Okay, okay, I thought I wasn’t going to post in August, but I did a little thing with a mask I ordered. It isn’t pleasant. It makes me want to cry, honestly. But if I have to use one, at least I own one now.
Ellen Gilson Voth: There is a River
Gethsemane Lutheran Church; Paul McKenzie, Director
Today is the start of Black History Month, in case you weren’t aware. I think this, then, is a good work to post. (Of course it would be good to post ANY time!)
“Incantation and Dance” – William Grant Still – Hassan Anderson (Oboe) and Kyle P. Walker (Piano)
… played, of course by the instruments that are Queens of the Woodwinds!
Brava, Bernice Lee!
Arrangement by Fergus Davidson
Brava to Bernice Lee for doing both parts of the Ferling! It’s so clever how she looks as if she is looking at the “other” player (herself) when of course no one would be there in real time. I’m not sure how she made that image at the end!
Ferling – Duo Concertante for 2 Oboes, Op. 13 (Rondo)
Duets are something I really miss while teaching online. I’ve suggested to students that they record one part and play along with that, but it’s not like the two of us playing together (I nearly always ended a lesson with a duet). I’m starting to ponder how to teach here. The other day I walked by a house when I saw a guitar student get out of her car, carrying her guitar, a chair, and a stand. I thought, “Oh dear … NO MASK? And she has a lesson?!” Well, as it turned out, she set up on the porch at the house. The teacher was inside the house, with the door opened (but she had a screen door closed). Hm. Perhaps I can do something like that if students are up for it. I’m still not willing to handle instruments or reeds, but at least we could play duets!
Good stuff here! A big bravo to each of you!
W. A. Mozart: “Madamina, il catalogo è questo”” from Don Giovanni
Denis Bourakov, Principal Flute, Los Angeles Philharmonic
Eugene Izotov, Principal Oboe, San Francisco Symphony
Recorded in Seoul, Korea / San Francisco, USA
Christylez Bacon writes:
“This week I had the opportunity to collaborate with Assistant Principal Oboist for the National Symphony Orchestra, Jamie Roberts! We’re remixing an Oboe etude using 3 different rhythms (2 American, 1 Brazilian)! See if you can list the rhythms in the comments section! Stay safe & healthy, share this with a friend, and support this series on Patreon as we plan for another episode next week!”
This is an arrangement of La Mer by Emily Tsai. It’s quite astounding what she has done, and I am pretty sure this must have taken EONS to put together! Brava to Ms. Tsai!
From her YouTube page:
La Mer – De l’aube à midi sur la mer
The Sea – From Dawn Til Noon on the Sea
for Oboe Choir/Double Reed Choir
by Claude Debussy
arranged and performed by Emily Tsai
This was definitely a passion project of mine as La Mer is my all time favorite piece of music. I miss playing with my chamber groups, I miss playing in orchestra, and I miss all of my oboe friends, so I arranged this as something that could combine all of the above and pull out all the stops! However, the next arrangement I do, I will recruit said oboe friends as well as some bassoon friends because that bass oboe, while making me feel powerful to play so low, was a FRUSTRATING beast! I hope to someday be able to perform this live with other double reeders and replace those bass oboes with the far superior bassoon!
Such wonderful playing! Thank you to these fine, fine musicians!
Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)
Histoire du Tango (1986)
II. Cafe, 1930
III. Nightclub, 1960
Katherine Needleman, oboe
Lachezar Kostov, cello
Arrangement by the performers
Socially-distanced Dress Rehearsal from June 5, 2020
This beautiful beck and call from married duo, Diana Doherty and Alexandre Oguey, is the perfect reminder to take a break from your day and get some sunshine! Enjoy their rendition of Berlioz’s Scène aux champs from Symphonie Fantastique.
