WMV Music Web Log

Charles T. Downey of the arts blog Ionarts was at the concert, and wrote a really nice piece:
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2005/07/washington-musica-viva-at-ratner.html
(Sorry, I can't hyperlink on blogger.com from my Mac)

Here are some excerpts:
"Jay Vosk's Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano… reminiscent of the extended tonality of Ravel or Poulenc with some minimalistic spices, featured the beautiful playing of saxophonist Rhonda Buckley and Banner at the piano.
In 100 years, will anyone think about these three pieces the way we think about the final work on the program, the gorgeous Trio in A Minor, op. 114, by Johannes Brahms? I don't know, but it was a great idea to feature two new works for the same combination, and it got me thinking about just how wide a range of sounds composers can coax from those instruments. Mr. Redwine's soaring, commanding lines were transparently backed by Mr. Banner's piano, something that is not easy to achieve, given the way that Brahms wrote his piano parts. It was a fine concert, with new music paired with old."

Other love notes after last night's concert:

From Judi Tenhunen:
I'm in the market this summer for a neon sign for my porch, one which says "OPEN". I might blame this urge on being Unitarian, which supports openness and inclusion, or equally I could assign blame to Washington Musica Viva! Reason being that my experience of WMV - its multi-medium events, its non-traditional programming - is like Fusion cuisine. Providing unexpected flavors, my own sensory responses unpredictable, definitely much Outside The Box. I consider this life-changing of the highest order.

From Rhonda Buckley: Congratulations to YOU Carl. Thank you for being such an inspired, visionary leader and for dedicating your life to making sure that we can gather our community around great music.

From Margaret Paris: Congratulations on a significant evening! Wow! two composers in residence, one premiere. It was wonderful. Loved the review - very, very nice.

Personally, I'm too beat to say much of anything, but it was a great way to end the season - the audience count was 99, a record at the Ratner!

Ben Redwine, our clarinetist, sends this post:

I'm looking forward to meeting the BannerArts/Washington Musica Viva crowd for the first time this Monday evening! After reading the Banner's website, talking to them about their vision, and participating in several rehearsals, I am very excited about being a part of this vital organization. Playing in rehearsal with Carl, Jodi and Elizabeth has been a true pleasure. Our rehearsals have gone for 4 hours and I'm never ready to quit when they are over! Playing with such great musicians always makes a musician's day.

As you know, on the concert is the Brahms Trio, for cello, piano and clarinet. Brahms came out of retirement to write four pieces for his friend, the clarinetist Richard Muhfeld. These last four compositions have been called Brahms' swansong. The trio is a bit lighter than the quintet and the two sonatas, but is full of great Brahmsian melodies.

We're also playing four songs written by local composer, Janet Peachey. These are very modern, very interesting, very fun pieces. I'm sure you will enjoy them as much as we have learning them. It was very nice to rehearse the other day with the composer. A performer always gets a much better perspective into how to perform a piece when the composer is there to coach us. I'm certain that she will attend the concert, so make it a point to talk to her on Monday.

I really owe my meeting with Carl to my good friend, John Stephens. He conducts a clarinet choir in which I play in Washington, D.C. and I've commissioned a composition from him that I premiered about a year ago. Subsequently, I've recorded this piece for John and performed it again as a featured artist at the Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium, just last month. I'm not a huge fan of 12-tone technique, which John uses, although not religiously. However, every piece that John has written, I like. We're playing his trio for cello, piano, and clarinet Monday evening as well. We get to have our first rehearsal with him tomorrow (Saturday, 16 July, 05). His wit and intelligence are two of the reasons that I like him so much and I'm looking forward to hearing what he has to say about the piece that we have been learning for the last several weeks. Be sure to take advantage of the fact that Dr. Stephens will be in attendance at the concert Monday evening. Hopefully, his wife, Barbara, will be in attendance too. She is a delightful person and quite an accomplished print artist.

Again, I want to say how great this experience has been with Washington Musica Viva. I look forward to meeting every one of the audience members very soon! Please don't be shy, I love meeting new people!

Ben Redwine

Ben & Leslie Redwine
owners, RedwineJazz, LLC
1642 Cliff Drive
Edgewater, MD 21037
410.798.8251
www.redwinejazz.com
www.xilema.net

Be sure to check out Ben's first compact disc, just released on the MapleShade Records label. http://www.mapleshaderecords.com/reviews/10632.php