ItstheMuse WebLog2008-11-19T14:31:49ZItstheMuseCopyright 2008, ItstheMuseSPHPBLOGStepping Out With the Viola in the Bull City:Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante For Violin and Viola On the Bill For N.C. Symphony's Durham Concert
DURHAM--The viola will really get to take a bow when the North Carolina Symphony stops in Durham Thursday, Feb. 7, for a Carolina Theater concert which will also feature the Fifth Symphony of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky.
Two string maestros from the N.C. Symphony, violist Anton Jivaev and violinist Brian Reagin. will be the featured soloists for a presentation of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Symphonia Concertante For Violin and Viola."
The symphony will get its A from the oboe at 8 p.m. to get things started at the Carolina Theater, with another Mozart work, "Overture to Cosi fan tutte," leading off the program, to be followed by the "Symphonia Concertante."
Yes, friends, we realize that the violinist is usually listed first in chamber works for violin and viola and for violin and other instruments, but after all, this being a viola column, "Voila, Viola!" is pleased to give Mr. Jivaev the first mention.
Besides, Mr. Reagin, who serves as the North Carolina Symphony's concertmaster, has been making so many excellent solo appearances in recent years that surely he won't mind experiencing what we first sampled years ago in making our rounds through the vineyards of country music across the South: how to be billed as second fiddle when there's only one violin in the lineup!
Of course, Mozart provided for ample string sections for this viola-violin showcase, including a virtual doubling of the orchestra violas with a pair of oboes and horns thrown in for good measure, so to speak. Mozart composed this work in 1779 and no, that wasn't in Salisbury, N.C., but rather Salzburg, Austria.
And Durhamites will note that the listing of this composition as K. 364 refers to the catalogue known as Koechel listings, not Krzyzewski listings as might be supposed by some of the more fanatic Duke Blue Devil basketball fans in town. Thursday's concert at the historic Carolina Theater, coming one night after the Duke-North Carolina basketabll game in Chapel Hill Wednesday, will be a good opportunity for classical music and basketball fans alike in the Bull City to move back from the lessons of Krzyzewski to the listings of Koechel.
Of course, if Mozart had had to perform a concert before a Duke-Carolina back in his day, he might have penned "Eine Kleine Hoops Musik" or something else along those lines for all we know. The composer did however find a good reason to compose two stand-alone duos for violin and viola four years later in 1783 as Michael Haydn, feeling more than a bit under the weather and facing a deadline for completing a half dozen violin-viola duos, had managed to pen four of them but needed two more. So he went to the ace of the bullpen and asked Mozart to head out to the mound with the final two duos, which arrived in the form of the Duo in G (K. 423) and the Duo in B Flat (K. 424) just in the nick of time.
Fans of the big-league symphonic opus will certainly want to stick around for the second half of Thursday's N.C. Symphony concert because the orchestra will unfurl the score to Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, one of the finer exhibitions of the many moods of orchestral brass ever to come out of old St. Petersburg in Russia. The Fifth Symphony is quite emotional from beginning to end, but to hear its heart-rendering strains amidst the excellent acoustics of the restored Carolina Theater auditorium should constitute one of the finer classical music experiences to be enjoyed throughout this season.
Brian Reagin and Anton Jivaev will also present the "Symphonia Concertante For Violin and Viola" by Mozart for N.C. Symphony patrons in Moore County this weekend at a concert Saturday night at Pinecrest High School. Given that Moore County was named for the early U.S. Supreme Court Justice Alfred Moore of North Carolina, we can say that when it comes to showcasing the viola alongside the violin, truly it can be said that justice is being done by Mssrs. Javaev and Reagin along with their compatriots in the North Carolina Symphony.
--DAVID McKNIGHT
[Third viola from the left, down the hall and around the corner to the right.] ]]>http://www.itsthemusic.com/sphpblog/index.php?entry=entry080204-2006212008-02-05T00:00:00Z2008-02-05T00:00:00ZVoila, ViolaViola Joins the Lineup in Emery & McKnight "Warm and Windy" Project
RALEIGH, N.C.-- We have continued to rely on the viola to carry us through these jaunts through our musical neighborhood here in the Triangle area of North Carolina, pairing the instrument with the guitar on several selections on the new Emery & McKnight "Windy and Warm" CD.
Bearing in mind that all string parts used on this project were developed in and around solo guitar arrangements which for the most part had already been crafted by guitarist Bruce Emery, you can then understand why both our viola and violin passages generally took the form of harmonies, obbligatos and occasional co-leads as opposed to outright string solo selections backed by rhythm or chording guitar.
But just don't forget that one of the great names associated with stylish guitar music, Heitor Villa-Lobos, was a string guy himself, having played the cello. And like virtuoso violinist Aaron Rosand today, Villa-Lobos enjoyed a good cigar now and then. But as far as we know, only Aaron Rosand has made the interesting assertion that the true keys to the tone of his violin-playing are his cigars!
(We were thrilled to see a performance of the Sibelius Violin Concerto by Aaron Rosand during our camper experience at the Brevard Music Center in the summer of 1963, when JFK was President and Pablo Casals was the George Strait of White House entertainment.)
Well, we've gotten off the main subject, which was the use of viola on "Windy and Warm." Again, recognizing that the guitar carried "the lead" for most of the way through this project, we can then say that viola was featured on our renditions of "Anji," "Moon River" and "Firefly." Then the viola was combined with the violin on a number of other songs on the CD, including "Moonlight in Vermont."
Meanwhile, the violin used in these sessions, which was made just over a year ago by renowned Charlotte luthier John Sipe, is featured with the guitar on several tunes, including "Begin the Beguine," "Misty," "Going to Carolina in My Mind" amd "Drive-In."
Speaking of "Misty," do you know who's coming to appear with the Charlotte Symphony in April? Two guesses, and it's not Tony Bennett. Yes, wouldn't it be great if when Johnny Mathis sings the line, "And a thousand violins begin to play," if they could unfurl the curtains and reveal an extra layer of violinists from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools playing on just that one song?
Okay, that may be just another pipedream PR suggestion from this Charlotte native, but you have to remember, I learned violin under the slapstick comedian, music educator and CSO violinist Jack Stern. The only viola lessons I ever got were from CSO violist Sam Citron just when things were getting a little bumpy before a scheduled viola solo somewhere along the way.
Since we couldn't lasso a John Sipe viola at the time of the recording sessions,we were able to play on a fine instrument made available to us from our friends at High String Music in Durham, a sonorous viola from the Paolo Lorenzo example.
You may hear the selections on "Windy and Warm" by selecting the "Play Tracks" ledger on the music page for this CD at:
My favorite blending of viola and violin on "Windy and Warm" -- "Moonlight in Vermont." Welol, someone up in New England has to keep the flames of romance glowing while the politicos and pundits go stepping to over in the Granite State of New Hampshire!
Viola was also featured on Joe Swenson"s "The Waning Heart" and in an oboe-viola duet on "Autumntime in Massachusetts," on our 2006 Cleaver, Smith Swenson & McKnight CD, "Changin' My Mind," featuring former North Carolina Symphony oboist and Raleigh musician booking manager Mary Greiner.
Did I tell you about the time I tried to get a job singing with the Carolina Opera? I went in to audition and the committee asked me, "What voice would you like to try out for, Mr. McKnight?"
"Tenor," I replied confidently.
"Well if that's the case," a committee member piped up, "why don't you try singing ten or fifteen miles from here?"
(May we have a rimshot from the percussionist?)
We hope Johnny Mathis likes our intro to "Misty," for it was done in the spirit of Stephane Grappelli, the Frenchman who could make a violin go dancing off into the moonlight.
Best wishes for the New Year--
David McKnight Durham, N.C.
Cleaver Smith Swenson & McKnight Band Emery & McKnight Duo
(Posted on Behalf of David McKnight by TheMuse) ]]>http://www.itsthemusic.com/sphpblog/index.php?entry=entry080113-1123252008-01-13T00:00:00Z2008-01-13T00:00:00ZWell here we are... Summer's over and here comes the Fall Sure you say... "Who cares? Well I do for one.
I think I'll start keeping track of what's going on here in CA. Weather's turnign cooler. Allergies have peaked and perhaps are in decline. Almost didn't need to take my meds today. Now to get my perscription for "happy pills". Fall into Winter - the two months from mid-November to mid-January is really when I need a little outside assistance. Caffiene will have to suffice for now.
Politics still is at the forefront along with the music and the running. Still am not wtching Netwrk or Cable News programs. Not until a new adminstration takes over. Now I know what happened to monkey in "Bedtime for Bonzo" - Reagan "squared"..
Trivia Question: What was the name of the Monkey in the movie "Bedtime for Bonzo?" A hint to follow in the next installment.
I wake up and say wonder... "is it over yet?"... Gonzales has left, Rove.. but will they ever get their come-uppnace? Who knows. Iran Contra never amounted to much in the way of those responsible getting their appropriate credit or much less jail terms. Iraq will result in even less justice being doled out.
How can some see through it for what it was from the beginning - purely an opportunity of the neo-cons try their "democracy experiemtnt", and yet some still believe it was a crucial step in going after those responsible for 9-11. These people can't see past the noses on their faces?. Maybe someday people will all know the truth.
Got to go. Don't want to overstay my welcome on the first entry n a while.
What I need is a just little inspiration.. Hey isn't that what a "Muse" is supposed to be? So where is my Muse? They haven't paid me a visit in very long long while. Maybe I'm just getting old and they have found younger more deserving souls.
Later... TheMuse]]>http://www.itsthemusic.com/sphpblog/index.php?entry=entry070918-2055092007-09-19T00:00:00Z2007-09-19T00:00:00ZPartricia Sun's article: "Fake vote, fake democracy" Here is the original article which can be found at:
"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety for the safety of my country than ever before, even in the midst of war." ––Abraham Lincoln 1864 in letter to Col. W.F. Elkins.
If the vote is fraudulently changed by the “the wealth aggregated in a few hands” and the election thereby stolen, then by definition you have no Democracy––are we there yet?
You’ll know in about one week.
With a record seventy-three percent disapproval rate for Congress the public is finally seeing the painfully cumulative impact of failure and corruption in the Republican congress—but it is still possible that the will of the voters may not matter.
Why are George Bush and Karl Rove so certain they will not lose the House and Senate?
Reporters have said that they “almost seem delusionally certain they will win the House and Senate in November.
I am reminded of 2000 when Al Gore was declared the winner in Florida by the networks using exit polls. One network went live to Crawford ranch to get Bush’s reaction—“Oh no, oh no, that’s not right, we’ve got Florida”—with a smirk and smile. I was shocked as I realized he “knew”. I felt uneasy as I realized Bush’s inability to hide his childish certainty––even gloating––was so obvious that it revealed that he, at least, believed that he had inside information that he would win Florida.
I never saw that clip shown again. The media has been notably quiet about the abundance of serious information on voter fraud. There were rumors of memos to some reporters not to cover the issue of voter fraud and questionable races. Supposedly they were burned by their “wrong” exit poll determination that declared Al Gore the winner in Florida––the fact that they were actually correct is a fact still seldom mentioned.
There was almost no coverage but C-SPAN of Congressman Conyers hearings on voter fraud in 2004. The endless examples have languished out of mainstream media sight with the notable exception of Robert Kennedy Jr’s recent excellent Rolling Stone article, “Was the 2004 election Stolen?” www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10432334/was_the_2004_election_stolen
Six years have passed.
The amazing thing is that after the 2000 debacle of voter violations, right up to the Supreme Court––we still want to ignore the fact that Florida exit polls were correct. The hanging chads were used to stampede and force by law that the states purchase millions of dollars of electronic voting machines. Many from Diebold executive, Walden O'Dell, who in a fundraiser his company sponsored for President Bush is reported to have promised the president that his company would "deliver" the necessary votes needed to keep Bush in the White House for a second term.
In 2004 when there was proof certain that we needed paper verification for an independent audit, in most of the country still, almost nothing was done. Perhaps this explains why President Bush and Karl Rove are so confident. Rove, when questioned about his extreme “ optimism” in the face of poll numbers, he said he has “the” numbers”.
We know they have laid the groundwork with gerrymandering; but they also could easily have a darker extension of that research of computer analysis––that of finding districts where voting sites that are susceptible to partisan vote tampering and districts that are the most productive to alter. At least the possibility is prominent and our only security is their integrity.
Since only a few corporations own most of our media, and the case can be made, in our government, that corporate influence is so ubiquitous that most of the public is ill or uninformed.
It is possible also, that people’s feelings of powerlessness have let them fall into an escapist denial that allows the media to not investigate and report. It is time to awaken. This is not a partisan issue, it is the issue: are we a democratic republic or not? It is about actions and the Constitution.
In America we give corporations the rights of a person, but without the responsibilities or conscience we require of a person. Corporations are given billions in welfare and allowed to donate millions to campaigns. It has been said they have no soul. It is more the rule than the exception that corporations act soulless, when they are blind to empathy, democracy, common good and integrity and that they are driven by selfish ambition. It’s called business. And—they own the media.
The truth is that there is nothing wrong with capitalism that ethics wouldn’t cure.
Add to this, an Administration in desperate need to hold control of Congress.
One can understand the administration’s absolute dire need to win and its willingness if not temptation, to use a wide range of overtly unethical and illegal tactics. The current Administration dare not lose the power to block all Congressional investigations and hearings, of their mounting unconstitutional and illegal actions, such as, secretly spying on Americans. Karl Rove’s modus operandi is—do the dirty trick to win the power then cover the operation with the power. We are now facing the sine qua non of this tactic.
Sound hopeless? It’s not.
The antidote we still have is the power of exit polls. The light of truth is still in our hands. The major concern regarding electronic voting is the ability to change votes without detection—this is the most crucial threat to the survival of our democracy.
The only way for citizens to track any betrayal of an election—without a paper or separate record—are exit polls. Astoundingly, according to CNN, the government has required up to 80% of voting machines for November’s election to be of the type that are easily tampered with.
The media and news organizations for the past two weeks have been covering these inequities now before the elections—the real question is what have they been doing for the past two years? Media and news organizations can exonerate themselves by holding exit polls nationwide in this impending election.
We have no national standard to safeguard a vote trail. On the contrary, states were forced to use electronic only voting. Thus, ensuring that there is no recount possible, once votes are changed, or if there is a software malfunction––that’s it––there is no way to go back to know what was cast. Whatever was done by the voters is gone.
Now, only exit polls can give statistically accurate results of the real vote. If we do not do this in sufficient numbers we will have no alternative but to hold another election––with a paper trail or lose our democracy. And if the election is stolen what are the chances they will allow that? As Lenny Bruce said, “If your not paranoid, your not paying attention”, so perhaps Democrat’s and independent’s paranoia about Karl Rove is just paying attention.
The media and any organization with the means, needs to serve the country––by doing exit polls for as many races as possible, especially close races. Exit polls are used around the world as the check on the validity of elections. Exit polls are so reliable that they are used as guides to the honesty of elections in Europe and even in third world countries. The disparity of exit polls to election results in Germany is less than three tenths of one percent. Exit polls are statistically very accurate and they are even more reliable when there are several that act as checks on pollster bias. These days we need information and we need it reported.
Even though the irregularities in 2004 were very partisan––almost without exception they hurt John Kerry and benefited George Bush, we must expose all irregularities, no matter what party loses or gains.
Please contact the media you use, ask them to save the republic by putting their media might and light into creating exit polls. The more we have the better. There are investigative journalists left in America. It’s a great story for them and it may save our democracy. This is how we the people show we are awake and take back our country and our Democracy.
The fact that, “Some by sin do rise, others by virtue fall” Shakespeare’s truth is one that when well understood, sets us all free to self correct and grow up. Perhaps the higher purpose of this crisis is that we really can see, choose and support democracy as a virtue. It is time for America to be fearless for the good. It is time to know that it is more powerful to be good than to be right. It’s time to take the challenge that democracy and honesty requires.
As Lincoln said to Congress in 1862:
“The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise––with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.”
“Fellow-citizens, we cannot escape history. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth. Other means may succeed; this could not fail. The way is plain, peaceful, generous, just—a way which, if followed, the world will forever applaud, and God must forever bless. ”—Abraham Lincoln.
SCENE 1: [West Main Street Street Durham. Front steps of Satisfaction.]
Pickell: "Well, I'll be dog--there's Proctor, gazing out to the sunset in the West again like he always does. Wonder where he's thinking about going this time?"
Duvall: "I don't know, but last time he was talking about how Tennessee is just out there over the horizon."
Karl: "Yeah, how can I forget? He was saying: 'I could be in Knoxville or Nashville in no time--even might go all the way to Memphis...'"
Duvall: "Hey Proc! You dreamin' up another one of those Western rides? You know, you're going to have to make up your mind whether you want to go out there or stay around here and finish this job we're doing."
Proctor: "Yeah, I know. But this time, I have an idea that will really work. All I've got to do is hitch up the wagon and head 'er on out to..."
Pickell: "Let me guess: Missouri or Arkansas..."
Karl: "No, I think he wants to go learn mandolin in Kentucky..."
Duvall: "I'll bet he's got his heart set on West Virginia..."
Proctor: "Kansas, boys! We'll all go out to Kansas and raise the roof! There's a guy at the newspaper in Wichita who says I should come out a talk about the paper. Bet'cha I can land a job at the Eagle. Why, it's right next door to Winfield where all those flat-top guitar players get together every year."
Pickell, Duvall and Karl: "Kansas! He wants to go ridin' all the way to Kansas!"
Proctor: "Yeah boy, and we'll stir such up a ruckus that even Roy Williams might hire us to play! I'm talking Lawrence, Wichita, Abilene..."
Pickell: (Mimicking George Hamilton IV:) "'Prettiest town I've ever seen...'"
Proctor: "And Manhattan! Don't forget Manhattan."
Duvall: "My kind of town: Broadway, movies, fine dining--I'll go get my top hat and dancing shoes..."
Proctor: "No, Manhattan, Kansas! Wheat fields, country & Western music and Kansas State University!"
Karl: "Yeah, but who's going to fill in for you in the band while you're out there Jawhawkin' and Wildcattin' with all those sunflowers?"
Proctor: "That's an easy call, gang. Just get that hot-rod guitar man playing across the street at the James Joyce, Jimmy Lee Gibson. Why, there he comes now--he must be taking a break."
Jimmy Lee: "Hey guys, what you are you doing on Main Street? I thought you would be gigging in Chapel Hill tonight."
Pickell: "Proctor here is talking about ridin' out to Kansas. We need you to step in and do some shows for us."
Jimmy Lee: "Why, it'd be a pleasure, fellows. When's the next gig?"
Duvall: "As soon as Proctor leaves town."
Jimmy Lee: "Well, Proctor, when are you heading out?"
Proctor: "I don't rightly know. Sooner or later."
Pickell: "Well, if you're really going, it may as well be Sooner--"
Karl: "Of course, if it's sooner, he may wind up in Oklahoma instead of Kansas!" [Laughter, guffaws and chuckles.]
Jimmy Lee: Well Proc, like my Pappy used to tell me: 'Better get going 'cause time's a wasting.'"
Proctor: Yeah, I don't want to go wasting my time--or anybody else's. So here I go, right out U.S. 70--all the way past Greensboro!"
Pickell, Duvall, Karl and Jimmy Lee: "All the way past Greensboro!"
Duvall: "And Winston-Salem too!"
Pickell: "Say, how come he was already packed up and ready to go?"
Karl: "He must'a not wanted to go changing' his mind." [Music: "Ridin' On Kansas!"]
Pickard, Duvall, Karl, Jimmy Lee:"He's on his way--he's ridin' on Kansas!"
SCENE 2: [Ninth Street. Elmo's Diner.] [ Duvall, surrounded by sweet-talking waitstaff lassies, will explain why he'd rather go exploring the back roads of the South in summer in a dialogue which leads up to "Summer Song." Other characters will be introduced in this scene and others.]
Duvall: "Yes, that table will be fine for us...say, you guys should try the sweet tea here--it's some of the best I have tasted anywhere around town.
Karl: "Hey, is this a 'tea-tasing chez Duvall,' or are we going to get a real meal?!"
Pickell: "Duvall just likes the niceties and he wants us to appreciate them too. Life is not just a bowl of Cheerios, you know."
Karl: "I thinh this would make a great article in the newspaper: 'Duvall's Guide to Sweet Tea in the Bull City.' Say, there's Perkins coming through the door. He did make it after all."
Perkins: "This is quite some assembly! Thanks for saving me a place. I've got some new photos to show you from the patio party last weekend..."
Sally: "Hey, would anybody like something to drink?[br] I remember: 'Sweet tea for me!' Perkins--did you bring those pictures you were talking about?"
Perkins: "Complete with enlargements and postcards too, in case you want to send some out! Look at this[br] one: Duvall dancing with Kathleen--that rascal..."
Duvall: You guys--the sooner you brush up on your dance steps, the sooner you'll be waltzing with Matilda and everybody else! I'm going dancing in Raleigh tonight, Winston-Salem tomorrow night, and then we've got a swing dance coming up out at the Armory."
Pickell: "What about rehearsal next week? Weren't we supposed to meet at your place?"
Duvall: "Not to worry, I reserved one night for music practice and--"
Pickell: "Will we have time to go by Ninth Street for some burritos?"
Duvall: "Burritos, cerveza and rum--we'll have all the accoutrements. See, Proctor's trying to make a road trip and we have it made right here in the Bull City. There's no need to go scampering across the country when all you have to do is drive out to Chatham County or maybe up to Roxboro."
Jenny: [Walking by to a nearby table]: "Hey, what's up? Duvall, when are you going to bring those cowhands over to me section?"
Sally: "You guys ready to order? You promised you'd take me along on the next excursion, Duvall, so I'm holding you to it."
Duvall: "Be here at 7 on Saturday and by 8 we'll be at Allison's. It's the best part of the summer, and it's going to be a party!"
Perkins: "I'd better go by for some more film for my camera..."
Pickell: "We're heading off to the beach, so you'll have to tell us about it."
Karl: "Yeah, if it's anything like last summer, it should be quite an adventure."
[The camera pulls away from the front of Elmo's, and the surrounding woodsy neighborhood comes into view. The sun is setting, and the music starts: "Summer Song."]]]>http://www.itsthemusic.com/sphpblog/index.php?entry=entry061014-1133372006-10-14T00:00:00Z2006-10-14T00:00:00ZWelcome to the BlogWelcome to the ItstheMusic Weblog
Check these pages occaisionally for interesting musings and news items.
I'm happy to finally have this feature enabled on the website. We spend a lot of time writing. Now we have a place for some free exchange of ideas and as an outlet for simply things that are on our minds.
Hope you find the postings here of interest.
Its the Muse... Its the Music..]]>http://www.itsthemusic.com/sphpblog/index.php?entry=entry061014-1122192006-10-14T00:00:00Z2006-10-14T00:00:00Z