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International Solo Concert #4
By Dean | August 7, 2008
Dean: Paul and I are getting ready for the 4th solo concert. I am looking forward to seeing Keith Rowlands group from England. There will also be one solo piece on this concert. Paul and I have done a good number of interviews and we will be posting them as part of the show over the next few months.
Paul: Looking over this program, I am struck by the fact that we have not heard many hymn tune arrangements during these concerts. People are instead choosing original compositions or arrangements of folksongs. It’s nice to see that our art is not completely reliant on the hymn tunes and that there are good options out there.
Dean: The first piece was performed by the Handbell Ringers of Japan Team Four(Japan) under the direction of Toshikazy Yoshida. They performed Suite for Handbell “A Festival Day in Japan” by Katsuhiro Tsubono arranged by Kazuo Ota. A very quiet opening. This piece uses many different techniques. I really like the different sounds that this group is creating. Their fast runs are amazing. I am slightly underwhelmed by the performance, but it was better then many other groups. The Japanese choirs have set the bar so high, when one group misses by just a little its still an amazing performance.
Paul: Song begins very softly. So soft in fact that I wonder if they are just moving their arms. This piece has a very 20th century feel to it. There isn’t much in the way of tonality yet…even thought it’s a Japanese arranger, the lack of tonality is surprising. Lots of accented shakes. The sounds are interesting, however I had trouble connecting with the music due to the lack of recognizable melody.
Dean: The second piece was performed by the Katonah Celebration Ringers(US) under the direction of Eileen Laurence. They performed Lament and Dance by Eileen Laurence. This piece starts out with a solo flute, then into a quiet melodic bell part. They are handling the balance between the bells and the flute very well. I am really enjoying the music. There is enough variety that it holds my attention while still maintaining the lyrical nature of the piece. The flute was amazing.
Paul: Song begins with a haunting flute solo. The director Eileen Lawrence wrote this piece. We have heard many newly composed pieces by directors this week. It’s good to see that directors are taking the art from and making it their own. The melody is very pretty. The second section of this song takes a turn from the minor melody and becomes a malleted section where the melody is ornamented lightly by the flute. The bass bells are playing the melody in parallel 4ths while the flute doubles it and ornaments with lots of trilling. Composer used to teach in a Jewish school and has written many pieces that have that sonority of Jewish music. This piece was no different.
Dean: The third piece was performed by Shoei Girls Senior High School(Japan). They performed The Nutcracker by Peter I. Tchaikovsky arranged by Kevin McChesney. Its hard for me to get excited about another arrangement of the nutcracker. But when I realized this was a high school group, playing with this level of precision, I am a floored. Wow their runs are amazing. Marts are perfect. They move effortlessly from one technique to the next. WOW, 4 in hand with one hand and a shake in the other.
Paul: What can I say about this piece other than we’ve heard it already 3 times this week, and each time it’s note perfect and the same.
Dean: The fourth piece was performed by Sue Garton(USA). She performed the Maple Leave Rag by Scott Joplin arranged by Nancy Hascall. Sue has a live accompanist. I always feel bad when a soloist makes a few mistakes. Its so hard to play solos well and I for one am not sure I could do that. I have heard this piece played by other soloist and imagine its on the harder end of the spectrum. Sue is doing a great job with the piece.
Paul: Another soloist takes the stage for this next song. She is playing the Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin. I enjoy the relaxed pace at which she is playing this song and FINALLY we have a performer with a live accompanist…yay! The performance is a little rocky, but I give anyone credit who can stand up in front of a International audience of handbell ringers and perform a solo.
Dean: The fifth piece was performed by the Hamilton Ringers(UK) under the direction of Keith Rowland. They performed Passacaille by G.F. Handel transcribed by Fred Gramann. The composer is playing with this group. I can only imagine what it would be like playing next to the person who wrote the piece. The addition of the 7th octave of chimes near the end was wonderful. A very good performance. Classical music is much more fun to play then to sit an listen to.
Paul: This is a Fred Gramann song that I am not familiar with. It is an arrangement from G.F. Handel (more than likely an organ work). This is Keith Rowland’s group. Not only is he the director of this group, but he is also one of the massed conductors this week. As with much of the works from the Classical period arranged for handbells, it begins very slow and stately. Now towards the end of the work it is getting a bit more intense. Triplets against the duple battery/bass is a difficult thing to do and this group is making short work of it.
Dean: The sixth piece was performed by Emanuel Ringers(USA) under the direction of Eiko Shimazu Cornelius. They performed Furioso by Paul McKlveen The piece opens with a fast malleted part. What a fun bass line. Great piece done in multi meters.
Paul: I just looked up at the screen and saw that this group is made up of young kids from the US. One of the bass ringers reminds me of a rock star. He is doing a bit of head banging while malleting his bells. This young group did a marvelous job dealing the mixed meters and changes in this song.
Dean: The last piece was performed by Harmony(Japan). They performed Cantilena by Kazuko Okamoto. Again I am struck by the precision of the Japanese groups. Their attention to the balance between melody and accompaniment makes it easy to listen to the piece. What a great piece to end the concert.
Paul: Very beautiful piece whos tonality ends leaving you hanging.
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