JAVS Fall 2008

expression he was seeking. Bruno’s tone was huge and beautiful; and, the audience enjoyed his enormous pedagogical skills! I left early to attend the opening of the 2:00 p.m. Louise Lansdown talk on Hindemith, op. 11, no. 4. The talk, back in the Recital Hall, was replete with rare photos, early sketchbooks, and several pieces by the young Hindemith as a visual artist. Hindemith enjoyed a huge imagination and a sense of humor that made his artwork sometimes vulgar and rude. This, of course, would have made no difference had Mr. Hindemith not become a singular force that helped shape the course of music for half a cen tury. The lecture was interesting, thorough, and most insightful. I did not stay for the conclusion as I made my way to Smith Music Theatre for the 3:00 p.m. Repertoire Recital. The recital opened with Pamela Goldsmith playing 4 Cappricci per Solo Viola by the female Polish composer Grazyna Bacewicz (1909-1969). These pieces, played brilliantly, are a virtual compendi um of string techniques from the first half of the twentieth century. I asked Pamela some time after her performance if she used her Gaspara de Salò. She exclaimed, “For heaven sakes no! I used my copy.” Understood. Second up was our friend Carlos María Solare with an obscure sonata by August, Baron of Münchhausen. The Baron, an amateur composer, is so obscure that I find no listing on the Internet (other than a recent

Pamela Goldsmith and Michael Vidulich present the Silver Alto Clef to Donald McInnes.

series of video spoofs of the Baron) and nothing in Baker’s. The piece, played well by Carlos, was interest ing in its historical context—a fun piece; nothing new. New is the Trio for Viola, Clarinet, and Piano by João Guilherme Ripper per formed by our University of Minnesota friend Korey Konkol and two colleagues. Ripper, a young Brazilian composer, sets this piece in a liberally traditional har monic idiom devoid of expected Brazilian folkisms and sporting energetic rhythmic interplay, coun terpoint, and fresh melodic materi al. Korey was the perfect performer for this work. He played with a rich, but sensitive tone, passion, and a sense of joy that infected the audience. I missed David Holland’s performance of the 1999 Suite for Viola and Piano written by the sensational new composer Kenji Bunch to make the 4:00 p.m. master class offered by world class Roland Vamos in the Katzin Concert Hall.

Roland worked with five Primrose competitors. He was positive, com plimentary, and yet able to zero in on the very technique or musical idea that would immediately improve the student’s performance. Note that these young Primrose competitors are already at a dis tinctly high level. Roland talked to the audience, included us, and joked with us. His facial expres sions and body motions, anything to make a pedagogical point, are incredibly like the 1950’s comedi an Sid Caesar. It was wonderfully instructive and entertaining. Our Gala Banquet was held in the Old Main Building—the oldest and among the first buildings used by ASU when it was a Teachers College. The Carson Ballroom is nicely appointed, featuring a high beamed ceiling and a comfortable open quality with a multitude of lovely light-giving windows. After a fine buffet meal, the three princi

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