“A love affair with New York’ - a “total embrace” - was how one commentator described Bernstein’s musical “On the Town” , three dances from which began the first of our November sessions. This was followed straightaway by Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto composed while on the run from an embrace of any sort following a disastrous marriage. Something more soothing being deemed necessary resulted in Mendelssohn’s Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage making it on to the playlist before the energetic and uplifting passages of Borodin’s Polovstian Dances from Prince Igor sent us all home in a happy frame of mind.
Vivaldi, the “man of many concertos” (about 550 of them) introduced the second November session with one of his several concertos for four violins – in this instance the most popular of them (the B minor one). Mozart (a man of many symphonies - 41 of them) was our major focus with the very last of his 41, commonly known as the “Jupiter”, so named for no other reason than for publicity purposes. Joaquin Rodrigo known famously for just one concerto – “Concierto de Aranjuez” proved that genius is not necessarily determined by how many, but with the quality of what you produce, while Torvil and Dean showed genius of another sort in their interpretation of Ravel’s Bolero and a wonderful climax to our Music sessions for 2021.
Many thanks to all who formed the “Class of 2021” for your input and encouragement in what may be described (due to Covid) as “Interrupted Melody”.
Vivaldi, the “man of many concertos” (about 550 of them) introduced the second November session with one of his several concertos for four violins – in this instance the most popular of them (the B minor one). Mozart (a man of many symphonies - 41 of them) was our major focus with the very last of his 41, commonly known as the “Jupiter”, so named for no other reason than for publicity purposes. Joaquin Rodrigo known famously for just one concerto – “Concierto de Aranjuez” proved that genius is not necessarily determined by how many, but with the quality of what you produce, while Torvil and Dean showed genius of another sort in their interpretation of Ravel’s Bolero and a wonderful climax to our Music sessions for 2021.
Many thanks to all who formed the “Class of 2021” for your input and encouragement in what may be described (due to Covid) as “Interrupted Melody”.
After a couple of years with “necessity being the mother of invention” at times to “keep the music going” we look forward with hopefulness to a less restrictive and inventive 2022.
Bill Squire
Bill Squire
12th December
Session Notes
On the Town
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage
Polovstian Dances
Session Notes
On the Town
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage
Polovstian Dances
26th December
Session Notes - 26th
Vivaldi - Concerto for 4 Violins
Mozart - Symphony No. 41
Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez
Ravel - Bolero
Session Notes - 26th
Vivaldi - Concerto for 4 Violins
Mozart - Symphony No. 41
Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez
Ravel - Bolero
