BooK SHELF continued.from page 29 The Cambridge Companion to the Orchestra Edited by Colin Lawson Cambridge University Press 310 pages paperback .95 The cover of this book fe~tures a photo of the Toronto Symphon;r Orchestra from a few years back. While the· TSO is ac~y not mentioned in the text, what does emerge is that some version of that orchestra's recent crisis is being faced by most orchestras today. Part of Cambridge University Press's invaluable series of companions, this collection of fifteen essays by contributors from various backrounds covers a wide-ranging array of issues. Editor Colin Lawson traces the rise of period instrument style and its pervasive influence today. Robert Barclay discusses the development of the instruments, while Richard Rastall explains the relationship of the printed score to its performance. Ro~rt Saxton sees the 'non-anachronistic' future in bold and supportive programming, and in the education programmes outlined by Sue Knusseil. Robert Philip explains how historical recordings promote risk-taking by countering 'modem Established 1981 OUR PRICE= MUSIC TO OUR CUSTOMERS' EARS YAMAHA DIGITAL PIANOS ELECTRONIC KEYBOARD I GUITARS ALSO USED PIANOS (uPRIGHTS & GRANDS) ,.. 19 LESSONS• SERVICE• TUN ING ACCESSORIES• BOOKS VISIT OUR SHOWROOM www.academy of music.416 416-924-7499 ,.,, - 499 COLLEGE ST •.iilliiiilil .. , . :~ ···· ·· · ' 12 BLOCKS WEST OFF BATHURST) · , notions of neatness'. Stephen Cottrell tackles the future of orchestras head-0n, dealing with financial challenges, aging audiences and stagnant repertoire. Whether the orchestra can reinain a source of creativity rather than m:rely a museum, this rich book convincingly testifies to the survival of the orchestra as an adaptable, vibrant, necessary part of our musical live~. The George Gershwin Reader Edited by Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson Oxford University Press 368 pages hardcover .95 This collection of letters and articles provides a well-rounded picture of Gershwin's personality, life and work. ·some of the most compelling writings are by Ger~hwin himself, who attributes his famous piano style to his "habit of intensive listening ... not only with my ears but with my nerves, my mind, my heart". In previously unpublished interviews, the original Porgy, Todd Duncan, recalls that Gershwin was "the type of nrusician that you loved to be with", and the original Bess, Anne ALEXANDER KATS A first class Russian-trained professional pianist/teacher is now accepting students for regular private lessons or repertoire coaching, from advanced (ARCT, i,iniversity) to all grades of RCM. DOWNTOWN LOCATION Call: 416-340·1844 alexander.kat s@ sympatico.ca Brown, says "he was simply crazy about music, especially his own". Ira Gershwin discusses the relationship of words to music in Which Came First. Oscar Levant offers a heart-felt memoir, Variations on a Gershwill Theme. Alec Wilder describes the characteristic boldness, wit and unexpectedness of the songs, while Richard Crawford analyzes Gershwin's own favorite, I Got Rhythm. Fred Furia, comm:nting that "he wrote for feet", discusses how Gershwin mairitained the energetic momentum of his shows. Astute editors Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson offer welcome comments throughout. Discussipg Gershwin's weekly tennis games with his Los Angeles neighbour Arnold Schoenberg, they remark that ~each appreciat~d something in the other that he knew he did not possess". For me Emi of T1nNJ The For the End of Time: The Story of the Messiaen Quartet By Rebecca Rischin Cornell University Press 179 pages hardcover .95 The st:Qry behind French composer Olivier Messiaen's Quartet For the End of Time could be a detective. novel, .MYOUR VOICE Organic and functional vocal training to gain access to your full range, resonance and vocal freedom. For singers, public speakers, teachers, del:gy, or if you just want to enjoy using your voice I Sue Crowe Connolly Hamilton Studio 905-544-1302 except that it's true, as the cellist in the premiere, Etienne Pasquier, pointed out to Rebecca Rischin. Unfathomable hardships were involved in writing and performing this work in the German prisoner-0f-war camp where Messiaen and his three fellow musicians were imprisoned in 1940. Rischin 's extensive interviews form the heart of this book. Key subjects include the two surviving performers from the premiere, Pasquier, and violinist Jean Le Boulaire, who had never previously been interviewed about his participation. This is clearly a very personal book for the author, a ·clarinetist with a profound connection to the-music as well as the people involved. For me, Rischin's•book is especially moving because thdew hours I spent interviewing Mes~ siaen and his wife, the pianist Yvonne Loriod, remain vivid after more thaJ.1 twenty years. Loriod told Rischin how her husband always said that he was ·born a believer. It is this luminous religiosity, the essence of his music, that emerges so eloquently here. ' The historic photos, discography, bibliography and the author's translation of the complete preface to the Quartet enhance the documentary value of this remarkable book. We welcome your suggestions and comments. Send them to bookshelf@thewholenote.com or to WholeNote 's Book Shelf. 503-720 Bathurst Street, Toronto ON, M5S 2R4. Sensible Vocal Training Master Classes with Pattie Kelly at the Church of the Holy Trinity I 0 Trinity Square, west of Eaton Centre Sunday, May 23, 1 :30 -7:00 pm Sunday, June 27, 1:30- 7:00 pm See listing under MASTER CLASSES on page 5? **Gift Certificates A ~~~~~~~~~~~~ WWW.THEWHO LENOTE.COM MAY 1 - jUNE 7 2004
CHORAL SCENE In keeping with the overall celebratory thrust of this month's issue, I decided to devoted this month's (expanded) column, not to the live concerts themse!Ves, but to an interesting cross-section of some of the people who make the concerts happen. Accordingly, I sent four general questions about choirs to six prominent choral conductors and a~ pleased to share their responses here with you. The questions were: 1) In your opinion, what is the overall value of choral singing'? 2) What is coming up for your own choir/s in the near future and next season? Isabel Bernaus (Conductor, Jubilate Singers and Common Thread: Community Chorus of Toronto) 1) Value: Choral singing is a way to make music in community. Choirs give the opportunity to singers to enjoy music in an active way, by being involved with a group, instead of only passively consuming the music they hear. In choirs you can find people who would otherwise never be singing; you can find vocalists and instrumentalists whose work may or may not be in the performing arts; and you can find people from all professions who want to learn more about music and who enjoy learning with others. Sharing, I believe, is one of the best ways to achieve a higher art. by Larry Beckwith . 3) What has been the most satisfying part of your job as a choral director? 4) What has been the most challenging part of your job as a choral director? Thanks to Isabel Bernaus (Common Thread & Jubilate Singers), Ivars Taurins (Tafelmusik), Mark Bell (Riverdale Youth Singers), Sue Crowe Connolly (Davenport Perth Community Choir), Syd Birrell (Peterborough Singers), and William Brown (Oriana) for their generous response! 2) Coming up: Common Thread is presently celebrating its fifth anniversary. The repertoire for next season includes songs related to the theme Work from Russia, Canada, Chile, France, Cuba, Jamaica, South Africa, U.S., Nicaragua, Britain and the Ukraine among others. Jubilate's season next year consists of great works by Puccini and Vivaldi and concerts of Catalan, Spanish, Finnish and Canadian music. 3) Satisfaction: Seeing people growing musically and personally is one of the most satisfying parts of my job. It satisfies me to facilitate learning at any musical level, for example: when a chorister says that this choir has changed her life, or when another singer says to me that he didn't know whether he could sing and that his singing has been a revelatory experience; or when an experienced musician confesses that she had never sung such vibrant or expressive music. I believe that music and the arts can change people's lives and whenever I witness that happening in my work, I am fascinated. 4) Challenge: A big challenge is finding a balance between the pursuit of musical quality and the quality of our choral community. Sometimes, when I focus on"obtaining the best music possible, I can forget that my instrument is human, as opposed to when I play the piano. Inversely, if I focus too much on the human aspects of choral singing, the musical quality may suffer. In the end, I believe that the audience perceives the enjoyment of the choir in each breath of song and in the expressiveness of the music we make. Meaningful performances of choral music usually have a perfect balance between the care of the humans and the cate' of the music. I take the challenge of that balance i.ri. choral music as my duty as a conductor. Ivars Taurins (Conductor, Tafelrmi.sik Chamber Choir) 1) Value: Singing is one.of the simplest and most direct paths to our innermost emotions. Around the globe, we sing to express joy or grief, in solitude or in multitude. Song is present at the most meaningful occasions and events in our lives. It· can be as intimate as a lullaby, or as public as a Welsh song festival. It brings people together, whether it be in a place of worship, a concert hall, at a family gathering, around a campfire or a Christmas tree, or at a karaoke bar. Music, essentially an abstract CONTINUES NEXT PAGE Experience Choral Classics CHORAL FAVOURDES Selectiono include Vivaldi's Gloria and other choral favourites by iVlen May 8 at Spm at Willowdale United Church 349 Kenneth Avenue, North York Adult , Senior/Student For information and tickets, call 416-225-2255 \Vww.allthekingsvoices .ca Supported by the Toronto Arts Council theAri):~de11~Chq~r could join Lydia A~~~§rancl they celebrate this joyous year by P~ffor?1ip~: ' Bach - Mass in B Minor Mozart - Mass in C Minor Walton - Belshazzar's Feast Faure - Requiem And much more! ieilced choral singers who are good readers are invited,tqpontact Joan Andrews at: 905-642-8706, · ernallrJBin.andrews@tel.tdsb.on.ca to set up an : · 'n for the 2004-05 Amadeus Choir Season. 'ittons will be held in May.and June. ;J'he Amadeus ()~9ir ,office: 6-0188 or amaqlioir@idirect.com 31
