R. Schumann (1810-1856)

 

Of all the composers in the Romantic period, Schumann captivates me the most. I vividly remember, as a piano student at the Fine Arts School of Paraná, the satisfaction I had every time I played works such as Papillons, the Humoresque, the Carnival op. 9 and many others. In fact, while walking down hallways at the music school, I would stop and enjoy other musicians playing or singing any of his piano works or songs from the Liederkreis or Frauenleben und liebe, among others.

 

Schumann’s biography is worth the reading and his music is definitely worth listening to. A relatively complete article is found in Wikipedia.

 

Check my interpretation of the Faschingsschwank aus Wien and my performance of the lesser known oratorio Der Rose Pilgerfahrt (The Pilgrimage of the Rose) by accessing my channel on YouTube.

J. Brahms (1833-1897)

 

I thoroughly appreciate the music of Brahms, having played several of his piano works and the cello sonatas in recitals. His music means much to me in more than one way – the instrumental music’s inner intensity and seriousness of the language, spelled into the thematic materials and idiomatic construction, speak deep into my heart while his vocal music combine that affect with the power of the words.

 

It is hard to select favorites in this master’s great output but I love his song cycle Magelone, the great orchestral-choral works such as Nänie, the Alto Rhapsody and the Requiem and all four symphonies.

 

Currently I am studying the 1^st Symphony which I will conduct in the Spring of 2011 and the Requiem is a piece I eventually want to perform with my church choir and orchestra.

 

Two books on Brahms are very worthy and I recommend:

The Compleat Brahms - A Guide to the Musical Works of Johannes Brahms, edited by Leon Botstein (W.W. Norton, 1999) and

A German Requiem, by Michael Musgrave, published by Cambridge University Press, 1996.

Sven-David Sandström (b. 1942)

 

I had the privilege to know composer Sandström personally. He was in the faculty of IU for about ten years, which encompassed the time I was there as a student. Prof. Sandström, like I called him all the time, is a wonderful man with a big heart and a big smile who had words of encouragement to me every time we met. I was the chorus master for the American premiére of his opera Jeppe at IU in 2003. The chorus has an unusual large role in the music – I called it ‘the third character in the plot’ – and Prof. Sandström was so sweet in his advice to me when we discussed the choir role in the opera.

 

His music is absolutely unique in which it combines fresh and vivid rhythmic combinations – ones that ‘glue’ to your head forever – with melodic inventiveness which reminds stalwarts of the Romantic period at times – Wagner, Brahms - or the music of Vaughan-Williams or Delius at others. But I do not buy too much into the game of association – I find Prof. Sandström‘s music exquisitely original, regardless of the influences, be it classical or contemporary. Above all I am convinced by its power of affect. His compositions, usually employing large forces, communicate to one's soul – qualities or attributes that not every living composer unfortunately has.

 

 

H. Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)

 

It is true that despite being regarded as one of the most prominent composers of the 20^th. century, and the most important Brazilian composer of all times, the regular concert goer is still unaware of the extent of the output of Villa-Lobos’ music. Villa-Lobos has a vast production and his compositions encompass all genres, from small chamber to large symphonic works employing many forces. Also unaware to many is Villa-Lobos’ dedication to music education in the schools of Brazil.

 

Villa-Lobos was a brilliant composer who mastered European compositional techniques and blended them with Brazilian influences from the folk and popular cultures, such as sounds of nature and folksy melodic material. The melodic and rhythmic qualities of his music possess and reveal a Brazilian ‘soul’ and if you look for pre-existing material that led to this particular sound, you will find none. Villa-Lobos is the master creator – the one who actually invented this sound we call ‘Brasileiro’. Just take a listen to ‘Alma Brasileira’ and this concept becomes more understandable.

 

I have conducted his ‘Mass in Honor of Saint Sebastian’, a beautiful work for 3-equal voices. And I have played several of his piano works. I also had the privilege to be in the orchestra (piano) for a performance of the Choros #10.

 

 

W. A. Mozart (1756-1791)

 

I have played many of his Sonatas and was always fascinated by the high skills required to play any keyboard work by Mozart. But beyond the technical abilities required, I am impressed much more deeply by the element of elegance and rhetoric in Mozart’s music that is above any other late Baroque or classical composer. And this genius is so personally important to me not just because he is so representative as a composer in all genres of his time – all his great operas, the magnificent concertos and the awe-inspiring symphonies – but because I identify with his music so profoundly.

 

Perhaps the greatest musical moment of my life so far came when I conducted the great C-minor Mass K. 427. It was a great experience musically - I had a fabulous choir and orchestra at Indiana University – but it was also a deep spiritual moment, with the powerful truths of the Ordinary text resonating beautifully through the concert hall, through means that only Mozart could provide.

 

I hope you will check the video of that performance on my YouTube channel.

 

I'm currently learning Piano Concerto #21, K. 467 to play with orchestra soon. It is a challenging concerto but absolutely gorgeous, with the slow movement one of the most recognizable Mozart melodies.

And my church choir loves Mozart too! We have sung movements from the Masses and other short works…

 

 

J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

 

Performing Bach’s music is an awesome privilege – one that cannot be taken lightly. A passion of my life, I am awed by the unparalleled beauty and the richness of its construction and structural integrity of this music. As a church musician, I am struck by those qualities and also the depth and sense of purpose – how evidently Bach’s music reveals his genuine religiosity and deep spiritual fervor.

 

I have had the honor of being the organ continuo in two separate performances of the B-minor Mass. I have conducted several of Bach’s church cantatas (most recently BWV 34, O Ewiges Feuer) and was either continuo or a singer in several other concerts which included Bach’s works (check my repertory list on the music page). In 2010 I am looking forward to perform cantata BWV 140, ‘Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme’, included in the Cokesbury Choir’s Fall concert. Plans are in the works to perform the St. John Passion at my church in 2011.

 

A great book on Bach is:

Johann Sebastian Bach - The Learned Musician. By Christoph Wolff (Author, Harvard University), one of the leading Bach scholars of our time. Published by W.W. Norton & Company, 2001.

 

O. Messiaen (1908-1992)

This French composer influenced a whole generation of composers and amongst his pupils are distinguished names such as Pierre Boulez and Stockhausen. Messiaen's music is rhythmically complex (he was interested in rhythms from ancient Greek and from Hindu sources), and is harmonically and melodically based on modes of limited transposition, which were Messiaen's own innovation. Messiaen experienced a mild form of synaesthesia manifested as a perception of colours when he heard certain harmonies, particularly harmonies built from his modes, and he used combinations of these colours in his compositions. His style absorbed many exotic musical influences such as Indonesian gamelan, and he also championed the ondes Martenot.

 

Messiaen found birdsong fascinating; he believed birds to be the greatest musicians and considered himself as much an ornithologist as a composer. He notated birdsongs worldwide, and he incorporated birdsong transcriptions into a majority of his music.

 

Many of his compositions depict what he termed "the marvellous aspects of the faith", drawing on his unshakeable Roman Catholicism.

I had the honor to conduct his Trois Petites Liturgies for women’s chorus, Ondes Martenot, piano and Orchestra. The piano part is extremely difficult – it was played masterfully by pianist Andrea Baiocchi and the Ondes Martenot was played by one of the world’s leading authorities on the instrument, Mr. Jean Laurendeau.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

H. Purcell (1659-1695)

 

A true genius, this composer was very prolific and left us a treasure of church music. Of all the Baroque composers, Purcell fascinates me for his style, so personal and so effective.

 

Purcell composed about 65 anthems for the Anglican church. I have performed many of his verse anthems. In 2010 I will be working on My Beloved Spake, an anthem written in 1678 - a piece with such fresh string writing, startling harmonic language and inspired word painting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

F. Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

 

The experience I had with Mendelssohn is similar to the one I had with Schumann. The discovery of his piano woks, each more and more fascinating, led to an appreciation for all his output.

 

Amidst the piano repertory I have played in recital are many of his famous 'Romance Without Words'.

 

I have had twice the privilege to conduct his Symphony #5, the Reformation and soon I will be conducting too the Italian Symphony.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L. van Beethoven (1770-1827)

 

I have played in recital many of Beethoven’s piano sonatas and many chamber works. Beethoven's music means to me light and power - a light that brings peace and a sound mind; and a transformative power that makes my heart complete.

 

Recently I conducted a section from the oratorio ‘Christ on the Mount of Olives’. The Hallelujah Chorus from this oratorio is one of my choir’s favorites. In the Summer of 2010 we will work on the Mass in C, op. 86.