Herd of Harpsichords 2021 Edition

LA FOLLIA AUSTIN BAROQUE presents an online concert

Herd of Harpsichords 2021 edition

Release date: May 16, 2021, at 6pm

Music for Organ and Strings

Keyboard Concerto in D major, K. 107 Wolfgang Amadè Mozart (1756-1791), after Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782) Allegro / Andante - Adagio / Tempo di minuetto Anton Nel, harpsichordist

Keyboard Concerto in F major, HOB XVIII:F2 Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) Moderato / Adagio / Allegro assai Matthew Dirst, harpsichordist

Sonatina in B flat major, Wq 110 Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788) Allegro / Andante affetuoso / Presto Anton Nel and Matthew Dirst, harpsichordists

Double Concerto in F major, Wq 46 Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Allegro / Largo / Allegro assai Anton Nel and Matthew Dirst, harpsichordists

1977 Dowd French Double-manual harpsichord by William Dowd of Boston in 1977. It is built in the French tradition, modeled after a 1733 harpsichord by Blanchet similar to one in Francois Couperin’s possession. It features the rich sound characteristic of French harpsichords. The soundboard painting is in the French style by the late Sheridan Germann, who was perhaps the greatest instrument decorator in modern times.

1974 Dowd Franco-Flemish Double-manual harpsichord by William Dowd of Boston in 1974. It is built in the Franco-Flemish tradition of the early 1700s. It features a bright, sparkling sound in the so-called petit ravelement tradition of French building. The exquisite soundboard painting is in the Flemish style by the late Sheridan Germann.

Anton Nel, winner of the first prize in the 1987 Naumburg International Piano Competition at Carnegie Hall, enjoys a remarkable and multifaceted career that has taken him to North and South America, Europe, Asia, and South Africa. Following an auspicious debut at the age of twelve with Beethoven’s C Major Concerto after only two years of study, the Johannesburg native captured first prizes in all the major South African competitions while still in his teens, toured his native country extensively and became a well- known radio and television personality. A student of Adolph Hallis, he made his European debut in France in 1982, and graduated with highest distinction from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. He came to the United States in 1983, attending the University of Cincinnati, where he pursued his Masters and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees under Bela Siki and Frank Weinstock.

Highlights of Mr. Nel’s nearly four decades of concertizing include performances with the Cleveland Orchestra, the symphonies of Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, and London, and many others.

As recitalist he has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum and the Frick Collection in New York, at the Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena, Davies Hall in San Francisco, and the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. Internationally he has performed recitals in major concert halls in Canada, England, France, Holland, Japan, Korea, and South Africa.

Eager to pursue dual careers in teaching and performing, he was appointed to the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin in his early twenties, followed by professorships at the Eastman School of Music, and the University of Michigan, where he was chairman of the piano department. In January 2010 he became the first holder of the new Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Endowed Chair in Piano at the University of Texas at Austin.

Anton Nel became a citizen of the United States of America on September 11, 2003. He is a Steinway artist.

Matthew Dirst is the first American musician to win major international prizes in both organ and harpsichord. Widely admired for his stylish playing and conducting, Dirst recently recorded his own reconstructions of several organ concertos by J. S. Bach. A review in Choir & Organ enthusiastically recommends this “lively and imaginative CD” from Loft Recordings. In 2018 the Washington Post described Dirst as an “efficient, extremely precise conductor who has an ear for detail and up-to-date ideas about performing Bach.” His Handel has also made the critics sing: the Dallas Morning News enthused that “conducting both clear and evocative by Matthew Dirst yielded a performance as irresistibly lively as it was stylish. The music danced.” Early Music America celebrated his solo recording of harpsichord works by François and Armand-Louis Couperin as a “stylish, tasteful, and technically commanding performance…expressive and brilliant playing.” As Artistic Director of Ars Lyrica Houston, Dirst leads a period-instrument ensemble with several acclaimed recordings, one of which—the world premiere recording of Johann Adolph Hasse’s Marc Antonio e Cleopatra—was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2011 for Best Opera. In addition to his work with Ars Lyrica, Dirst appeared during 2018 with the Washington Bach Consort, the Portland Baroque Orchestra and Trinity Cathedral Choir, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Symphony, and San Francisco Early Music Society. Appearances during 2019 and 2020 include programs at Oberlin Conservatory, Rice University, the Festival-Institute at Round Top, TX, the Southwest Regional Convention of the American Guild of Organists in Denver, and on concert series in Columbus, Alexandria (LA), San Antonio, Houston, and Santa Fe. Matthew Dirst holds the PhD in musicology from Stanford University and the prix de virtuosité in both organ and harpsichord from the Conservatoire National de Reuil-Malmaison, France, where he spent two years as a Fulbright scholar. Equally active as a scholar, he serves currently as Professor of Music at the Moores School of Music, University of Houston. Dirst is the author of Engaging Bach: The Keyboard Legacy from Marpurg to Mendelssohn (Cambridge University Press, 2012) and the editor of Bach and the Organ (University of Illinois Press, 2016).

Stephen Redfield, violin, concertmaster, also leads the orchestras of Con- spirare, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Arizona Bach Festival and Victoria Bach Festival. A long-time participant with the Oregon Bach Festival, he has performed there as concertmaster, principal and soloist, and has partici- pated in numerous recordings including the Grammy® award-winning disc Credo. He also performs internationally as a soloist and a chamber musician on both modern and Baroque violin. Stephen teaches violin at the University of Southern Mississippi School of Music. In 2019, Stephen received the Austin Critics Table award for best classical instrumentalist.

Alan Austin, violin, has served as concertmaster of Ars Lyrica Houston, Houston’s J.S. Bach Society (for over 20 years), Texas Bach Collegium (San Antonio), and has performed with the Texas Baroque Ensemble, Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Den- ver, Dallas Bach Society, Mercury Baroque, Early Music Southwest, Texas Early Mu- sic Project (Austin). He is adjunct instructor of Baroque violin at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music. He plays on a Bernardo Calcanius violin made in Genoa, c. 1740 Bruce Colson, violin, winner of the Austin Critics Table 2017 award for Best Classi- cal Instrumentalist, holds a degree in music from the University of Texas. He is a member of the Austin Opera orchestra and the Victoria Symphony Orchestra. Stephanie Raby-Noori, violin, is an active soloist and chamber musician and a spe- cialist in early music performance. Ms. Raby earned a masters degree in Early Music at Indiana Jacobs School of Music and in 2015 she was a finalist in the Early Music International Young Artists Competition in York, England with her chamber ensemble Les Touches. She is currently the concertmaster for Austin Baroque Orchestra and a founding member of the chamber ensemble Les Touches and multimedia performing arts organization Lumedia Musicworks. Bruce Williams, viola is Austin Symphony principal violist, Artisan Quartet founder, Allegro Chamber Trio member, Mason Chamber Music Festival Artistic Director, and Chamber Music Director for the Texas Bach Festival. He’s a past Austin Critics Table Instrumentalist of the year and part of several Harmonia Mundi recordings with Conspirare. Suzanna Giordano-Gignac, viola, is co-founder of the period ensemble Angeles Con- sort and is principal with Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra She has studied with Elizabeth Blumenstock, Manfredo Kraemer and Simon Standage. As Principal Viola she has appeared with Los Angeles Baroque Orchestra, Bach Collegium San Diego, Los Angeles Bach Society, Vox Profundis, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Pacific Bach Project, Victoria Bach Festival. and La Follia Austin Baroque.

Eric Smith, cello, performs throughout the US as a soloist, chamber musician, and conductor. In addition to serving as Artistic Director of the American Baroque Opera Co., Eric has collaborated with ensembles including the Dallas Bach Socie- ty, Orchestra of New Spain, Ars Lyrica Houston, Ensemble VIII, Dallas Chamber Players, Bach Society of Houston, New York’s Concert Royal, and Texas Camera- ta. Eric performs on a rare cello made in 1751 by Leonhardt Maussiell in Nurem- berg, Germany.

David Dawson, bass, winner of a GRAMMY® Award, currently teaches bass, music theory and humanities at Texas State University. A former member of the professional orchestras of San Antonio and Ft. Worth, he serves as the Principal Bassist for Austin Opera.

Marcus McGuff, flute, plays both modern and Baroque flute. He holds degrees in flute performance from the Eastman School of Music and Indiana University, as well as a Doctor of Musical Arts in flute from the University of Michigan. In addition, Dr. McGuff holds degrees in mathematics from the University of Rochester. He has taught flute at Austin Community College and at Concordia University. Currently, he is Professor of Mathematics at Austin Community College and teaches flute privately. He has studied Baroque flute with Wilbert Hazelzet, Michael Lynn, and Jed Wentz and modern flute with Bonita Boyd.

Adrienne Inglis, flute, received a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance at Lewis and Clark College and a Master of Music in Flute Performance at the University of Texas at Austin. She performs, records, and tours with the flute & harp ensemble Chaski. She also plays principal flute with the Round Rock Symphony, Panoramic Voices, and Chorus Austin. She composes for and sings in Inversion Ensemble. She teaches flute and coaches both the Flute Ensemble and Andean Ensemble at Southwestern University.

Patrick Hughes, horn, is the horn professor at the University of Texas at Austin where he heads the Brass Wind and Percussion division and con- ducts the award-winning UT Horn Choir. He previously taught horn and theory at the University of New Mexico, where he played principal horn with the Santa Fe Symphony and Santa Fe Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra.

Joel Ockerman, horn is an active freelance horn player and teacher in Austin. Dr. Ockerman recently served as acting principal horn of the Lubbock Sympho- ny Orchestra and has also frequently performed with numerous ensembles throughout the state of Texas, including the Austin Symphony, Round Rock Symphony, and the United States Air Force Band of the West. Additionally, he has frequently collaborated with the Austin-based New Music ensemble Densi- ty512, and has performed on natural horn with the Austin Baroque Orchestra.

Keyboard Concerto in D major, K. 107 Wolfgang Amadè Mozart (1756-1791),, after Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782)

We often associate Mozart solely with the fortepiano, and in at least two respects, that is inaccurate. First, Mozart never had a fortepiano in the family home growing up: only a harpsichord and a clavichord. Second, when he began his informal concert tours with his father, it was rare that a venue would have the still finicky and expensive fortepiano. For these reasons, Mozart’s early keyboard concertos were almost certainly for harpsichord, This particular concerto is one of three which are arrangements and expansions on the Op. 5 keyboard sonatas by his idol, Johann Christian Bach, J.S. Bach’s youngest son. The manuscript contain many editorial markings by his father, which suggest they were used to teach Wolfgang composition, as well as serve as concert repertoire.

Keyboard Concerto in F major, HOB XVIII:F2 Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Haydn wrote possibly at least 13 concerti for keyboard. Of these, only 3 have been confirmed as genuine. But this concerto has recently been considered almost certainly early Haydn. Like Mozart, these youthful works were likely for harpsichord (although in Haydn's case, organ is also a possibility.) There is no denying that the sparkling character of this youthful creation is well served by the feisty character of the harpsichord.

Sonatina in B flat major, Wq 110 Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788)

CPE was the second surviving son of J.S. Bach. In his time, he was much more famous than his father. His harmonic and rhythmic concepts were daring and forward-looking even to Beethoven, who admired him. This composition, called a Sonatina but really a three movement concerto, is for two harpsichords. Alt- hough his father wrote many concertos for harpsichords and strings, CPE expand- ed the orchestral palette, here with flutes and horns. Dare we say it, CPE’s is orchestration is more deft than, and the interplay between the harpsichords at least matches, that of his father. This is a sweet, elegant piece where the technical fireworks are subdued in the interests of serene beauty.

Double Concerto in F major, Wq 46 Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

Unlike the Sonatina, this concerto is full of fireworks and the harpsichord parts are both difficult and intricately interwoven. Of particular note is the astonishing second movement, whose harmonic progressions sound challenging even to modern ears, but whose overall effect is profoundly moving.

La Follia is deeply grateful to the following people and institutions La Follian Thomas & Nancy Ciji Isen & Gitanjali Ann Marie Harrison ($5000+) Anger Mathur Todd & Joseph Anonymous (1) Rebecca Baltzer Penny Jarmack Hogan-Sanchez The Jolly Family Evelyn Boyer Donald & Linda Les Case & Eric Trust - in loving Scott and Cherrie Lyman Hougland memory of Kevin Jolly Elkin Jane-Elizabeth M H Houston Sponsor Anne & Ray Ellison Madison and Judd Eileen Houston ($2500—$4999) Rogers Joan Dean Virginia Hyde & Rod Anonymous (2) Natalie Morgan, in Anne & Ray Ellison Howard loving memory of Sustainer Robert and Babette Sarah Harriman Harold Rutz ($1000 - $2499) Laibovitz Mikal Hart Anonymous (4) Diane Nousanen Jennifer Loehlin George & Linda Charles & Betty Louis and Martha Henderson Judith Lundin Galie Oltorf Hans & Marie Betsy & Bill Martino Mary Parse Michael McGinnis Jensen Francine Mastrangelo & Cate Miller Tracy Reindel in memory of Robert Karen Jolly Carolyn McFarland Mary Parse C. McGinnis Jeffrey Kodosky Katherine McIntyre Chula Sims Pong & Muriel Lem Elise A Smith Catherine Melendez Donald Wertz Alaire & Tom Charlotte Sullivan Karen Miller Lowry Patron Manfred Trent Gail Minault ($500 - $999) Annette Stachowitz Ronald Gene Parsons Friend Anonymous John Tempesta (Up to $99) Deborah B. Preston Jill Fatzer Lucia Woodruff Anonymous (8) Karla Renaud & John Rocklin Jack & Terry Donor Kenneth Archibold Lieberknecht ($100 - $249) Gary Berrigan Elynn J. Russell Karen Jolly Anonymous (2) Karen Kay Blizzard Stephen Saunders Duoglas Gullickson Robert and Barbara & Jerold Judy Shipway and Ronald Jernigan Kathleen Buttrey Leon Grizzard Achterberg; in Ronald Landes Hillary Coyle Frank T. Shirley memory of Hal Rutz Harold Rutz Karel Dahmen Charles Smaistrla Timothy Beach in memory of Jason Dick Paul Smith and Dino Viola Rutz Rosalie Boldin Costa Dianne Donovan Paul Rutz , in honor Mark Bruhns Mary Smith Mary Lou Dye of Prof. Harold Rutz Gregory Eaton Doug S Caroline Barbara Epstein Benefactor Frommhold Marcia & Anthony ($250 - $499) Toprac Jill Fatzer Jan & Walter Anonymous Helen & Larry Hames Jo & Jim Wiginton Foster Jerry & Helen Young

This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

for music and the arts in East Austin

Board of Directors Staff Tracy Reindel, President Keith Womer, Director Louis Galie, Vice President Frank Adkins, Venue Manager Gregory Eaton, Secretary Pamela Corn, Treasurer George Dupere Charles Smaistrla

La Follia Austin Baroque PO Box 29773; Austin, TX 78755

http://lafollia.org [email protected] 512.879.6404