Music on Thursdays
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★ Season All-American Finale ★
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Anna Ovsyanikova
violin
Thomas Ang
piano
Programme
Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867-1944)
Romance, Op 23 (1893)
Harry Thacker Burleigh (1866-1949)
from Southland Sketches (1916)
4 Allegro
Cole Albert Porter (1891-1064)
from the musical Leave it to Me!
Get Out Of Town (1983)
Scott Joplin (1868-1917)
Bethena (1905) a Concert Waltz
Elite Syncopations (1902) Rag
Amy Beach
Lento espressivo, Op 125 no 1
William Grant Still Jr (1895-1978)
Suite for violin and piano (1943)
1 African Dancer (sculpture: Richmond Barthé)
2 Mother and Child (paintings & sculptures: Sargent Johnson)
3 Gamin (sculpture: Augusta Savage)
Concert duration approx: 40-45 minutes
Please donate to help fund these concerts at: cafdonate.cafonline.org/14455
Anna Ovsyanikova
Anna Ovsyanikova is a classical violinist and the founder of central London concert series "Hidden Gems". She regularly performs as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician.
As a recitalist and chamber musician she has performed at venues including Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall, Royal Festival Hall and Purcell Room, Birmingham Symphony and Birmingham Town Hall.
Originally from Russia, she moved to study in the UK, graduating from the Royal Academy of Music Masters programme with distinction and DipRAM. She is also an alumna of Birmingham Conservatoire and is working on a PhD at the Royal College of Music.
A dedicated orchestral player, she has led orchestras conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, Andris Nelsons and Martyn Brabbins amongst others. She has also co-led orchestras under Semyon Bychkov, Leif Segerstam and accompanied instrumental soloists including Mitsuko Uchida, Martha Argerich and Natalia Gutman.
Anna freelances with several orchestras including the Royal Opera House and the BBC Concert Orchestra. As a member of London Contemporary Orchestra she recorded and performed with artists including Taylor Swift, Beck, Jimmy Page, Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead.
As a recitalist and chamber musician she has performed at venues including Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall, Royal Festival Hall and Purcell Room, Birmingham Symphony and Birmingham Town Hall.
Originally from Russia, she moved to study in the UK, graduating from the Royal Academy of Music Masters programme with distinction and DipRAM. She is also an alumna of Birmingham Conservatoire and is working on a PhD at the Royal College of Music.
A dedicated orchestral player, she has led orchestras conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, Andris Nelsons and Martyn Brabbins amongst others. She has also co-led orchestras under Semyon Bychkov, Leif Segerstam and accompanied instrumental soloists including Mitsuko Uchida, Martha Argerich and Natalia Gutman.
Anna freelances with several orchestras including the Royal Opera House and the BBC Concert Orchestra. As a member of London Contemporary Orchestra she recorded and performed with artists including Taylor Swift, Beck, Jimmy Page, Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead.
Thomas Ang
Praised for his thoughtful and critical programming and excellent technique, Thomas Ang is an experienced pianist with a vast repertoire.
He has earned recognition as a specialist in the music of Kapustin and Medtner, and has a strong interest in contemporary and experimental music, having played and conducted various premieres around the world.
In his chamber groups he works to unearth neglected and obscure gems, as well as championing music by minority composers.
Off the concert stage, Thomas works as a répétiteur for the Royal Ballet and Opera Holland Park, and also accompanies and improvises for silent film.
He is currently recording the complete piano works of Medtner, and the first two discs have received great praise.
He has earned recognition as a specialist in the music of Kapustin and Medtner, and has a strong interest in contemporary and experimental music, having played and conducted various premieres around the world.
In his chamber groups he works to unearth neglected and obscure gems, as well as championing music by minority composers.
Off the concert stage, Thomas works as a répétiteur for the Royal Ballet and Opera Holland Park, and also accompanies and improvises for silent film.
He is currently recording the complete piano works of Medtner, and the first two discs have received great praise.
Recordings of the works in today's concert
Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867-1944)
Romance, Op 23 (1893) [6:25]
YouTube has many recordings of this beautiful piece of music, not all of them on violin. We have found cello, double bass, saxophone, and flute too.
Our choice is Herdís Guðmundsdóttir, violin, and Liam Kaplan, piano, performing in Breiðholtskirkja in Reykjavík, Iceland, in June 2022.
Romance, Op 23 (1893) [6:25]
YouTube has many recordings of this beautiful piece of music, not all of them on violin. We have found cello, double bass, saxophone, and flute too.
Our choice is Herdís Guðmundsdóttir, violin, and Liam Kaplan, piano, performing in Breiðholtskirkja in Reykjavík, Iceland, in June 2022.
Harry Thacker Burleigh (1866-1949)
from Southland Sketches (1916)
4 Allegro [3:00]
The best of the recordings of this movement on its own is by violinist Samuel Nebyu with pianist Bethany Brooks:
Cole Albert Porter (1891-1064)
from the musical Leave it to Me!
Get Out Of Town (1983) [6:40]
Let's listen to the vocal original here, in this recording by Eva Romero and the Ramon Cardo Quartet, from Carcaixent, Valencia
Scott Joplin (1868-1917)
Bethena (1905) a Concert Waltz [5:40]
You cannot really better this gent's credentials: International Concert Pianist and renowned Ragtime exponent PHILLIP DYSON, performs the Classic Scott Joplin waltz Bethena. Let's trust his interpretation of Bethena, which shows so many features of being by Scott Joplin:
Scott Joplin
Elite Syncopations (1902) Rag [3:15]
Ah. Yes, this may be the unbeatable performance of a Scott Joplin work! Let's listen to a piano roll performance of Elite Syncopations, made in 1902, by a certain Mr Scott Joplin:
Amy Beach
Lento espressivo, Op 125 no 1 [3:50]
Our recording comes from the church of St Mary-le-Strand, which stands in front of Kings College, just past Somerset House. The violinist comments:
When selecting ABRSM grade 7 pieces for my student, I came across this Amy Beach's piece. There seemed to be no recordings of it so had to make one myself! Hope it's useful for others considering this piece for their exam. I think the music is absolutely stunning!
The recording was made in February 2023 by Anna Ovsyanikova, and the pianist was Thomas Ang.
William Grant Still Jr (1895-1978)
Suite for violin and piano (1943)
1 African Dancer (sculpture: Richmond Barthé) [4:30]
2 Mother and Child (paintings & sculptures: Sargent Johnson) [6:50]
3 Gamin (sculpture: Augusta Savage) [2:08]
The three movements were inspired by the African-American artworks shown in brackets. Here they are, although there are several works to explore under the banner "Mother and Child, by Sargent Johnson":
Richmond Barthé African Dancer
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Sargent Johnson Mother and Child
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Augusta Savage Gamin
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Our performers in this final work, in our final concert of 2023, are
Randall Goosby, violin, and Zhu Wang, piano,
playing at the Merkin Concert Hall, Kaufmann Music Center, in Manhattan, NY.
Randall Goosby, violin, and Zhu Wang, piano,
playing at the Merkin Concert Hall, Kaufmann Music Center, in Manhattan, NY.
Previous concert
9 November 2023 - Catriona Bourne, flute & Fabio Fernandes, theorbo/lute - click here
Next concerts - in 2024
29 February 2024 - 2pm Society AGM + 3.30pm Piano Concert
- (page not yet available)
- (page not yet available)
25 April 2024 - OPENING CONCERT - touring from Italy, classical guitar duo Maurizio Baudino & Dario Vannini (page not yet available)
