With many thanks to Paul for his very subtle presence and taking some excellent shots in the tricky natural light of the chapel – here is an unedited selection at this stage …
Sniffing out Basset Horns
A few words from Richard …
It wasn’t a very clear line, but when I thought I heard Marj say that she might have some difficulty finding two Basset Hounds for the Mozart Requiem, my mind went into overdrive. Basset Hounds? Those stocky dogs with long ears used to sniff out errant animals and illicit substances? There must be some mistake!
Indeed there was a mistake – a mistake in my hearing. It was Basset Horns Marj was trying to find, not Basset Hounds. The Requiem is one of three works in which Mozart’s score calls for basset horns rather than clarinets. The instruments are similar – both use single reeds – and had been developed fairly recently, so I guess Mozart wanted to try them both out to compare their characteristics.
Basset horns are rather like a bass clarinet. Whereas saxophones, also single reeds, sound brighter and more colourful that clarinets, basset horns sound mellower. It’s not that much of a difference, but it is noticeable, and, Mozart being Mozart, he probably chose them for the Requiem because he wanted that particular sound.
But basset horns are like needles in haystacks. Clarinettists usually own the full range of clarinets and sometimes they own saxophones, but not basset horns. So how to find not just one, but two?
After interminable phone calls, texts, and emails with our many contacts and in turn with their contacts, including instrumentalists, orchestras, and music schools, it appeared that there is just one basset horn in the Sydney area available for hire in April. Further consultations with Carlos, and with our two clarinettists, Natascha and Ben, revealed that orchestras sometimes use one basset horn and one clarinet, so that will be the line up for our performance on April 16th.
Marj says that assembling an orchestra is, on the whole, straightforward, especially as Manly Warringah Choir has a lengthy list of highly competent musicians who enjoy playing with us. But 90 percent of the effort is spent on 10 percent of the instruments. The case of the basset horns proves the point. And I think that our skilled researchers sniffed out the basset horns better than any basset hound might have done.
Saturday April 16th – 7.30 pm Cardinal Cerretti Chapel
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Overture to the Magic Flute
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Requiem in D Minor
Sergei Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major – Soloist: Alexandra Loukianova
We are very fortunate that our soloists for the Mozart Requiem are unchanged from the wonderful line up for our last concert. We welcome them back.
Click here for tickets or telephone 9451 0595 or 9977 4776
Manly Warringah Choir Concert Flyer – How to get to Cardinal Cerretti Chapel
Alexandra Loukianova and the language of Russia
We have a real treat in store with Alexandra’s performance of Prokofiev’s 1st violin concerto at our Easter Classical Concert. I spoke with Carlos at the rehearsal this week.
Carlos and Alexandra last performed this work together when they were living in Colombia and Carlos thought “Wow!! That strange extravagant music. Those wild intervals. And she makes it all sound so natural.”
Carlos believes that you need to be born in Russia and grow up with the language of Russia to achieve full mastery of this vernacular. Funny and ironic, laughing at the destiny of Russia, and yet intelligent, approachable music.
A bit of a rebel, like Mozart, Prokofiev could see the world from another perspective, but without being involved with the political situation. He left Russia soon after this work was composed to seek more artistic freedom in America.
Alexandra’s earliest performance of Prokofiev’s 1st violin concerto was when she was only 15.
Alexandra Loukianova
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She subsequently studied and performed the work whilst studying under Galina Barinova at the Moscow conservatorium.
Barinova was one of the leading, some would say the leading, violinist of her day and she was a young musician entering her prime when Prokofiev returned to Russia in 1935. She had the privilege to be contemporary with some of the big names in Russian 20th century music and provides an impeccable musical lineage for Alexandra.
Carlos also studied at the Moscow conservatorium though, as always, he is modest about his own mastery of the music. For those who may look for an artistic comparison he suggests that the painting of Chagall best mirrors the music of Prokofiev. Avant garde, yet approachable.
Judge for yourselves when you hear the work performed by our own master in the language of Russia, Alexandra.
Saturday April 16th – 7.30 pm Cardinal Cerretti Chapel Manly Sydney
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Overture to the Magic Flute
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Requiem in D Minor
Sergei Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major
Soloist: Alexandra Loukianova
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Click here for tickets or telephone 9451 0595 or 9977 4776
Manly Warringah Choir Concert Flyer – How to get to Cardinal Cerretti Chapel
Pascal Herington – tenor and triathlete
We all know Pascal Herington from his performance as our tenor soloist in Ode to Joy, and we are pleased that he returns for our Easter Concert performance of the Mozart Requiem.
But Pascal has another passion. He has always swum, cycled and run to keep fit and decided to put the three together and follow in the family footsteps of his brother as a thiathlete. He runs for the Shepherd Centre, which supports the education of deaf children, and hence the outfit – “go flower power!!”.
He rates his biggest sporting achievement as completion of last year’s Port Macquarie Ironman in a respectable 11hours and 46 minutes – That’s a full marathon of 42.2km after you have already been going for 7 hours with a 3.8km swim and 180km bike ride. Pascal was racing alongside local boy Tony Abbott and took some joy in overtaking him on bike circuit
<ed: Pascal now claims to have lapped Tony on the bike circuit, which is credible given Tony recorded a generous 14 hours for his ironman>
Pascal Herington
All this work takes a lot out of your body – Pascal lost around 5kg in fluids on the ironman. At the Australian Long Course championships he fell off his bike and “opened up” his back and all down one side of his arm. Despite the pain he completed the course, spurred on by friends and family. Pascal sees it as a test of your limits and a chance to learn what you are truly capable of when you put your mind to it.
He has brought the same courage and dedication to his music. He was already 4 years into an accounting career when he decided to leave work and start singing full time. Following the passion is paying off now that he’s studying in the opera school at the Sydney Conservatorium and getting an increasing number of solo engagements. We are sure Pascal’s career will go from strength to strength and we hope to see him at many more Manly Warringah Choir Concerts.
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But doesn’t all this sport clash with his musical ambitions? Pascal replies that “it’s a question of balance. Your body is your instrument and you must look after it. When you are tired from exercising 3 hours a day you have to be so careful to look after your voice, and when you 
swim a lot your abdominals become tight and twitchy which interferes with singing. So stretching and yoga are essential to loosen up. But singing itself is also hard work, so strength and fitness are valuable assets.”
With all these outdoor pursuits Pascal is tempted by the Northern Beaches lifestyle, but he admits that he cannot lay claim to being a surfer – “not blessed with the genes that enable balance!”. He has though recently moved a lot closer but is still on the “wrong side” of the spit bridge. Lets hope that before long we will be able to claim him as one of our own.
Saturday April 16th – 7.30 pm Cardinal Cerretti Chapel
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Overture to the Magic Flute
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Requiem in D Minor
Sergei Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major – Soloist: Alexandra Loukianova
We are very fortunate that our soloists for the Mozart Requiem are unchanged from the wonderful line up for our last concert. We welcome them back.
Click here for tickets or telephone 9451 0595 or 9977 4776
Manly Warringah Choir Concert Flyer – How to get to Cardinal Cerretti Chapel
Mozart Requiem – note perfect
We expect that everyone who needs a practice CD has by now obtained one from John Kibby. In addition John has kindly prepared these MIDI files – click or copy from below.
John’s advice is
these MIDI files might be useful if you wish to practice some of the faster movements at a slower tempo than suggested.
MIDI files can be played on iTunes or Windows Media Player, but modifications can’t be made. To vary the tempo or highlight your voice part, you will need a specific MIDI player. Two free downloads are Sweet MIDI Player or vanBasco’s Karaoke Player.
The Sweet MIDI Player is a bit more flexible but with either you can vary the volume of any part, change the tempo etc. Just download the relevant MIDI and open it with your player. The four MIDIs have been modified so that Channel 1 = Soprano, Ch 2 = Alto etc.
If you want other movements, try www.orfeonmalaga.org/partituras.htm for your specific voice parts, but without instruments accompanying.