May 25, 2013  A MUSICAL WEEK

TUESDAY, May 21:  Piano Recital at Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, Hebrew University Givat Ram campus, the new campus started in 1948 when the original university on Mount Scopus was captured by the Arabs.  This campus now contains all the science departments.

After security, where we had to show our passports in order to enter the campus, we saw a large number of people in front of one building.  So we went to investigate and found a lot of young people each carrying a long-stemmed rose,, obviously graduating.  In celebration of the graduation the university had several tables filled with delicious pastries for the guests and us.  There was also fresh lemonade with mint.

Being refreshed we continued walking to the Conservatory where a 17 year-old child prodigy, Ariel Lanyi, performed  Bach English Suite No. 5 in E MINOR, Franck Prelude, Choral, and Fugue, and Schumann Davidsbuendlertaenze Op.6,  as well as an encore by Debussy.  All 75 minutes were by heart.

It was all excellently played.  My favorite was the Schumann which the composer and his friends felt unsuitable for public performance because of its frequent alterations of mood--"from passionate and energetic to shy and dreamy."  It seems to me that this  presages his symptoms of bipolar disorder before such swings became uncontrollable.

Ariel is also a violinist, composer, and jazz performer acc to the Jerusalem Post--www.youtube.com/arielpiano.

Wednesday, May 22;  JERUSALEM Symphony Orchestra  .  Theme of the concert was The Seasons and showcased both Verdi and VIvaldi's Four Seasons.  Th e former was composed as an opera ballet in Paris where it was understood every opera had to have a ballet in the third act whether appropriate of not.  The Vivaldi was played by two 14 or 15 piece orchestra, many players standing, led by 1 of the 2 co-concertmistresses;  very charming..  the concert ended with Copeland's Appalachian Spring.

Thursday, May 23:  Piano recital by Garrick Ohlsson (lives in San FRANcisco).  He is justly world famous.  He played Beethven Sonata no.15 in Dmajor, op 28, Schubert Wanderer Fantasy, Lubica Cekovska (born 1976) Four Movements (modern and lovely), and Chopin Fantasy in Fminor, op.49 and Scherzo No. 2 in B flat minor, op. 31;  he is considered a major interpreter of Chopin and is the only American to win the Chopin International Piano Competition (1970).   Encore was the most beautifully played Waltz in C sharp minor.  Maybe some of you heard him at Santa Rosa Junior College 7 or 8 years ago?

Friday May 24 Noon:  Handel's Esther (an oratorio) .  The performance was part of the Israel Festival.  It had 5 soloists including a counter tenor as the high priest, a wonderful New Israeli Vocal Ensemble and the Barrocade Collective (small orchestra with several baroque instruments).  Claire Meghnagi sang a marvelous Esther,.  Of course Handel never sticks entirely to the Book.  Ie no high priest in the original story.  This was his first oratorio in English and you can hear shades of what's to come in Solomon and in The Messiah.

By the way, the ISrael has 32 events over 29 days in various venues.  There is dance, jazz, gospel, and more; performers come from all over the world.

Saturday, May25: If we have energy tonight and if there are tickets we will hear  Ester Rada, a very famous and beloved Israeli popular singer of Ethiopian descent (I may have this wrong)

NOT TOO BAD--4 CONCERTS IN 4 DAYS--WHAT FUN IN JERUSALEM!