It may not be the easiest time to sell American music in London, given the all-time low popularity of that president. But hey, he's going soon and it's no reason not to enjoy the fascinating music of Samuel Barber or the European premiere of a new song cycle by Ned Rorem, one of today's finest composers of art song. An team of excellent young musicians are presenting a programme that is exciting, fresh and (especially for the Wigmore Hall, which is largely back to its old conservative ways) new, on Sunday evening, spearheaded by prizewinning pianist Marisa Gupta.
The Rorem cycle is called Aftermath - Ten Songs on Love and War and sounds, to put it mildly, topical. Super baritone Thomas Meglioranza sings it, and Brilliant Sky, Infinite Sky by Aaron Jay Kernis. Those of you in Australia, by the way, can hear him soon in the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville on 9 July when he sings the baritone songs in our Turgenev-Viardot programme The Song of Triumphant Love. Programme also includes music by Gershwin arranged by Heifetz, with violinist Hayley Wolfe, and Barber's excellent Excursions.
Meanwhile Patricia Rozario is gearing up to a wonderful recital programme in the City of London Festival on 3 July, bringing together songs of longing for the East by Schubert, Schumann and Mendelssohn with some powerful Tavener (the Akhmatova Songs, written for her), a new cycle by Param Vir on poetry by Rabindranath Tagore (also written for her) and some folk songs from Goa. Read my piece about her in yesterday's Indy here.
4 comments:
My word! I've found a new musical blog. I so enjoy your posts(especially the 'Apprentice' entry). Cheerio for now,
Can Bass 1
Well, I don't think it would be that problematic to program American music in recital or in classical programs in general, given that most American composers of the classical stripe would probably not be sympathetic to the loathsome policies and general personage of our decider-in-thief. Even the more conservative classical types would probably not necessarily be of the bigoted religious right "conservatism" that sadly infects much on this side of the pond.
I think that the Ned Rorem cycle was performed at Ravinia near Chicago a while back. Did you go, and if so, how was it?
Thanks, George - yes, I did, and it was great. Will write about it later today - have to run out now for an early appointment.
I heard that Rorem cycle in NYC a couple of years ago and thought it dull. Review here.
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