Dear Musicians and Music Lovers:
We couldn’t let February slip by without celebrating Black History Month with chamber music, so on February 28 the Trinity Chamber Players will read a quartet by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and a trio by Coleridge Taylor Perkinson. We’ll round out the evening with a string symphony by Mendelssohn and a movement of a guitar concerto by Giuliani (not the mayor) featuring guitar soloists Lu Yang, one of the newest members of the Manhattan Youth family.
The similarity of names of our first two composers is not coincidental – Coleridge Taylor Perkinson was named after Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, who was himself named after Samuel Taylor Coleridge of the poetic persuasion. Just keep the names in the right order and it’s easy.
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was born in 1875 in London to an African father and an English mother, whose brother was a professional musician. Samuel, following in his uncle’s footsteps, studied violin at the Royal College of Music where he was taught composition by Charles Villiers Stanford. The piece we’ll read on Monday, Fantasiestucke Opus 5, is from 1896 when Samuel’s earliest compositions were already earning him wide respect.
Coleridge-Taylor’s music became quite popular in England and over here. The Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Society, an African-American chorus, was formed in Washington, D.C. in 1901, even though it wasn’t until 1904 that Coleridge-Taylor would make the first of three successful tours of the United States. He was dubbed The Young Mahler and his cantata Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast was performed in England nearly as widely as Handel’s Messiah and Mendelssohn’s Elijah in the decades prior to WWII.
As we have noted all too often, along with stunt-flying, chainsaw juggling and other high-risk pursuits, early success in composition seems to put one at risk of premature decomposition. Alas, Coleridge-Taylor’s life and career were cut short by a bout of pneumonia in 1912 at age 37.
African-American composer Coleridge Taylor Perkinson had a successful and, by contrast, long career. Born in 1932 in North Carolina, he moved to our fair city where he attended the High School of Music and Art and the Manhattan School of Music prior to continuing his studies at Princeton and in Europe. Returning to the City, he was a cofounder and Music Director of the Symphony of the New World and served as music director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Jerome Robbins’ American Theater Lab.
Perkinson’s career included a stint as jazz drummer Max Roach’s pianist and faculty appointments at Brooklyn College and Indiana University. He wrote arrangements for Roach, Harry Belafonte and Marvin Gaye and he was a successful and prolific composer in many genres including film scores, such as A Warm December starring Sidney Poitier. His Movement for String Trio is among the last works he composed before he died in 2004.
We’ve touched on Felix Mendelssohn’s early start in composition and, of course, untimely end previously. His twelve string symphonies seem to have been written as composition exercises when he was between the age of 12 and 14. Mendelssohn was serious about these works; he labored over them as he strove to perfect his compositional technique. You’re invited to join us as we play the last of these, No. 12 in G minor.
Finally, we have a treat - the first movement of the first Guitar Concerto in A Major by Mauro Giuliani. Giuliani was born in 1871 in Italy, where he studied cello, violin, guitar and counterpoint. He moved to Vienna in 1806, where he began publishing music in the classical style and touring Europe as a guitar virtuoso. He was acquainted with Beethoven and Rossini, performed in chamber music concerts with the stars of the Viennese music scene, and even played cello in the concert in which Beethoven's 7th symphony was premiered.
Good times continued for more that a decade, but by 1819 Giuliani had amassed substantial debts and was forced to leave Vienna for his native Italy. He met with some measure of success in Naples, where he appeared frequently in duo concerts with his daughter Emilia, a virtuoso guitarist in her own right. He died in 1829 in his 48th year, leaving a substantial body of works that are still prized by classical guitarists.
Finally, we have a treat - the first movement of the first Guitar Concerto in A Major by Mauro Giuliani. Giuliani was born in 1871 in Italy, where he studied cello, violin, guitar and counterpoint. He moved to Vienna in 1806, where he began publishing music in the classical style and touring Europe as a guitar virtuoso. He was acquainted with Beethoven and Rossini, performed in chamber music concerts with the stars of the Viennese music scene, and even played cello in the concert in which Beethoven's 7th symphony was premiered.
Good times continued for more that a decade, but by 1819 Giuliani had amassed substantial debts and was forced to leave Vienna for his native Italy. He met with some measure of success in Naples, where he appeared frequently in duo concerts with his daughter Emilia, a virtuoso guitarist in her own right. He died in 1829 in his 48th year, leaving a substantial body of works that are still prized by classical guitarists.
As usual, the mood of the moment might move us to detour somewhat; last week we scheduled the A minor Schubert “Rosamunde” quartet, but on a dare we wound up playing his D minor quartet (opus posthumous) known as “Death and the Maiden.” It was a workout, but all survived, including Schubert’s reputation.
Bring your ears, bring your instrument, and join us as we explore these – and perhaps other – great and enjoyable works.
Let’s Play!
Jim
No comments:
Post a Comment