E G O S P E W

The typographically clever title above is not my creation, but I did find this cool engraving on Gutenberg.org (normally my go-to source for classic Nook reading content).  The image represents, best as any, the upcoming concert by the Syracuse Vocal Ensemble, with which I am pleasantly associated.  (It was they who combined with the Hobart & William Smith Chorale plus invited performers for the Carmina Burana concert this past October.)

This upcoming concert, with performances December 11th and 12th, contains an assortment of absolutely delightful Christmas carols from various sources, selected by Bob Cowles, who has been directing the SVE for some 15 years.  Several pieces are arranged by Jeffrey Van and there is a suite by Conrad Susa.  The singing is some of the most challenging I’ve encountered and the 24 ensemble members are all first-rate musicians.  I highly encourage your attendance at one of the performances.

Perhaps most importantly for some, the Christmas Pie performance will be immediately followed by a “sumptuous reception boasting a wide assortment of delicious pies.”  . . .Two of which, might I add, (chocolate-bourbon-pecan and mocha-walnut) will be created by my talented wife Laurel.  Ahhhh, music to my palate.

Plucking the Christmas Goose…PIE: Music for Choir and Guitar

Saturday, December 11, 2010, 7:30 PM
United Church of Fayetteville
310 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville, NY

Sunday, December 12, 2010, 3:00 PM
Liverpool First United Methodist Church
604 Oswego St., Liverpool, NY

Our second program of the season also showcases local instrumental talent as Kenneth Meyer, classical guitar, Ursula Kwasnicka, harp, and Anthony Calebrese, marimba, join the ensemble for a lovely assortment of Christmas works for chorus and guitar. The group will present traditional as well as more recently composed music for the season. As always, the Christmas Pie performance will be immediately followed by a sumptuous reception boasting a wide assortment of delicious pies.

Haydn and Mozart, though born 24 years apart, palled around Vienna together and ended up great buddies, with enormous mutual respect.  They were individual musical geniuses, but admitted to learning much from one another. Wolfgang dubbed Franz “Papa” and Franz called Wolfie “Spritzen” (“Squirt”). Later, Crazy Ludwig joined the gang and they terrorized the learned establishment under the ironic moniker “Viennese School”.

Here will be performed a couple of Latin masses that represent each composer’s workmanlike mastery of his craft.  Yours truly am occupying the customary roles: humble first tenor and producer of posters and programs.

Carmina Burana

Everyone should have the Carmina Burana experience at least once before they die. Listening to it is good, performing it much better. (Some, I’ve heard tell, even dance it.) I have now done it twice, first in 1962 as a boy soprano piping the ragazzi bits, plus this past October as a more mature adult blasting the first tenor parts. I suspect the raucous pagan depravity of the piece speaks to a phase of one’s development somewhere in between.

My next appearance on stage will be as a soldier and wedding guest (i.e. chorus member) in this production of Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte.  Get giddy.

Cosi Fan Tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Friday & Saturday July 30 & 31, 2010

Smith Opera House

Geneva, NY

Our local wild bunnies are resting up as they prepare for tomorrow’s heroic duties.  Note that while Santa is only one single dude who has to cover all the world delivering presents in a few-hour sweep, Peter Rabbit and all his assistants are each about 1/300th the physical stature of the Bearded One.  And I’m not convinced of their logistical prowess in executing the Mailman Algorithm (to maximize efficiency delivering to X destinations arranged in Y configuration).  But they couldn’t be cuter.

Rest well, my furry friends; tomorrow’s the big day.