Music on Thursdays
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Thursday
11th August 2022
12.30 lunchtime
Modern Muse - British Music for Viola & Piano
Victoria Bernath
viola, composer
Thomas Ang
piano
Programme
Eibhlis Farrell (b 1953)
Penelope Weaving (1994) for solo viola
Victoria Bernath
Untold (2022) for viola-voice
Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979)
Viola Sonata (1919)
1 Impetuoso - ma non troppo Allegro
2 Vivace
3 Adagio
Concert duration approx: 45 minutes
Please donate to help fund these concerts at: cafdonate.cafonline.org/14455
Dr Victoria Bernath, FRSM
Victoria Bernath (PhD) is an award-winning, British-Canadian violist and composer quickly gaining international recognition for her performances and music.
She studied viola at the Royal Academy of Music with Garfield Jackson and Yuko Inoue, and with Halle Orchestra concertmaster, Paul Barritt (violin). During her studies at the Royal Academy Music, she formed the Meridian Duo with Thomas Ang (piano). Together, Victoria and Thomas enjoy exploring and performing programmes that celebrate late Romantic and 20th century repertoire, and works composed by women.
As a Sir Jack Lyons Scholar, Victoria recently completed a PhD in which she examined the development of virtuosity in British viola playing (1880-1910), which included the world premiere of Emil Kreuz’s Viola Concerto (1893).
A prodigious performer, she is a regular soloist in the UK and USA, and plays with ensembles including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic, the Hallé, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
As a composer, Victoria’s work includes commissions from the Royal Opera House, the Concertgebouw Bruges, the Canadian Space Agency, and the Open University. Her music has been performed internationally in Canada, China, Belgium, France, Germany, and the UK (including BBC Radios 1, 2, & 3).
www.victoriabernath.com
photography: © 2022 Nick Rutter
She studied viola at the Royal Academy of Music with Garfield Jackson and Yuko Inoue, and with Halle Orchestra concertmaster, Paul Barritt (violin). During her studies at the Royal Academy Music, she formed the Meridian Duo with Thomas Ang (piano). Together, Victoria and Thomas enjoy exploring and performing programmes that celebrate late Romantic and 20th century repertoire, and works composed by women.
As a Sir Jack Lyons Scholar, Victoria recently completed a PhD in which she examined the development of virtuosity in British viola playing (1880-1910), which included the world premiere of Emil Kreuz’s Viola Concerto (1893).
A prodigious performer, she is a regular soloist in the UK and USA, and plays with ensembles including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic, the Hallé, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
As a composer, Victoria’s work includes commissions from the Royal Opera House, the Concertgebouw Bruges, the Canadian Space Agency, and the Open University. Her music has been performed internationally in Canada, China, Belgium, France, Germany, and the UK (including BBC Radios 1, 2, & 3).
www.victoriabernath.com
photography: © 2022 Nick Rutter
Thomas Ang
Pianist Thomas Ang studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Hamish Milne and Diana Ketler, and at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with Andrew West and Eugene Asti. He has won prizes for his performances of Beethoven, Frederick Delius, Arthur Bliss and the contemporary piano repertoire, and has been praised for his thoughtful and critical programming and excellent technique.
He has also earned recognition as a specialist in the music of Nikolai Kapustin, having played and conducted world premieres of his compositions in the UK, US, Singapore, Australia and Taiwan.
With a strong interest in contemporary music, Thomas has performed John Cage at the Purcell Room and Boulez at the Aldeburgh Music Festival. His piano duo (Duo Ex Libris) performed the complete non-sonata piano works of Boulez, including the two books of Structures in London; they have also played various recital programmes in Australia and around the UK and made multiple
appearances on Radio 3.
In other chamber groups he maintains a strong interest in unusual repertoire of the late Romantic, as well as mid-20th-century British music. He has worked with conductors such as Susanna Mälkki, Clement Power, Sian Edwards and Jonathan Berman as well as composers Oliver Knussen, John Adams and Nikolai Kapustin in playing their music. He has also played in classes by Stephen Hough, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Imogen Cooper, Kathryn Stott and Yevgeny Sudbin among others.
Off the concert stage, Thomas works as a répétiteur and ballet pianist. He sometimes accompanies and improvises for silent film, appearing at various festivals and events. Thomas also plays the violin, and writes poetry and piano transcriptions of songs and symphonies.
He has also earned recognition as a specialist in the music of Nikolai Kapustin, having played and conducted world premieres of his compositions in the UK, US, Singapore, Australia and Taiwan.
With a strong interest in contemporary music, Thomas has performed John Cage at the Purcell Room and Boulez at the Aldeburgh Music Festival. His piano duo (Duo Ex Libris) performed the complete non-sonata piano works of Boulez, including the two books of Structures in London; they have also played various recital programmes in Australia and around the UK and made multiple
appearances on Radio 3.
In other chamber groups he maintains a strong interest in unusual repertoire of the late Romantic, as well as mid-20th-century British music. He has worked with conductors such as Susanna Mälkki, Clement Power, Sian Edwards and Jonathan Berman as well as composers Oliver Knussen, John Adams and Nikolai Kapustin in playing their music. He has also played in classes by Stephen Hough, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Imogen Cooper, Kathryn Stott and Yevgeny Sudbin among others.
Off the concert stage, Thomas works as a répétiteur and ballet pianist. He sometimes accompanies and improvises for silent film, appearing at various festivals and events. Thomas also plays the violin, and writes poetry and piano transcriptions of songs and symphonies.
Programme Notes provided by Victoria Bernath, PhD, FRSM
Eibhlis Farrell (pronounced Eileesh, like Eileen) (b1953) is a composer based in Northern Ireland. Born in Rostrevor (Co Down) who began composing music at a young age. She studied music at Queen’s University, Belfast, and subsequently completed a PhD in composition at Rutgers University, New Jersey. Upon completion of her studies, Farrell worked as a freelance composer and became Head of Music Creative Media at the Dundalk Institute of Technology.
Her works have been performed and broadcast internationally. She received the Arts Council of Northern Ireland artist's residency in the Banff Centre, Canada in 2007. She is currently a member of Aosdana (a prestigious Irish association of artists).
Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979) was a British-American composer and violist. She was born in Harrow and studied viola at the Royal Academy of Music, and composition at the Royal College of Music. In 1912, she joined Henry Wood’s renowned Queens’s Hall Orchestra, thereby becoming one of the country’s first female professional orchestral musicians. She quickly gained recognition as an excellent violist and performed with other leading ensembles of the era including the English Ensemble, a piano quartet she co-founded with cellist May Mukle in 1927. In the 1930’s, she moved to the United States, where she remained for the rest of her life.
Clarke’s composition output was not extensive, and her portfolio primarily encompasses chamber music (including string quartets, a piano trio, songs, sonatas, and duos). Sadly, Clarke’s compositions remained mostly unacknowledged during her lifetime, and she ceased composing shortly after her marriage to fellow composer, James Friskin (1886-1967).
However, interest in her compositions revived with a radio broadcast to celebrate her 90th birthday (in 1976), and with the establishment of the Rebecca Clarke Society, which promotes the study and performance of her music. Clarke’s work is now internationally recognised for its technical intricacies and artistic power.
The Viola Sonata was written in 1919 for a competition sponsored by renowned arts patron, Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. It achieved joint first place with Ernest Bloch’s Suite for Viola, earning what Clarke herself called “my one brief whiff of fame”. Clarke’s composition style encompasses across a range of twentieth century influences including Impressionism, Neo-classicism and most notably post Romanticism. Due to copyright issues, some of her works have yet to be published.
Eibhlis Farrell (pronounced Eileesh, like Eileen) (b1953) is a composer based in Northern Ireland. Born in Rostrevor (Co Down) who began composing music at a young age. She studied music at Queen’s University, Belfast, and subsequently completed a PhD in composition at Rutgers University, New Jersey. Upon completion of her studies, Farrell worked as a freelance composer and became Head of Music Creative Media at the Dundalk Institute of Technology.
Her works have been performed and broadcast internationally. She received the Arts Council of Northern Ireland artist's residency in the Banff Centre, Canada in 2007. She is currently a member of Aosdana (a prestigious Irish association of artists).
Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979) was a British-American composer and violist. She was born in Harrow and studied viola at the Royal Academy of Music, and composition at the Royal College of Music. In 1912, she joined Henry Wood’s renowned Queens’s Hall Orchestra, thereby becoming one of the country’s first female professional orchestral musicians. She quickly gained recognition as an excellent violist and performed with other leading ensembles of the era including the English Ensemble, a piano quartet she co-founded with cellist May Mukle in 1927. In the 1930’s, she moved to the United States, where she remained for the rest of her life.
Clarke’s composition output was not extensive, and her portfolio primarily encompasses chamber music (including string quartets, a piano trio, songs, sonatas, and duos). Sadly, Clarke’s compositions remained mostly unacknowledged during her lifetime, and she ceased composing shortly after her marriage to fellow composer, James Friskin (1886-1967).
However, interest in her compositions revived with a radio broadcast to celebrate her 90th birthday (in 1976), and with the establishment of the Rebecca Clarke Society, which promotes the study and performance of her music. Clarke’s work is now internationally recognised for its technical intricacies and artistic power.
The Viola Sonata was written in 1919 for a competition sponsored by renowned arts patron, Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. It achieved joint first place with Ernest Bloch’s Suite for Viola, earning what Clarke herself called “my one brief whiff of fame”. Clarke’s composition style encompasses across a range of twentieth century influences including Impressionism, Neo-classicism and most notably post Romanticism. Due to copyright issues, some of her works have yet to be published.
Recordings of the works in today's concert
Eibhlis Farrell (b 1953)
Penelope Weaving (1994) for solo viola
Not finding a recording of Penelope Weaving, we turn instead to a piece of Farrell's choral work. We hope it gives a feel for the composer's style. This is Ave Maria, sung by Nazareth College Treble Choir in the Beston Hall of Glazer Music Performance Center, Rochester, NY.
Penelope Weaving (1994) for solo viola
Not finding a recording of Penelope Weaving, we turn instead to a piece of Farrell's choral work. We hope it gives a feel for the composer's style. This is Ave Maria, sung by Nazareth College Treble Choir in the Beston Hall of Glazer Music Performance Center, Rochester, NY.
Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979)
Viola Sonata (1919)
1 Impetuoso - ma non troppo Allegro • 2 Vivace • 3 Adagio
We did not find an online recording of Victoria Bernath's Untold, so let us move on to listen to Rebecca Clarke's Viola Sonata, or Sonata for Viola and Piano. We have heard movements, songs, short pieces by Rebecca Clarke at our concerts and promised ourselves we must hear more of her work.
This acclaimed performance for MBC UHD Korea features Richard O'Neill, viola and Jeremy Denk, piano.
Previous concert
David Massey, classical guitar - click here
Next concert is on Thursday August 25th (we miss a week for church cleaning)
Eri Yamamoto, piano - click here
2022 Summer & Autumn Season
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