The Well-Tempered Ear
Con Vivo woodwind quintet plays a FREE outdoor concert TONIGHT on Madison’s west side
1 Comment
PLEASE HELP THE EAR. IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
By Jacob Stockinger
The Ear wants to thanks the many readers who sent congratulations and best wishes to him on the return of his blog.
He also wants to post the following announcement:
Con Vivo! … music with life has been opening its 18th season of chamber music concerts with free concerts in city parks performed by CVQ — the con vivo! woodwind quintet (below).
The last FREE performance will take place TONIGHT – Saturday, June 12 — at 7 p.m. at Rennebohm Park (below, the exterior and interior of the shelter), 115 North Eau Claire Ave., on Madison’s west side not far where the old state DMV building used to be.
The concert will include music by Aaron Copland, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Franz Danzi and Beethoven.
The woodwind quintet is composed of flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and French horn.
The event is free and everyone is welcome. So bring a lawn chair or blanket, and join us for what will prove to be an enjoyable evening of live music!
For more information, visit www.convivomusicwithlife.org or call (608) 277-8087.
This project is supported in part by Dane Arts with additional funds from the Endres Mfg. Company Foundation; The Evjue Foundation, Inc., the charitable arm of The Capital Times; the W. Jerome Frautschi Foundation; and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation.
Tags: #AaronCopland, #AmericanComposer, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #ChamberMusic, #CityofMadison, #ConVivo, #ConVivoQuintet, #DaneArts, #DepartmentofMotorVehicles, #DrpartmentofTransportation, #EndresMfg.Company, #EvjueFoundation, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FranzDanzi, #FrenchHorn, #HolidaySeason, #InstrumentalMusic, #JacobStockinger, #LiveMusic, #LouisMoreauGottschalk, #LudwigVanBeethoven, #MadisonWisconsin, #MusicWithLife, #PleasantT.Rowland, #RennebohmPark, #TheCapitalTimes, #TheEar, #W.JeromeFrautschi, #WestSide, #WindMusic, #WoodwindInstruments, #WoodwindMusic, #WoodwindQuintet, Aaron Copland, American, arm, Arts, audience, Bassoon, bassoonist, Beethoven, blanket, blog, building, chair, Chamber music, charitable, charity, city, city of Madison, clarinet, clarlinetist, Classical music, composer, Con Vivo, Concert, Copland, CVQ, Dane Arts, Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Transportation, DMV, DOT, Early music, Endres Mfg. Company, enjoyable, Evjue Foundation, exterior, Facebook, Facebook post, Facebook posting, flutist, forward, foundation, Franz Danzi, free, French horn, funding, Gottshalk, hornist, instrument, instrumental music, interior, Jacob Stockinger, journalism, last, lawn, life, like, link, live music, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, Madison Symphony Orchestra, manufactoring, Mozart, Music, Music With Life, obie, Oboe, oboist, old state, Orchestra, outdoors, parks, performance, Pleasant T. Rowland, post, posting, Rennebohm Park, Saturday, Season, share, Sonata, sponsor, state, tag, The Capital Times, The Ear, tonight, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, W. Jerome Frautschi, welcome, west side, wind music, Wisconsin, woodwind music, Woodwind quintet
Classical music: This Saturday night, the Con Vivo woodwind quintet makes its debut. Plus, the Wisconsin Baroque Ensemble performs a variety of chamber music
1 Comment
PLEASE HELP THE EAR. IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
By Jacob Stockinger
Valentine’s Day weekend is turning out to be a popular time for concerts. Here are two more performances on this coming Saturday night:
CON VIVO
Con Vivo!, or “Music With Life,” continues its 18th season of chamber music concerts with the inaugural performance of CVQ, the Con Vivo woodwind quintet (below).
The concert will take place this Saturday night, Feb. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1609 University Ave., across from Camp Randall Stadium.
Tickets can be purchased at the door for $20 for adults and $15 for seniors and students.
Convenient free parking is only 2 blocks west at the University Foundation, 1848 University Ave.
The debut concert will include music — no specific titles have been named — by Aaron Copland, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Gyorgy Ligeti and Ludwig van Beethoven. The woodwind quintet comprises flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and French horn.
Says Con Vivo’s artistic director Robert Taylor: “We continue our season with our newest members joining forces to perform pieces for the woodwind quintet genre, providing new sounds for our audiences. We are excited to add these fabulous musicians to our group. This concert will be a great way to shake off those winter blues!”
Con Vivo (below) is a professional chamber music ensemble comprised of Madison area musicians assembled from the ranks of the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and various other performing groups familiar to Madison audiences.
For more information, go to: convivomusicwithlife.org
WISCONSIN BAROQUE ENSEMBLE
The Wisconsin Baroque Ensemble (below) will perform a concert of baroque chamber music this Saturday night, Feb. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1833 Regent Street.
Players include: Eric Miller, viola da gamba; Sigrun Paust, recorder; Chelsie Propst, soprano; Charlie Rasmussen, baroque cello and viola da gamba; Daniel Sullivan, harpsichord; and Anton TenWolde, baroque cello and viola da gamba.
Tickets at the door only are: $20, $10 for students.
The program includes:
François Couperin – Pieces for viol, Suite No. 1 (You can hear the Prelude, played by Jordi Savall, in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre – Cantata “Jacob and Rachel”
Pietro Castrucci – Sonata No. 3 for recorder and basso continuo
Jean-Baptiste Barriere – Adagio from Sonata No. 2 for cello and basso continuo, Book 1
Marin Marais – Chaconne 83 from Pieces for Viol, Book 5
Lucrezia Orsina Vizzana – “Veni dulcissime Domine” (Come, Sweet Lord)
Girolamo Frescobaldi – Toccata No. 8, Partita on the Aria of Monicha (1637)
Unico van Wassenaer – Sonata No. 2 for recorder and basso continuo
Johann Michael Nicolai –Sonata for Three Viola da Gambas in D major
For more information, go to: www.wisconsinbaroque.org
Tags: #AaronCopland, #AmericanBrassQuintet, #AntonTenWolde, #ArtisticDirector, #BaroqueMusic, #BaroqueRecorder, #BassoonMusic, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #CampRandallStadium, #ChamberMusic, #CharlieRasmussen, #ChelsiePropst, #ChristianChurch, #ClarinetMusic, #ClassicalMusician, #ConVivo, #DanielSullivan, #ElisabethJacquetdelaGuerre, #EricMiller, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FirstCongregationalUnitedChurchofChrist, #FluteMusic, #FrancoisCouperin, #GirolamoFrescobaldi, #GyorgyLigeti, #JacobStockinger, #Jean-BaptisteBarriere, #JesusChrist, #JohannMichaelNicolai, #JordiSavall, #LouisMoreauGottschalk, #LucreziaOrsinaVizzana, #LudwigVanBeethoven, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #MarinMarais, #MusicWithLife, #OboeMusic, #PietroCastrucci, #ProfessionalMusician, #RobertTaylor, #SaintAndrew, #SaturdayNight, #SigrunPaust, #SopranoSinger, #St.Andrew'sEpiscopalChurch, #TheEar, #UnicovanWassenaer, #ValentinesDay, #VioladaGamba, #VocalMusic, #WinterBlues, #WisconsinBaroqueEnsemble, #WisconsinChamberOrchestra, #WoodwindQuintet, Aaron Copland, adagio, adult, Anton TenWolde, aria, Artistic director, Arts, audience, Baroque, Bassoon, Beethoven, blog, blues, Camp Randall Stadium, Cantata, cellist, Cello, chaconne, Chamber music, Charlie Rasmussen, Chelsie Propst, Christ, Christian, church, clarinet, Classical, Classical music, classicalmusic, Con Vivo, Concert, Copland, Couperin, CVQ, Daniel Sullivan, dear, door, Early music, Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, ensemble, Eric Miller, Facebook, First Congregational United Church of Christ, flute, François Couperin, free, French horn, Frescobaldi, genre, Girolamo Frescobaldi, Gottschalk, group, György Ligeti, harpsichord, Horn, inaugural, Jacob, Jacob Stockinger, Jean Baptiste Barrière, Johann Michael Nicolai, Jordi Savall, Ligeti, like, link, Lord, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Lucrezia Orsina Vizzana, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Marin Marais, member, msician, Music, Music With Life, new, newest, noght, Oboe, Orchestra, partita, performance, performer, Piano, pieces, Pietro Castrucci, popular, post, posting, Prelude, professional, program, purchase, quintet, Rachel, recorder, Robert Taylor, Saturday, Season, share, Sigrun Paust, singer, Sonata, soprano, Sound, specific, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Student, Suite, sweet, tag, The Ear, tickets, time, title, toccata, Unico van Wassenaer, United States, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Valentine's Day, viola da gamba, Violin, vocal music, weekend, winter, winter blues, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Baroque Ensemble, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, woodwind, Woodwind quintet, YouTube
Classical music: Con Vivo concludes its 17th season Saturday night with chamber music by Prokofiev, Haydn, Medtner and Mozart. Children in Music Makers perform a FREE concert on Sunday afternoon
1 Comment
IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event.
ALERT: The final Music Makers concert is this Sunday, June 2, at 4 p.m. in the First Unitarian Society of Madison’s Atrium Auditorium, 900 University Bay Drive. The concert is FREE and open to the public and will include performances by students from age 8 to 18 performing works by Shostakovich, Puccini and more.
Part of Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras, Music Makers aims to enrich and develop the music skills of children from all backgrounds in an inclusive and non-competitive environment. Music Makers provides the financial support for instruments, lessons and performance opportunities, making music education accessible for all children. Learn more at wysomusicmakers.org.
By Jacob Stockinger
This Saturday night, the chamber music group Con Vivo (below) will close out its 17th season.
The concert, entitled “Overture to Summer,” will include music for violin and piano by Nikolai Medtner; the Overture on Hebrew Themes by Sergei Prokofiev; the Piano Trio in G Major “Gypsy Rondo” by Joseph Haydn; and the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. (You can hear the Gypsy Rondo movement from Haydn’s piano trio in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
The concert takes place on this Saturday night, June 1, at 7:30 p.m. in the intimate Chapel at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1609 University Avenue, across from Camp Randall Stadium.
Tickets can be purchased at the door for $18 for adults and $15 for seniors and students.
Audience members are invited to join the musicians after the concert for a free reception to discuss the concert.
About the concert, artistic director Robert Taylor says: “We conclude our 17th season with music evocative of warm summer days in the sun. The wonderful lush strains of Medtner’s violin music are contrasted by the bright music of Haydn in his Piano Trio in G Major nicknamed “Gypsy Rondo.” The evening continues with one of Con Vivo’s signature pieces, Overture on Hebrew Themes by Prokofiev. We conclude with the beautiful Quintet for Clarinet and Strings by Mozart. What could be a better way to ring in the warm sunny days of summer?”
Con Vivo is a professional chamber music ensemble comprised of Madison area musicians assembled from the ranks of the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and various other performing groups familiar to Madison audiences.
For more information, go to the home website www.convivomusicwithlife.org
Tags: #AtriumAuditorium, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #CampRandallStadium, #ChamberMusic, #ChristianChurch, #ClarinetQuintet, #ConVivo, #DmitriShostakovich, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FinancialSupport, #FirstCongregationalUnitedChurchofChrist, #FirstUnitarianSocietyofMadison, #FranzJosephHaydn, #GiacomoPuccini, #GypsyRondo, #JesusChrist, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #MusicEducation, #MusicLessons, #MusicMakers, #MusicStudent, #NikolaiMedtner, #OvertureonHebrewThemes, #PianoTrio, #SaturdayNight, #SeniorCitizen, #SergeiProkofiev, #Sundayafternoon, #ViolinMusic, #WisconsinChamberOrchestra, #WisconsinYouthSymphonyOrchestras, #WolfgangAmadeusMozart, #YouTubevideo, accessible, aim, Artistic director, Atrium Auditorium, audience, background, blog, bright, Camp Randall Stadium, centerpiece, Chamber music, chapel, Christ, Christian, church, Clarinet Quintet, Classical music, classicalmusic, Con Vivo, Concert, conclude, contrast, day, days, develop, diversity, enrich, environment, evening, Facebook, Facebook post, Facebook posting, final, financial, First Congregational United Church of Christ, First Unitarian Society of Madison, Franz Joseph Haydn, free, group, gypsy rondo, Hebrew, inclusive, instruments, intimate, Jesus, lesson, like, link, lush, Madison, Madison Symphony Orchestra, movement, Music, Music education, Music Makers, Musician, Nikolai Medtner, non-competitive, Overture, performer, performing, Piano, Piano Trio, piece, program, public, Puccini, Sergei Prokofiev, share, Shostakovich, signature, skills, strains, strings, Student, students, summer, sun, Sunday, support, tag, themes, ticket, video, Violin, violin music, warm, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, works, WYSO, YouTube
Classical music: Concerts by UW cellist Parry Karp and the chamber music group Con Vivo take place this Saturday night
1 Comment
IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, PLEASE FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR SHARE IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event.
ALERT: The Rhapsodie Quartet, featuring members of the Madison Symphony Orchestra, will perform a FREE public concert (suggested donation is $5) at the Capitol Lakes Retirement Community, 333 West Main Street, two blocks off the Capitol Square, this Friday night, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m.
The program is the String Quartet in G minor, Op. 74, No. 3, by Franz Joseph Haydn and the “Razumovsky” String Quartet in C Major, Op. 59, No. 3, by Ludwig van Beethoven. For more information and background, go to: https://madisonsymphony.org/event/rhapsodie-quartet-recital/
By Jacob Stockinger
It is a busy week for classical music in Madison, and all the listings have still not been included here.
On Saturday night, Oct. 13, two more noteworthy events will take place.
PARRY KARP
A Faculty Concert Series recital by UW-Madison cello professor Parry Karp (below), who is also the longtime cellist of the Pro Arte Quartet, will take place on Saturday night in Mills Hall at 8 p.m.
Karp will be joined by two pianists: his mother Frances Karp, a longtime Madison piano teacher; and Thomas Kasdorf (below), who is pursuing his doctoral degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Mead Witter School of Music.
The program is an interesting and unusual one.
It features “Hamabdil” (1919), or Hebrew Rhapsody, by Granville Bantock (below), who, Karp says “was a wonderful British composer, a favorite of Elgar.” (You can hear “Hamabdil” in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
“Phantasma for Solo Cello” (2006) is by Jesse Benjamin Jones (below), who is on the faculty of the Oberlin College Conservatory.
The Violin Sonata in A Major, Op. 30, No. 1 (1801-02), by Ludwig van Beethoven, continues the exploration of Beethoven’s violin sonatas transcribed for the cello by Karp himself.
The Cello Concerto (1956) by William Walton (below), says Karp, who performed it this summer with the English Symphony Orchestra, “is one of the great cello concertos of the 20th century. This version features a piano reduction of the orchestral score.
CON VIVO
Con Vivo (below), the critically acclaimed Madison-based chamber music group, will also give a concert to open its 17th season on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. in the First Congregational United Church of Christ, at 1609 University Avenue, near Camp Randall Stadium.
Free parking is two blocks away, at the nearby UW Foundation, 1848 University Avenue.
The eclectic program, called “Members Choice,”will include the “Kegelstatt” Trio for piano, clarinet and viola by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; and the Suite for Organ, Violin and Cello by Josef Rheinberger (below).
The night will be rounded out by solo works from the group’s talented and veteran performers many of whom also play with other major groups including the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.
Tickets are available at the door, and cost $18 for general admission; $15 for seniors and students.
For information, go to www.convivomusicwithlife.org
Tags: #20thCentury, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #BritishComposer, #CampRandallStadium, #CapitolLakes, #CapitolSquare, #CelloConcerto, #ChamberMusic, #ChristianChurch, #ConVivo, #EdwardElgar, #EnglishSymphonyOrchestra, #FacebookPost, #FacultyMember, #FirstCongregationalUnitedChurchofChrist, #FranzJosephHaydn, #GranvilleBantock, #Hamabdil, #HebrewRhapsody, #JesseBenjaminJones, #JesusChrist, #JosefRheinberger, #KegelstattTrio, #LudwigVanBeethoven, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #OberlinCollege, #OberlinConservatory, #OrganMusic, #ParryKarp, #PianoAccompaniment, #PianoAccompanist, #ProArteQuartet, #PublicConcert, #RazumovskyQuartet, #RhapsodieQuartet, #SoloCello, #StringQuartet, #ThomasKasdorf, #UniversityofWisconsin, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #UWFoundation, #ViolinSonata, #WilliamWalton, #WisconsinChamberOrchestra, #WolfgangAmadeusMozart, #YouTubevideo, 20th-century, Arts, Beethoven, Camp Randall Stadium, Capitol Lakes, Capitol Square, cellist, Cello, Cello Concerto, Chamber music, Christ, Christian church, church, clarinet, Classical music, composer, Con Vivo, concerto, degree, doctoral, doctorate, eclectic, Edward Elgar, English, English Symphony Orchestra, Facebook, faculty, First Congregational United Church of Christ, free, Granville Bantock, Haydn, Hebrew, Jacob Stockinger, Jesse Benjamin Jones, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Josef Rheinberger, Kegelstatt Trio, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Mead Witter School of Music, Mozart, Music, Orchestra, organ, parking, performer, phantasma, Pianist, Piano, piano reduction, piano teacher, Pro Arte Quartet, program, public, Razumovsky, reduction, Rhapsodie Quartet, Saturday night, Season, solo, Sonata, String quartet, summer, Teacher, Thomas Kasdorf, transcribed, transcription, trio, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, UW Foundation, Veteran, Viola, Violin, Violin Sonata, web site, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, YouTube
Classical music: Con Vivo closes its chamber music season with satisfying performances of string duos, violin romances and a clarinet quintet in a new, more intimate space
Leave a Comment
By Jacob Stockinger
Here is a special posting, a review written by frequent guest critic and writer for this blog, John W. Barker. Barker (below) is an emeritus professor of Medieval history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also is a well-known classical music critic who writes for Isthmus and the American Record Guide, and who hosts an early music show once a month on Sunday morning on WORT 89.9 FM. For years, he served on the Board of Advisors for the Madison Early Music Festival and frequently gives pre-concert lectures in Madison. He also took the performance photos.
By John W. Barker
The season’s closing concert by the Con Vivo! chamber ensemble (below) took on an extra degree of novelty.
Usually the group has performed in the main sanctuary of the First Congregational United Church of Christ. But the acoustics there are variable and not always ideal for small ensembles.
This time, the performers moved to the chapel, a much smaller room in the building complex. With a high ceiling but modest space, this venue has a much more appropriate quality for chamber music. It’s a trifle hard, but not reverberant — a good place for intimacy and directness of sound. This should become one base of choice for the ensemble now.
The program was split interestingly between two different musical realms.
The first half consisted of duos. At the core was a set of six brief pieces drawn from the 44 Duos by Bela Bartok, published as his Op. 104. Written for two violins, but adaptable to other string instruments, they were delivered here by violist Janse Vincent and cellist Maggie Darby Townsend (below), in charming fashion.
Framing them were two violin romances, each written with orchestral accompaniment that was rendered on the piano by Dan Lyons. One was the Romance No. 2 in F Major, Op. 50, by Ludwig van Beethoven played by Kathryn Taylor (below).
The other — which in fact originally began life as a movement of a string quartet — was the Romance in F minor, Op. 11, by Antonin Dvorak. This was played by Olga Pomolova (below). It is no disrespect to the other players to note that her performance was outstanding for rich tone and strong feeling. (You can hear Dvorak’s lovely Romance in its orchestral version in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
A different world was drawn upon after the intermission, one for larger-scale chamber writing. This was the wonderful Quintet in B minor, Op. 115, for Clarinet and Strings. In this work, clarinetist Robert Taylor joined the four string players.
This is a mellow late work from Brahms, full of his artful denseness of textures, yet finely sensitive to balances. It is remarkable how the clarinet is constantly shifted between blending with the strings and standing apart from them. The performance was worthy of the challenges, full of spirit yet carefully controlled at all times — a performance that allowed the listener to ponder, and savor.
The sum total was a very satisfying concert, and one that suggested experiences with this chapel chamber should continue to be explored.
Tags: #AmericanRecordGuide, #AntoninDvorak, #BelaBartok, #CelloMusic, #ClarinetMusic, #ClarinetQuintet, #ConVivo, #FirstCongregationalUnitedChurchofChrist, #IsthmusNewspaper, #JohannesBrahms, #JohnW.Barker, #LudwigVanBeethoven, #MadisonEarlyMusicFestival, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #MedievalHistory, #OrchestralAccompaniment, #StringDuos, #StringInstruments, #UniversityofWisconsin, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #ViolaandCello, #ViolaMusic, #ViolinMusic, #ViolinRomance, #WisconsinChamberOrchestra, #WORT-FM89.9, accompaniment, acoustics, American Record Guide, Arts, balance, Beethoven, blend, blog, cellist, Cello, Chamber music, clarinet, clarinetist, Classical music, composer, Con Vivo, critic, duo, Dvorak, Early music, earlymusic, feeling, First Congregational United Church of Christ, History, intermission, Isthmus, Jacob Stockinger, Johannes Brahms, John W. Barker, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, Madison Symphony Orchestra, morning, Music, orchestral, photo, Pianist, Piano, professor, Radio, review, Romance, scale, Sunday, tone, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Viola, Violin, violinist, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, work, WORT-FM 89.9, YouTube
Classical music: Con Vivo ends its 16th season this Saturday night with chamber music by Bartok, Beethoven, Dvorak and Brahms
Leave a Comment
By Jacob Stockinger
This weekend, Con Vivo — or music with life (below) — concludes its 16th season with music of Bartok, Dvorak, Beethoven and Brahms.
The chamber music concert, entitled “Spring Romance,” includes Duets for Viola and Cello by Bela Bartok; the Romance for Violin and Piano, Op. 11, by Antonin Dvorak; the Romance, Op. 50, for violin and piano by Ludwig van Beethoven; and the supremely beautiful Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, Op. 115, by Johannes Brahms. (You can hear the opening movement of the Brahms, played by clarinetist David Shifrin and the Guarneri String Quartet, in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
The concert takes place on this coming Saturday night, June 2, at 7:30 p.m. in the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1609 University Ave. across from Camp Randall Stadium.
Tickets can be purchased at the door for $18 for adults and $15 for seniors and students.
Audience members are invited to join the musicians after the concert for a free reception to discuss the concert.
New to this concert: Con Vivo will perform in the Chapel at First Congregational Church, creating a more intimate chamber music experience for the audience.
In remarking about the concert, artistic director Robert Taylor says: “We finish our 16th season with music evocative of spring romances. The wonderful Romances for violin and piano by Dvorak and Beethoven are contrasted by miniatures for viola and cello by Bartok that highlight our members in a soloist role. The evening is capped off with the beautiful Clarinet Quintet by Johannes Brahms. What could be a better way to spend a spring evening?”
Con Vivo is a professional chamber music ensemble comprised of Madison area musicians assembled from the ranks of the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and various other performing groups familiar to Madison audiences.
Tags: #AntoninDvorak, #Beautifulmusic, #BelaBartok, #CampRandallStadium, #ClarinetMusic, #ClarinetQuintet, #ConVivo, #DavidShifrin, #FirstCongregationalUnitedChurchofChrist, #GuarneriStringQuartet, #JohannesBrahms, #LudwigVanBeethoven, #SpringRomance, #StringQuartet, #ViolaMusic, #ViolinMusic, Antonín Dvořák, Arts, audience, Beautiful music, Beethoven, Cello, Chamber music, clarinet, Classical music, composer, Con Vivo, Concert, duet, F major, Jacob Stockinger, Johannes Brahms, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music, Piano, professional, reception, Romance, Spring, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Viola, Violin, weekend, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, YouTube
Classical music: It will be all-Mozart and all-winds when the local chamber music ensemble Con Vivo performs this Sunday afternoon. Plus, a FREE piano and saxophone concert is at noon on Friday
Leave a Comment
ALERT: This week’s FREE Friday Noon Musicale at the First Unitarian Society of Madison, 900 University Bay Drive, features pianist Joseph Ross and alto saxophonist Peterson Ross in music by Samuel Barber, Jacques Ibert, and by the performers Joseph and Peterson Ross. The concert runs from 12:15 to 1 p.m.
By Jacob Stockinger
The Ear has received the following announcement to post:
Con Vivo … Music With Life (below) continues its 16th season with music of Mozart – with special touches.
The chamber music concert, entitled “No Strings Attached,” will include the Serenade in C minor for wind octet along with selections from the opera The Marriage of Figaro arranged for winds. (You can hear the opening of the Mozart Serenade in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
Anders Yocom (below top) from Wisconsin Public Radio will narrate the opera selections and Maestro Kyle Knox (below bottom) will conduct the ensemble.
The concert takes place on Sunday, March 11, at 2:30 p.m. at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1609 University Ave. across from Camp Randall.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at Orange Tree Imports, 1721 Monroe St., or at the door for $18 for adults, and $15 for seniors and students.
Convenient parking is only 2 blocks west at University Foundation, 1848 University Ave. For more information, go to: www.convivomusicwithlife.org
NOTE: This weekend marks the start of Daylight Saving Time. Remember to move your clocks ahead one hour on Saturday night!
Audience members are invited to join the musicians after the concert for a free reception to discuss the concert.
Con Vivo’s artistic director Robert Taylor, in remarking about the concert said, “We are delighted and thrilled to be joined by Maestro Knox and Anders Yocom from WPR to present a unique music experience. This will be a wonderful way to experience opera music in a whole new light. We are sure this will once again be a concert to remember.”
Con Vivo is a professional chamber music ensemble comprised of Madison area musicians assembled from the ranks of the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and various other performing groups familiar to Madison audiences.
Tags: #CampRandall, #ChamberMusic, #ConVivo, #DaylightSaving, #FirstCongregationalUnitedChurchofChrist, #FirstUnitarianSocietyofMadison, #JacquesIbert, #JesusChrist, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #SamuelBarber, #UnitarianSociety, #UnitedChurchofChrist, #WindMusic, #WisconsinChamberOrchestra, #WisconsinPublicRadio, #WolfgangAmadeusMozart, alto, alto saxophone, Anders Yocom, arrangement, Arts, audience, Camp Randall, Chamber music, church, Classical music, composer, Con Vivo, Concert, conduct, conductor, Daylight Saving, ensemble, experience, First Unitarian Society of Madison, free, Friday, Jacob Stockinger, Kyle Knox, light, Madison, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Maestro, Mozart, Music, musical, Musical ensemble, musicale, narrator, noon, Octet, opera, Orange Tree Imports, parking, performer, Piano, professional, remember, Samuel Barber, Saxophone, Season, selection, Serenade, string, The Marriage of Figaro, ticket, time, unique, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, vocal music, weekend, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, wisconsin public radio, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, YouTube
Classical music: The chamber music group Con Vivo opens its 16th season this Saturday night and the free Unitarian Society’s Friday Noon Musicales resume this week
Leave a Comment
By Jacob Stockinger
The new concert season continues to get underway with two more openings this weekend.
FRIDAY
This Friday, the FREE Friday Noon Musicales at the First Unitarian Society of Madison, 900 University Bay Drive, will resume.
The weekly concerts, planned by FUS music director Dan Broner, run from 12:15 to 1 p.m.
This week’s program features flutist Iva Ugrcic (below) and pianist Satoko Hayami in music by Nikolai Kapustin, Carl Vine, Andre Jolivet and Minoru Miki. (Sorry, no specific pieces were named.)
SATURDAY
On Saturday night, the Madison-based chamber music ensemble Con Vivo (Music With Life, below) opens its 16th season.
The concert is entitled “Three’s Company” and takes place this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1609 University Ave. across from Camp Randall.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at Orange Tree Imports: 1721 Monroe St., or at the door for $18 for adults and $15 for seniors and students.
The group opens its season with music for piano duet, Libertango, by Argentinean tango master Astor Piazzolla. (You can hear it in the YouTube video at the bottom. It is performed by the husband-and-wife piano duo of Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung, who recently played together in Madison at Farley’s House of Pianos.)
The Terzetto for string trio by Czech composer Antonin Dvorak will also be performed.
The evening will close with the beautiful Trio for clarinet, cello and piano by Austrian composer Carl Fruhling (below).
Audience members are invited to join the musicians after the concert for a free reception where they can discuss the concert with the musicians.
In remarking about the concert, artistic director Robert Taylor says: “We are delighted and thrilled to begin our ‘Sweet Sixteen’ season with music that will surely entertain, enliven and energize our audience. We are sure this will once again be a concert to remember.”
Con Vivo is a professional chamber music ensemble comprised of Madison area musicians assembled from the ranks of the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and various other performing groups familiar to Madison audiences.
Tags: Alessio Bax, Andre Jolivet, Antonín Dvořák, Argentina, Argentinean, Arts, audience, Austria, Austrian, Camp Randall, Carl Fruhling, Carl Vine, Cello, Chamber music, clarinet, Classical music, composer, Con Vivo, Czech, Dvorak, energy, enliven, Farley's House of Pianos, First Unitarian Society of Madison, flute, free, Friday, Jacob Stockinger, Libertango, life, Lucille Chung, Madison, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Minoru Miki, Music, Music director, musicale, Musician, Nikolai Rasputin, noon, Piano, piano duet, Piazzolla, professional, reception, strings, sweet sixteen, tango, thrill, trio, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Viola, Violin, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, YouTube
Classical music: Con Vivo concludes its 15th season with an outstanding concert of music by Spohr, Martinu and Dvorak with guest conductor John DeMain
2 Comments
By Jacob Stockinger
Here is a special posting, a review written by frequent guest critic and writer for this blog, John W. Barker. Barker (below) is an emeritus professor of Medieval history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also is a well-known classical music critic who writes for Isthmus and the American Record Guide, and who hosts an early music show once a month on Sunday morning on WORT FM 89.9 FM. For years, he served on the Board of Advisors for the Madison Early Music Festival and frequently gives pre-concert lectures in Madison. Barker also took the performance photographs.
By John W. Barker
For the conclusion of its 15th season, the Con Vivo chamber music ensemble (below, in a photo by Don Sylvester) called out an unusual plethora of players.
And, as it did back in 2013, it brought back conductor John DeMain (below), music director of the Madison Symphony Orchestra and artistic director of the Madison Opera, to whip them into shape.
The program consisted of three very ample works.
The first was the Nonet, Op. 31, composed in 1813 by Louis Spohr (below, 1784-1859) — the first of its kind for this combination of strings and winds.
It’s in that no-longer-Classical-but-not-quite-Romantic idiom in which Beethoven was the big troublemaker. It is music of charm and imagination, altogether enjoyable as one appreciates the composer’s experimentation.
Following this was a contrasting work in the same form, the Nonet No. 2 (1959) by Bohuslav Martinu (below, 1890-1959). It dates from the last months of the composer’s life — note that, by coincidence, he died exactly a century after Spohr.
Using Spohr’s same combination of the nine instruments (below), it is a perky affair, in which Czech song and dance meet Igor Stravinsky, as it were. The second of its three movements is a particularly beautiful piece of coloristic writing. It can be heard in the YouTube video at the bottom.
The pièce-de-resistance was the final work, the Serenade, Op. 44 (1878), by Antonin Dvorak (below, 1841-1904).
I have to admit that this is one of my favorite works by one of my favorite composers. Composed for 11 players, it is really the composer’s tribute to Mozart, via a Romantic rethinking of the kind of wind serenades that Mozart wrote so wonderfully.
Thus, it is really a wind octet, with the addition of a third horn plus two string players (cello and double bass). Adding those two stringed instruments was a wonderful idea, allowing a significant enrichment of textures in the bass role.
The pool of 14 players involved in the program drew upon a lot of superlative talent active in the Madison area. Highly accomplished players individually, they join in full-bodied ensembles, given the added spirit brought by DeMain’s leadership.
While it would be unfair to single out individuals too much, I must say that I was greatly impressed by Olga Pomolova’s command of the fiendishly difficult violin parts in the two nonets, while I was also struck by the strong leadership of Laura Medisky, who played oboe in the nonets and first oboe in the serenade. (Valree Casey played second oboe in the serenade.)
The audience at First Congregational Church responded justly with an enthusiastic ovation at the end. Truly an outstanding concert!
Tags: American Record Guide, Arts, Beethoven, Bohuslav Martinu, Cello, Chamber music, Classical, Classical music, Con Vivo, Czech, dance, double bass, Dvorak, Early music, History, Horn, idiom, Igor Stravinsky, instrument, Isthmus, Jacob Stockinger, John DeMain, John W. Barker, Louis Spohr, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, Madison Early Music Festival, Madison Opera, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Medieval, movement, Mozart, Music, nonet, Oboe, Octet, Romantic, Serenade, song, Spohr, Stravinsky, strings, symphony, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, video, Viola, Violin, winds, Wisconsin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, WORT-FM 89.9, YouTube
Recent Comments
 | Ronnie on How do post-pandemic concert a… |
 | welltemperedear on How do post-pandemic concert a… |
 | Polly Kuelbs on How do post-pandemic concert a… |
| welltemperedear on How do post-pandemic concert a… |
 | Ann Boyer on How do post-pandemic concert a… |
The Well-Tempered Ear 
Live music continues its comeback from the pandemic. Today is Make Music Madison with free concerts citywide of many kinds of music. Here are guides with details
Leave a Comment
PLEASE HELP THE EAR. IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
By Jacob Stockinger
Live music continues to make its comeback from the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The past week saw live outdoor concerts by Con Vivo, the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society and the Middleton Community Orchestra.
Today – Monday, June 21 –is Make Music Madison 2021.
It is part of an annual worldwide phenomenon that started in France in 1982. It has since spread globally and is now celebrated in more than 1,000 cities in 120 countries.
Yet in the U.S., Wisconsin is one of only five states that celebrate Make Music Day statewide. The other states are Connecticut, Hawaii, New Mexico and Vermont. In there U.S., more than 100 cities will take part in presenting free outdoor concerts. Globally, the audience will be in the millions.
The day is intended to be a way to celebrate the annual Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. Technically, the solstice occurred in Wisconsin last night, on Father’s Day, at 10:32 p.m. CDT.
But The Ear is a forgiving kind. This will be the first full day of summer, so the spirit of the celebration lives on despite the calendar.
You can see – the composer Igor Stravinsky advised listening with your eyes open – and hear 38 different kinds of music. The choices include blues, bluegrass, Celtic, roots music, gospel, rock, jazz, classical, folk, African music, Asian music, world music, children’s music (see the YouTube video at the bottom) and much more. It will be performed by students and teachers, amateurs and professionals, individuals and groups.
Here is a link to a press release about the overall event: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/make-music-day-2021-announces-updated-schedule-of-events-301304107.html
And here is a link to the global home website — with more background information and a live-stream video of a gong tribute to the who died of COVID — about the festival: https://www.makemusicday.org
The local events will take place from 5 a.m. to midnight. All are open to the public without admission, and safety protocols will be observed.
Here is a guide to local events that allow you to search particulars of the celebration by area of the city, genre of music, performers, venues and times. If you are a classical fan, in The Ear’s experience you might want to pay special attention to Metcalfe’s market in the Hilldale mall.
Here is a link to the home webpage of Make Music Madison: https://www.makemusicmadison.org
Here is a link to the event calendar with maps and schedules as well as alternative plans in case of rain and various menus for searching: https://www.makemusicmadison.org/listings/
Happy listening!
In the Comment section, please leave your observations and suggestions or advice about the quality and success of the festival and the specific events you attended.
The Ear wants to hear.
Share this:
Like this:
Tags: #AfricanMusic, #AsianMusic, #BachDancingandDynamiteSociety, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #ChamberMusic, #Children'sMusic, #ChoralMusic, #CityofMadison, #ConVivo, #CoronavirusPandemic, #COVID-19, #CulturalPhenomenon, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #Father'sDay, #FolkMusic, #HilldaleMall, #HomeWebpage, #IgorStravinsky, #JacobStockinger, #LiveMusic, #LiveStreaming, #MadisonWisconsin, #MakeMusicDay, #MakeMusicMadison, #MiddletonCommunityOrchestra, #Mondaynight, #NewMexico, #PianoMusic, #PressRelease, #RockMusic, #RootsMusic, #SummerSolstice, #TheBlues, #TheEar, #TheU.S., #UnitedStates, #VocalMusic, #WebPage, #WorldMusic, #YouTubevideo, admission, advice, Africa, alternative, amateur, annaul, area, Arts, Asia, Asian music, audience, Bach, Bach Dancing and Dynamt, background, Baroque, Beethoven, blog, blue, bluegrass, blues, calendar, celebrate, celebration, Cello, Celtic, Chamber music, children, children's music, choral music, city, citywide, Classical music, classicalmusic, comeback, comment, composer, Con Vivo, Connecticut, coronavirus, cultural, culture, different, event, eyes, Facebook, Facebook post, Facebook posting, fathers day, festival, Folk music, forgive, forgiving, forward, France, free, genre, gospel, group, guide, happy', Hawaii, hear, Hilldale, Hilldale Mall, Holiday, Home, Igor Stravinsky, individual, information, Jacob Stockinger, Jazz, kijd, like, link, listen, listening, live music, live-stream, livestream, local, Madison, make, Make Music Day, Make Music Madison, map, market, menu, Metcalfe's, Middleton Community Orchestra, million, Monday, Music, New Mexico, night, now, observation, occur, open, outdoors, pandemic, particulars, performer, phenomenon, Pianist, Piano, piano music, plans, post, posting, press release, professional, protocol, public, quality, rain, Rock, rock music, roots music, schedule, search, see, share, Spring, Stravinsky, stuydent, success, suggest, Summer solstice, tag, Teacher, technical, technically, The blues, The Ear, time, U.S., United States, venue, Vermont, video, vocal music, Wisconsin, World music, worldwide, YouTube video