ARIAS and concertos have preoccupied general audiences so that art songs have been ignored. Many people have thought them only for music deans and conservatory students.
Perhaps not anymore.
Indeed, art songs require great skills for both singer and pianist. Good examples were the superb recitals of Romanian diva Nelly Miricioiu with pianist Najib Ismail; tenor Arthur Espiritu, again with Ismail; and, much earlier, Evelyn Mandac with pianist Lourdes de Leon Gregorio.
Although Manila’s music lovers tend to demand high notes from classical singers (let’s face it, subtlety doesn’t sell tickets), still there has developed an appreciation for art singing, especially since singers working with sensitive instrumentalists is the highest form of artistic collaboration.
Schoch, Linck
Art songs accompanied by classical guitar is what is in store for Manila’s music lovers on June 2 when German tenor Knut Schoch and classical guitarist Carsten Linck perform at Ayala Museum in an evening billed as “Guitar Nights.”
Presented by Ayala Museum and Independent Philippine Art Ventures Inc., the recital will have Linck introducing a replica of a guitar by Johann Georg Staufer from the 19th century which has a very similar sound to a fortepiano of the period.
Twice in a row, he has been laureate of Jugend Musiziert, Germany’s national award for young musicians. He also won First Prize at the Internationaler Bubenreuther Musikwettbewerb. For his artistic work, he received the culture award of the city of Essen in 1992.
Schoch’s large repertoire ranges from medieval works to contemporary pieces. It includes oratorios, chamber music, lieder, and Baroque and classical opera.
Quintin, Avila
In Baguio City, soprano Stefanie Quintin and classical guitarist Anton Luis Avila team up for an evening of art songs at Hill Station in Baguio City on June 5, 8 p.m. (See related story on Page C4.)
Meanwhile, a select audience—led by pianist Cecile
Licad, writer and former Miss International Gemma Cruz Araneta, columnist Jullie Yap Daza, singer-composer Aiza Seguerra, filmmaker Carlitos Siguion-Reyna and screenwriter-director Bibeth Orteza —listened to classical guitarist Aaron Aguila in a special tribute to Licad when she celebrated her birthday on May 11.
Licad raved over Turina’s Sonata and asked Aguila, “Are you going to be the next Andres Segovia?”
Aguila is the First Prize winner of the 2015 Jakarta Asean Guitar Festival.
A sumptuous dinner followed after which Licad thanked her hosts and well-wishers by playing Buencamino’s “Kumintang.”
A bonus piece in the little night of music on Monday was when filmmaker Siguion-Reyna gave Licad the piece, Marche Funèbre, Op. 26, by French composer Charles-Valentin Alkan.
Aguila will be heard anew at Conspiracy Café in Quezon City on June 7.
For inquiries on the June 2 concert at Ayala Museum, call 7598288 local 31 or e-mail [email protected].
