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Janis-Rozena Peri: Recital & Interview

By Mona Seghatoleslami

· April 28, 2011

On her recital this Sunday in Morgantown, soprano Janis-Rozena Peri will sing songs from different places and times in three different languages. Despite their differences, these songs some common ideas. We spoke earlier this week about the songs, the themes they share, and her approach to music and semi-retirement:

Listen to our conversation and check out her recital program here:

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Interview with Janis-Rozena Peri

The Community Music Program of the College of Creative Arts

presents

Janis-Rozena Peri, soprano

Catherine Crotty, piano

Sunday, May 1, 5:30 p.m.

Music for a while.

All ye songsters Purcell

Music for a while

Love can make you crazy .

Das verlassene Mägdelein Hugo Wolf

Das verlassene Mägdelein Robert Schumann

Spleen Claude Debussy

Losing my Mind Sondheim

War: what is it good for? Absolutely Nothing!!

C Poulenc

Au pays ou se fait la guerre Deparc

Noel des enfants qui n’ont plus de maison Debussy

INTERMISSION

The Teacher-Student Connection: Arnold taught Alban who taught Kurt who taught etc.

Erhebung Arnold Schoenberg

Sommertage Alban Berg

Die Nachtigall Alban Berg

Surabaya Johnny Kurt Weill

The great divide: body and spirit, with the river in between.

A Negro speaks of Rivers Margaret Bonds

City Called Heaven arr Hall Johnson

Ride on King Jesus arr Hall Johnson

Last Edited by editor at 4/28/2011 3:47 PM Comments (1)

Music for a Royal Wedding

(Commentary, Just for Fun) Permanent link

By Mona Seghatoleslami

· April 28, 2011

Jayrowdenphotography

Westminster Abbey

Will you be watching the wedding?

As if it's not wild enough that I'm heading to Moundsville for the next two days, I've promised a friend to stay up tonight (tomorrow morning?) and watch the royal wedding in our cabin.* I hadn't quite been getting into the spirit of it all, but I'm now glad to know that there will be some good British music to enjoy along with all the pomp and circumstance.

No Pachelbel, Mendelssohn, or Wagner for these kids!

"Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton are pleased to announce the music for their Wedding Service. The music has a largely British theme. The Couple have put considerable thought into selecting the music, and their choices blend traditional music with some newly commissioned pieces."

Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Delius, Walton, Finzi, Maxwell Davies, Parry, Rutter... Check out the full list of wedding music selections here. Thanks to my colleague Beth Vorhees for sharing the link!

* As much as I like The Night of the Hunter, we will not be staying in the prison. I'm not as brave as some of my colleagues.

Last Edited by editor at 4/28/2011 10:16 AM Comments (0)

Anvils Gone Wild

(Just for Fun) Permanent link

By Mona Seghatoleslami

· April 25, 2011

You probably don't need any more things clanging around your head on a Monday, but I can't get over all the versions of the Anvil Chorus from Verdi's opera Il Trovatore [The Troubador] that are out there. Here are a few to enjoy.

As presented by Buster Bunny and Plucky Duck...

Perhaps you're more of a traditionalist?

Or like your opera to swing?

Glenn Miller & His Orchestra

Are you rather a fan of the classics? (wait for it...at about 3:38)

The Cocoanuts (Marx Brothers)

Or just looking for some catharsis...

The anvils will be there this weekend at the Metropolitan Opera (on the radio and at the movies...)

If you want to check out the full opera, anvils and all, you can hear it on West Virginia Public Radio or find it at some movie theaters this Saturday at 1pm and Wednesday May 18^th at 6:30pm.

Last Edited by editor at 4/25/2011 3:26 PM Comments (0)

Poetry or Music?

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By Larry Stickler

· April 22, 2011

What is the nature of opera? What is most important – the words, the music or the theatrical production? These are the questions being mulled over as we go to a chateau near Paris in the 1920’s.

It is the birthday of the widowed Countess Madeleine. The composer Flamand and the poet Olivier are rivals for the affection of the Countess. Whom will she choose – the composer (music) or the poet (words)?

This is the premise of the opera Capriccio by the German composer Richard Strauss (1864-1949). The libretto (script) was written by Richard Strauss and Clemens Krauss. The opera had its premier at the State Opera in Munich on October 28, 1942.

Ken Howard

Renee Fleming in Richard Strauss's opera Capriccio

Capriccio will be broadcast live in high definition from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City to movie theaters around the world this Saturday, April 23, 2011. Local opera lovers may watch the live transmission of the opera at 1pm this Saturday in the Cinemark Theaters at the Huntington Mall or in Ashland

(Editor's note: or at the Great Escape Theaters in Nitro or Hollywood Theaters Stadium in Morgantown and several other theaters in bordering states).

Famed soprano Renee Fleming will sing the role of Countess Madeleine and Andrew Davis will conduct the orchestra. The expected running time of the opera broadcast is 2 hours and 45 minutes. Capriccio will be sung in German with English subtitles.

If you miss the broadcast on April 23, there will be an encore showing on Wednesday, May 11 at 6:30pm. (note: Encores will be shown in Barboursville, Ashland, and Bridgeport.)

The next live transmission from the Metropolitan Opera will be Il Trovatore by the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi on Saturday, April 30 at 1 pm.

Larry Stickler
Professor of Music
Marshall University

Related links:

* Preview video selections from Strauss's Capriccio
* Metropolitan Opera Live in HD
* Listen to West Virginia Public Radio to hear the opera on the radio this Saturday at 1pm.
* Follow West Virginia Public Broadcasting on Facebook. We give away a few pairs of tickets there the week before each of the opera screenings.

Last Edited by editor at 4/22/2011 1:30 PM Comments (0)

Whitacre-mania

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By Mona Seghatoleslami

· April 11, 2011

Over the weekend, my friend Kathy was talking about composer Eric Whitacre. Her daughter had just played some of his music in the All-County Band, and she’s now interested in his Virtual Choir.

This morning, I started to write her a note with some of my favorite Whitacre links, and I’ve decided to just post it here and send her this link instead. And if you have more suggestions, add them in the comments:)

First, the virtual choir – read about it here. You can also follow the choir on Twitter. Check out their performances of his pieces "Lux Aurumque" and "Sleep":

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir - 'Lux Aurumque'

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Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir 2.0, 'Sleep'

Totally cool and inspiring. But my favorite version of “Sleep” doesn’t involve any voices – it’s a mallet ensemble arrangement, performed by the TorQ Percussion Quartet (thanks to percussionist Andrew Flanagan, who is studying at WVU, for sharing this with me).

TorQ Percussion Quartet plays Sleep, by E. Whitacre, arr. D. Morphy, B. Duinker

My two go-to Whitacre albums are Eric Whitacre: The Complete A Capella works 1991-2001 / Brigham Young University Singers, Ronald Staheli, cond. (alas, out of print) and Eric Whitacre Choral Music / Elora Festival Singers, Noel Edison, cond.

You can hear Whitacre speaking about his music with Raymond Bisha in this podcast from Naxos about the Elora Festival Singers recording.

On the sillier side, my friend Robert from music school recently shared a few Whitacre-themed webcomics (isn’t the Internet wonderful some days?)

* Behind the Scenes of the Virtual Choir

* Eric Whitacre Whitafacts

* Pros and Cons of being Eric Whitacre

* A Timeline of Eric Whitacre’s Haircuts

Finally, I'm singing Whitacre's music for the first time. The Charleston Civic Chorus is singing “Water Night” this spring (our concert is May 1st!). It’s challenging to blend all the different parts, but the poetry (by Octavio Paz) and music are so lovely:

"Water Night" Eric Whitacre, Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia

How about you? Anything you think I should be adding to my list of Whitacre links?

Last Edited by editor at 4/11/2011 2:50 PM Comments (0)

Your music, your station

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By Josh Stevens

· April 8, 2011

Mm, coffee is especially good in my public radio mug with the Writer's Almanac playing...

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Editor's note: Josh recently donated to support the programs he loves on West Virginia Public Radio. Have you?

Last Edited by Radio at 4/8/2011 10:45 AM Comments (0)

WV Classical Calendar -- April

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By Mona Seghatoleslami

· April 1, 2011

The first day of each month means a new West Virginia Classical Calendar, which could be special enough, but this month always brings a bit more fun at its start, including a new Beethoven discovery featured on Performance Today.

Here's the calendar; let me know if we're missing anything!

April 1: Around the World…in About an Hour -- WV Youth Symphony, River City Youth Ballet, Appalachian Children’s Chorus (Clay Center, Charleston)

April 2: Shenandoah Conservatory Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Joseph Schwantner, guest composer)

April 3: Wesleyan Singers and Concentus Vocum

April 3: WVU Low Brass Concert

April 3: Scarborough Trio (Fairmont Chamber Music Society)

April 3: Marshall University Chamber Choir

April 4-7: Wheeling Symphony Young People’s Concert Tour

April 6: Colleen Tan, violin; Vicki Cavendish, piano (Kanawha Forum)

April 6: Shenandoah Chamber Choir

April 7: Marguerite Bostonia, organ (West Virginia Wesleyan College)

April 7: WVU Faculty Piano Quintet