Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra Newsletter




JANUARY 2004

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

I trust that we all had good holidays, and are now ready to start the second half of our season.

On Jan 10th we will have the option of attending a Workshop directed by Judith Linsenberg. You may recall that the music chosen for this workshop has been described in prior messages and articles in our newsletter Upbeat.

The music will be chosen from the Late Renaissance (prima prattica) or old style and the Early Baroque (seconda practtica ) or new style.

Some of the characteristics of Sacred Music for these periods, in part, was taken from the web.

Prima Pratitica:

Uniformity of style; apparent indifference to text; harmonic language primarily modal with very use of chromatic motion; dissonance was used rarely; bass line was normally equal in style to the other parts and notes were slow moving; accompaniment (continuo) normally not present; instrumentation was treated just voices. etc.

Seconda Prattica:

Many styles even within single pieces; careful or extreme attention to text; texture was often fully polyphonic; often with paired voices (or three) over a bass line (basso continuo); the harmonic language very often is chordal with much use of the circle of fifths; can have some modal elements. instrumentation sometimes treated like voices but frequently have essential, individual roles; accompaniment (basso continuo) present most of time, etc.

For those of you who are familiar with the styles of music I have given mere glimpse into, I apologize. For those of you, who like me, are not familiar with the prima prattica and/or the seconda prattica. the little clues given from my web site source may increase our participation and enjoyment of the workshop on Jan. 10, 2004.

Tony Jackson, President


MPRO Winter Workshop

The MPRO Winter Workshop with Judith Linsenberg will be held Saturday, January 10, 2004, 9:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. at the Union Church of Cupertino, Calvert Hall, 20900 Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino. $35 for MPRO and SFEMS members, $39 for non-members.


CONDUCTOR'S CORNER

Dear members of the Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra,

I want to congratulate those members of the orchestra who took part in the holiday concert on December 6 for their fine playing which helped make the performance so successful. I was also impressed with the polished and highly musical renditions of the two instrumental ensembles that appeared on the program. The fine singing by Doris Williams and her vocal ensemble added immeasurably to the quality and variety of the concert as did Nicholas Vigil's oboe playing, Penni Savage on viola da gamba, the recorder soloists in the Coventry Carol and the krummhorn quartet. Finally, I would like to thank all those members and their families who helped set up the church for the concert and then return it to its normal state. It is only through the efforts of all those who contribute their time, talent and energy to a performance that MPRO is able to present musical programs of such high caliber.

Listed below is the music for the orchestra's first three meetings of the new year. Please note that krummhorns will be needed for the meeting on January 7 and viola da gamba as well as great bass and contrabass recorders will be needed at all three.

January 7 MPRO Rehearsal
Byrd: Fantasia 3
Shannon: Stroll
Pepusch: Concerto in F
La Cornetta
January 21 MPRO Rehearsal
Mozart: Minuet
O infame deloyaulté
Pepusch: Concerto in F
Goldstein: Hot a Yid a Weibele
February 4 MPRO Rehearsal
Palmer: Sonata for Four Recorders
Byrd: Fantasia 3
Pepusch: Concerto in F
Shannon: Stroll

I look forward to seeing you at these upcoming meetings.

Sincerely,
Fred Palmer


GENE MADDY

After a long battle with lung cancer, Eugene Maddy, MPRO member for the past six years, passed away December 20, 2003. A Memorial Service is planned for Jan 10, 2004. Mary Carrigan will have these details at the January 7 meeting.


From Judith Linsenberg

I'm expanding my teaching on the Peninsula, and I'd like to get the word out to your members that I'm offering both private lessons and a couple of new coached consorts there. Currently, I come down there about every 2 weeks on a Tuesday, but if there's enough interest, I may add a weekend day as well. The consorts would meet with me every 2 weeks and then--hopefully--on their own in between. It's also possible to work out some other arrangement (such as once a month) if that works better for some people. The price for the coached consorts would be $20 or $25/person, depending on the number of people, but it would be one-on-a-part, and either 4 or 5 people per group. People can contact me by phone or e-mail to sign up or discuss it further. I'd like to start the new groups in January. For private lessons, people can, of course, start at any time.

Judith Linsenberg, 833 Walker Ave. #A, Oakland, CA 94610, Tel/Fax 510-444-4113, linsenberg@sbcglobal.net, www.musicapacifica.org


MORE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR MPRO’S CONTRABASS

In addition to those listed in the December issue of UpBeat, contributions have been received for our Contrabass from Kelly Moore, George Greenwood and Marian Wehrend. Many thanks!

Mary Carrigan


AREA CONCERTS

On Saturday, January 10, 8 pm and Sunday, January 11, 4 pm, HEALING MUSES presents " Mirth & Good Cheer," Medieval, Renaissance & Celtic Music for Midwinter & the Changing of the Seasons. CD release concert. All proceeds to benefit hospital music program. Susan Rode Morris, soprano; Shira Kammen, violin, vielle, alto; Eileen Hadidian, recorder, flute; Maureen Brennan, Celtic harp; Julie Jeffrey, viola da gamba. Sanctuary of St. Alban's Episcopal Church, 1501 Washington Ave., Albany. $18/$15. Wheelchair accessible. Advance reservations recommended. (510)524-5661 *3. www.healingmuses.org.

On Tuesday, January 27, 8:00 pm. The Ensemble Vermillian performs 17th and 18th century music of Germany, including works by Buxtehude, Rosenmüller, and Becker. Frances Blaker, recorder; Barbara Blaker-Krumdieck, baroque cello; Katherine Heater, harpsichord. St. Alban's Episcopal Church, 1501 Washington Ave., Albany. Handicapped-accessible sanctuary. $18/$16 members of SFEMS, students, seniors/$5 children (under 12) if accompanied by an adult. Call 510-559-4670 or email francesbl@msn.com for information.

On Saturday, February 7, 2004, at 8:00 PM Flauti Diversi presents "The Italians Are Coming!", a program of Italian-style chamber music in 18th-century London, including pieces by Barsanti, Cirri, Geminiani, Handel and others. Performers are Karen Clark, contralto; Frances Feldon, recorder/baroque flute; David Morris, baroque violoncello; and Hanneke van Proosdij, harpsichord/recorder. “The Italians Are Coming!” will take place at St Alban’s Episcopal Church, 1501 Washington (between Curtis and Neilson) in Albany. Advance tickets are recommended. Venue is wheelchair accessible. Tickets are $18 and $15. Telephone (510)527-9840 for information and reservations.