Chamber Music of the Baroque Era and the Classical Era

Release date: October 18, 2020, at 6pm (the concert is also available anytime for 30 days thereafter)

Chamber Music of the Baroque Era and the Classical Era

Part I: The Baroque Era

Sonnerie de Sainte-Geneviève du Mont de Paris Marin Marais (1656-1728) Stephen Redfield, Eric Smith, Keith Womer

Sonata no. 3 in G minor, BWV 1029 for viola da gamba and harpsichord Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Vivace / Adagio / Allegro Eric Smith, Keith Womer

Trio Sonata in G Major, TWV 42:G10 Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) Cantabile / Vivace / Affettuoso / Allegro Stephen Redfield, Eric Smith, Keith Womer

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Chamber Music of the Baroque Era and the Classical Era

Part II: The Classical Era

Sonata no. 21 in E minor, K. 304 for violin and fortepiano Wolfgang Amadè Mozart (1756-1791) Allegro / Tempo di Menuetto Stephen Redfield, Anton Nel

Piano Trio no. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 11 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Allegro con brio / Adagio / Allegretto* Stephen Redfield, Eric Smith, Anton Nel

* Variations on the aria “Pria ch’io l’impegno” by Joseph Weigl

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Anton Nel, fortepiano, 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.

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Stephen Redfield, violin, concertmaster, also leads the orchestras of Conspirare, 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 participated in numerous recordings includ- ing the Grammy® award-winning disc Credo. Stephen served for five years as Assistant Concertmaster with the Austin Symphony while earning a doctorate at the University of Texas. He also per- forms internationally as a soloist and a chamber musician on both modern and Baroque violin. Stephen teaches violin at the Univer- sity of Southern Mississippi School of Music, where he joins his colleagues in the Impromptu Piano Trio. In 2019, Stephen received the Austin Critics Table award for best classical instrumentalist.

Eric Smith, gamba, has been praised by critics for his “flawless lightness and grace” and called “the very model of an elegant cellist”. Eric is a multi-faceted musician, performing early mu- sic on period instruments, to contemporary music. As a solo- ist, chamber musician, and continuo player, Eric has collabo- rated with the Dallas Bach Society, Orchestra of New Spain, Texas Camerata, Ars Lyrica Houston, Sonare, Ensemble VIII, Denton Bach Society, Dallas Chamber Players, Bach Society of Houston, New York’s Concert Royal, and the New York Baroque Dance Company. His recordings have been heard on both NPR’s Performance Today, and Public Radio Interna- tional, and he was featured in an interview in the 125th Anniversary issue of The Strad magazine.

Keith Womer, harpsichord, organ and director of La Follia, studied organ with Raymond Ocock of Westminster College and harpsichord with Will Volcker in Houston, Texas. He was named “Artist of the Year” by Keyboard Arts, Inc. and twice won the National Federation of Music Clubs award. He was soloist with the Chautauqua Symphony and was a featured artist on the Houston Harpsichord Society concert series. He has performed with the Texas Early Music Project, Chorus Austin, the Victoria Symphony and Conspirare. He has been a member of La Follia since 1994, and director since 2004. He was awarded the Austin Critics Table Award for best classical instrumentalist in 2015-2016. He is currently organist at University Presbyterian Church in Austin. 5

In this concert, we contrast how the Baroque Era and Classical Era approached music written for 2-3 players. It is a mistake to think of it as some kind of ascendant evolution culminating in Beethoven, any more than it is to think of a Picasso as “better” than a Boticelli. Rather, think of it as music composed based on the norms of the time, but seeking new ways to excite the passions of contemporary listeners.

For the first half of the program, featuring Baroque chamber music, Keith Womer will perform on the harpsichord, the preferred ensemble keyboard instrument of the Ba- roque era, and Eric Smith will perform on the viola da gamba. Although it looks like a cello, the gamba is the bass instrument of a entirely distinct family of strings. Its sound is more supple and nuanced than the cello, and its range is much greater. Both the gam- ba and the harpsichord lack the power and projection of the cello and fortepiano re- spectively, but that is by design. The aesthetic of the time was for a rounder sound which allowed the instruments to blend rather than stand out individually.

In the second half of the program, featuring Classical chamber music, Anton Nel will perform on the fortepiano, which became the premier keyboard instrument of the Clas- sical era. Eric will switch to a cello. However, both instruments, as well as Stephen Red- field’s violin, are still quite different from modern instruments. They produce a more rounded, responsive sound that Mozart and Beethoven wrote music for.

We hope you are inspired by this music. We also hope you enjoy learning how beauty is created in different eras.

Sonnerie de Ste. Genevieve - Marin Marais In most chamber music of the late Baroque era, the bass string (cello or gamba) would play (or “double”) the bass line of the harpsichord. In this piece by Marias, we see the beginnings of the bass instrument breaking free of this restriction. The gamba follows the general outline of the bass, but now often asserts its own independent line, leaving the harpsichord to repeat the three chord pattern evoking the tolling of the bells of St. Gene- vieve. The fact that Marais was the greatest gamba player of his day certainly had some- thing to do with the novel gamba part! In any case, it is astonishing how much invention Marais wrests from a three chord pattern repeated over nearly eight minutes.

Sonata No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 1029 - J. S. Bach This is a trio sonata designed to be played by two people! The left hand (bass) and the right hand (treble) of the harpsichord are quite independent, with the gamba supply- ing the third part. As is typical for Bach sonatas, his writing is very dense yet thrilling. Hang on and try to keep up!

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Trio Sonata in G Major, TWV 42:G10 - Georg Phillip Telemann In his day, Telemann was more famous and considered a more accomplished com- poser than Bach. While have come to recognize Bach’s genius, we should be careful not to take anything away from Telemann. In this trio sonata we now see full inde- pendence of the three instruments. This was still a rarity. That said, it is not surpris- ing that Telemann, one of the most creative as well as one of the most prolific com- posers ever, would think to compose it.

Violin Sonata No. 21 in E minor, K. 303 - Wolfgang Amade Mozart

We take a break from music for three instruments to hear this sublime solo sonata by Mozart. The sound of the fortepiano is more delicate and nuanced, and less sus- tained, than its modern counterpart, which lends a welcome transparency to the music. The violin and bow, also characteristic of the period, is able to produce a mellower sound which blends well with the fortepiano.

Piano Trio in B-flat Major, Op. 11 - Ludwig van Beethoven In this famous trio by Beethoven, the three instruments are not only distinct melod- ically, they are often distinct in personality, one pulling or pushing the other, and then blending in moments of exquisite harmony. The final movement is a set of variations on “Pria ch’io l’impegno” by Joseph Weigl. Perhaps this infectious little ditty became an “earworm” for Beethoven, who could not let it go until he explored every musical possibility that could arise from it.

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La Follia is deeply grateful to the following people and institutions 2019-2020 La Follia Donors La Follian Joan Dean Hans & Marie Norman Blumensaadt ($5000+) Gregory Eaton Jensen Martha Boyd Anonymous Karen Jolly Dnaiel Johnson Barbara buttery Sponsor Jeffrey Kodosky Ward Keeler Karel Dahmen ($2500—$4999) Pong and Muriel JiMin Kim Jason Dick Anonymous (2) Lem Jack & Terry Mary Dye Sustainer Donald and Linda Lieberknecht Barbara Epstein ($1000 - $2499) Lyman Alaire & Tom Emma Hampton Anonymous Smaistrla Law Firm Lowry Eric Houghland Patron Megan Spencer Jane-Elizabeth Eileen Houston ($500 - $999) Annette Stachowitz Madison & Judd Clare Leddy Anonymous John Tempesta Rogers Glenn Lewis Timothy and Sheryl David and Kathleen Catherine Melendez Beach Wright Francine Jennifer Loehlin Classical Music Paul Woodruff Mastrangelo Nedra Low Lovers Dinner Club Cate Miller Judith Lundin Richard Campbell Donor ($100 - $249) Natalie N. Morgan Donald Lyman Jill Fatzer Anonymous Charles Oltorf Carolyn McFarland Martha and Louis Karen Miller Galie Rosalie Boldin Tracy Parkhurst Gail Minault Duoglas Gullickson Tim and Pat Brown Mary Parse Priscilla Mojica-Rust Ronald Landes Dianne Donovan Michael Scheinberg Ronald Gene Parsons Harold Rutz Gregory Eaton Judith Shipway Elynn J Russel in memory of Anne & Ray Ellison Elise A Smith Viola Rutz Barbara Epstein Mario Sanchez Charlotte Sullivan Paul Rutz , in honor Helen & Larry Paul Smtih & Dino of Prof. Harold Rutz Foster Gena Tabery Costa The Knot Janet Teal Benefactor Karlen Gross Worldwide ($250 - $499) James Hadden Marcia & Anthony Stanley Roux & Pat Toprac Anonymous Janice Hames Victor Manfred Trent Sarah Anderson Sarah J. Harriman Bill Vandersteel Thomas & Nancy Janet Hauber Friend Anger (Up to $99) Patricia Victor Martha & Hal Anonymous (5) Jo & Jim Wiginton Rebecca Baltzer Hopson Kenneth Archibold Jerry & Helen Young Ara Carapetyan & Eric Houghland Rebecca Pigott Timothy Beach

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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 Frank Adkins, Venue Manager Louis Galie, Vice President Gregory Eaton, Secretary Pamela Corn, Treasurer George Dupere Charles Smaistrla

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

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