Author Archives: Edward Reichel

About Edward Reichel

Edward Reichel, author, writer and composer, has been covering the classical music scene in Utah since 1997. For many years he served as the primary music critic for the Deseret News. He has also written for a number of publications, including Chamber Music Magazine, OPERA Magazine, 15 Bytes, Park City Magazine and Salt Lake Magazine. He holds a Ph.D. in composition from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He can be reached at ed.reichel@gmail.com. Reichel Recommends is also on Twitter @ReichelArts.

CD Focuses on Two 20th Century Yugoslav Composers

Posted on by
Reply

Marko Tajcevic, “Seven Balkan Dances,” Josip Slavenski, Piano Sonata, op. 4; Jelena Cingara, piano. ****

This album features two strongly contrasting works by two significant Yugoslav composers. Pianist Jelena Cingara’s decision to pair these works was a good one, as it shows the diversity of styles that was present in 20th century Yugoslavia.
The “Seven Balkan Dances” by Marko Tajcevic (1900-84) are vibrant and dynamic. Written in a modern harmonic idiom and charged with rhythmic vitality, they’re somewhat reminiscent of Béla Bartók’s Balkan pieces, yet at the same time they are refreshingly different.
Cingara captures the energy and passion of each dance with her well defined rhythmic sense and finely shaded execution. Her playing is crisp with clean intonation and subtle pedaling, and her interpretation leaves nothing to be desired.
The same also holds true for Cingara’s performance of the other work on this disc, the Piano Sonata, op. 4, by Josip Slavenski (1896-1955).
Slavenski’s piece is a study in contrasts; it’s robust and masculine while also exploring a more lyrical thread. It contains folk elements, but it’s also at times abstract. The harmonic language is tonal but within a broader definition of tonality. It’s not an easy task making all of this flow seamlessly, but Cingara manages to do just that in her marvelous interpretation.
As with Tajcevic’s dances, Cingara gives a strong, hearty performance that captures the disparate characteristics of the work. Her playing is clean, crisp, precise and fluid. She makes this piece exciting and vibrant.
This is a fine disc for people who are interested in exploring little known works by composers who are underrepresented on recordings.

VIVALDI BY CANDLELIGHT CONCERT CELEBRATES ITS 35TH YEAR

Posted on by
Reply

One of the most beloved holiday traditions in Salt Lake City is the Vivaldi by Candlelight concert. A benefit for the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy, a non profit organization dedicated to promoting global understanding and respect between the people of Utah and other nations, the concert series is celebrating its 35th year this week.
Titled A Baroque Kaleidoscope, the program features music by the concert’s namesake, Antonio Vivaldi, and his German contemporary J.S. Bach. There will also be music by Heinrich Biber, Giuseppe Brescianello, Pietro Castrucci and Alessandro Stradella. Highly regarded as composers and performers in their day (late 17th and early 18th centuries), they’re now mostly forgotten except as footnotes in music history textbooks.(Credit: Nicholas Steffens)
Music director of the concert series, Gerald Elias, noted that Vivaldi had also suffered the same fate after his death. After his music was rediscovered and began being performed in the 20th century, he finally assumed his rightful place next to Bach and George Frideric Handel as one of the most important and respected composers of the baroque era.
The same hasn’t yet happened with Biber, Brescianella, Castrucci and Stradella. And it’s unlikely that they’ll ever become household names. “They’re more like curiosities,” Elias said in an interview, “although Stradella wrote some beautiful music. In fact, we’re opening the concert with a very sublime piece of his.”
Finding music by these long obscure composers is fairly easy, Elias admitted. First, he searches for baroque composers on YouTube. When he finds music he likes and which he believes will work on the concert, he looks it up on imslp.org, which houses thousands of works that are in the public domain. May of those works are scans of the original manuscript. “I love finding manuscripts, because you get to go right to the horse’s mouth, as it were,” Elias said. “The manuscripts are free from editorial additions, and that’s the best way to learn the music.”
Elias has been the music director of the Vivaldi series since 2004. He feels there is a need for an outlet devoted to the music of the baroque era. “There is so much great music from this period that deserves to be played and heard,” he said. “And it needs to be heard in churches and small halls, where its transparency and clarity and angelic sound can be appreciated.”
The concert takes place on Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. in First Presbyterian Church, 12 C St. Tickets are $25-$125 and include a discounted student price. They can be purchased online at brownpapertickets.com or by calling 801-832-3270.