STRINGS BY THE SEA
Sunday, 24 July 2021
Great Hall, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) arr. Matt Naughtin
‘La Cupis’ & ‘La Rameau’ from Pièces de clavecin en concerts
Henry Purcell (1659-1695) arr. Noel Thompson
‘Dido’s Lament‘ from Dido and Aeneas Z. 626
Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
Simple Symphony, Op. 4 I. Boisterous Bourree - II. Playful Pizzicato III. Sentimental Sarabande - IV. Frolicsome Finale
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) arr. Matt Naughtin
Vocalise, Op. 34 No.14
Carlos Gardel (1890-1935) arr. Matt Naughtin
Por Una Cabeza ______________________
Jean-Philippe Rameau, one of the most important French composers of the eighteenth century gave these titles to movements from his ‘Pieces de Clavecin en concerts’. These five suites for violin, viola da gamba and harpsichord were groundbreaking works in the development of chamber music. They are different from the usual baroque ‘Trio sonata’ in the importance of the keyboard, perhaps a reflection of his own abilities on the harpsichord. ‘La Rameau’, is perhaps a self-portrait? Vigorous and propulsive it comes from the Fifth suite. Perhaps the sound of daily practice in his own home? ‘La Cupis”, coming from the Fourth suite is graceful and coquettish. It celebrates Marie-Anne Cupis, a famous dancer who danced in Rameau’s opera/ballets. This piece really needs no introduction as it is one of the saddest but most beautiful arias written by Henry Purcell. We know he was writing music from a young age but unfortunately, we lack a lot of information on his life and music. He was organist of Westminster Abbey from 1679 and in 1682 he was appointed organist of the Chapel Royal holding both positions simultaneously. Between 1680 and 1688 he wrote music for seven plays. The composition of his chamber opera ‘Dido and Aeneas’, which forms a very important landmark in the history of English dramatic music, has been attributed to this period and its earliest production may well have predated the documented one of 1689. What makes this piece so sad? One of its determining features is the repeating five bar ground bass on top of which is a nine-bar melody and arises from the strong use of appoggiaturas or leaning notes and descending melodies at certain points. In this arrangement you will hear the five bar ground bass in its introduction. This piece was written in 1933/34 when Benjamin Britten was 20 years old and had completed his final term at the Royal College of music but is based on material from works written between the ages of nine and twelve. Each movement is based on two previous themes, usually from a piano suite and a song. Although the development of these themes is in many places quite new, there are large stretches of the work which are taken bodily from the early pieces, save the re-scoring for strings. The piece is dedicated to Audrey Alston, Britten’s viola teacher during his childhood. She was obviously a major mentor and was responsible for introducing him to his other major mentor, Frank Bridge (his composition teacher). In form, the symphony’s four movements approximate classical shapes and key relationships. The outer movements are in sonata form. The titles tell all, indicating both humour and mood, with the “Bourree” and “Sarabande” harking back to baroque dances. Sergei Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor. He was clearly influenced by mainstream Russian composers but later he developed a personal style notable for song like ‘melodicism’, expressiveness and rich orchestral colour. We see this in this Vocalise, composed and published in 1915 as the last of his fourteen Songs or Romances op.34. Originally written for high voice with piano it contains no words but is sung to one vowel. Dedicated to soprano, Antonia Nezhdanova, its original key was C# minor. This popular song lives on in many different arrangements. Carlos Gardel was born in Toulouse, France, but travelled at a young age to Argentina with his mother. He was a singer, song writer, composer and actor and a very prominent figure in the development of the tango. He had a good baritone voice and was very famous throughout South America as well as touring to Paris, New York, Barcelona and Madrid. He also made a number of films for Paramount in France and the U.S. Tragically he died in an air crash (along with his lyricist and other musicians) in 1935 in Columbia. This was the year he wrote this tango. It was, of course, originally a song and the title refers to a Spanish horse racing phrase meaning ‘by a head’, a horse narrowly winning a race. The lyrics speak of a compulsive horse track gambler who compares his addiction to his attraction to women! Like all tangos, it exudes an intense albeit melancholic mood yet permits and encourages freedom for improvisation.
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