A Note of Springtime from Vicki B.     

Hello dear Portlanders! Spring has returned, and what a splendid time we had at the Columbia Gorge Early Music Retreat in March! I'm still grining in delight at the sound of the fabulous tuttis in the afternoon, and on a musical high from the super fun faculty concert. I can hardly wait for next year!

For our playing session in April I thought it would be nice to start with a lovely transcription of Edvard Grieg's hauntingly beautiful tune, V�ren, ("Last Spring") which lends itself perfectly to the sweetness of the recorder's sound.

Then we'll revisit a piece that Rotem used in her Spain in the New World class at Menucha, a transcription of Juan Cabanilles' organ work: Tiento XVII de "Pange lingua". Cabanilles was a distinguished Spanish organist and composer of organ works and published a large volume of Tientos, which is a free fantasy-like form.The original Pange lingua chant was written by St. Thomas Aquinas in the 1200s and is one of the great seven hymns of the Church.  It is intended to be sung on Maundy Thursday, during the procession from the church to the place where the Blessed Sacrament is kept until Good Friday.  Then the entire hymn is sung on Good Friday, so we're just a couple of week off!

Then we will switch gears entirely and play Pete Rose's MegaRONY, which I introduced to you in 2008. MegaRONY is an 8 part, 3 movement work commissioned by the Recorder Orchestra of New York in 2004. The members of RONY come from all walks of life and this delightful piece is meant to portray a routine day of an average person in New York. Mega RONY has jazz elements, Native American and Latin influences, and certain sections seem to echo the feeling of a medieval estampie. The Final movement, Evening Celebration is truly a celebration of life and all players will eventually wind up playing percussion for the insistent 8 bar theme. This is not an option!!!  Please bring your favorite implement of percussion! Anything will do, a pot and wooden spoon, a frog, you get the picture...!

Pete Rose is recognized as one of the leading composers and performers of contemporary music in the United States, and his eclectic repertoire has made him welcome in diverse venues all over the world. Many of you might recognize his name as columnist, critic or contributing editor for the American Recorder Society magazine. In 2005 he was the recipient of the ARS Distinguished Achievement Award.  This is a really fun piece that I am eager to share with you again.

We will need SATB and Great Bass recorders, and any sizes of viols you want to play. This April session will be the last formal group playing session of the season, so I'm looking forward to seeing as many of you there as possible.

Vicki 

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Portland Recorder Society membership includes:

~monthly playing sessions (Sept-May) coached by

  professionals

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