Daily Sitka Sentinel

June 19, 2019, Community Happenings

Sitka Summer Music Festival Notes

The bad news is that the SSMF is half over. The good news is that there are LOTS of wonderful concerts and events ahead. Last weekend’s musical treats were savored by super happy audiences; it was lovely to welcome Paul Rosenthal, the founder and genius who corralled musical friends to come to Sitka for 40 incredible years. And his beaming presence and joyful violin playing inspired us all yet again. Now, on to the next musical chapter of 2019…. 

The Mean Queen will resonate with the energy of the next round of artists (including a return of Zuill’s violin-playing sister Allison) – 6:30 p.m. for food, drinks and music. And Thursday’s 12:15 p.m. free Bach’s Lunch concert at the Odess Theater (the last of this season) will be THE place to gloriously overdose on the cello with Evan Drachman and Zuill Bailey. A Bach cello suite and Piatigorsky Prayer, Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations, plus even more…. Can’t miss this!

After Friday night’s pre-concert artist interview and historical nuggets at 6:45 p.m., the first half of the 7:30 concert at the Centennial Hall features two splendid pieces featuring flute (welcome back Amy Taylor!) by Haydn and Reger. Haydn’s first flute quartet was written around 1763: “I had to eke out a wretched existence teaching young pupils… and would never have learned what little I did, had I not, in my zeal for composition, composed well into the night….” The quartet features charming lyricism and colorful instrumental dialogue. German composer Max Reger was very fond of the music of Brahms, but he enthused, “It is quite clear to me what is missing from today’s music – a Mozart!” His Serenade for Flute, Violin and Viola (1915) is a cheerful work with radiant melodies. Reviewer Jonathan Blumhofer aptly summarized, “The piece falls into three movements, the impish outer ones sometimes sounding like a cross between Johann Strauss and Prokofiev with hints of Brahms.”

After the intermission we will glory in Dvorak’s String Sextet – our own mini-orchestra! Born and raised in a small town, Dvorak moved to Prague to try to earn a living as a musician and composer. Brahms became a fan and introduced him to virtuoso violinist Joseph Joachim; in the summer of 1879, Dvorak visited Berlin to present a reading of his new sextet at Joachim’s home. Dvorak was so excited – this was the first time Czech chamber music was performed outside his beloved country! Joachim embraced the sextet and performed it frequently with friends – the combination of classical style plus Bohemian exuberance remains intoxicating. Essayist Alex Robertson affectionately referred to the work as “that excellent travel poster.” 

Saturday night includes two more works for flute and string ensemble – the second Haydn Flute Quartet and an intriguing Trio for Flute, Violin and Viola by Szervanszky. Annotator Jan de Winne shared that Haydn’s irresistible quartet became instantly popular because of the slow movement (nicknamed “Mann und Weib,” Man and Woman); “The dancing melody is continually presented as a symbol of the indissoluble bond between man and woman.” (Or for that matter, any two people in love!) Hungarian composer Endre Szervanszky is not well known, but deserves to be. His obituary summarized, “Composing, to kindle soul into sound, was in his blood.” He was honored with the “Righteous Among Nations” award in 1998 – Israel gives this award to non-Jews who risked their own lives to save Jews from the Nazis during WWII. A 2014 New York Times review enthused that his Flute Trio (1951) “combines folksy wit with rhetorical flourish.”

Tchaikovsky’s sunny masterpiece for string sextet – Souvenir de Florence – will cap off the weekend. His patroness and friend Nadezhda von Meck (their relationship of many years was based on hundreds of letters – she never wanted to meet him!) He loved to visit Italy and stayed for three months in her villa in Florence. I was amused to read annotator Orrin Howard’s comments about the sextet, that he wrote “themes in embarrassing abundance, albeit mainly ones of Russian, not Italian character. If Tchaikovsky really thought the sextet contained souvenirs of Florence, one can only argue that he didn’t do much shopping in Italy!” Sumptuously scored, the composer reflected, “The use of six individual yet similar instruments is frightfully difficult”. But when he finished it, he happily shared with his brother Modest, “What a sextet – it’s a pleasure! It is awful how pleased I am with myself!” I promise that we will ALL be pleased to hear this radiant masterpiece; it’s just beautiful. See you at the concerts….I love Sitka! 

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Susan Wingrove-Reed is a music educator from Anchorage. She writes program notes for the Sitka Summer Music Festival, and gives pre-concert lectures. 

American Legion

Meeting June 20

The American Legion Post 13 will host a meeting 7 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at the Legion Hall.

Legionnaires are being encouraged to attend.

Hot Dogs, Oreos

On Sale for July 4

Hot dogs with all the fixings, Joe’s ‘‘famous’’ fried Oreos and baked goods will be on sale 11 a.m.-4 p.m. July 4 at the Lincoln Street parking lot of St. Gregory’s Catholic Church.

A children’s fishing pond will be a part of the festivities.

Hospital Foundation

Meeting June 24

The Sitka Hospital Foundation will hold its final meeting noon June 24 in the hospital classroom.

All members are being encouraged to attend.

John Nielsen Sr.

40-Day Dinner

A 40-day dinner in memory of John James Nielsen Sr. ‘‘Big John,’’ 89, will be 2 p.m. Sunay at the ANB Founders. 

Attendees should take a dish and a story to share. Call Robert Nielsen, 738-1634, for more information.

Patriotic Music

Concert July 4

A Fourth of July Music Celebration will be 12:15 p.m. July 4 at St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church.

The concert will feature patriotic music offered by local and visiting professional musicians. All are welcome. The church is located at 611 Lincoln Street. For information, call 747-3977.

SSMF Evening

Concerts Slated

Sitka Summer Music Festival will stage two concerts this weekend.

On Friday, Haydn’s Flute Quartet in D Major and Reger’s Serenade for Flute, Violin and Viola, followed by Dvorak’s String Sextet in A Major will be performed.

Saturday’s concert will include composition for flute by Haydn and Szervansky as well as Tchaikovsky’s Sextet for Strings in D Minor.

The concerts begins at 7:30 p.m. at Centennial Hall, with a pre-concert conversation at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are available at Old Harbor Books, at sitkamusicfestival.org, or at the door.