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ANTON ARENSKY: Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, op. 32

Anton Stepanovich Arensky (born 1861 in Novgorod, died 1906 in Terijoki, Finland) was a Russian composer, conductor and pianist. Arensky grew up in a musical family and composed his first songs and piano pieces at the tender age of nine. He was a pupil and protégé of Rimsky-Korsakov at the St Pe- tersburg Conservatory and later taught harmony and counterpoint at the Moscow Conservatory where his pupils included Rachmaninov and Scriabin. His works include two symphonies and three operas, but the best known of his compositions is his first piano trio. He suffered from alcohol and gambling dependency from a young age, which caused him even more problems towards the end of his short life. He would ultimately spend the last years of his life in a sanatorium in Finland in an attempt to recover from the tuberculosis that he was battling.

Although many of his works have a Russian feel, he was not as nationalistic as Rimsky-Korsakov. His greatest influence was Tchaikovsky (particularly his lyrical style), whose music drew inspiration more from traditional elements than from Russian nationalism. This is also a strong feature of Arensky’s music: his harmonies are euphonious, rich and romantic, his phrasing is poetic. RANDAL CORSEN Rimsky-Korsakov predicted that Arensky would be forgotten, and to an extent he was right. Fortu- nately, however, his successful and ingenious Trio in D minor, composed in 1894 and dedicated to the virtuoso cellist and director of the St Petersburg Conservatory, Karl Davidov, who had died in 1889, has stood the test of time. It demonstrates his skill and mastery of compositional techniques, whilst also Corsen plays showing something of the influence of Mendelssohn (Piano Trio no. 2 in C minor, op. 66). CORSEN JOSEPH SICKMAN CORSEN The first movement, Allegro moderato, is dominated by three themes. It begins with a simple melody in the violin, which is taken over by the cello. The piano is largely an accompaniment. The second theme is a charming cantilena, whilst the third theme is energetic and very lively. The movement ends with a subtle coda. 12 The main theme of the second movement, a capricious Scherzo, is a fast, light waltz with a splendid, FL

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Credits

Executive Producer: S.E.L. Maduro Muziekstichting Recorded on 4 & 5 December, 2004 by Gilbert Steurbaut at Studio Steurbaut in Gent, Belgium Musical supervision and editing: Florian Heyerick Pictures: Ivan Calmes Artwork: Marcel van den Broek Liner Notes: Wim Statius Muller Management & bookings: Amsterdam Jazz Agency www.amsterdamjazzagency.com Visit Randal Corsen at www.randalcorsen.com

Randal would like to thank

Henry van der Kwast and S.E.L. Maduro Muziekstichting for making all of this possible Fons Rutten for preserving Corsen’s work by writing the most beautiful book ‘Leven en Muziekwerken van de Dichter Musicus J.S. Corsen’ Frans van der Tak for your enthusiastic involvement in this project, and for feeding my love for classical music during my studies Wim Statius Muller and Robert Rojer for your expert advice and suggestions during the master-classes, and Wim Statius Muller for your most beautiful liner notes Gilbert Steurbaut, Florian Heyerick, Joep van der Plas, Ivan Calmes. Also thanks to Governor Frits Goedgedrag and his family, to allow us to have the photo shoot at the Governor’s palace in Curaçao.

I would like to dedicate this recording in loving memory to ‘ oom Jo’ Joseph Sickman Corsen (1919 – 1996), who was the fi rst one to open my eyes on my musical heritage, and to my whole family for being so supportive during all those years -Randal Corsen 2 11

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NOTES FROM THE INTERPRETER THE MUSIC OF JOSEPH SICKMAN CORSEN

-Waltzes no 5, 6, 11 and 12 (tracks 5, 8, 13 and 18) 1853 – 1911 These waltzes were numbered by Fons Rutten, as documented in his book ‘Leven en Muziekwerken van de Dichter-Musicus J.S. Corsen’. The original titles are unknown. (By Wim Statius Muller)

-2nd Mazurka Nocturne (track 4) The recording of a substantial number of compositions by Joseph Sickman Corsen, a 19th century The ending was missing; some repeats were added and the last tree measures of the ending were newly pianist and composer from Curaçao, is an event of historical significance for music lovers on the island composed by the interpreter in order to restore the piece. of his birth. Indeed, it should be of interest to musicians in the entire Caribbean region and beyond. In this recording, the composer’s great-grandson, Randal Corsen, performs his forebear’s music -Waltz no 6 (track 5) with the utmost respect and dedication, and the resulting CD is a most felicitous recognition of Corsen’s The introduction was added by the interpreter. contribution to the musical heritage of the Netherlands Antilles in general, and of Curaçao in particular.

-Waltzes no 6, 11 and 12 (tracks 5, 13 and 18) It took three generations for this to come about, for Corsen’s primary legacy is not as a musician, but as the In some parts the left hand figurations have been adapted to the typical Antillean waltz movement. poet who awakened his community’s literary interest in the vernacular Papiamentu. Until recently it was not generally known that he had earned his living as an organist and bandmaster, teaching piano and violin, -Mazurka (track 12) and writing articles about music. The poet’s musical identity was overshadowed by that of several other From the original manuscript just the first page could be found, the rest of the piece is lost. The page composers of salon dances, a genre that evolved on the island during the second half of the 19th century. ends with the first 2 measures of the second part of the trio (in F minor). 14 newly composed measures were added, using material of the first 2 measures of the F minor part, some repeats were added, and While these traditional Caribbean dances like waltzes, danzas, mazurkas and tumbas represent the most the ending was newly composed by the interpreter in order to complete and restore the piece. The authentically Antillean music, neither Corsen nor his contemporaries were satisfied with writing only original title could not be traced. popular dance music. All wrote some “art” music besides, in which they competed not only with each other, but also with the music bequeathed them by composers such as Schubert, Chopin, Liszt and Mendelssohn. In such a daunting musical environment, a composer’s mettle is put to a severe test.

Besides the indefinable gift of creativity, a composer’s training, discipline and sensitivity will tell, and all indeed do so in both Corsen’s art-music and his salon-dances. One would listen in vain for poor voice leading; not a single parallel fifth will be heard. His writing is pianistically clever and idiomatic; his 10 3 harmonic structures interesting, his modulations smooth. All this is no small feat for a partly autodidactic composer living far away from the music capitals of the world in a small community,

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where the challenges to making ends meet were so great that leisure was rarely spent on things artistic. RANDAL CORSEN

It would be unfair to measure Corsen’s melodic writing by the standards of the great romantic composers; With the distinctive way he blends Jazz with influences from classical, Antillean and however, he does compare favorably to many internationally recognized predecessors or contemporaries, Latin-American music, the Antillean pianist Randal Corsen has gained much recognition. such as Henri Bertini, whose etudes he would assign to his pupils. In the latter half of the 19th century In 2004, he was honoured with the EDISON Jazz Award, the most prestigious music award much European romantic music was trivialized by sentimentality common to many of the short piano in the Netherlands, for his album ‘Evolushon’. pieces that were favorites of diligent piano students. Corsen was no doubt influenced by now forgotten figures such as the Frenchman Ignace Leybach and the German Gustav Lange, who were being lionized Randal was born on the island of Curaçao, the Netherlands Antilles, in 1972. He comes from a family when he set out to write his art-music. He does use their idiom, but judging by the subtlety of his Rêverie, that has played a prominent role in the development of Antillean music and literature. He is the the Meditación, and his Mazurkas and Nocturnes, he recognized – and avoided - an excess of Schmaltz great-grandchild of the well-known Curaçaoan poet and musician Joseph Sickman Corsen and he is when he heard it. As a child of his time, Corsen loved Italian opera, much of which came to Curaçao related to composer and conductor Chris Ulder and poets Oda Blinder and Charles Corsen. filtered through the Spanish zarzuela, and its theatrical element is never quite absent from his music. Before his 18th birthday, Randal left home for the Netherlands, to study music at the Fontys Conservatorium How can one best approach that music today? Corsen’s great-grandson, by training and inclination a in Tilburg. In 1997, he graduated cum laude (with honours) with Willem Kühne and Frans van der Tak. jazz pianist, took a risk when he decided to take it upon himself to bring his forebear’s music back into During his studies, he founded the trio ‘Cross Currents’, with which he won the 1997 Breda Jazz contest. the public domain. Randal Corsen has earned a great deal of success in his own field, but the fluid, With this trio, he recorded two albums: ‘Mixed Emotions’ (1997) and ‘Sunú’ (1999). improvisational character of his jazz is far removed from the music of Joseph Sickman Corsen, who invariably wrote meticulously precise scores which demand an understanding of the classical style. The Aside from various free-lance activities, Randal composed and arranged music for albums of amongst fact that several of these pieces survived only in incomplete manuscript presented a special challenge. The others jazz vocalist Izaline Calister, classical vocalist Tania Kross, latin-jazz quintet Bye-ya!, percussionists interpreter reconstructed these by drawing specifically from the composer’s other work. The results are Gerardo Rosales and Martin Verdonk. He also composed and produced the music score for the Antillean admirable. In his playing, the pianist does not seek to impose his personality upon the composer’s. movie ‘Zulaika’. He collaborated with many well-known Jazz musicians, such as David Sánchez, Paquito D’Rivera, Denise Jannah, Ronald Snijders, Roy Hargrove, Ignacio Berroa, Orestes Vilato, Lucas van As a rule, he wisely resists the temptation to linger too lovingly on a somewhat sentimental passage. Although Merwijk, and with the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. this does at times result in the playing seeming a bit detached, the essential subtleties are there; and rather than play this 19th century music with a kind of 21st century voyeurism, Randal Corsen takes the listener Currently, Randal teaches at the Fontys Conservatorium in Tilburg and at the Conservatorium in back to Curaçao in the late eighteen hundreds, with all the formality that characterized the society for Amsterdam. He regularly gives successful concerts on Curaçao, where he is considered to be one of the which the music was written. A révérence is precisely that. There is no tongue in cheek, nor should there be. Ambassadors for Antillean music abroad. In 2004, the ‘Asosiashon di Músiko Kòrsou’, the Curaçaoan Association of Music, honoured him with their highest award. 4 9 Many of the 23 pieces Randal Corsen selected for rediscovery on the CD are waltzes in the salon- dance style of the period. In the early waltzes the accompaniment is still in a rather straightforward On Corsen plays Corsen, the classical side of Randal Corsen as a pianist comes to light.

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On Curaçao, the appreciation of Corsen the musician did not keep pace with that of Corsen the poet. In European 3/4 meter. The ambiguity of six consecutive eighth notes instead of three quarters time, people forgot that he had been a professional music teacher and that he had been, aside from the was introduced in the later fast waltzes, allowing for subdivision in a duple as well as a triple well-known poet, a meritorious composer. meter. In the slower waltzes a dactylic rhythm is more likely to prevail. Randal Corsen has - justifiably - taken some liberties in the figurations for the left hand. These have ‘Antilleanized’ Mr. Fons Rutten, the author of the book ‘Life and music of poet-musician J.S. Corsen’ (pub. Van Gorcum, the accompaniment where the rhythmic flow of the composition stood to gain from it. the Netherlands, 1983), is responsible for collecting and rediscovering many of Corsen’s compositions, hence preventing the irretrievable loss of his music. The entire collection reveals clearly that Joseph Sickman Corsen was an accomplished pianist and that He wrote this book to give an insight into the life and music of this most remarkable personality in - unless he was writing something for a pupil - he expected performers of his music to possess an Curaçao’s cultural life, with the aim to preserve his compositions for future generations. appreciable level of facility. Many of his contemporaries in Curaçao wrote salon-dances in keys with no His book includes a collection of all traced compositions by J.S. Corsen, both those that had already been more than one or two sharps or flats. Confronting a performer with a composition with lots of black keys published, and those that were discovered as a manuscript. was tantamount to condemning the piece to oblivion. Even in sophisticated Vienna, Franz Schubert was once forced to transpose an Impromptu from G-flat Major to G-Major to satisfy a worried publisher. Joseph This album features 23 compositions of this collection. Sickman Corsen was not troubled by publishers, nor did he stoop to simplify matters for the ungifted.

There is poetic justice in the emergence of an unusually gifted descendant, who has brought his talents and his professionalism to bear in a well-deserved tribute to a fine composer, whose music can once again be heard in its authentic form.

Wim Statius Muller (pianist, composer)

8 5

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JOSEPH SICKMAN CORSEN (1853 – 1911)

Poet and musician Joseph Sickman Corsen was born on the island of Curaçao, the Netherlands Antilles, on the 13th of December 1853. ‘Jo’, as his friends called him, grew up in a family where music and literature were part of daily life. His father, Daniel Corsen, who played the piano and the bassoon, was a well-known music teacher in the midst of the 19th century. Jo’s musical development was, aside from the contribution by his father, cultivated by his uncle Chris Ulder (1843-1895), who was a music teacher, composer, conductor, pianist, organ-player and bandmaster. Already as a young man, Jo Corsen played the piano, organ and guitar well. He gave his first piano-recital when he was just thirteen years old.

As a music teacher, a profession which did not pay very well in that day and age, providing for his wife and five children was not easy for Jo Corsen. He supplemented his income by giving piano, singing and violin lessons, writing music reviews and tutoring in mathematics. He also functioned as a conductor, bandmaster, organ player and editor of ‘Notas i Letras’, the first weekly paper on Curaçao that was dedicated to music and literature. In this paper, which appeared from 1886 till 1888, a number of his compositions were published. It is a remarkable feat that, with all these occupations and activities, Jo still found the time to create an oeuvre of more than one hundred poems and, by estimation, the same amount of compositions.

Jo Corsen preferred to write in Spanish and his fondness for this language is reflected in the fact that most of his compositions were given Spanish titles. Nonetheless, in Antillean literary circles he is quite rightly considered to be the Antillean poet who has been instrumental in the development of the literature that is written in Papiamentu, the Creole language that is spoken on Curaçao. On the Antilles, he is best known for his poem ‘Atardi’. Joseph Sickman Corsen died in his house at Pietermaai, on the 8th of October 1911, after a short illness.

Corsen was known as an undemanding man, modest in his dealings with others and an amiable father. He 6 7 gladly gave away his compositions and poems to friends and acquaintances, which is one of the reasons that a number of his compositions have been lost.

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