Sunday, June 6, 2010

6/1/10

Today we had a lecture from Paul Spicer, the conductor of the Finzi Singers.  We listened to him all day. Quite literally.  Here's my notes from the day:


-Helen Wadell had an influence on Howells

-psalms of the wondering scholars begin with a quote from Wadell

-spirituality, a sense of other, inspiration taken from earlier music, popular focus of work in the early 20th century dispite the fact they are athiest

-sacred and secular rub shoulders through text

-dulomere??? cold and stillness of winter, the birth of jesus to intensify the image, in a poem

-Howells setting of this poem, sense of remoteness painted in sound

-listening to this piece


-Orthodox worship “ppl look at worship as consciousness of heaven come down to earth...howells and English visionary composers are trying to create this

-music paints a sense of wonder by basses starting low and other voices build until the soprano descant creating an etherial

-synesthesia: mixing of senses

-this music is the equivalent of stained glass windows for a more sophisticated audience

-when Vaughn williams came in Glauster cathedral with his fantasia, fused the old and new

-for some composers, Gregorian chant created the distance, Williams used the English Hymnal to create eclesiastical distance and a psalm with his own music

-the mass in G minor, it was to bring a whole new world of tet and musical feelings, like the Oxford movement, catholic revival...stress higher standard of church worship

-Finze was a free thinker, not a church goer which is interesting bc the church music he wrote

-”religion should be like a weather clock” something about fixing north south east and west...blowing in the wind instead

-what speaks to him about the music is the raw emotional power, spirituality and sensuality, allows the humanist to contact this music

-sostinato***


“misa sabrenenses” Howells

-20 minutes, set in paragraphs, 7 bohr (sabranences is the nuber seven in latin)

-raw power hung on the coat hanger or ------

-creed, drama of the resurection leading oto the words “and his kingdom will have no end”, most power of English music!!!

-the heart of the matter is visionary


Lewis forman said: “the agnostics at prayer” and pieces he listed as the pieces that created this


-how shall I sing thy magesty...a singers tune

-Christ triumphant...another singers tune, great range


-RS Thomas 1913-200 Welch Poet

-a writer he’s set as a composer more than anyone

-”but” is the word that turns it all around, there are these “but” moments in the text and a but moment in the songs

-”alive” to celebrate the dioscese in Birmingham

-he conducts the Birmingham conservatory choir


Dyson and Howells

-was called the town of 100 trades

-harmed the envoronment there...it became very industrial

-alliteration lyrics for Dyson’s memorial for his father, fitness of a marriage of words and music

-listening exercise....alliteration one, drudgy and fitting for the text and the setting in which he grew up


Dyson’s Cello Sonata is soooo beautiful!!!


Howells was the first to recieve radium treatment?  !


G-D a perfect 5th, canterbury pilgrims, signed this way often....how would I sign?



He scripted the last 2-ish hours of his lecture and moved so rapidly through it that I could barely type what all he was saying.  My favorite thing about this experience was to learn from Mr. Spicer who is an expert in the composers Howells and Dison.  He has written books about them and knows so much about their lives and the history of the world surrounding the writing of specific pieces that really informs the way we listen and absorb the music.

-tuesday = class all day
-Paul Spicer lectured us....all day!
-saw the play London Assurance with Logan
-before the show started we had some time to kill...we sat and listened to these Andrew Sister wanna be's
-we asked what it took to perform there :)  they said talent...I said "you're looking at it"
-called the BYU health center to get a job and promised to send in a resume
-tried to go to that open mic musical theatre bar
-guy followed us...i think...awkward
-place was booked so we boogied home

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