"T" guest artists

Kati Kyme, co-concertmaster of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, and Mary Springfels, nationally known performer and teacher of the viola da gamba, lead the viols and violins in the July 5th concert. The composers include Tomkins, Telemann, and Tartini. See how these 2 families of instruments work....separately and together in an evening concert at the studio of Melinda Moreaux: 269 Woodward Ave, Penngrove.

Phebe Craig will be the mediator on hrpsichord and the other string players are: Maria Caswell, David Bowes, Gwyneth Davis and Judiyaba.

Halsey Stevens

The other lesser known composer on this program (besides Robert Sheldon) is the American composer Halsey Stevens, 1908-1989. His main job (composers rarely just get to sit and compose) was teaching at USC from 1947 until he died at age 80. He also wrote about music and in 1953 published "the Life and Music of Belá Bartók". The cello duet on this program was written in 1957 and shows Bartok's influence, being 5 short movements similar in feeling to Bartók's 44 Duets for 2 violins. A wonderful thing about Halsey Stevens is that he worked to make his music idiomatic to the instruments and also believed that music should communicate to the audience rather than alienate them. It seems obvious now, but particularly in the 1960's and 70's this was most definitely not always the case, as some of us can recall!

Crafters of Song......

Schubert and Schumann are familiar composers whose songs we have long enjoyed. But sometimes there are hidden treasures that could almost go missing if someone doesn't give a little push to get them into the public eye. One such is Robert Sheldon, a quiet man who taught at SF Conservatory, SF State University and Mills College. He just loved writing songs and in any spare moments...like when a student didn't show up for a lesson...would use a favorite poem and have a new song sketched out within an hour. Marilyn Thompson met him when she was a student and he a professor at the Conservatory. She accompanied his wife's voice students and became acquainted with the music that way. Now Carol Menke and Marilyn have recorded some 20 songs, ranging in mood from profound, to sentimental, passionate, even cute. BUT there are about 1000 more songs in his notebooks that are not even transcribed for publication or use! There are also instrumental works, choral works and 3 operas languishing.

On the "S" concert will be 3 songs for soprano and piano and one, Patterns, that also includes cello. Just a sample of what is hidden away.........

Summer Song Fest!!

Singers, strings, and of course, piano!

Soprano Carol Menke and tenor Corey Head will be singing on June 18 at 7pm. With Marilyn Thompson, pianist and string players tossed into the mix as well! Violinist Hilary Powers, and cellists Judiyaba and Gwyneth Davis will supplement the song session.

And....it will be a benefit for the music scholarship fund at Sonoma State University!

Which is where the concert will be...in room 1028 in the education wing of the new Green Music Center. The same place where the "P" concert was...a fun big room....so tell your friends!

Other attendees, once removed, will be Schubert, Schumann, Richard Strauss, Halsey Stevens and Robert Sheldon. A sumptuous summer spread....

Quantzert Views

QR Concert Photos.......by A-Zed photographer Charlie Lucke. Taken May 8 as the Alphabet Players quaffed Quantz, rollicked through

Rameau, recreated Rossini, reveled in Reina, rejoiced with Rosenmüller, resurrected Roman and continued their rumbustious romp through the alphabet.

Lower: Maria, Tyler and Phebe (Kathleen hiding behind) Upper: Gwyneth and David

Those "R"'s!

Let's start with Johann Rosenmüller, probably the earliest composer on our program. He was born in 1615 and by 1650 was doing well as Director on Music of the Leipzig churches and to the Altenburg Court. Unfortunately he got into a spot of bother with the school boys and found himself in prison. But...he escaped, and by 1658 he was apparently composing and playing trumpet at St. Marks in Venice.

Then we have Johan Helmich Roman. Born in 1694 and known as the Swedish Handel, as he had studied in London for 6 years and idealized Handel. In 1721 he became Chief Master if the Royal Swedish Orchestra, and in 1731 organized the first public concerts in Sweden. In 1744, for the wedding of the Crown Prince Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, he composed one of his best pieces......Drottningholmsmusique. (I just wanted to write that)

Onward to our most modern composer on this program, Gioacchino Rossini, 1792-1868. He got off to a fast start compositionally....the quartet we are playing was written when he was 12!

He was fortunate enough to achieve great success with his comic operas early in life. His best known is Barber of Seville, from which we are stealing the Finale for our concert. He was a bit lazy about deadlines. Barber was composed in under 2 weeks! And he said, about composing overtures, "Wait until the evening before the opening night. Nothing primes inspiration more than necessity, whether it be the presence of the copyist, or the prodding of an impresario tearing out his hair. In my time, all the impresarios of Italy were bald before 30."

The last 40 years of his life were devoted to pleasure, mostly of food. The dish "Tournedos Rossini" was created for him, probably by Escoffier. It is filet mignon on toast, topped with sliced foie gras, garnished with black truffles and completed with a Madeira demi-glace.

Not the diet most composers enjoy! The only piece written late in his life is one called "The Sins of Old Age"

May 8 is almost here!

The 2pm concert will be of 17th and 18th century music.......harpsichord, strings, baroque flute.....

The music is by Quantz (our token "Q") a specialist in baroque flute. He wrote masses of flute music and a huge tome on playing flute, and many other things, which we will quote from.

The "R"s are Rossini, a man who appreciated life. He spent the first half of his life writing music (Barber of Seville and other comic operas) and the second half of his life wining and dining and enjoying. Also Rameau (a chicken piece for solo harpsichord, and a chamber piece) Rosenmüller, Roman, and Reina ( a gorgeous little gem played by 2 cellos and harpsichord).

Hope to see you there!

Sebastopol Center for the Arts...music room....6780 Depot Street...just down from Screaming Mimi's Ice Cream.