This message does not have any particular title, but mostly it is a little of "This" and a little of "That" all having to do with listening to and playing music which we all do for the love of it.
As you all know, Ms Vicki Boekman led a wonderful workshop on January 29, 2005. The focus of the workshop was on having us establish a greater relationship between the musician as humans and the emotions that is created while playing and listening to the music. She attempted to have us utilize our bodies and senses to transform the notes seen on the page into a musical score. She indicated that by so doing, the guesswork and mystery of music interpretation and recognizing musical patterns could be, for the part, eliminated.
Dr. Melina Esse, while working on a PhD degree in music at UCB was given a Teacher's Award for her effectiveness with teaching. She wrote a monologue on the occasions of that award, entitled "How to Listen to Music". Dr. Esse noted that when her students were asked to "listen for" instead of "listen to" the experience was more gratifying.
The students were asked to listen for the meter (rhythm). She noted that the type of listening had many benefits. It resulted in an emotion that altered their experience of the "music itself". She concluded that not only did her students learn more about music through a critical engagement with their own assumptions, they were able to know more about themselves. (The complete monologue can be found, among other monologues, on the Dolmetsch Online Web Site under the heading of e-monographs.)
Aaron Copland, in his book "What to Listen For in Music", points out that composers work four elements of Music. These elements, listed in the priority order as given by Copland, are: (1) RHYTHM (II) MELODY (III) HARMONY and (VI) TONE COLOR. Copland additionally points out, when listening to music for all it's wonders we should also be aware of the MUSICAL TEXTURE. Three types of musical textures are recognized: MONOPHONIC (having a single unaccompanied melodic line), HOMOPHONIC (relating to music characterized more by harmony than by counterpoint) and POLYPHONIC (a style of musical composition in which two or more independent melodies are juxtaposed in harmony). The musical literature indicates that these three texture types are the principal ones used in Western music.
At this point I better back away from this subject because I just do not know enough. It was my intention, however, to obtain enough information to arouse my curiosity and perhaps yours.
CONDUCTOR'S CORNER
Dear members of the Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra,
Listed below is the music for the orchestra's next two meetings. Please note that krummhorns and contrabass recorder will be needed for the meeting on February 16 and great bass and contrabass recorders will be needed for the meeting on March 2.
| February 16 | MPRO Rehearsal Biber: Sonata pro Tabula Heinichen: Concerto a 8 Pass'emezzo della Paganina and Saltarello Secunda: Meine Yiddishe Meidel |
| March 2 | MPRO Rehearsal Biber: Sonata pro Tabula Heinichen: Concerto a 8 Hugo de Lantins: A ma dame playsant et belle Liadov: Chant de Noël |
I look forward to seeing you at these upcoming meetings.
Enclosed with this issue of UpBeat is the latest MPRO Membership List. Any errors or changes should be reported to Chris Flake.
The following recorder players have recently joined the MPRO as participating members:
Ron Beardslee, from Hayward
Adelheid Levi, from Los Altos
Joy Morgenstern, from Mountain View
Welcome to MPRO!
On SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 8:00 pm & SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 4:00 pm, HEALING MUSES presents "Bringing Light to the Darkness," a celebration of winter and the coming of spring through medieval, Renaissance and Celtic song and dance. Susan Rode Morris, soprano; Eileen Hadidian, recorder & flute; Shira Kammen, violin & vielle; Maureen Brennan, Celtic harp; and Julie Jeffrey, viola da gamba.
St. Alban's Episcopal Church, 1501 Washington St., Albany (one block north of Solano Ave.). Tickets: $18 (general), $15 (students, seniors, Albany residents, members of SFEMS, ARS chapters, Viola da Gamba Society, Bay Area Folk Harp Society). Advance reservations recommended. Information and reservations: 510-524-5661 *3. Website: www.healingmuses.org. Proceeds benefit Healing Muses' hospital music project.
Letitia Berlin, Frances Blaker, Louise Carslake, Hanneke van Proosdij performing in San Jose. Music by Bach, Frescobaldi, Maute, Ockeghem, Senfl and others. The quartet's debut recording of works by Ludwig Senfl will be available at the concert.
SATURDAY, March 5, 8PM Foothill Presbyterian Church, 5301 McKee Rd., San Jose 95127-2200.
Admission: $18 (general), $15 (SFEMS members, students and seniors), free (children under 12)
Tickets and information: 510-559-4670 or farallonrecorderquartet@mindspring.com
A workshop led by Eileen Hadidian (recorder & flute) and Maureen Brennan (Celtic harp), presented by Healing Muses with the assistance of the East Bay Recorder Society.
Date: Saturday. March 19, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Location: Skyline Community Church, 12540 Skyline Blvd, Oakland
Fee; $45 (general), $40 (members of local American Recorder Society chapters, Viola da Gamba Society, Bay Area Folk Harp Society and San Francisco Early Music Society). Includes music packets, resource materials and refreshments. Participants bring instruments, music stand, pencil and sack lunch.
Information: Eileen Hadidian. (510) 524-5661; ehmuse@comcast.net
Registrar: Britt Ascher. (925) 283-7134; brittascher@comcast.net.
This day-long workshop is open to a variety of instruments (low recorders, flute, viol, harp, guitar, dulcimer), and is a wonderful opportunity to learn new repertoire, meet players of other instruments and establish ensembles for playing healing music. We will use a combination of medieval, Renaissance, Celtic and traditional repertoires to explore the ways various types of music may be used for healing. Participants will be able to use the music packet, resource materials, and new connections to play music for healing in new ways and in new venues, enriching their lives and bringing comfort to others.
Last Saturday, January 29, Vicki Boekman led 49 recorder players in MPRO’s annual winter workshop.
The theme of the workshop was Getting to the Heart of the matter...making the music come alive.
Vicki began the session by having the group stand and play sustained notes, making us aware of our breathing and how our body feels when playing notes of different pitches.
The first piece was Last Spring a melody by Edvard Grieg. This arrangement was for eleven parts, from sopranino to contra bass. The result was a slow melancholy melody of rich, massive chords. This was followed by a spirited piece by Telemann and an arrangement of Vivaldi’s Concerto in a for two altos, tenor and bass. The workshop ended with a composition by J. M. Molter