Newsletter of the Viola da Gamba
Society - New England
The Newsletter of the Viola da Gamba Society New England is
published quarterly, and contains information about upcoming
workshops, concerts, events, and other information useful to the
Viola da Gamba player and Early Music enthusiast. Included are
often listings of instruments, music, bows etc for sale, as well
as opportunities for players to get together and enjoy making the
music they love.
Click on the PDF edition of the
Newsletter you wish to see, or page down for the text version.
March 2008
December 2007
September 2007
March 2007
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Please submit reviews, previews, listings, articles, stories,
poetry, columns to the Newsletter Editor at NewsletterEditor@vdgsne.org
VdGS-NE Newsletter - March 2008
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
It was wonderful to begin 2008 with Jenkins at the Jenkins Jam
workshop. Now we are looking ahead to our spring workshop, planned for
May 3, 2008 at Brandeis, which will be directed by Lucy Bardo and will
feature music of Purcell, Marais and Schenck, and some contemporaries
and predecessors. Other faculty will be Jane Hershey, Carol Lewis,
Alice Robbins and Rachel Cama-Lekx (beginners).
Our Workshop Guidelines Committee (Sybil Kevy, Sarah Mead, Jean Twombly
and Phyllis Klein, Chair) has been hard at work to look at the many
variables that go into making our workshops a success. In the upcoming
weeks Board members will be studying the multi-page report and thinking
about the questions raised, and will be giving serious consideration to
changes that might be made to balance our commitment to providing
excellent teaching and a fabulous musical experience within our budget
and income.
Many thanks go out to those of you who have sent financial
contributions. Our workshops are our greatest offering to our members
and, as you may know, the fees that we charge do not cover the cost of
the workshop. We would like to be able to plan workshops that are of
interest to all of our members. It is important that we receive
these donations from those who are able and who think of VdGS-NE as an
organization worth supporting. Thank you!
In addition, I would like to extend a most heartfelt appreciation to
all those, at every level, who volunteer their time and effort to make
our workshops and other events run smoothly. Our volunteers, along with
our contributors, are an essential element in making the VdGS-NE a
viable organization. You have offered help with everything from set-up,
lunch duty and clean-up at workshops to administrative and creative
support and initiative. If your pocketbook is feeling a bit empty, yet
you would like to offer VdGS-NE something of value, consider finding a
way to volunteer. Some possibilities: take on the task of assisting the
music director by being the coordinator and, in the process, you will
learn more about how our workshops are run and how to plan them;
develop some ideas for a workshop, or about the structure of our
workshops; run for the Board; write an article for the newsletter; help
out at the workshop itself. Maybe you have an idea yourself of what you
would like to offer. We are eager to hear from you, and extend a hearty
thank you for all that you have already done!
–Hannah Davidson
RUTH MARKOWITZ
Ruth Markowitz died on February 25, 2008 after battling ALS (Lou
Gehrig’s Disease), which was diagnosed last June. She faced this
dreadful disease with her customary strength of spirit and practicality.
Ruth earned a Masters degree in music from the University of
Connecticut, where she studied the viol with Bruce Bellingham. She
moved to the Boston area in 1985 with her three musical children Paul
(violin), Audrey (oboe, recorder and voice) and Carol (violin). She
quickly began to find other viol players in this viol-rich community.
While she held a day job first at Edison, and then in a small
investment firm, Matrix Management, her real passions were music,
hiking and travel. She served as President of the VdGS-NE in the
late-1980s. Also dating from that time, her institution of an annual
family-and-friends Brandenburg Party has given many viol players a
chance to experience this glorious music at first hand, an opportunity
that few orchestras would provide. Her regular Tuesday night consort, A
Musicall Dreame (of which I was a member) struggled to make sense of
the world of Jenkins, Dowland, Byrd, Lawes and all the others; then, we
would relax with a beer and good conversation. Under Ruth’s
careful instigation and direction, we had many successful performances,
and two fabulous workshops in England with Fretwork, including the
Lawes’ Anniversary workshop in 1995, at Oxford.
Ruth also pursued an interest in Baroque music and had a small ensemble
that passed through several stages. Her daughter, Audrey, played and
sang for a time; later, Ruth had me exercising my keyboard skills on
Morel’s delightful Chaconne for flute and viol as well as other
French and Italian gems. More recently still Ruth decided to take up
the cello, and so to explore the chamber music and orchestra of a
different era.
Ruth was a great consort-mate, a wise friend and a gifted musician and performer. She will be sorely missed.
–Hannah Davidson
MAINE VIOLS
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church of Hallowell and Saint
Francis Episcopal Church of Blue Hill have recently included viols as
part of their regular services. In September, 2007, Mark Nordberg,
bass; Barbara Oliver, treble and organist Elaine Fuller performed a
sonata by Dietrich Becker as the Prelude to a Sunday service at St.
Matthew’s. An Andante by Mark Nordberg served as the Offertory.
Instead of exiting the church, much of the congregation came to the
front of the church to have a closer look at the instruments and to
hear a Jenkins Almaine in D minor that was played as the Recessional.
With Christmas approaching, the congregation of St. Francis was quieter
than usual as they listened to the Prelude group of two settings of
“When Shall My Sorrowful Sighing Slack”–one by Tallis
and another anonymous setting. Peg Cawley played treble with Lorna
Russell, Julie Clayton and Allen Clayton playing bass. This service
also included a Scottish Lesson based on Psalm One and the Jenkins D
minor Pavan.
In February, The Bow and String Band, featuring Mark Nordberg, bass
viol, Greg Boardman, viola and Barbara Oliver, cello, gave a full
concert at St. Matthew’s to raise funds for the Music Ministry of
the church. This ensemble was originally formed for the pleasure of
reading some of Haydn’s Baryton Trios. The combination of the
viol, viola and cello was so delightful that favorite Haydn trios
(without the pizzicato unique to the baryton) were selected and the
repertoire continues to expand, thanks to the arranging talents of Mark
Nordberg who has added Trio Sonatas of Handel, Telemann and Nicolai.
The problem of blending the lovely sound of the viol with modern
violin-family instruments has been partially solved by placing the viol
on a pedestal in the center of the ensemble. Once again, members of the
audience came forward after the concert for a closer look at the viol.
A string bass player, who had never played a viol before, even sat down
and did a respectable rendition of part of one of the Bach sonatas.
–Barbara Oliver
JENKINS JAM REVIEW
The Viola da Gamba Society of New England had as its winter workshop
this year as fabulous event organized by Jane Hershey-–the
Jenkins Jam! We had two days, the first a workshop as usual, and the
second was a Musick Meeting, where members who had practiced hard all
semester performed their favorite Jenkins (and contemporaries) pieces
for each other. We were at a new music facility at Tufts University in
Medford, Mass., at the Granoff Music Center, which is spacious, airy
and bright (we heard a few comments about too much sun; however in
general it was remarkable that the building was so designed to take
advantage of the daylight, with lots of rooms, and a wonderful open
eating area where we had lunch).
Saturday’s events began with an astonishing feat, a wonderful
concert provided by some of our distinguished faculty, Sarah
Cunningham, Wendy Gillespie, Jane Hershey, Laura Jeppesen, Sarah Mead
and Emily Walhout, with Frances Conover Fitch on harpsichord. We heard
Jenkins’ 6-part Pavan #2; parts of a lyra-viol suite for treble,
bass and lyra-viol; the first 5-part Fantasia, in G major and the
wonderful 6-part Fantasia #8 among others. The faculty had not had much
time to rehearse, but their intonation was nearly flawless and their
division passages and ornaments likewise sparkled with inspiration.
What an incredible way to start the weekend!
With a participation of nearly 50 students, we also had Carol Lewis,
Lisle Kulbach and Jane Starkman as coaches. Several groups elected to
bring pieces they had been working on in their weekly consort sessions,
for some final comments before Sunday’s Musick Meeting.
After a lively potluck supper at the Davidsons’ on Saturday
night, we had another full day on Sunday, with nine consorts
performing, beginning at noon. We heard music of Tomkins, Frescobaldi,
White, Ferrabosco and of course, Jenkins. An especially exciting
performance was given by Long & Away (Karen Burciaga, treble viol,
Tobi Szuts, lyra viol, Josh Schreiber Shalem, bass viol, and Alastair
Thompson, harpsichord) of several movements from Jenkins lyra-viol
suite in D major, including the lovely “Bells”.
-–Hannah Davidson
Below are some excerpted comments from those who attended January’s Jenkins Jam:
“…When we met with Wendy Gillespie we found her very
helpful in moving us forward a couple of more notches with touches that
had not occurred to us.”
“…The scope and quality of the Jam were a true tribute to
Jenkins. The teaching was superb supported by an incredible amount of
organizational work by Jane [Hershey]. The Musick Meeting had an
unusually wide scope. In addition to the pieces with which I was
involved, I especially enjoyed the lyra viol consort by [Long &
Away].”
“…The coaching of Laura Jeppesen in two of my classes was
especially effective in terms of helping the group define the sections
of the piece.”
“…The Jenkins Jam fit very much into the tradition of our
best workshops. The line-up of coaches was stellar, the large
number of participants enthusiastic, and the new space at Tufts a
pleasure to experience…”
“… The faculty play-in was a real treat. We should
make it clear that people who don’t plan to attend a workshop are
welcome at the lecture/demonstration. This was one not to
miss. The Sunday Musick Meeting was very successful.
Certainly people made mistakes they’d never made before, but the
atmosphere was relaxed and encouraging, and it was a pleasure to hear a
whole range of viol players.”
“…Having played in two pre-formed consorts I found
excellent coaching at the workshop and I would recommend to anyone who
can possibly manage it to find a few players and prepare a piece for
the next or any workshop. No matter how well-matched a pick-up
group is the session cannot engage the players at the level they could
reach with prior knowledge of the music and of playing together.”
“…I thought the workshop and Sunday Musick Meeting were
great! I was very happy with my groups and coaches...each one for a
different reason...and I like having a chance to perform, and hear
other viol players.”
NEWS FROM LA DONNA MUSICALE
La Donna Musicale’s board members, ensemble and volunteers
congratulate our Director, Laury Gutiérrez, on her appointment
as a Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard
University, for the academic year 2008-2009.
Ms. Gutiérrez’s project is entitled The Artistic
Development of Repertory for Concerts, Educational Performances, and
Recordings of Early Music Written by Women Composers. She will develop
the little-known repertory of music composed by Italian women between
1625 and 1720 into concert and educational programs for performance and
professional recordings. These programs will be assembled from the most
significant pieces found in the body of works by the composers
researched. The appointment carries a stipend and additional
funds to help cover the costs of her project.
Ms. Gutiérrez is grateful to Suzanne Cusick, Barbara Jackson,
and David Lasocki for writing letters of recommendation. Also to her
team of editors: Catherine Gordon-Seifert, David Foss, David Lasocki,
Peter Banos and Alison Howe, who asked the hard questions and improved
and clarified her English. And, most importantly, she is grateful to
the extraordinarily talented musicians of the ensemble, without whose
dedicated participation La Donna Musicale would have remained just an
idea.
SILBIGER GRANT SERVICE 2008
Recipients of the Gian Lyman Silbiger grant, Andrew Shenton and Laura
Jeppesen will present anthems and consort music of William Byrd at the
First Parish Church in Framingham, on May 4, 2008. They will be joined
by viol players Hannah Davidson, Jane Hershey and Zoe Weiss and the
choir of First Parish. The Church is located at 24 Vernon Street,
Framingham, MA 01701. The service will begin at 11 a.m. Contact
telephone number: 508-872-3111 website: www.firstparishinframingham.org
FERRABOSCO ANALYSES
As many of you will remember, the VdGS-NE 25th Anniversary year was
celebrated by our making a recording of the complete 4-part fantasias
of Alfonso Ferrabosco II, under the direction of Bruce
Bellingham. You may even remember that Bruce created a detailed
analysis for each fantasia, which he made available to us as we were
working away in preparation for the recording. Bruce has now, in
collaboration with VdGSA, put these analyses on a website, which can be
accessed from our own VdGS-NE website (www.vdgsne.org); go to the
Ferrabosco CD page and find the link at the bottom of the first page or
from the VdGSA website (www.vdgsa.org) in the “Contributed
Items” section. Our CD is included as part of this project as
there are soundbites selected from the CD, to illustrate the entering
motives in each fantasia.
UPCOMING CONCERTS AND EVENTS
April 6, 2008 at 4PM
Hancock United Church of Christ
1912 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, Mass.
A Joyful Noyse (Martin Aldins, dir.) presents
Ah, sweet distress! Madrigals and instrumental music of Claudio Monteverdi and Salomone Rossi.
$10 donation for the Church Music Fund.
April 12, 2008 at 8PM
Longy School of Music, Pickman Hall
27 Garden Street, Cambridge, Mass
Rachel Cama-Lekx, viol
(with collaborators Peter Cama-Lekx, violin; Tracy Cowart,
mezzo-soprano; Ellen Pond, organ; Suzanne Reine, harpsichord and Zoe
Weiss, viol)
Graduate Performance Diploma recital
Lyra-viol solos, English and Italian divisions, Buxtehude’s Jubilate Domino as well as music by Marais and Forqueray.
FREE
May 9, 2008 at 8PM
Lindsay Chapel, First Church
11 Garden St., Cambridge
El Dorado Ensemble presents
Ludi Musici: Musical games from 17th-century Germany, featuring music
by Schutz, Scheidt, Schein, & Heinrich Bach performed by Michael
Collver, countertenor & cornetto
with regular ensemble members Carol Lewis, Janet Haas, Paul Johnson,
Mai-Lan Broekman & Alice Mroszczyk, viols; Olav Chris Henriksen,
theorbo & Baroque lute
Admission $22/$17, tickets available at the door.
May 11, 2008 at 3PM
Somerville Museum, Corner of Westwood Road and Central Street
El Dorado Ensemble presents “Ludi Musici” (see above desription)
Admission $17/$12, tickets available at the door.
FROM YOUR NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Thanks to all of you who submitted items or e-mailed me with new ideas
for the newsletter. Keep those articles, concert listings and ads
coming! The next newsletter will be published in early September
2008.
All newsletter items should be submitted to me, your
newsletter editor electronically: rachel@cama-lekx.com. I can be contacted by phone at 617-803-8463 if you need to talk to me or to arrange submitting materials via hard copy.
–Rachel Cama-Lekx
FOR SALE
Are you trying to sell a viol or bow? Listings are
free! Send them to
the newsletter editor and be assured that many people will see your
item for sale! If your item has sold, please be sure to inform
the
newsletter editor. Please note: These listings, as well as
others, may also be found on the Bulletin Board of the VdGS-NE
Website, found Here.
"Marais" bow for bass viol by Louis Begin. Excellent condition. $1200 (negotiable). Contact June Matthews: 781-259-0379 or Email: matthews@mit.edu
Treble "Praetorius" viol, from the Upmann-Werkstätten (Celle, Germany),1960. With soft case. Asking $2500. Contact Laura Jeppesen at 617 965-3848 or e-mail: ljeppesen@wellesley.edu
Treble viol by Linda Shortridge.
This viol is beautifully decorated, with a lovely sound, and is a
slightly larger model. With a Kingham case included, this
instrument is being offered for sale by Clark Gaiennie, asking
$4,500. For more information, call him at 617-625-2190.
6-string bass viol by John Pringle, built in 1991. Addison
model, 1670. Great instrument for consorts. Carved head of woman. Bass
case included. Free delivery in greater New England or Mid- Atlantic
areas. $6000. Contact Barbara Coeyman at
barbaracoeyman@comcast.net, 978-809-9750
Bass viol, built in 1982 by Kurt Lutz, Germany. This
is a very stable instrument with a nice, full sound. It is not a
historic copy (hence the low price), but the craftsmanship is
excellent. Recent repairs done by Clarke Gaiennie. Price $5,500
with case and bow. Call Rosalind Brooks Stowe 617-864-1028 or
rstowe@comcast.net
Treble viol "Praetorius Gambe" 1960, Germany. Unigue. Looks and sound great. Asking $ 3200. Contact: dmoshfegh@aol.com or call Dubi at 617-969-5010.
Treble viol by Charlie Ogle, 1997. In excellent condition. Including wooden case. Asking $2200. please contact yacoby@verizon.net or 617-332-3383.
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