Music on Thursdays - Online
Thursday 28th May 2020
Concert of Guitar Music
Artistes:
David Massey, Francisco Correa, Hugh Millington, Saki Kato, guitars
Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia
Emily Andrews, mezzo-soprano
appearing as: Miyabo Duo, Duo Correa-Massey, Duo Correa-Andrews, Andrews Massey Duo, CarmenCo
Starts: when you are ready
Note: latecomers will be admitted at your personal discretion
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Guitars & Friends
Programme
Agustín Pio Barrios (1885-1944)
Un Sueño en la Floresta
A Dream in the Forest (1918)
Joaquín Turina Pérez (1882-1949)
Homenaje a Tárrega Op 69 (1932)
João Pernambuco or João Teixeira Guimarães (1883-1947)
Sons de Carrilhões (Choro de Violãs)
Sounds of Chimes (Guitar Lament)
MAXIXE
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Prelude & Fugue in E-flat major
BWV 998 (c1735)
Stephen Goss (b 1964)
Guitar Concerto (2012)
1 Bold and Bright
Geoffrey Richard Poole (b 1949)
from Wild Goose Weeping Widow (1984)
1 From North to South
4 Pure Peace Music
Isaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz y Pascual (1860–1909)
from Cantos de España, Op 232 (1892, rev 1898)
4 Córdoba
Georges Bizet (1838-1875) & others
CarmenCo Trailer
Georges Bizet
from Act 1 of the opera Carmen
Seguidilla
Manuel de Falla y Matheu (1876–1946)
from Act II of the opera La Vida Breve (1913)
Primera Danza Española • First Spanish Dance
from the ballet El Amor Brujo (1914-1915)
Danza ritual del fuego • Ritual Fire Dance
Un Sueño en la Floresta
A Dream in the Forest (1918)
Joaquín Turina Pérez (1882-1949)
Homenaje a Tárrega Op 69 (1932)
João Pernambuco or João Teixeira Guimarães (1883-1947)
Sons de Carrilhões (Choro de Violãs)
Sounds of Chimes (Guitar Lament)
MAXIXE
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Prelude & Fugue in E-flat major
BWV 998 (c1735)
Stephen Goss (b 1964)
Guitar Concerto (2012)
1 Bold and Bright
Geoffrey Richard Poole (b 1949)
from Wild Goose Weeping Widow (1984)
1 From North to South
4 Pure Peace Music
Isaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz y Pascual (1860–1909)
from Cantos de España, Op 232 (1892, rev 1898)
4 Córdoba
Georges Bizet (1838-1875) & others
CarmenCo Trailer
Georges Bizet
from Act 1 of the opera Carmen
Seguidilla
Manuel de Falla y Matheu (1876–1946)
from Act II of the opera La Vida Breve (1913)
Primera Danza Española • First Spanish Dance
from the ballet El Amor Brujo (1914-1915)
Danza ritual del fuego • Ritual Fire Dance
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Initially Barrios called this piece Souvenir d'un rêve - Remembering a Dream.
He settled on the present title in 1928. Barrios was known to use different versions of his own name. He was also known as Agustín Barrios Mangoré, and, turning his first name around, as Nitsuga Mandoré. Born in Paraguay, in 1901, aged 15, he went to Asunción on a music scholarship to the Universidad Nacional de Asunción. He is known to have composed more than 300 songs, first writing the lyrics, and then adding the guitar accompaniment. The performer in this video is well known to Leatherhead's lunchtime audiences. David Massey first came to us in 2012 while studying at the Royal Academy of Music. In the same year he gave Leatherhead concerts with his duo partner, the flautist Emily Andrews. They have performed in Leatherhead every year since both as soloists and as a duo and both enjoy the welcome they receive on each occasion - just as we enjoy their superb playing. |
Agustín Pio Barrios (1885-1944)
Un Sueño en la Floresta A Dream in the Forest (1918) We hear David in Ulverston Parish Church, performing in the 2018 Ulverston Music Festival. |
Joaquín Turina Pérez (1882-1949) Homenaje a Tárrega Op 69 (1932) |
Joaquín Turina was born in Seville.
Between 1904 and 1914 he was in Paris as a composition student of Vincent d'Indy and a piano student under Moritz Moszkowski. He was also a friend of the impressionist composers Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy. Turina and Manuel de Falla returned to Madrid in 1914. In 1931 he was made Professor of Composition at the Madrid Royal Conservatory. Once again our recording comes from David Massey's appearance at Ulverston in 2018. |
Next we hear David performing in St Edmund's Church, Southwold, in August 2018. You may well recognise Sounds of Chimes (or Bells) by Brazilian composer Pernambuco. A Maxixe is a form of early 20th century Brazilian tango. It was influenced by African and Brazilian sources, and by the European polka. João Pernambuco or João Teixeira Guimarães (1883-1947) Sons de Carrilhões (Choro de Violãs) Sounds of Chimes (Guitar Lament) MAXIXE |
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Prelude & Fugue in E-flat major BWV 998 (c1735) |
This recording comes from David's July 2015 lunchtime concert in Leatherhead Methodist Church.
Yes, if you didn't know us before, this is the calibre of musician Leatherhead's lunchtime concerts are able to attract. Let's hope we can invite David and his friends and colleagues again soon. Bach wrote this set of Prelude, Fugue and Allegro to be played by lute or harpsichord. The Prelude is similar to the Well-Tempered Clavier (the second book of which dates from around the same time), in which there are many arpeggios. There is a pause in the motion when, just before the coda, there is a *fermata 𝄐 over a third-inversion seventh chord with a rich suspension. *[We put in the symbol after fermata but it does not always show. It's a dot inside a semi-circle to show the note is held for longer, eg, at the end of a line, or to heighten dramatic effect. Linger on this note.] The Fugue is one of only three that Bach wrote in ternary form, with an exact repetition of its contrapuntally active opening section framing a texturally contrasting central section. notes from wikipedia |
Earlier this year Welsh composer Stephen Goss was appointed Professor of Composition in the Music and Media Dept of the University of Surrey. You may have come across Steve at the Yehudi Menuhin School, his previous post, and he remains a professor at the Royal Academy of Music.
Steve, together with John Williams and Milton Mermikides , founded the International Guitar Research Centre in 2014. I found this recording because I was looking for performances by another of our regulars, Francisco Correa. You may think I am cheating by including an orchestral work we could never host at the Methodist Church. Well, LockDown has to have some privileges. Francisco is the soloist in this recording from the Teatro Colon, Bogotá, on the 7th November 2019. The orchestra is the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia. Francisco first played for us in August 2012. Flautist Emily Andrews came with him that day and they announced that, while in Paris at the beginning of the week, they had become engaged. Like Emily, and David Massey, Francisco has performed in Leatherhead each year since. We've booked the three of them for October 2020. Fingers crossed they are not going to miss out a year! |
Stephen Goss (b 1964) Guitar Concerto (2012) 1 Bold and Bright |
Geoffrey Richard Poole (b 1949)
from Wild Goose Weeping Widow (1984) 1 From North to South Each movement of the suite is inspired by a different Chinese poem. Poole requires the guitars to imitate the Chinese ch'in. From South to North, how long is the way! Between them lie ten thousand bows and arrows. Who can say, through the mist and fog, How many birds can reach Hêng-yang? Performed by the Miyabi guitar Duo who are Saki Kato and Hugh Millington at the Royal Academy of Music in June 2019. Hugh gave a very well-received lunchtime concert in Leatherhead in July 2017. |
If you would like to hear more of this unusual style of music, by a composer who is very much influenced by Chinese sources, here is Pure Peace Music:
from Wild Goose Weeping Widow (1984)
4 Pure Peace Music The mist is deep, the waters are broad; Tidings and letters have no way to reach him. Only in the azure sky there is the moon beyond the clouds, Minded to shine on the love-lorn pair so far apart. All day things remind me and wound my heart; My sad eyebrows are like a lock that’s hard to open. Night after night I ever keep for him the half of my quilt In the expectation of his spirit coming back to me in a dream. |
Isaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz y Pascual (1860–1909) from Cantos de España, Op 232 (1892, rev 1898) 4 Córdoba |
Originally a suite of three pieces for piano, Albéniz added Córdoba to the Cantos in his 1898 revision. He evokes Córdoba, one of the composer's favourite cities, with its combined Christian and Moorish heritage.
You will recognise the players as a duo you have already met singly. Francisco Correa, David Massey, and Emily Andrews studied at the Royal Academy of Music at the same time. The Andrews Massey Flute and Guitar Duo formed back then, and as we have already learned, by 2012, another duo was well and truly made - Emily and Francisco were engaged. It was not until late in 2016 that I suggested to David and Francisco that they might like to perform together. We didn't push them to launch our 2017 season, but we did book them in for the October, giving the pair plenty of time to fit finding repertoire, and rehearsing together, around their existing commitments. |
A wonderful performance it was that October. So professional. Why hadn't they thought of it earlier? And Emily told me how much they had enjoyed 'talking guitars together' while they were preparing for the concert.
Of course we booked them for 2018 (and 2019)!
By then, Emily had a project in mind for all three of them. What you see in David and Francisco's video performance is the by-product of working intensely on that trio project. They have developed that same instinctive feel for each other's playing that Emily already had with each of them.
Of course we booked them for 2018 (and 2019)!
By then, Emily had a project in mind for all three of them. What you see in David and Francisco's video performance is the by-product of working intensely on that trio project. They have developed that same instinctive feel for each other's playing that Emily already had with each of them.
Are you wondering what Emily's project was to be?
She put together music and texts to create the story behind the opera Carmen - she called it, and the trio that performs it: CarmenCo.
For this project Emily went back to Prosper Merimée's book (which some of us had had as an A-level text.) It's worth a read - when the libraries open (English translation available). Take a look at the trailer video below, and then I'll pick out just one song for you.
I have referred to Emily as a flautist up to now. Some four or five years ago she decided to develop her voice. Like the coming together of the guitar duo, it has been a joy to hear how, with superb teaching, and through her own commitment, Emily's mezzo voice has developed over those years.
The song I have picked is the Seguidilla from the end of Act 1 of Bizet's Carmen. Here she is charming José, her guard, after being arrested outside the cigarette factory for attacking another woman with a knife:
She put together music and texts to create the story behind the opera Carmen - she called it, and the trio that performs it: CarmenCo.
For this project Emily went back to Prosper Merimée's book (which some of us had had as an A-level text.) It's worth a read - when the libraries open (English translation available). Take a look at the trailer video below, and then I'll pick out just one song for you.
I have referred to Emily as a flautist up to now. Some four or five years ago she decided to develop her voice. Like the coming together of the guitar duo, it has been a joy to hear how, with superb teaching, and through her own commitment, Emily's mezzo voice has developed over those years.
The song I have picked is the Seguidilla from the end of Act 1 of Bizet's Carmen. Here she is charming José, her guard, after being arrested outside the cigarette factory for attacking another woman with a knife:
CarmenCo
Trailer - music by Georges Bizet (1838-1875) & others |
Georges Bizet
from Act 1 of the opera Carmen Seguidilla |
Now the Duo Correa-Massey have found their voice, let's hear more from them as they bring our concert to a close with these two Manuel de Falla pieces which show off their brilliant playing superbly.
You may notice how, in his playing of these two pieces, David's right hand, or the part below his thumb at least, sometimes rests on the bridge. He is muting the strings when he does this. Not damping, just muting.
You may notice how, in his playing of these two pieces, David's right hand, or the part below his thumb at least, sometimes rests on the bridge. He is muting the strings when he does this. Not damping, just muting.
Manuel de Falla y Matheu (1876–1946) from Act II of the opera La Vida Breve (1913) Primera Danza Española • First Spanish Dance |
♦ FINALE ♦
Manuel de Falla y Matheu from the ballet El Amor Brujo (1914-1915) Danza ritual del fuego • Ritual Fire Dance |
It has been an absolute pleasure putting together this concert of beautiful music by lovely friends, people our audience members have enjoyed seeing mature as musicians over these past seven or eight years. We feel we have been part of their journey. Long may it continue!
I asked the trio how they were doing in lockdown. Let me share their replies with you:
David writes:
I've been busy continuing much of my teaching online using Zoom and feel fortunate to have that. So a bit more time for practice but, of course, no concerts for a while so the performance side has dropped off. Fingers crossed for the resumption of some gigs in the Autumn, the trio are supposed to be going to Sweden in November for instance. Luckily all of our summer bookings have been rescheduled to next year.
Emily writes:
We're doing very well here. Have perfected our sourdough, and our potatoes, tomatoes, and courgettes are nearly ready to eat... Rest still a way off. Strawberries already coming although Francisco and I rarely get a taste.
Kids getting on well (guess they have to now) and 'C' has learnt to talk during lockdown which is joyful for us all, not least him. He's very polite, saying please all the time (probably as we push 'S' to say please), so seeing this tiny tot saying 'more ice ceam me pease' is so cute, he often gets what he wants.
I asked the trio how they were doing in lockdown. Let me share their replies with you:
David writes:
I've been busy continuing much of my teaching online using Zoom and feel fortunate to have that. So a bit more time for practice but, of course, no concerts for a while so the performance side has dropped off. Fingers crossed for the resumption of some gigs in the Autumn, the trio are supposed to be going to Sweden in November for instance. Luckily all of our summer bookings have been rescheduled to next year.
Emily writes:
We're doing very well here. Have perfected our sourdough, and our potatoes, tomatoes, and courgettes are nearly ready to eat... Rest still a way off. Strawberries already coming although Francisco and I rarely get a taste.
Kids getting on well (guess they have to now) and 'C' has learnt to talk during lockdown which is joyful for us all, not least him. He's very polite, saying please all the time (probably as we push 'S' to say please), so seeing this tiny tot saying 'more ice ceam me pease' is so cute, he often gets what he wants.
Emily & Francisco recorded the beautiful pasillo Despasillo por favor, written by Francisco's friend Lucas Saboya, in their Bristol garden, during lockdown.
What does Despasillo mean ? Well, we know Pasodoble - a dance in 6/8 time, with long steps of 68-70cm (26-27 inches). A paso is a dance in 2/4 time, with longer steps of around 80cm (31 ins). A pasillo, or little paso, is in 3/4 time, and has shorter steps of 25-35 cm (10-14 ins). If you put despasillo into a search engine it will probably ask if you meant despacito - meaning slowly or steadily. So here's a fairly fast pasillo dance which sounds like it's titled Steadily, please - or Despasillo por favor ! In Spanish that's a brilliant pun. Doesn't work the same for us, does it! |
Luis Carlos “Lucas” Saboya González (b1980)
Despasillo por favor Pasillo |
Producer: Peter Steadman
CD Releases & Carmen - the Novella
After a live concert we would have encouraged the artistes to promote their CDs:
After a live concert we would have encouraged the artistes to promote their CDs:
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▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ We hope you have enjoyed your Guitar Concert Online Watch your email and this website for our next Online concert comments welcome: musiconthursdays@gmail.com |
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Don't miss: Francisco Correa - LIVE! - Saturday Night 10pm
Crowdfunding for Choco!
Online Live Concert 10pm Saturday 30 May Francisco Correa - Guitarist (Colombia - UK) Somos CaPAZes are delighted to join forces with International soloist and prize winning guitarist Francisco Correa From his home in Bristol UK, Francisco will be performing a 40 minute selection of Colombian pieces from his recently released album Música de la Tierrita. Find out more about Francisco: www.franciscocorreaguitar.com Find out more about our work (in Spanish): www.somoscapazes.org Your donation to our work will be your ticket to this incredible concert, while you help 300 families in *Choco to alleviate food scarcity. |
*Choco is the northern region of Colombia that forms the border with Panama, the only region with coasts on both the Atlantic and the Pacific. It contains the world's rainiest town, and yet decades of government neglect have left the region without decent sanitation.
The people are predominantly (82%) the descendants of African slaves brought there by Spanish colonisers. 13% are Amerindians or other indigenous groups, and 5% of Spanish or European origin.
Timber, platinum and gold are the main resources, but they don't benefit the locals much.
The people are predominantly (82%) the descendants of African slaves brought there by Spanish colonisers. 13% are Amerindians or other indigenous groups, and 5% of Spanish or European origin.
Timber, platinum and gold are the main resources, but they don't benefit the locals much.
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Concert Selections Still Available for your listening on this Website:
Music on Thursdays - Online
Concert for St George's Day and to commemorate the Birth of Shakespeare video recordings of folk and traditional works, music that Shakespeare almost certainly heard, a lovely setting by William Mathias, and some Vaughan Williams to access the concert webpage: please click on the Date, the flag, or Shakespeare's Birthplace Venue: this website and a place of your choosing |
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video recordings of May Day Morning in Oxford, folk & traditional tunes, Lei Day, The Beatles, Soloviov-Sedoï, Scarlatti, and Vaughan Williams to access the concert webpage: please click on the Date or the Maypole and Dancers Venue: this website and a place of your choosing |
Music for VE Day 75th Anniversary - Online
a military and nostalgic musical miscellany - including Marlene Dietrich, Vera Lynn, Glenn Miller, Eric Coates, and Handel to access the concert webpage: please click on the Date or the VE Day emblem Venue: this website and a place of your choosing |
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Piano à Deux - piano four hands Linda Ang Stoodley ♥ Richard Stoodley music by Schubert, George Onslow, Rachmaninoff, Gershwin, Shostakovich, Rodgers & Hammerstein and including arrangements by Linda and Richard access this piano 4 hands concert: by clicking on the date or on the duo's picture Venue: this website and a place of your choosing |
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