chamberfest post

Joannie (finally) Blogs!

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Joa~

Hey Friends =)

I’m in Ottawa for the week to … well, to listen, learn, and ENJOY the wide program of chamber music before me. I’ve had some frustrating tech troubles posting blogs as I attend concert after concert, so here are … 5 days worth of postings in one big big big post from most recent to least. Thanks for reading! May it add some colour and dimension to your aesthetic thoughts, and if you’re in town, COME OUT AND ATTEND this feast for the ears.

Cheers, Joannie~

Aug 2/3 New Music Marathon ~ The Value of Contemporary New Works

Thoughts on New Music In General

As one who studied composition, works of new music hold very dear to my heart though justifying this to many peers in my age demographic (I am in my late-twenties) has been a never-ending challenge. What is the value of such works? What does one listen for? How on earth does one call this ‘music’?

For those who might be new to new music, here are some thoughts to keep in mind: this is often ‘music’ that does not have a memorable or lyrical melody I can sing or imitate back to you; it is often technically-challenging and surprising; and it is not always a pleasant experience to the ears. That being said, it is still a valuable experience because of the emotional response and/or awakening it invokes in the listener. I believe it is best experienced live and I urge one to come with an open mind.

How to Respond to New Music

In my experience, the typical layperson’s response to new music is, “it’s good, I like it” and “it’s bad, I don’t like it.” I urge one to consider one of five responses:

1) It’s good, and I like/agree with it.

2) It’s good and I don’t like/agree with it.

3) It’s not good, but I enjoy it.

4) It’s not good, and I don’t like it.

5) I’m not sure what to make of it at the moment…

The main point to be made here is that the quality of a work lies independent of one’s subjective opinions: that is, the artistic value (intrinsic to its form and the experience it offers) and its instrumental value (relating to one’s tastes and affect) are separate entities.

In a phone conversation with one of my favourite Canadian composers, Alexina Louie, “good” is distinguished from what is merely “entertaining”:

There is a difference between good and entertaining. I would say a lot of popular music is more entertaining than good. “Entertaining” has more to do with being flashy, though it can still be musical and well-written as a piece. With “good”, however, there is an essence of depth to it: it is profound and the listener is won over by its artistic merit and content matter.

I think that to say music is good suggests something about its very composition, its form, and that of its content, as well as the experience it offers and the emotional response it invokes – all of this as a whole in good music suggests that it is something worthy of one’s undivided attention.

If one comes expecting a pleasant experience, or an entertaining one, one might be extremely disappointed in the new music experience. Instead, one ought to come with a willingness to be pleasantly surprised. American contemporary composer Joshua Fineburg writes that art is not about giving people what they want, but rather, about giving them something they didn’t know they wanted.

The 2-Day New Music Marathon at Chamberfest

It’s been nearly 8-hours of new music and I can’t even begin to digest the immensity of each work: they’re all unique in themselves and the (sometimes) brief explanation and background given by host Gary Kulesha helped place each work in context. Whether it was learning about Glenn Buhr’s inspiration behind String Quartet No. 4, The Seasons, or the use of Irish folk tunes in Juliet Palmer’s Evening Rode Tenderly, 9 Dances for Flute and Accordion, I really appreciated it when the composer was present and commented on the work, and/or if the performer(s) spoke beforehand as it brought a more personal connection and understanding to music that is unfamiliar if not entirely brand new.

The quality of the music, and particularly the quality of performance was simply outstanding. New music is difficult – the immensely technical demands render it a feat for only very skilled performers, which I had the blessed opportunity to experience over the last two days. I loved Marjan Mozetich’s Hymn of Ascension for Accordion and String Quartet,with its unusual instrument combination and his lovely lyrical lines that simply dazzled in the depths of my heart. The audience gave a standing ovation for Alexina Louie’s Take the Dog Sled, a seven-movement work written for two Inuit Singers and Ensemble, which I’d heard for the second time (once in Toronto a few months ago). From the playful singing over rhythmic percussive sections from “Tundra”, to the delicate lullaby of “Cradle Song” inspired by a black-and-white photograph of a grandmother blowing warm breaths over her grandchild, to the comical fly-swatting in “Mosquito/Bug Music”, Louie not only painted a vivid picture of the Inuit but simply took the audience there to a different culture and time – and it was definitely a wonderful experience. The Swiss Piano Trio had noteworthy performances of unfamiliar contemporary works inspired by poetry, and the other standout performance for me was John Novacek’s intense and passionate performance of Elliot Carter’s Piano Sonata (1945-6) – it makes me want to sit at the piano and practice scales and technique for eight hours so I can even dream of one day attempting such a phenomenally interesting and exciting piece.

Sun. Aug. 1st: A Portrait of Schumann

It was a delightful day in head of Robert Schumann (1810-1856). The afternoon began with The Schumann Letters, a dramatically narrated tale of the Romantic composer’s life, detailing his complicated relationship with Clara Wieck as well as his struggle with alcoholism and establishing himself as a serious composer in his day. One is enlightened with intimate details of Schumann’s life, from the death of his father and sister to his glorious “Year of Song” in 1840 where he composes over 160 lieder (German art songs for voice and piano), which included Myrten, Op. 25, a collection of 26 songs dedicated to the composer’s wife, Clara Schumann on her wedding day. Myrthen, or myrtles, are European evergreen shrubs with white or rosy flowers that are often used to make bridal wreaths. One of my favourites, Widmung (Dedication) opens the collection with text by poet Friedrich Rückert (1788-1866):

You my soul, you my heart,
You my bliss, o you my pain,
You the world in which I live;
You my heaven, in which I float,
O you my grave, into which
I eternally cast my grief.

You are the rest, you are the peace,
You are the heaven upon me bestowed.
That you love me makes me worthy of you;
your gaze transfigures me;
you raise me lovingly above myself,
my good spirit, my better self

In a love letter from Robert Schumann to his beloved Clara, he writes of passion at the piano and how “music is, above all, the language of the soul.” The program cleverly ties in various excerpts of piano and vocal works that correspond with events in his life as it is narrated by Colin Fox, with an absolutely delicious voice for drama and detail. Soprano Susan Gilmour Bailey brings the work to life with lovely lines that include intense passionate lines contrasting with beautiful control in the soft subtle moments while pianist Michael Kim presents sheer elegance in his sensitive accompaniment.

A few hours later, my ears were treated with a program with the Schumann Quartets, performed by the Penderecki String Quartet, with a program that included String Quartet # 1, 2, and 3. I don’t know the works intimately, but in performance, they were emotional, passionate, lyrical and very, very romantic. There was an undeniable intensity and depth in the music that words cannot articulate but the heart fully embraces.

Sat. July 31st: Beethoven Bonanza

Power. Thunder. Glorious. These are the adjectives that come to mind when I think of Beethoven. Last night was the grand finale of a nine-saga series featuring all of the thirty-two Beethoven piano sonatas, given by phenomenal pianist Stuart Goodyear. The entire feat is quite remarkable: I can barely play ONE of them well – how on earth does one play all thirty-two of them, and memorized? It seems hardly human!

I only had the chance to hear the last two of the nine concerts, featuring Piano Sonatas 26 through 32. There was a Musical Musings session in the morning that explained some of the intricate details of the piano forms as well as Beethoven’s shift in style toward less tonally-centered works. It’s impossible to summarize the complexities of Beethoven, though I think the ear senses them and the heart enjoys them — even if the brain cannot articulate them precisely. My favourites were Goodyear’s performances of the No. 29 in Bb-major, the famous Hammerklavier, as well as the closing No. 32 in C-minor: I felt the romanticism and grace of some of the most sublime sections really stood out in these works though they were all performed with immense power and skill.

Bravo Stuart on accomplishing a feat that is hardly human: thanks for bringing Beethoven to life and allowing us a glimpse through an intense, emotional journey where one could not only listen but also feel through these difficult but beautifully rewarding works.

Friday July 30: A Journey to Ottawa to Journey through Constantinople

Epic. Intensity. Passion. These are the first four adjectives that come to mind upon attending the Friday evening performance of Christos Hatzis’ Constantinople, the contemporary aesthetic creation which encompasses visual art with instrumental and vocal performance. The 85-minute work is performed in 8 segments which includes among them “Creeds”, surrounding the intertwining of Christianity and Islam in the ancient city of Constantinople; “Odd World”, linking modern images of Istanbul with those of the past with an irresistible forward motion in the music; and “Alleluia” — in my mind, a poignant cry to God in religious fervour in a universal struggle for peace and purpose.

Maryem Hassan Tollar reveals a rich, deep tone which complements the pure sound of Patricia O’Callaghan. The fantastical musicality of the Gryphon Trio binds the voices and vivid visuals in a delightful journey to an ancient world as conceived by Hatzis: one not only hears or sees the rich and mysterious Constantinople, but the work essentially takes the mind there and allows it to dwell and explore. I really enjoyed the rich symbolism in the real objects on stage: 12 bowls with water, which I can only guess symbolize life, renewal, baptism, or perhaps even elements of death and burial rituals. It was deeply mysterious and haunting.

I had travelled all the way from Toronto on Friday afternoon and endured a stressful five-hour commute before winding through the streets of Ottawa to attend Constantinople, which was featured at the Museum of Civilization, a fitting venue choice given the subject matter. This was was something ten years in the making, and needless to say, it was a journey that was well worth the effort.