowman. What therecorders depict is an actual (or perhaps avirtual) journey, and the son increasinglyworries about his parents’ safety.
There is German narration, but asmentioned, a large chunk of text is in Eng-lish. Reports of the progress of the jour-ney—both Scott’s expedition and therecorderists’—occur throughout theopera, and are also literal descriptions ofwhat is being played on the recorders.
Needless to say, this is all quite some-thing. As a fan of radio theater, I found thework spellbinding. The production fromDeustchlandRadio is first-rate. There arepowerfully evocative sound effects: anAntarctic storm, the ambience of the pub,the donning of protective outerwear inpreparation for leaving the base, walkingon ice, and the power plant at the base.The voices are situated in realistic acousticenvironments, and the scenes flowsmoothly into each other.
Fans of microtonal music may be fasci-nated by the recorder parts, but I suspectmany readers of this magazine may findthe strangeness quotient rather high. Nev-ertheless, this is an impressive achieve-ment in the world of music/theater/performance—and highly rewarding, especially for those fluent in German.
Special thanks go to harpsichordistand pianist Paul Klecka, who facilitatedcontact with DeutschlandRadio Berlin,and to Dr. Goetz Naleppa of Deutsch-landRadio, who generously provided a CDof the broadcast.
Tim Broege <[email protected]>
ON THE CUTTING EDGE___________________________________ Exploring Antarctica
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September 2004 35
CAROLS FOR RECORDER OR VIOLS,ARR. WILL AYTON. Self-publishedAWP0003 (Magnamusic), 2002. SATB (or viols). Sc 87 pp. $25.
This collection is dedicated to theRhode Island Recorder Society, of whichcompiler Will Ayton is a member. It is astraightforward collection of mostlyChristmas carols, though it includes twofor Advent (O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,and Nun komm der Heiden Heiland[Savior of the Nations Come]) and twomore general carols, Lord of the Dance andTomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day.
If one remembers that, traditionally, acarol was a kind of circle dance and that itsthemes were not restricted to Christmas,then these latter two pieces fit the collec-tion. In the Oxford Book of Carols, editedby Percy Dearmer, R. Vaughan Williams,and Martin Shaw in 1928, Tomorrow ShallBe My Dancing Day is a three-part carolwith the text of the first part considered“General,” the second part considered ap-propriate for “Lent: Passiontide,” and thethird part appropriate for “Passiontide,Easter, and Ascension.” Lord of the Danceis not in the 1972 edition of the OxfordBook of Carols, and is a general carol recalling all of the events of Christ’s life.
Ayton has done a good job of collectinga broad range of pieces in standard four-part harmony: carols both ancient andmodern, sacred and secular, familiar andless familiar, American and foreign; and, with In dulci jubilo and Ein Kindgeborn, multiple settings by Bach andPraetorius. There are several tunes from shape-note hymnals like The SacredHarp and Southern Harmony, and both the modern and the original versions areincluded of Coventry Carol (written as partof the Medieval Latin liturgical drama for the Feast of the Holy Innocents on December 28).
A question I had was about the carol onpage 32, which is entitled here, He is Born,The Holy Child. I believe that it should betitled, instead, He is Born, the Divine ChristChild. Ayton’s words, which may be a di-rect translation from the French, do not fit
the tune and are not the words we havecome to know in the English-speakingworld.
While this is a good book for beginnerswho need to have four parts written out onindividual lines, it would also be a goodbook for a more advanced group called upon to provide music at a holiday event,either as background music or to accom-pany group carol singing. No words areprovided so those would need to be foundseparately.
I recommend this if you are looking foran extensive, easy collection of carols infour-part harmony for a group of recordersand/or viols.
MARY DANCED: A CHRISTMAS CANTATA, MUSIC BY WILL AYTON, LYRICS
BY MARCIA ANDERSON. Mariwill Publ. AWPMW01 (Magnamusic), 2001. SATBwith T & B viols (or viol ensemble) and solo voice (mezzo soprano suggested). Sc. 59 pp, pts for narrator, vocal score, andinstruments with various no. pp. $40.
To quote from the introduction,“…this Cantata, for solo voice, and earlyinstruments, explores the familiar storysurrounding the nativity in an unfamiliarway. For most of my adult life, I have beenfascinated by the person of Mary, themother of Jesus. From the beginning of myinvolvement with the music of the MiddleAges and the Renaissance, I have been im-pressed by the volume of music devoted toMary…I am always brought back to theverse in the book of St. Luke, ‘But Marykept all of these things, and ponderedthem in her heart.’ I have always asked my-self, ‘what did Mary think of all of this?’”
Ayton goes on to say that this cantatawas written for the early music group Amici Musicae. In adapting the narrationfrom both the gospels and the ChristianApocrypha, lyricist Marcia Andersonwanted to “reflect universal humanisticsentiments, not bound by time, culture ortradition. The instrumental settings are in-tended as aural visualizations of the vari-ous situations associated with this story.”
I was initially very excited to see this
work. My group, the Trinity Consort, is associated with a church, and I am alwayson the lookout for music that can be offered during the Advent and ChristmasSeasons. This work appears to be about 25 minutes long, and I had hoped it wouldbe perfect for a Christmas Eve service.
However, in attempting to not be“bound by time, culture or tradition,”some very odd things have been done tothe text. For one thing, the words, exceptfor the traditional Latin texts of the “Magnificat” and “Ave Maria,” are not ter-ribly inspiring.
Most problematical, however, the workhas the Wise Men (or Three Kings) show-ing up before the shepherds’s arrival. TheBiblical record indicates that these sagesappeared in Jerusalem (and later in Beth-lehem) up to two years after Christ’s birth,whereas the shepherds came withinhours. Also in this composition, the mas-sacre of the children of Bethlehem (com-memorated by the Church on December28) comes before the shepherds’ arrival.
It is one thing to take textual libertieswhere an account is based largely on oraltradition, as has been done with the tradi-tional story of Mary’s birth to Joachim andAnna, and her dedication to the Temple inJerusalem at age three. It is another thingto completely change an accepted order ofevents. This is a major reason I wouldprobably not program the work. Revisinghistory makes people uncomfortable,even taking into account various faith orientations.
The music is mostly interesting andeasily attainable for an intermediate to ad-vanced group. As the introduction men-tions, “This cantata was written for a[mixed] consort of early music instru-ments and Mezzo Soprano voice.” Thereare purely instrumental pieces like the Pre-lude and Postlude, “Mary’s Dance,” andthe “Shepherd’s Song” that can be usedindependently. The “Song of the Wise-men,” also an instrumental piece, has awonderful exotic flavor, as one mighthope. The “Magnificat” and the “AveMaria” could also be used on their own in
MUSICREVIEWS___________________________________
Planning ahead for Christmas, an FRQ arrangement, and modern music of Braun, Dorwarth, Caldini and Blom
other settings, though the step-wise mo-tion of the vocal line is not memorable.
I applaud Ayton and Anderson for offering such a work, even as I wish I hadfound it more appealing. There is a needfor larger works like this, as can be attest-ed by those of us who offer our gifts inchurches and/or do seasonal concerts. If nothing else, I hope this work inspiresothers to tackle such a project.
HIMNOS, BY ANTONIO DE CABEZON, TRANSCR. BY CHARLES NAGEL. Cheap Trills,TR 42 (Magnamusic), 2003. ATTB or TrTnTnB/TrTnBB viols. Sc 8 pp, pts 2 ppeach (Note: viol parts are printed in appropriate clefs on the back of the corresponding recorder parts.) $5.50.
Organists are familiar with Antonio deCabezon (1510-1566). Blind from infan-cy, he was organist to Queen Isabella ofSpain and later to her son, King Philip II.While he composed a large amount of mu-sic, it was his son Hernando who pub-lished most of it in 1557.
Nagel has given us transcriptions for arecorder or viol quartet of four himnos,which are keyboard fantasias on sacredtunes: Himno XV (Christe Redemptor I),Himno XVI (Ut Queant Laxis), Himno XII(Ave Maria Stellis IX), Himno XIII (AveMaria Stellis X).
The sonority is rich, and while theabundance of half and quarter notes makethe pieces look easy, one must rememberthat much improvisation by the player wasexpected. The reason some may find earlymusic boring is that they don’t realize thatcomposers gave a melodic, rhythmic,and/or harmonic outline, upon which per-formers displayed their musical knowl-edge, sensitivity and prowess with addedornamentation and rhythmic inequality.Organists will know that embellishmentssuch as quiebros and redoubles were com-monly added to Spanish Renaissance music, depending on whether the line isascending or descending. For example, astep-wise passage from G-A-B-C-D andback down may have been played as G(F-G)-A-B(A-B)-C-D(E-D)-C-B(C-B)-A-G.
This is a lovely set and would be a goodinitial foray into Spanish Renaissance ornamentation for a group. The basicpiece can be learned first, and then mem-bers of the group can experiment orna-menting on longer notes or simple scale-wise passages. However, ornamenting as agroup brings about challenges differentfrom the challenges when ornamenting asa solo organist. Maybe this could be a topic for a chapter meeting!
TWO CHRISTMAS PASTORALES,BY J. S. BACH, ARR. CHARLES NAGEL. CheapTrills TR39 (Magnamusic), 2002. SATB. Sc 7 pp, 4 pts 2 pp ea, $5.
Arranger Charles Nagel writes in the in-troduction to these two delightful pieces,“Given the popularity of the genre of‘Christmas’ concerti in Italy during the period in which J. S. Bach was composing,and his interest in Italian models, it has al-ways been surprising to me that a Christ-mas Concerto has not been found amonghis vast oeuvre. Not surprisingly, however,a typical ‘Pastorale for the night of the na-tivity’ is found as a terzetto in one of hiscantatas for Christmas day, BWV 122. Inthat section, the hymn tune, ‘das neuge-borne Kindelien [sic]’ (‘The newbornchild’) appears as a cantus firmus....”
Although Nagel says that this Cantata,BWV 122, was written for Christmas Day,my understanding is that it was written forthe Sunday after Christmas, for which theEpistle lesson is Galatians 4:1-7 and theGospel is Luke 2:33-40. Bach is presumedto have written the libretto, but it is notwhat you expect to sing nowadays inchurch. This cantata deals with Christ’sbirth as the way to save our souls fromdamnation. (Merry Christmas, everyone!)
This particular movement—originallyscored with alto soloist singing the choralemelody, and the tenor and sopranosoloists singing an aria around that cantusfirmus—focuses on deriding Satan: “If God is reconciled and our friend, happy for us [O wohl uns] who believe inhim: what can the evil enemy do to us? Hisrage cannot rob us of our consolation. Despite the devil and the gates of hell,their fury will be of little use to them, thelittle Jesus is our stronghold. God is withus and wants to protect us.”
Nagel has done a nice job of arranging“O Wohl Uns” for four recorders, and thelilting 6/8 rhythm leads one to feel it is anice pastorale for the Christmas season(especially if you don’t mention thetext)—or for any season, for that matter.
The second piece in the set is from theCantata for the Feast of the Holy Trinity [theSunday after Pentecost in the WesternChurch], BWV 129, “Gelobet sei der Herr”(“Praised be the Lord”). The Epistle and
Gospel readings for Trinity Sunday are Ro-mans 11:33-36 and John 3:1-15. Againquoting from Nagel’s introduction: “Simi-larly, the sweet aria for alto voice and oboed’amore…would not be out of place as thefinal movement of a ‘Christmas Concer-to.’” This too is a lilting 6/8 piece thatflows nicely and fairly generically.
These are good pieces to have for gen-eral use for an intermediate-level group.My consort played “O Wohl Uns” inchurch after last Christmas.
VOX IN RAMA, BY CLEMENS NON PAPA.Hawthorns Music RS 105 (Magnamusic),2001. STTB. Sc 4 pp, 4 pts 1 p ea, $8.
Commonly known as “Clemens nonPapa,” Jacob Clement (c.1512-c.1556)wrote this piece for the Feast of the HolyInnocents (December 28), which com-memorates the murder of all boys age twoand under in Bethlehem by King Herod(enraged that the Wise Men were lookingfor another king). The prophecy for thisevent is found in Jeremiah 31:15 and is al-so quoted in Matthew 2:18: “A voice isheard in Rama, weeping and wailing;Rachel crying for her children. She doesnot wish to be comforted, because they areno more” (quoted from the music).
As a lamentation, this piece has lots ofhalf-note sections, making it good for lessexperienced players—but it is not boring,due to the contrapuntal writing in otherplaces. While there is Latin text through-out, with short instrumental interludes inbetween, this can be performed purely asan instrumental piece with the players using the text for phrasing.
The next time December 28 falls on aSunday, I will look forward to my consortgroup playing this during the service.
Valerie E. Hess
ESTAMPIE, ANON., ARR. BY JORIS VAN
GOETHEM. Heinrichshofen (C. F. Peters)N2593, 2003. SATB or ATB. Sc 19 pp, 5 pts (additional alto part for trio version)4 pp each. $22.
The title of this publication, Estampie,brings to mind the monophonic pieces ofthat name from late 13th-century Frenchand Italian manuscripts, which are oftenperformed by solo recorderists. This newHeinrichshofen edition, however, is basedon a keyboard piece found in the Roberts-bridge Codex, c.1320 [modern transcrip-tion in Timothy J. McGee’s Medieval Instrumental Dances, 1989].
Originally in two basic voices with occasional three-voice chords, here it hasbeen cleverly arranged for three or four
36 American Recorder
Nagel has done a nice job
of arranging “O Wohl
Uns” for four recorders...
recorders by a member of the FlandersRecorder Quartet. The pieces in this earlymanuscript were undoubtedly intendedfor organ, so the transcription to recordersis quite appropriate soundwise. I had theprivilege of hearing this Estampie readthrough by a quartet from Ft. Collins, CO,who played it an octave lower on tenor,bass, great bass, and contra bassrecorders—what a wonderful sound!
This piece follows the usual estampieform: AXYAXZ, BXYBXZ, etc. It has fourpuncta (A, B, C and D). The refrains (X) aremarked “return,” and the first and secondendings (Y and Z) are marked “overt” and“clos.” All four recorders play the primuspunctus; alto and bass play the secunduspunctus; soprano, tenor and bass (whichhas a very long held note) play the tertiuspunctus; and alto, tenor and bass play thequartus punctus. All join in on the refrainsand the first and second endings.
Therefore this four-part arrangementrelieves the repetition by using a variety offorces. For the trio version, the sopranopart is omitted, and the alto plays all theway through, so there is less variety.
The publication is enclosed in an at-tractive, heavy glossy cover, and both thescore and parts are printed in large enoughnotes to be read, if need be, two players ona stand. There is a short preface in threelanguages and a description of the Flan-ders Recorder Quartet, along with its pic-ture, on the back cover.
If you are looking for something Medieval to play, try this interesting piece.It is not difficult, but the frequent perfectintervals require perfect intonation!
Constance M. Primus
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If you are looking forsomething Medieval to play, try this interesting piece.
September 2004 37
KEY: rec=recorder; S’o=sopranino; S=soprano; A=alto; T=tenor; B=bass; gB=great bass; cB= contrabass; Tr=treble; qrt=quartet; pf=piano; fwd= fore-word; opt=optional; perc=percussion; pp= pages;sc=score; pt(s)=part(s); kbd=keyboard; bc=bassocontinuo; hc=harpsichord; P/H=postage and han-dling. Multiple reviews by one reviewer are followed bythat reviewer’s name.
HEXENTANZ, BY GERHARD BRAUN.Edition Gravis EG 870 (<[email protected]>), 2003. 3 players(see below), Sc. 8 pp. Abt $12 + P&H.KRIMI, BY AGNES DORWARTH. Moeck ZFS773 (Magnamusic), 2003. A/B (one play-er) & piano. 2 sc., 4 pp each. $7.
These fanciful compositions are aes-thetically linked in that they are bothweirdly expressionistic and wildly comi-cal. The two composers employ a similarvocabulary of pitches without tonal refer-ence, noises that require special tech-niques and notations, and visual theatre.
Hexentanz (Witches Dance) by Braunis a work for three performers who play so-prano and tenor recorders, speak (ofteninto the body of a tenor recorder sans headjoint), move in a strictly choreographedway, and play percussion instruments. Inaddition to the music, the score includesdetails for staging and lighting. The spo-ken text is based in part on the openingscene from Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
The piece begins as the players enter,playing a fanfare of flatulent-like noisesproduced by buzzing their lips into decap-itated tenor recorders. The opening linesof Macbeth (in German) are spoken intothe recorders, and the players produce aclatter of ticks and tocks on woodblocksand Chinese temple blocks. This contin-ues, until Shakespeare writes, “There tomeet Macbeth,” when Braun changes thesubject to toads (part of the witches’ brewrecipe) and has the trio play on clickerfrogs (I think that’s what they are called).
I witnessed a performance of Hexen-tanz a few years ago. The players were incostume, but they looked more like theyhad come from Mardi Gras in New Or-leans than like witches. Nevertheless, theydid look weird and funny, and their ap-pearance seemed to fit the music perfectly.
Dorwarth’s Krimi (Thriller), for altoand bass recorder (one player) and piano,is of a similar stripe. Though she may ormay not have been directly influenced byBraun, her various devices are certainlyreminiscent of his music. Even her mostshocking idea—ping pong balls bouncedon the piano strings—appears in Braun’sNachtstücke (Edition Moeck 5139) writtenin 1973 (and perhaps in other pieces).
Hexentanz and Krimi have somewhatsimilar endings, at least in concept. InHexentanz there is a flurry of fast, dense ac-tivity that is called to a sudden halt as oneof the players suddenly blows on a policewhistle. A similar flurry is heard at the endof Krimi and it too comes to a stop whenthe piano player shoots a blank pistol.
38 American Recorder
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Suzanne M. Angevine, A Short Tale for two basses (Level II) (2 scores) $ 5 $ 8Peter Ballinger, Double Quartet for Recorders (Level II-III) (score & parts) $10 $18Anthony Burgess, Sonatina for Alto Recorder and Piano (Level II) (2 scores) $7 $12Cecil Effinger, Dialogue and Dance (SATB) (Level II-III) (score & parts) $10 $18Lee Gannon, Sonatine for three altos (Level III) (score & parts) $14 $26
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Adding Percussion to Medieval and Renaissance Music (Peggy Monroe)American Recorder Music (Constance Primus)The Burgundian Court and Its Music (Judith Whaley, coord.)Improve Your Consort Skills (Susan Carduelis)Music for Mixed Ensembles (Jennifer W. Lehmann)Playing Music for the Dance (Louise Austin)Recorder Care (Scott Paterson)
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American Recorder SocietyP.O. Box 631, Littleton, CO 80160-0631, U.S.A. 303-347-1120
Bruckner’s Ave Maria (arr. Jennifer W. Lehmann) Canon for Four Bass Recorders (David P. Ruhl)Dancers (Richard Eastman)Different Quips (Stephan Chandler)Elegy for Recorder Quartet (Carolyn Peskin)Elizabethan Delights*Gloria in Excelsis (Robert Cowper)Imitations (Laurie G. Alberts)*In Memory of Andrew (David Goldstein)Los Pastores (arr. Virginia N. Ebinger)New Rounds on Old Rhymes (Erich Katz)Other Quips (Stephan Chandler)Poinciana Rag (Laurie G. Alberts)Santa Barbara Suite (Erich Katz)
Sentimental Songs (arr. David Goldstein)Serie for Two Alto Recorders (Frederic Palmer) Slow Dance with Doubles (Colin Sterne)Sonata da Chiesa (Ann McKinley)Three Bantam Ballads (Ann McKinley)Three Cleveland Scenes (Carolyn Peskin)Tracings in the Snowin Central Park (Robert W. Butts)Trios for Recorders (George T. Bachmann)Triptych (Peter A. Ramsey) Two Bach Trios (arr. William Long)Two Brahms Lieder (arr. Thomas E. Van Dahm)*Variations on “Drmeš” (Martha Bishop)Vintage Burgundy
Braun’s Hexentanz was written for astudent ensemble when he taught at theHochschüle in Karlsruhe. It is suitable fora professional group or pre-professionalconservatory ensemble. Dorwarth’s Krimiwas composed with her young students atthe Academy in Freiburg in mind. She sug-gests that it be used “in a creative manner”and that it may be changed in order toadapt it to the playing level of the student.
The editions are excellent, but threecopies of Hexentanz are needed for a performance. Both works are interesting,entertaining, and definitely worth trying.
BEBOPALOOBOPAWOPBAMBOOM,BY DIANA BLOM. Orpheus Music OMP 098(<www.orpheusmusic.com.au>), copy-right by the composer 2002. SATB, Sc 6 pp, pts 1 p each except A, 2 pp. Abt. $12.50 + P&H.FADE-CONTROL, BY FULVIO CALDINI.Edition Moeck 2823 (Magnamusic),2003. SATB, Sc 9 pp, pts 4 pp each. $24.
These pieces are written in idioms thatare currently quite popular with recorderplayers: jazz and minimalist music. Inter-estingly, both styles originated in America.
Australian composer Diana Blom’s Bebopaloobopawopbamboom is a catchynumber that general audiences will surelylike, and is typical of a certain kind ofrecorder work that is not real jazz, but“jazz-influenced.” Its simple ABA form isbased on compositional ideas rather thanon a chord progression. The A sectionsfeature a funky ostinato bass line with at-tractive riff figures simultaneously over-laid upon it. The B section is homophon-ic, but also features measure-long impro-vised solo breaks for each instrument. Forthese, Blom supplies both the gamut andordering of pitches so that the only thingthe player has to make up is rhythm.
The beginning and end are delightful.The composition is least successful in thehomophonic section, where Blom’s blockchords are not sonorously attractive.
Fade-Control, a lengthy hypnotic mini-malist work by Italian composer Caldini,is extremely difficult, but not in a flashyway. Were it not for the fact that it is in therepertoire of the fashion-setting Amster-dam Loeki Stardust Quartet, few groupswould be interested in tackling it.
The piece has three uninterrupted sec-tions. In the first, isolated staccato eighthnotes are introduced, and the texture verygradually progresses from extremelysparse to fairly dense. This leads seamless-ly to a four-part canon beginning with thealto part. The soprano enters a fifth higher
one eighth note later, and the tenor is nextin the same key as the soprano. On thenext eighth, the bass starts in the same keyas the alto. It is a one-measure-long canonat the fifth repeated over and over. Hereand there a part drops out to play a sus-tained note or two, but then falls back in-to the canon. Long notes occur withgreater frequency until the long notesdominate and the canon is reduced to anoccasional remnant, then disappears.
Most of Fade-Control is based on a pen-tatonic scale (C D E G A), each note beinggradually introduced as the piece progresses—until measure 152, when thetenor recorder introduces the note F. One would expect the note B to follow atsome point, but it doesn’t. Perhaps Caldi-ni wanted to avoid the tritone interval withits strong cadence polarity (F pulling to Eand B to C). That makes sense in the con-text of this harmonically static work.
In the final section, with all six pitchesintroduced, Caldini has the four playersplay different even-beat rhythms againsteach other (at one point the players areperforming four beats against five againstsix against seven!). The piece ends with allplayers performing the same slow rhythmon a single chord.
Both editions are very good, thoughBebopaloobopawopbamboom has a few dot-ted eighths that are missing their dots.Fade-Control contains a long introductorynote in English, German and French usinga somewhat confusing pedantic tone (at one point the composer delves intometaphysics).
The Blom piece could be successfullyperformed by good amateurs. Fade-Control requires a major effort in concen-tration and rhythmic precision by a pro-fessional or high-end conservatory group.
Pete Rose
September 2004 39
JUST OFF THE PRESS!
Andrew Charlton: Suite Moderne, for 3 Recorders (ATB)A neo-Hindemithian Feast. (3 Playing Scores, PBE-44) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$9.95
Michael East: “Desperavi”, Fantasia for 5 Viols or Recorders,transcribed by David Goldstein. (Score & Parts, PBE-46) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7.95
Bernard Krainis: “Elijahu ha-Navi” (Elijah the Prophet)Divisions & Tango on a Hebrew Tune, for Alto Recorder alone (PBE-45) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$8.95
Provincetown Bookshop Editions
The Provincetown Bookshop, Inc.246 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657 Tel. (508)487-0964
Early Music America Magazine is the quarterlypublication for the Early Music Community inNorth America: Professionals, Students, andAudience members.
Articles on performance practice, trends in thefield, recording reviews, and a new book reviewsdepartment.
Call 888-722-5288 or email [email protected] a FREE sample issue.
A good source for Recorder & Viol Music of all publishers.
40 American Recorder
ARS chapters and individual membersfrom California to Canada joined toobserve Play-the-Recorder Month(PtRM) last March. Hundreds of recorderplayers entertained thousands of listenersat creative concerts, workshops anddemonstrations designed to educate andinform the public about the recorder andits music.
Congratulations go to the winners ofARS competitions for the most imagina-tive events, and for the largest percentageincrease in chapter membership. TheChapters & Consorts Committee chosethe winners from many event reports.
Co-winners of the grand prize for theMost Imaginative Event were the Tucson(AZ) Recorder Society and the Ann Ar-bor (MI) Recorder Society, each receiv-ing a packet of recorder music from theBoulder Early Music Shop.
The Ann Arbor Chapter presentedfive concerts: a worship service includingBuxtehude and Bach at an EpiscopalChurch; a largely English Renaissanceconcert at a Farmers’ Market, where theplayers sat near the fresh muffins and Dan-ish; Japanese music at NSK–Motion andControl; a demonstration, history discus-sion and concert of a wide range of musicat Ardis Elementary School, for over 250first- to fifth-grade students; and a variedprogram at Brookhaven Manor Senior Res-idence for 40 residents ages 70 to 101.
The Tucson Chapter’s busy March in-cluded 10 concerts in elementary schoolsfor over 1600 children. With a theme of “ATrip Around the World and Back in Time,”the concerts included music of many erason all sizes of recorders, plus presenta-tions about the recorder’s musical andhistorical background. Flags for all coun-tries represented in the music were dis-played. The young audiences were en-couraged to participate by beating rhyth-mical hoofbeats and singing along withrounds and other songs.
Receiving Honorable Mention awardsfor their activities during March were theEastern Connecticut Recorder Societyand the Claremont (CA) CommunitySchool of Music.
Eastern Connecticut received a sopranino recorder from Lazar’s EarlyMusic for their work with the ConnecticutForest and Parks Association of Middle-field, CT, and the Cheshire (CT) Public Li-brary, where they put together an exhibitof recorders, pictures from meetings andevents, examples of music including earlynotation, a photo of a recorder group fromthe 1960s, and information sheets. Theyalso presented a play-in at the Neighbor-hood Music School, a concert by CléaGalhano and Baroque group Belladon-na, and individual recitals by chaptermembers Bruce Larkin in Yalesville andBarbara Duey in Middletown.
Courtly Music Unlimited donated asoprano/alto recorder set that was award-ed to The Claremont School for their sev-eral PtRM events. At the Folk Music Cen-ter, a Claremont (CA) store and instru-ment museum, 14 recorder students, agesseven through adult, performed a two-hour program. An ensemble of studentsages 12-16 played recorder quartets, andover 40 younger students performed at themusic school’s pizza party. Over $300 wasraised for student scholarships.
The Central Coast (CA) Chapter hadthe largest percentage increase in mem-bership during PtRM, and received a selection of recorder music provided byMagnamusic Distributors, Inc.
Many others reported events to theARS and deserve mention for the energyand time that went into planning and pre-senting these activities.
A concert conducted by John Eisen-hauer of Telemann, Hilling, Pärt and oth-ers—“Soft and Suite: Baroque and Mod-ern Music for Recorders and Strings”—was played by the Highland Park (NJ)Recorder Society and guests at the Unit-ed Methodist Church of New Brunswick.
Selections from Praetorius to Cohanwere presented by 22 players from thePrinceton (NJ) Recorder Society (photoat right) in the sunny atrium of the Prince-ton MarketFair, reported Janice Arrow-smith. “It was truly a spiritual experi-ence,” said bystander Florence Johnson.“When you look at the newspaper to-
day—the war in Iraq, all kinds of drugabuse problems, fatal car accidents on lo-cal roads—and then see a group of peoplemaking such beautiful music just for thepleasure it gives them, you have a feelingabout the goodness of people.”
The Baton Rouge (LA) Recorder So-ciety held a “Play-Along” at a local libraryplus a “Fun to Listen, Fun to Play” con-cert, also using the event to promote up-coming free recorder classes. Selectionsincluded English country dance, andworks by Purcell, Morley and Susato.
The Greater Denver (CO) Chaptercoordinated a Recorder Faire at TamaracSquare Mall, which happily was also host-ing a children’s art show. Performing werea Renaissance band, some nine recorderensembles, and a crumhorn quartet, withsackbut, percussion, harp, dulcimer,glockenspiel and gamba in some groups. A“Give a Toot” table was set up withrecorders of all sizes to try out. Coffeedrinkers outside a nearby store were heardto pause in their conversations to listen tothe music wafting through the mall.
The Metropolitan Detroit (MI)Recorder Society gave its concert at theRochester Hills Public Library—joined bythe Festival Players recorder quintet andGood Neighbors All, which includesrecorders, cornett, drum and gamba. Theconcert was videotaped for middle schoolclass use.
The Navesink (NJ) Chapter offeredan all-Irish program to celebrate St.Patrick’s Day for PtRM at Seabrook Vil-lage, a large retirement community. Per-formers dressed in green and played selec-tions including Galway Piper, Danny Boy,and The Road to Lizdoonvarna.
Martha Bixler came to Little Rock,AR, for the third year to lead an earlyMarch workshop. The 22 participants in-cluded members of two ARS chapters inArkansas, the Bella Vista Recorder Con-sort and the Aeolus Recorder Konsort,plus others from Texas and Missouri.Bixler conducted a master class on Fridayevening for 10 players and five auditors.
CHAPTERS & CONSORTS___________________________________ Play-the-Recorder Month 2004,
music theory in practice
September 2004 41
On Saturday morning, herworkshop fare included varia-tions on L’homme armé in bothsecular and sacred settings. After lunch she led the group inClaude le Jeune’s Revecy venirdu Printans and two springtime
madrigals by Morley. The workshop endedwith Adam Knight Gilbert’s new piecefrom the January AR.
The day’s events also included presen-tation of an Arkansas Traveler certificate,signed by Governor Mike Huckabee andSecretary of State Gus Wingfield, toBixler (above). Following the presentation,Bella Vista Consort member HildegardeErle led that group in her own specialarrangement of the Arkansas Traveler, re-port ARK members Don and Shelley Wold.
The St. Louis (MO) Recorder Soci-ety’s concert at St. Mark’s EpiscopalChurch included repertoire from Bachand Telemann to Tchaikovsky and Britten,and closed with “We’re goin’ round” fromScott Joplin’s Treemonisha, performed bythe massed SLURS Recorder Band.
Inga Funck conducted “a potpourri ofrecorder music” when members of theSouthern California Recorder Societygave concerts at Mt. Washington Elemen-tary School, Encino-Tarzana Library, andthe Woodland Hills Library.
Consorts from the NorthwindsRecorder Society performed at book-stores around the Petoskey, MI, area.North Country Consort played at Hori-zon Books, Little Bay Baroque appearedat McLean & Eakin Booksellers, and theSweetwood Recorder Ensemble playedat Between the Covers of Harbor Springs.
The Montréal (PQ) Recorder Societysponsored 12 mini-concerts collectivelytitled “La Fête des flûtes,” which includedadult recorder class ensembles and thelarge ensemble Flutissimo, directed bySophie Larivière. Also performing weregroups from a music-core primary schooland a private music school. The concertwas held at a public library, after 11 yearsof shopping mall events. Organizers were“happy to find a librarian who believesthat music belongs alongside books.”
The Cleveland (OH) Chapter alsohad a positive experience at the public li-brary where they hold monthly meetings.The chapter planned a Play-the-RecorderDay event in the library after the referencelibrarian asked them to give a concertthere—saying that library patrons enjoyhearing the soft music of the chapter meet-ings in the background, and that it alsohelps noisier young patrons settle down to
their stud-ies. Thechapter waspleased thatthe librarystaff prepared a flyer that was sent to all li-braries in the county system, and also con-tacted the media. As a result, a reporterand photographer attended the event, andan article with large photos and quotesfrom participants was run in several widely-read Cleveland-area newspapers.
Young recorder students of MaryHalverson Waldo, ranging in age from 5to 15 years, performed at the March 20Minnesota Suzuki Association Gradua-tion concert at Orchestra Hall in Min-neapolis (above). The large audience in-cluded families of children playing otherSuzuki instruments.
“Sharing Music with Shut-ins” was thetheme for the East Bay (CA) RecorderSociety. Different ensembles played at theMatilda Brown Home of Oakland, Ban-croft Convalescent Hospital in San Lean-dro, Sunrise Senior Living in Oakland, andthe El Cerrito Royale Retirement Home.Repertoire included quartets, trios, duetsand solos; one group was joined by ’cello,crumhorn and percussion. The EBRS alsohosted a workshop led by Pat Petersen,attended by more than 40 recorders alongwith viols and louds—on March 13, Play-the-Recorder Day. Players included mem-bers of the local Junior Recorder Society.
The Wireless Consort (l to r below:Lee Lattimore, Sara Funkhouser, SusanRichter, Cornell Kinderknecht) performedMarch 28 in their home town, Dallas, TX.Their "Chamber Music for RecorderQuartet and Other Instruments" fea-tured recorder works by Telemann, Byrd,Sweelinck, Boismortier, Frescobaldi andPoser, plus music for Baroque oboe,Baroque flute and harpsichord.
Sharon Howell reports that the JasminRecorder Consort entertained shoppersat The Fresh Market in Greenville, SC.They played a program of early music in acolorful location amidst the flowers andproduce. One audience member told thestore manager that “her blood pressure
went down 20 points when shestepped in and heard the beautifulmusic!”
During PtRM, the Atlanta(GA) Recorder Society holds its
annual Consort Day featuring many indi-viduals and small groups. It is publicizedin the Atlanta Journal Constitution andthe Newsletter of the Unitarian Universal-ist Congregation of Atlanta, the venue.
Lia Starer Levin of Los Angeles, CA,reports that March had to be stretched byone day, as her student group SempreDolce was invited to perform a publicconcert at Valley College on April 1. Thesix members played all sizes of recordersin music from the Renaissance to con-temporary. The college presented themwith a CD of the performance.
On March 21, 12 members of theKalamazoo (MI) Recorder Players pro-vided music for a Sunday service at theSecond Reformed Church in appreciationfor the chapter’s use of their communityroom for monthly meetings. Part of theprogram was ARS Fantasia by AdamGilbert, which Richard Johnson says was“especially effective in the bright acousticof the large church sanctuary.”
Folks from the Southern region find-ing their way to Chapel Hill, NC, onMarch 20 heard a lot more than thespringtime serenade of songbirds. TheTriangle Recorder Society met for itspopular annual one-day early musicworkshop, which began as a weekendworkshop more than 25 years ago, andhas strongly continued ever since underco-directors Patricia Petersen andKathy Schenley. Guest leaders were Valerie Horst and Jack Ashcroft. Thegroup of 70 students and enthusiastsfrom four states sang or played recorder,viol and pennywhistle in music from the British Isles. For the final tutti, Horstled the entire group in Adam Gilbert'sspecially-commissioned ARS Fantasia.What better way to celebrate Play-the-Recorder Day than with good friends andgood music on a beautiful spring day?
A group of players from the Princeton(NJ) Recorder Society completed a six-part workshop in April on the language ofmusic for recorders, presented by mem-ber Judith Klotz. The classes emphasizedthat an awareness of the components of
musical language adds enjoyment to play-ing and to musical expressiveness.
After the first two weeks—which focused on playing and hearing basic mu-sic theory elements such as scales, inter-vals and triads—the group explored con-sonances and dissonances, modes, sus-pensions, chromaticism, modulation andcadences.
The group played Renaissance,Baroque and Medieval pieces in two tofour parts, including a Bach chorale andtraditional English folk tunes. Klotz usedboth treble viol and piano to supplementthe recorders. She noted that using the viol enabled her to face everyone and talk,while playing a Renaissance instrumentthat blends well with recorders.
This is the second time that PRS hasheld this workshop. Klotz developed it inpart because it is difficult to see the rela-tionship of scale tones, intervals, and
chords on the recorder—unlike key-boards or even fretted string instruments,where the visual element is helpful. Whilethe terminology the group used was pri-marily that of the Baroque era and “com-mon practice” of the 18th and19th cen-turies, the class also covered recorder lit-erature and musical styles, and featuredelements of music theory that are men-tioned by conductors visiting monthlyPRS meetings.
(front row, from left): Vera Schwartz, leader Judith Klotz;
(back row) Norm Webster, Janice Arrowsmith,Chuck Free
and MaryJoan
Gaynor (Photo by
Don Arrow-smith)
42 American Recorder
NOTES FROM LATITUDE NORTH 53Edmonton may have had a break from the Canadian tundra’s icywinds in March, but the Edmonton (AB) Recorder Society(ERS) blew up a storm for Play-the-Recorder Month. The climaxof activities was a March 21 concert of Iberian music. David Wil-son—associate conductor of Edmonton’s largest choral society,the Richard Eaton Singers—chose music for recorder and voices,including Morales’ Circumdederunt me and the rhythmically chal-lenging La Guerra by Mateo La Flecha. There was enthusiastic au-dience response both for the music and for the readings of Span-ish poetry by Edmonton poet E.D.Blodgett.
This was the third annual concert of the Edmonton RecorderOrchestra, whose first concert was conducted by Rachel Jean inEdmonton City Hall.
The first weekend of March had seen frantic tooting at a three-day workshop by Verboden Vrucht, a recorder trio based in Am-sterdam. One of the trio members , Terri Hron, is an Edmon-tonian whom some remember when she was a child student of
Rachel Jean. She has been inThe Netherlands for someyears studying with PaulLeenhouts and others. Sheand fellow Netherlands-based Laoise O’Brien andAnita Orme coached smallgroups and gave master class-es. They are born teachersand make insightful com-ments about performance.
During the workshop,they were joined by lutenistIsrael Golani and soprano
Casey Peden in a concert of British music (British, rather thenEnglish, because it included some unusual songs by a Scotsmancalled John Mure). They went on to give workshops and concertsin Calgary, Victoria and Vancouver.
As if that weren’t enough to prove that the ERS is in earnest
about our recorder playing, on the weekend before that, we hadhad a workshop with Michael Schneider of Camerata Köln,who had stopped in Edmonton on a concert tour. It was Schnei-der’s second visit to the ERS, and his gentle encouragement andmarvelous example were again an inspiration.
The ERS has been in existence since the early 1970s, when aFaculty Wives group of the University answered Louise Dawson’ssummons to toot around her kitchen table. For the society toreach its current level and intensity of activity required some spe-cial chemistry. The magician who waved the wand (or recorder)was Herb Taylor, who came to Edmonton as a soil scientist in theearly 1980s. Whilst plumbing the earth beneath our feet, Taylorgot ERS to sound the echoing air by expanding horizons and dar-ing to invite in visiting recorder players including AmsterdamLoeki Stardust Quartet, Michala Petri, Marion Verbruggen, PiersAdams of Red Priest, Francis Colpron of Les Boréades de Mon-tréal and The Plumbers’ Union, plus Edmonton’s Rachel Jean.
Taylor, with ERS past president Janet Couch, has also organ-ized an annual recorder retreat—for the last three years held inidyllic surroundings in a lodge in the Rockies. When Taylor mar-ried Astrid Blodgett five years ago (a marriage of true recorderists,if ever there was one), they built a house specifically with recorderplaying in mind. Rehearsals and workshops take place on theground floor; the main floor can accommodate small recitals, anda library on the top floor provides a third space during work-shops. Recorder players from all over Alberta attend.
Many ERS members bring back music and expertise fromworkshops in Colorado; Montréal, PQ; and Port Townsend, WA.Several have taken conducting lessons from Wilson, so there’sbeen a lot of bootstrap activity. Annual events include a Christ-mas Toot ’n Food, a Toot ’n Canoe, a New Year’s get-together, plusfrequent small-group performances in churches, galleries, theaters, etc. ERS is nearly ready to become an ARS chapter.
Those people who think that Edmonton is a place of hockeyplayers and shopping malls should know that Arctic blizzards arenot the only winds blowing in Canada’s most northerly large city.
Vivien Bosley
CHAPTER NEWSChapter newsletter editors and publicity
officers should send materials for publication in American Recorder to :
American Recorder, 7770 South High St., Centennial, CO 80122-3122,
by e-mail <[email protected]>. Electronic photos for publication should be
3”x4”x300dpi or greater.Please send chapter newsletters to the
American Recorder address above,and to the following addresses: ARS Office,
P.O.Box 631, Littleton CO 80160-0631, by e-mail
<[email protected]>;Kathy Cochran, Chair,
Chapters & Consorts Committee,1890 San Rafael St., San Leandro CA 94577.
Music Language and Theory Workshop at Princeton Recorder Society
Verboden Vrucht plus lutenist Golani
NEW LISTINGS____LES SEPT SAUTS: Baroque Chamber Musicat the Stuttgart Court. Matthias Maute & SophieLarivière, recorders and transverse flute; EnsembleCaprice. Charming repertoire by Schwartzkopff,Bodino, Detri. Atma Classique. $17 ARS/$20 others.____TELEMANN: DUOS POUR FL TES,Ensemble Caprice. Matthias Maute & SophieLarivière, recorders & transverse flute, AlexanderWeimann, clavichord. Six Telemann duos & sonatasalternate with five fantasies for clavichord by Maute.Atma Classique. $17 ARS/$20 others.
IN STOCK (Partial listing)____THE AGE OF JOSQUIN: THE GRAND TOURHighland Park Recorder Society & ChamberOrchestra, Robert W. Butts, conductor. RWB Productions. $17 ARS/$20 others.____AIRES AND DUETS FOR TWO FLUTES ANDBASS Vicki Boeckman & Dorte Lester Nauta, recorder;Mogens Rasmussen, gamba; Viggo Mangor, archlute& chamber organ. Trio sonatas by Handel, Telemann,Braun, Merula, Rossi. Primavera. $17 ARS/$20 others.____ ARIAS, DUETS & BALLET MUSIC FROMHANDEL OPERAS Carolina Baroque. DaleHigbee, recorders. Live recording of a variety ofexcerpts from operas of Handel, including Alcinaand Giulio Cesare in Egitto. $17 ARS/$20 others.____ARCHIPELAGO Alison Melville, recorder &traverso. Sonatas & concerti by Hotteterre, Stanley,Bach, Boismortier and others. $17 ARS/$20 others.____ BACH & HANDEL: BAROQUE MASTERSCarolina Baroque. Dale Higbee, recorders. Excerptsfrom several of the masters' operas and cantatas,recorded in 2002 concert. $17 ARS/$20 others. ____BLOCKFLOETENENSEMBLE WIENIrmtraut Freiberg, Karin Heinisch, Susanne Jurdak,Eva Maria Kaukal & Prisca Loeffler, recorders.Ensemble works by Demantius, Monteverdi, Morley,Mozart, Schermann, Kaeser, W. W. van Nieuwkerk,Pachelbel, Reichard. $17 ARS/$20 others.____CHARLESTON PRO MUSICA ON TOURMarsha Evans, Lewis Fitch & others, recorders,gemshorns, guitar and voice. Medieval andRenaissance music with consort and singers.Millennium Music/ Charleston SC. $17 ARS/$20 others.____CONCERTI DI NAPOLI Matthias Maute,recorders, and REBEL. Sonatas by Mancini, RobertoValentini, A. Scarlatti. Dorian. $17 ARS/$20 others.____DREAMS INSIDE THE AIR TUNNELZana Clarke, recorder & composer. “Drawing on themusic of the didjeridu & shakuhachi...beautiful &hypnotic...”—American Recorder. Orpheus Music.$17 ARS/$20 others.____ENSEMBLE PIACERE 2002 EnsemblePiacere, Irmtraut Freiberg, Eva Maria Kaukel,recorders. Sparkling performances of works fromthe Renaissance to the 20th century by Frescobaldi,Ortiz, Telemann, Fux, Keil and many others.Ensemble Piacere. $17 ARS/$20 others.____FLEMISH CONTEMPORARY RECORDERMUSIC Geert Van Gele, Former Flanders Quartetmember records his first solo CD “live,” with supportfrom the Flemish Government. Works by JanPieterBiesemans, Frans Geysen & Jan Van Landeghem.Qualiton. $17 ARS/$20 others.____FOLIAS FESTIVAS Cléa Galhano, recorders;Belladonna. 16-17th-century music by Falconieri, deTafalla, Merula, others. Dorian. $17 ARS/$20 others.
____FRUIT OF A DIFFERENT VINE Alison Melville,Natalie Michaud & Colin Savage, recorders; A. Hall,piano. Works by Hindemith, Berkeley, Leigh,Staeps. 1994 ARS Professional Recording GrantCD. S.R.I. $17 ARS/$20 others.____THE GREAT EMU WAR Batalla Famossa, ayoung ensemble, with first CD of Australian recordermusic. Orpheus Music. $17 ARS/$20 others.____THE GREAT MR. HANDEL Carolina Baroque,Dale Higbee, recorders. Sacred and secular musicby Handel. Live recording. $17 ARS/$20 others.____HANDEL: THE ITALIAN YEARS ElissaBerardi, recorder & Baroque flute; PhilomelBaroque Orchestra. Handel, Nel dolce dell’oblio &Tra le fiamme, two important pieces for obbligatorecorder & soprano; Telemann, Trio in F; Vivaldi,All’ombra di sospetto. Dorian. $17 ARS/$20 others.____IMAGINE II David Young, recorders. More con-temporary interpretations of classic songs from the1970s by Neil Young, Jim Croce, Carole King, andMoody Blues. Universe Music. $17 ARS/$20 others.____JOURNEY Wood’N Flutes, Vicki Boeckman,Gertie Johnsson & Pia Brinch Jensen, recorders.Works by Dufay, Machaut, Henry VIII, MogensPederson, W.W. Van Nieuwkerk & Maute—sevencenturies. Kadanza Classics. $17 ARS/$20 others.____A JOURNEY AMONG TRAVELLERS(CD SHORT) Peter Bowman & Kathryn Bennettsperform Donald Bousted’s 26-minute quarter-tonalpiece for two alto recorders, which had its U.S. premiere at the 1998 Berkeley Festival. $12 ARS/$14 others.____LANDSCAPES David Bellugi, recorders; AliTajbakhsh & Chris Hayward, percussion. “Virtual”recorder orchestra created by Bellugi. Three centuriesof ethnic music by Encina, Brouwer, Ortiz, Bartok.Frame. $17 ARS/$20 others.____LES AMIS DU BAROQUE Paul Nauta, recorder& Baroque flute; Koen Dieltiens, recorder. Music byBassani, Corelli, Vivaldi, etc. Highlight Intl. $17ARS/$20 others.____MANCINI: CONCERTI DI CAMERA JudithLinsenberg, recorders; Musica Pacifica. SevenMancini sonatas, plus works of Durante, D. Scarlatti.“Highly recommended” citation, 2000 Vivaldi Prize,Giorgio Cini Foundation. Dorian. $17 ARS/$20 others.____MIDNIGHT SUN Alison Melville & Colin Savage,recorders; Ensemble Polaris. New arrangements oftraditional music of Norway, Finland, Estonia, Sweden,Scotland. Classic CD Disc of the Month, August 2000.Dorian. $17 ARS/$20 others.____MY THING IS MY OWN: BAWDY MUSIC OFTHOMAS D URFEY Tina Chancey, Grant Herreid &Scott Reiss, recorders & other early instruments;Rosa Lamoreaux, soprano. Improvisations on tunesof love, sex & seduction in 18th-century England.Koch Int’l. $17 ARS/$20 others.____PRIEST ON THE RUN Piers Adams, recorders.Concerti composed by the ensemble’s namesake,flame-haired Vivaldi. Upbeat. $17 ARS/$20 others.____RECORDER JAZZ Warren Kime, recorder.Original jazz charts with a great groove.$17 ARS/$20 others.____REFLECTIONS– Music to Soothe and Upliftthe Spirit. Eileen Hadidian, recorder & Baroqueflute, with Celtic harp and ’cello. Celtic, traditional,Renaissance & Medieval melodies. Healing MusesRecordings. $17 ARS/$20 others.
____SACRED & SECULAR CANTATAS OF J. S. BACH. Carolina Baroque. Dale Higbee, recorders. Liveperformances of three cantatas, BWV 82a, BWV202, BWV 209. $17 ARS/$20 others.____A. SCARLATTI: CONCERTI DI CAMERA JudithLinsenberg, recorders; Musica Pacifica. Seven sona-tas, various instrumentations. $17 ARS/$20 others.____SOLO, DOUBLE & TRIPLE CONCERTOS OFBACH & TELEMANN Carolina Baroque, DaleHigbee, recorders. 2-CD set, recorded live. $24 ARS/$28 others.____SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW JohnTyson, recorders, with Renaissonics. Baroque & contemporary music. Titanic. $17 ARS/$20 others.____SONGS IN THE GROUND Cléa Galhano, recorder, Vivian Montgomery, harpsichord. Songsbased on grounds by Pandolfi, Belanzanni, Vitali,Bach, others. 10,000 Lakes. $17 ARS/$20 others.SUZUKI RECORDER SCHOOL (Four vols.)Recordings to accompany the Suzuki® RecorderSchool method books, with Marion Verbruggen,recorders. $17 ARS/$20 others, for each single CD, or$33 ARS/$40 others for any two Suzuki® CDs: ____Vols. 1 & 2 for Soprano or ____Vols. 1 & 2 for Alto
(Vols. 1 & 2: folk & children’s songs, Baroque dances)____Vols. 3 & 4 for Soprano: Handel, de la Guerre, others____Vols. 3 & 4 for Alto: Handel, J.S. Bach, Purcell, others____TELEMANN ALLA POLACCA REBEL, withMatthias Maute, recorders & traverso, play concertiand suites by G.P. Telemann. . $17 ARS/$20 others.____TELEMANN: CHAMBER CANTATAS AND TRIOSONATAS Judith Linsenberg, recorders; MusicaPacifica. Five cantatas of Harmonischer Gottes-dienst, two trio sonatas from Sonatas Corellisantes.2003 Chamber Music America/ WQXR RecordAward. Dorian. $17 ARS/$20 others.____TRIO ATLANTICA Lisette Kielson, recorders.Works by Bach, Telemann, Montéclair, Leclair. TrioAtlantica. $17 ARS/$20 others.____20TH CENTURY MUSIC FOR RECORDER &PIANO Anita Randolfi, recorders. Music by Jacob,Bartok, Leigh, others for recorder & piano. $17ARS/$20 others.____ VIVALDI: LA NOTTE Concerti per strumentidiversi. Judith Linsenberg, recorder; Musica Pacif-ica. Award-winning CD, featuring five Vivaldi con-certi, two sonatas. Dorian. $17 ARS/$20 others.
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The ARS CD Club makes hard-to-find or limited release CDs by ARS members available to ARS members at the special price listed (non-members slightlyhigher), postage and handling included. An updated listing of all available CDs may be found at the ARS web site: <www.americanrecorder.org>.
The temporary de-mise of the summer2004 Berkeley Fes-tival and Exhibi-tion (BFX), canceledlast fall by CalPerfor-mances due to fund-
ing shortfalls, spawned two simultane-ous events held in Berkeley, CA, duringthe time when patrons might have beenlooking for BFX events: a conferencesponsored by Early Music America(EMA), June 10-12, and Berkeley EarlyMusic on the Fringe, June 9-13. (Seepage 43 for conference coverage.)
Either the conference or the fringeevents would have kept one person busy,although those seeking recorder eventsfound them to be mostly in the day andearly evening, making possible atten-dance at evening non-recorder concerts.
The American Recorder Society(ARS) held its opening event before theactivity level picked up, on June 9 at FarLeaves Tea House in Emeryville, CA. Thewarehouse of a tea room in Berkeley, theroom was festooned with purple, red andyellow cloth hangings and lanterns. Itsacoustics were good for the 30 audiencemembers to hear the professionals whoplayed to benefit ARS scholarships.
With eight recorderists performing invarious combinations, the evening waspleasant in its variety. Judith Linsen-berg opened, with harpsichordistCharles Sherman (playing on the Ital-ian instrument loaned by John PhillipsHarpsichords). The interesting chro-matics of Giovanni Antonio Leoni’s
Sonata in D minor, with its embellishedrising chromatic scale, set a rising tonefor the evening.
Joined by percussionist Kay Stone-felt, Frances Feldon offered Music forRemy by Lou Harrison. As with some ofthe pieces heard at the fund-raiser, thisone also appeared in a performance laterin the fringe festival—and it was well-played in both venues. Written in a har-monic minor key, the recorder part’s Ori-ental mode was enhanced by Stonefelt’ssensitive playing on cymbals, tom toms,tambourine and suspended cymbal.
Announcing the set that she playedwith recorderist Adam Knight Gilbertand harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani,Rotem Gilbert declared Pierre DanicanPhilidor to be her “favorite French com-poser.” Playing his Cínquíème Suítte enTrio, Op. 1, the trio were obviously havingfun. The two altos, scored in sonorousthirds, occasionally broke into short seg-ments of counterpoint in the chaconnemovement, showing off both players asthey traded upper and lower voicing.
Tibia (Tish Berlin and Frances Blaker)played three duets: two written by Blakerduring their 2003 Sitka Center (OR) res-idency, then the familiar Sonata in F major by Telemann. The bouncy charac-ter of Telemann’s allegro movement con-trasted nicely with the moto perpetuomodernity of Blaker’s duet Rain (“itrained a lot” in Sitka, she explained).
At evening’s end,Farallon Quartet(Berlin, Blaker, LouiseCarslake, Hannekevan Proosdij) offereda nicely matched andbalanced playing ofContrapunctus I andXVIII of J. S. Bach.They showed theirsense of ensemble af-ter a loose footjointfell from Berlin’s alto(twice—the first timebeing turned into ajoke, while, after thesecond time, the con-sort waited brieflyand then continuedas if nothing had oc-curred).
Among those at-tending the fund-rais-
er, there was a representative number ofpast ARS scholarship recipients: RotemGilbert and Tish Berlin among the pro-fessional recorderists, ARS PresidentAlan Karass, and young audience mem-bers Morgan Jacob and Andrew Levy (l to r in photo below).
Performances on June 10, duringEMA pre-conference workshops, includ-ed “Celtic Spirit” presented by HealingMuses, and trio sonatas of the 17th and18th century featuring recorderistsGeert Van Gele and Letitia Berlin.
Playing in a full ensemble configura-tion, Healing Muses offered traditionalCeltic and world music played by EileenHadidian, recorder and Baroque flute;Maureen Brennan, Celtic harp; Natalie Cox, Celtic harp; and Dan Reiter,’cello. Their various combinations reliedless on formula than on how best to ex-press the music. The group was success-ful in pairings, from Hadidian’s playingon recorders with Cox of the familiarDaphne of Playford and the more livelytraditional Childgrove, to full ensemblerenditions such as the traditional Scot-tish Mary young and fair. In the latter, theflute and ’cello unison melody was nice-ly in tune with both harps, no mean feat.
The crowd packed Trinity Chapel tohear the early evening concert of triosonatas, especially liking Berlin and Van Gele’s rendition of Sybrand van Noordt’s Sonata in a. Its ultra-high, qua-si-fantasia first movement was gave wayto a fugue-like movement that built ex-citement to almost delirious Vivaldi-likearpeggios in the last movement.
Van Gele was again in the spotlightfor the June 11 master class (like the pre-vious evening’s performance, co-spon-sored by Bay Area Recorder Series andARS). He worked flexibly with a widerange of music, which was unknown tohim before arriving at the class, played bywell-prepared participants: Jack O’Neill
44 American Recorder
PHOTOS: GAIL NICKLESS
It All Happened This Summer in Berkeley, CA
Professional recorderists and friends pose in front of a rosewood panel that served as the stage backdrop at Far Leaves Tea House: (l tor) Frances Blaker, Louise Carslake, Kay Stonefelt, Frances Feldon,Charles Sherman, Judy Linsenberg, Adam Gilbert, Rotem Gilbert,Mahan Esfahani, Hanneke van Proosdij, John Phillips, Tish Berlin.
The Marilyns: Marilyn Perlmutter (left) of Toledo,OH, and Marilyn Marquis of Danville, CA
September 2004 45
and Dana Vinicoff, both of San Francis-co; Wendy Oser of Berkeley; and HelgaWilking of San Rafael. He found the bestpart of each person’s playing and builtfrom there, often singing or whistling aswell as playing along.
With O’Neill, playing sopranorecorder on Van Eyck’s variations onOnse Vader in Hemelryck, Van Gele sug-gested that it is necessary only to think ofthe main theme’s notes during varia-tions—the theme will emerge withoutbeing accented. For faster variations, dareto double-tongue. First try double-tonguing with your voice—in the car,when you are bored—then try double-tonguing on only one note. If the sylla-bles “duh-guh” don’t work, try “diddle.”
To Oser, playing alto on the SerialTheme and Variations by Arnold Cooke,Van Gele said to “sing and enjoy” themelody, even though it is composed in astructured manner with even the dynam-ics dictated. “At a certain point, the piecebecomes your piece—but never skip thefirst part where you obey the composer.”
Wilking’s playing on alto, bass andsoprano of two short works by AgnesDorwarth (born 1953) was “far along”technically and in evoking atmosphere,he said. Each work represented a bird,and he asked that she “use the silences tolengthen the piece, but stay in the char-acter of the bird” even during silences.
Vinicoff and Van Gele spent a fewminutes discussing the character of G. F.Handel’s Sonata in C major, Op. 1, No. 7:he found the piece to be jubilant, shemore serene. “Being flexible helps youplay with other ideas and people,” hetold her as he followed her idea ratherthan his own. They searched together for
musical contrasts, even whilemaintaining the idea of playingwith a serene quality—“like aslide show with different sub-jects” within a serene whole.
There was fine recorder play-ing in the fringe concert present-ed twice by the University ofNorth Texas (UNT) BaroqueEnsemble—first on June 8 and
then on June 11. The program, featuringmusic from 17th-century Venice andRome, was directed by Lyle Nordstrom(also accompanying on Baroque guitarand theorbo) and assistant directorLenora McCroskey (providing continuoaccompaniment on harpsichord and or-gan). This ensemble of highly-capablegraduate and undergraduate studentspresented an exciting and entertainingperformance at a truly professional level.It was obvious that the directors workednot on just the music, but also on creat-ing an exceptional performance, includ-ing stage presence and, for the “operatic”works, dramatic presentation.
The ensemble’s recorder player, grad-uate student Jennifer Carpenter, washeard in two of the extended vocal works:in the ritornelli of an excerpt from Rossi’sL’Orfeo, and in Monteverdi’s ballo, Vol-gendo il ciel per l’immortal sentiero. In thelatter, Carpenter provided a dizzyingstream of divisions on a volta and canaire(both of Praetorius), and a bergamesca(from Zaconni) that were interpolatedwithin the ballo as per Monteverdi’s in-struction in the score. Visiting after theperformance, she noted the great re-source of early instruments (over 200!)that UNT provides to students, includingthe Von Huene sopranino and sopranorecorders she played on these concerts.
Letitia Berlin returned to performagain that afternoon, playing with JohnDornenberg, gamba, and KatherineHeater, harpsichord, as Blue Castello.The crowd of over 50 heard good ensem-ble playing of Telemann, Louis de Caixd’Hervelois, Nicolao a Kempis and espe-cially G. F. Handel. The Handel “Furioso”movement sported difficult scales playedat a riproaring tempo by the continuo, al-ternated with similar motives on alto
recorder—all excitingwithout be-coming“furious.”The per-formancewas metwith hoots,cheers andtwo bows.
Arecorder ofa different nature emerged in a cabaret-style program, “Wild Thing, You Makemy Heart Sing,” offered in the earlyevening by Frances Feldon and an as-sembled multitude: Kay Stonefelt, multi-ple percussion; Karen Clark, contralto;Christy Dana, flügelhorn; Dean Lobovits,bass guitar; David Morris, ’cello; andKatherine Westine, piano. Ranging fromjazz to contemporary (Pete Rose toClaude Debussy), and in various group-ings, the program ended in Feldon’s full-ensemble arrangements of two 1960srock tunes: White Rabbit by Grace Slick(the “go ask Alice” tune made popular byJefferson Airplane, photo above) and thefamiliar three-chord Wild Thing by ChipTaylor, with recorder playing the ocarina break heard on the version byThe Troggs. To bring the enthusiasticcrowd down, an encore was offered:Dana whistled one part of a TelemannCanonic Sonata while Feldon played thesame on alto.
Across town, the audience filled theintimate chapel at St. Joseph of Arimath-ea to hear an overlapping event, “A DueCanti.” They were rewarded with a con-cert of seamless playing by RotemGilbert and Adam Gilbert, recorders,again with Mahan Esfahani on keyboard.The venue allowed the use of organ onthe first four pieces, played on two sopra-no recorders. The first of these was Gio-vanni Battista Vitali’s Prima partita, Op.7, No. 2, where the playing was delicateand light in feeling, leading to equallypleasant performance on the others. Itwas a joy to watch the pleasure the per-formers got from playing, as they oftenseemed to be aspects of one whole or-ganism. Later pieces with alto recordersand harpsichord were by P. D. Philidor ,including a suite played earlier duringthe ARS scholarship fund-raiser. With en-thusiastic playing, clear tone and perfectbalance between the instruments, theconcert and day were brought to a rous-ing and rhythmic conclusion.
Dana Vinicoff (right) and Jack O’Neill (below)
were two of the participants in the
master class with Geert Van Gele.
Carpenter provided
a dizzying stream
of divisions...
46 American Recorder
The ARS TwelfthGreat Recorder Relayconsumed the morning ofJune 12, as about 20 gath-ered early to hear Tibia(Frances Blaker andTish Berlin). In additionto Blaker’s well-com-posed duets heard at theARS fund-raiser (whichstand up well to a second
hearing), they offered pieces originally forbass viols by John Hingston. The floridlines worked well on bass recorders, andwere smoothly played by Tibia.
Three Trapped Tigers, an ensemblecomprising recorder players David Bar-nett and Tom Bickley, offered Landini toBohuslav Martinu. In the Landini Fa met-ter bando it was nice to hear the sonorousopen fifths, plus the resonance of the lastunison note, held fearlessly longer thanmany recorderists tend to do. Bickley haswowed past Relay crowds with convinc-ing performances of contemporaryrecorder music. This was no exception,as they played a duo improvisation basedon Machaut entitled Relais (appropriateon a Relay event) that included amazingmultiphonics produced by Bickleysinging while playing tenor recorder.
A duo version of Healing Muses(Eileen Hadidian, recorder and flute,with Maureen Brennan, Celtic harp) of-fered “Reflections.” Hadidian explainedthe process they follow when playing inhospitals and similar facilities, where
they match the music to the anxiety levelof the people in the room, then graduallytry to create a more calm state—in thisprogram, going down, then back upagain. The harp shimmered on RobertBurns’s Her bright smile haunts me still,while the tenor recorder shone on the tra-ditional Scottish Mary young and fair.
Adam and Rotem Gilbert, in theirthird performance over several days,closed the morning with more Philidor—plus two pieces by Adam, including theiropening set of variations on “Mein jungesleben hat ein end.” Written in the style ofVan Eyck, and played on two sopranos,the piece included divisions and floridlines. An audience member asked,“Where can we buy a copy?”
About 90 people heard an afternoonperformance by Farallon RecorderQuartet (at right: Frances Blaker, Hanneke van Proosdij, Louise Carslake andthe inexhaustible Tish Berlin). The richacoustics of St. Mark’s Episcopal Churchwere perfect for the works by LudwigSenfl, J. S. Bach and Josquin Deprès.Mixed in was another successful piece byBlaker, Southern Nights, inspired by herexperiences when visiting in the southand southeast: frogs and insects, a porchswing, fireflies. The crowd particularlyliked its jazzy rhythms, shifting har-monies, and, in the final movement, ris-ing chromatic fragments that built to ahigh crescendo. Ending with an almostbarbershop-style Someone to Watch OverMe by George Gershwin, they were calledback by the audience for three bows.
The afternoon of June 12 includeddashing by two ARS events (a round tableand the later play-in), with other fringeevents sandwiched in between.
In an exciting concert of 16th- and17th-century Spanish music, “Across thePyrenees and Back: All’s Fair in Love andWar,” graduate students from IndianaUniversity’s early music program en-livened Berkeley’s International Houseauditorium with high-energy music formixed ensemble and voice. The treblecast featured a powerful tenor, a demuresoprano and two Baroque violins, whilethe large continuo had two dueling dul-cians, bass gamba, violone, theorbo andharpsichord. Their promising perform-ance was invigorating and confident,well-rehearsed yet spontaneous.
While not as polished as other groupsand occasionally guilty of rushing, Ensemble KrazyKat (Harry Bower andRick Wilson, 19th-century flutes; AlanBostrom, 1857 Streicher grand piano)
offered a nicely-contrasted program ofmusic by Friedrich Kuhlau (1786-1832)and Ernesto Köhler (1849-1907). Madefrom 1820 to 1915, the eight flutesplayed came from Germany, Austria andRussia, and have between four and 15keys. Unlike recorders and Baroqueflutes, these later wooden, multi-keyedflutes produce some dynamics, and havea character that can only be described asRomantic—and the music was fittinglypoignant. Bower and Wilson were well-matched, playing with sweet sound andwith runs nicely dovetailed on the famil-iar twelfth duo from Köhler’s Op. 55.
Musica Pacifica’s “Baroque Hitswith a Twist” program was a hit thatevening. The use of two harpsichords allowed both solo and continuo harpsi-chord to play on some pieces. Doubledharpsichords were used for the continuoof Canzona “La Lusignuola” by TarquinioMerula, which particularly pleased thecrowd of 200 in St. Mark’s. It sparkled,especially in the opening and closing sec-tions consisting of rapid-fire repeatednotes (first on alto recorder, then violin,then gamba, then harpsichords).
A well-done arrangement of Vivaldi’sConcerto in G major, RV 435, officiallyended the program (and for some, thefringe festival), with each soloist havingtime in the spotlight. In a well-earned encore, also by Vivaldi, the ensembleshowed jigsaw precision, and main-tained its energy right up to the last note.
Gail Nickless with contributions fromCharles Coldwell, Thallis Hoyt Drake, Alan Karass, Marilyn Perlmutter, and Glen Shannon
ARS GreatRecorder Relayparticipants from top left(l to r): Tom Bickley and DavidBarnett; Rotem
and AdamGilbert;harpistMaureenBrennanand Eileen Hadidian;TishBerlin andFrancesBlaker.
June 12:HappyBirthday to bothCharlesShermanand JudyLinsenberg(of MusicaPacifica).
EMA executive director Maria Coldwell (left) and EMA president Valerie Horst gave an award to Peggy Monroe.
September 2004 47
“The Future of Early Music in America”was the theme of the conference spon-sored by Early Music America at theBerkeley (CA) City Club in June. Unoffi-cial attendance, not confirmed at presstime, was 120-150 plus those whobrowsed in the free exhibition.
The opening session was appropri-ately titled, “The Current State and Future Prospects of Early Music in Amer-ica.” To discuss this important topic, apanel of people from various organiza-tions was assembled. Maria Coldwell,EMA, was moderator, and participantswere Robert Cole, CalPerformances,presenter of the Berkeley Festival thatwas canceled for 2004; Kathy Fay,Boston (MA) Early Music Festival; NewYork Early Music Celebration directorGene Murrow, who is also a past presi-dent of the ARS; Alan Karass, currentpresident of the ARS; and BenjaminDunham, editor of Early Music Americaand past editor of AR.
The general tenor of the discussionwas that, although the last three yearshave been challenging for early music or-ganizations due to the general economicdownturn, the future is looking better.
Cole felt that we need to create insti-tutions and groups for making contribu-tions, pointing out that Europeans sup-port artists in ways that Americans donot. Since we rely on individual ratherthan state support, it is imperative tobuild up philanthropy.
Fay was optimistic about the situa-tion in Boston. Since the 1980s therehave been good changes, so that earlymusic is alive there. She and her boardraised $1.3 million for the 2003 BEMFand have cultivated future pledges. Shefelt it is important to keep our spirits up.
Murrow expressed ambivalence. Hesees struggling musicians and grayingaudiences, and thinks we haven’t done agood job of informing people about ear-ly music. He feels we need to raiseawareness, which is the mission of theNew York Early Music Celebration—55concerts by 40 groups during October.We need to try to get large audiences,make the press aware of the movement,and help players earn a living wage.
Karass urged more education in aca-demia about early music. He alsostressed supporting amateurs, as theyare important as audience members,class takers, instrument buyers, anddonors. Marketing our product is vital.
Dunham pointed out that, in thepast, everything appeared to be a discov-
ery; today performers receive a worked-over body of knowledge. There nowseems to be a careerism aspect of earlymusic, although it is still a new experi-ence for the audience. He noted a Cleve-land, OH, study showing that the eco-nomic impact of the arts is greater thanthat of professional sports—an upbeatending to the discussion!
A highlight of the conference was thepresentation of several awards at the EMAAnnual Meeting: to Laurette Goldberg ofthe Bay Area, the Howard Mayer BrownAward for lifetime achievement; to Har-vard Baroque Chamber Orchestra andYale Collegium Players director RobertMealy, the Thomas Binkley Award for out-standing achievement by the director of auniversity/college collegium musicum;and, to former ARS Board member PeggyMonroe, the “Early Music Brings His-tory Alive” Award that honors ensem-bles or individual artists for excellence ineducational outreach, as demonstrated inearly music school programs at the ele-mentary/secondary level.
Monroe’s early music activities beganin the early 1970s, when she startedteaching recorder privately, mostly to chil-dren. She also began doing demonstra-tions and mini-concerts in schools, al-ways with the idea of stimulating interestin early music and history. Her education-al projects evolved from one-time school-room appearances into two-week-longresidencies involving entire elementaryschools in Medieval, Renaissance andcolonial period studies. Her “MedievalExperience” residency has been offered atdozens of schools in the Seattle/KingCounty (WA) area over the past 20 years.
In addition to recorder, her principalemphasis is historical percussion, whichis reflected in the publication she authored for the ARS, Adding Percussion toMedieval and Renaissance Music.
Concurrent break-out sessions onvarious topics were held during the restof the conference, with some of more in-terest to recorder players than others.
A break-out session titled “Present-ing Successful Workshops for Adult Am-ateurs” was led by Hanneke van Proos-dij, San Francisco Early Music Society.She was joined by Valerie Horst,Amherst Early Music Festival, retired;and Ken Perlow, Viola da Gamba Soci-ety of America. Each participant had sev-eral initial suggestions for presenting asuccessful workshop.
Perlow stressed the importance of us-ing good facilities, offering high-quality
food andoperat-ing with-in a bal-ancedbudget.
VanProosdijrecom-mendedthat theworkshop experience include formaland informal elements—for example,adding casual gatherings to complementclasses and lectures. She also said that ithelps to provide alternative food optionsif the venue’s choices are limited.
Horst suggested that the “faculty ex-perience” should also be consideredwhen organizing a workshop. In manycases, the faculty members are not paidmuch. In order to make the workshopenjoyable for them, they should be givenchoices about what they teach and howthey can participate in the overall event.
All offered guidelines based on theirexperience. Honestly discussing expec-tations with administration and facultyis critical to running an effective work-shop, especially when dealing with diffi-cult students. Teachers need to discussproblems with workshop administra-tors, who can take appropriate action. Itis important to remember that teachersand administrators are paid by the stu-dents to provide a service.
Class placement for lower groups canbe especially difficult to manage. Inthese groups, each student has differentneeds; thus the range of ability levels inthe lower groups can be greater than thatin more advanced groups. An effectiveinstructor must be able to creativelymanage these differences while teachinggood technique and musicianship.
At the session’s end, the presentersoffered some other issues to consider. Itis important to explore wheel chair ac-cess at workshop sites, especially asmore mature players attend workshops.
The “summer workshop market” isgrowing, even beyond music work-shops. College facilities are becomingmore competitive; directors should dis-cuss a workshop’s expectations with thecollege. European workshops are grow-ing in popularity. Exotic overseas venuesappeal to many, but poor exchange ratesand costs can be prohibitive.
While scholarships are important tosome students, it can be difficult to de-termine who genuinely needs financial
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aid. One method for funding scholar-ships is to ask for additional moneyfrom attenders who can afford to give.
Speakers for “Creating Early MusicPrograms for Children” were Mary AnnHagan, Seattle (WA) Baroque educa-tion program; Joan Kimball, early mu-sic band Piffaro; and John Mark andRon McKean, the Bay Area’s JuniorBach Festival.
Seattle Baroque targets middleschool orchestras, where violinists and’cellists demonstrate their instrumentsand give coaching sessions. Studentsattend a Seattle Baroque rehearsal, andcan ask questions of the orchestra. Par-ents and students are also invited toattend a performance. The orchestrahas found that students ask more sophisticated questions as their expo-sure multiplies.
Kimball reported that plasticrecorders are introduced in the third tofifth grades as a “pre-band” instrument.Piffaro musicians go into schools todemonstrate the recorder’s potential.Often their “Family Shows” includeperformance opportunities for smallgroups of grade school students, usinga higher grade of plastic recorder. Although the young recorderists arefeatured, pitch differences (low vs. highpitch) prohibit them from playing withPiffaro during the presentation.
Now in its 52nd year, the two-weekJunior Bach Festival is an annual festivalof J.S. Bach’s music. Up to 300 young-sters audition to play; a high proficien-cy level is required. Judged by experts,the competitions are open to studentsplaying a wide range of instruments.
