Latest news with #recital
Times
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Reviving the lost art of learning and reciting poetry
J. Alfred Prufrock certainly makes for more pleasurable listening than the Shipping Forecast or the typical dire warnings about warm weather. Those tuned in to Radio 4 before 8am on Tuesday will have enjoyed Freddie Fox, scion of the acting dynasty, reciting TS Eliot in tremendous tones — the morning spread out against the sky. The occasion for this recital was a fine one. Monday marked this year's finals of Poetry by Heart, a national competition for reciting poetry. Pupils from across England descended on Shakespeare's Globe to recite their favourite stanzas. Some 200,000 children have taken part in the competition since it was founded in 2013, supported by Andrew Motion, the poet laureate at the time, to encourage the teaching of poetry. • The power of poetry for kids Reciting poetry is something of a lost art. The compulsory requirement for students to learn poems was scotched from the curriculum in 1944. Yet in 2012, it made a surprise return to the English syllabus. Some teachers complained it was an outdated practice, yet the success of the Poetry by Heart competition suggests they were wrong. Plus, according to a study by Cambridge University, there are benefits to reciting poetry. Its Poetry and Memory Project concluded that those who memorised poems found it provided a useful container for thoughts, a comfort zone for the brain that helped forge new emotional connections. And which poem did it find was most commonly known for recital? The Owl and the Pussy-Cat. Fox, a patron of Poetry by Heart, explained why knowing great poems is important. 'It's a compass, a road map when it's in your head to navigate the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune … a way of giving words to those problems when you don't quite perhaps have the words yourself.' The pupils who appeared at the Globe can thank the work of Poetry By Heart for reviving this lost life skill.
The Guardian
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Letter: Alfred Brendel obituary
Sometime in the late 1990s, I went to a recital by Alfred Brendel at the Royal Festival Hall in London. My seat was in the choir stalls facing the pianist across the stage. During the slow movement of a Schubert sonata, a mobile phone went off down in the hall. Brendel had heard it all before, of course: he made eye contact with me, rolled his eyes, and simply carried on, with his usual brilliant professionalism.
South China Morning Post
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Pianist Tony Siqi Yun produces poetry in Hong Kong recital with some dark themes
Given all the pianists out there who have been dubbed 'poets of the keyboard', the phrase has become a little tiresome. But its use is justified when applied to a musician of the calibre of 24-year-old Canadian pianist Tony Siqi Yun. Musical poetry was front and centre in Yun's self-curated recital at Hong Kong City Hall on June 4 of works whose themes include death, madness and redemption. Yun began with Brahms' lyrical Four Ballades Op. 10, which take a more literal approach to the genre than Chopin's and were inspired by narrative poetry. The recent Juilliard School graduate and winner of the first prize in the inaugural China International Music Competition in 2019 delved deep in the opening 'Edward' Andante, which takes its dark subject from a Scottish poem about patricide, playing with power in its impassioned passages without sounding forced or percussive. Tony Siqi Yun performs during his piano recital at Hong Kong City Hall on June 4, 2025. He presented a programme of works by Brahms, Busoni, Schumann, Alkan and Liszt. Photo: Kenny Cheung/PPHK In the deliciously nostalgic sounding second movement and the poignantly punctuated Intermezzo. Allegro third movement, Yun never lost sight of the interconnectedness between the four ballades. He capped off the set with an Andante con moto of hymn-like quality.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Organist celebrates 56 years of music with recital for Glasgow's 850th birthday
An organist will celebrate more than 56 years of performing in Glasgow at a special recital to honour his contribution to the city's cultural life on Wednesday. Bill Hutcheson first performed a recital at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum on October 22 1969 and he has played the attraction regularly ever since. Fifty years ago, Mr Hutcheson performed as part of celebrations marking Glasgow's 800th anniversary and since the gallery reopened after a refurbishment in 2006 he has often played during daily recitals. On Wednesday, he will play once more to mark the city's 850th anniversary and will later be presented with a commemorative plate in recognition of his service. The recital will feature A Glasgow Flourish, arranged by Mr Hutcheson and woven with familiar melodies linked to the city; Kelvingrove, a piece specially commissioned for Mr Hutcheson by his family and composed by John Barber; and the finale from Sonata No 4 by Alexandre Guilmant, among other pieces. He said: 'It's been a privilege to play this magnificent instrument for over five decades and to be part of Glasgow's 850 celebrations. 'The organ is like an old friend, capable of anything from a whisper to a roar. What makes these recitals so special is the audience. They're open to everything, from Bach to swing to the unexpected. 'In a city renowned for music, it's a pleasure to bring joy to so many people, in one of our finest museums.' Lord Provost of Glasgow Jacqueline McLaren said: 'Bill's dedication to the world-famous organ recitals in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has enriched our city's cultural heritage and brought joy to countless visitors. 'His performances have become a favourite tradition and, for some, a happy introduction to the world of organ music, usually more associated with places of worship. 'This milestone is even more momentous as Bill took part in the Glasgow 800 celebrations. 'Today, fifty years on, we honour his commitment, exceptional service and his place as an integral part of Glasgow's vibrant cultural life.'
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Wolcottsville church will rededicate its one-of-a-kind organ with a six-player recital
WOLCOTTSVILLE — The one-of-a-kind organ at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church will be rededicated next weekend with a recital by six area organists. Trinity's two-manual 1897 Hinners & Albertsen organ (style 20) is newly restored, after craftsmen from the Heritage Pipe Organs company undid the damage done by mice that took up residence in the instrument while it wasn't being played during Covid lockdown. The original German-language labels on the stops were discovered during the process and have been reapplied. Trinity church has the distinction of possessing the only organ still in existence in the United States that's still being played in its original installment, according to lifetime congregant Cathy Bergquist. The National Historical Organ Society recognized it as an 'exceptional' historic organ in 2004. For Trinity organist Ric Jones, it's a joy to play. 'It has never been revoiced (had its piping altered), so it sounds the same today as when it was first played. … It has lived a long life and has many more years in it,' he said. 'This is a unique instrument, wonderful to play.' For the recital, Jones will share his bench with fellow Middleport Community Choir members Debby Clark and Mark Christensen, as well as Aaron Grabowski, Pat Payne and Dave Carmer. They're all church organists from various denominations who, in 15-minute intervals, will play a range of music, from classical to sacred, and some hymns. Jones hopes to set up a projector so that listeners in the pews can see the organists playing above them in the choir loft. The variety recital is intended to demonstrate the 'incredible breadth' of Trinity's organ, congregant Jennifer Bieber said. Bergquist said the organ has been well cared for by the Heritage company for as long as she can remember. In advance of its rededication, she brushed up on its history: Purchased via Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog, for $485 cash, the organ was manufactured by Pekin, Illinois-based Hinners & Albertsen Organ Company and shipped on the Erie Canal to Gasport, where Rev. J.H. Knuebel claimed and brought it to Trinity by horse-and-buggy. In church records, there's still a copy of the 10-year warranty, dated Jan. 28, 1897. 'A warranty, can you believe it?!' Bergquist laughed. The rodent damage was discovered after the end of the pandemic 'pause' in group gatherings. When Jones returned to his bench, he noticed the keys on the organ were sticking. A repair technician had a look inside and found that mice had chewed a section, damaging the keys and surrounding wood. The fix involved hand-made replacement parts and the bill was $17,500. Insurance did not cover rodent damage, Bergquist said. Niagara County Legislator Mike Hill secured $5,000 through the county Community Partnership fund to put toward restoration, Bieber said. The recital, hymn sing and organ rededication service are slated 2 to 4 p.m. May 17. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Capacity is 150-plus. The church is located at 6369 Wolcottsville Road. Following the recital, Trinity is hosting a fundraising dinner and basket raffle at the nearby Wolcottsville fire hall. The meal is sausage and sauerkraut, pork tenderloin, potatoes, corn, bread and butter, applesauce, dessert and beverages. Dinner tickets are $15 per person (no charge for children 12 and younger); get them in advance by calling Jennifer Bieber at 716-628-0179.
