Audio Clips

Francis Varrichio & Donna Messer present Libertango

Live performance from the 2019 concert “Spring Concert of Mostly Baroque Masters.”

Audio recording provided by Francis Varrichio.

Libertango, is the title single from the album entitled Libertango, from Tango composer, band leader, and bandoneon player, Astor Piazzolla, who in 1974, composed and recorded in Milan on the Carosello label. The title blends the concept of Liberty and Tango. Piazolla, who was both classically trained and influenced by the Jazz idiom, wanted to free the Tango musically from the form of more than 100 years of performance as an Argentinian dance that descended from 18th Century Country dances, Contradanse, in England, France, and the Spanish version, Habanera. His embracing of Tango Nuevo combined the elements of classical Tango with Harmonic Dissonance, and complex syncopated rhythmic elements of AfroCuban, and American Jazz. His idea as a composer was to create a new musical form combining classical dance to Modern Classical Themes, and the Jazz idiom, much the way Gershwin married the Symphonic Sonata Allegro form to the Jazz Idiom.

Notes by Francis Varrichio.

A Selection of Spanish, Sephardic and Latin American Music

In Honor of Prof. Eugene Roan

By the Highland Park Recorder Society, Musica Dolce and the Zorzal Music Ensemble.

Cuando el rey Nimrod

La tricotea

Dindiri

Oygan una jacarilla

Trio Sonata/Castro

Nani nani/Durme, durme

Adiyo kerida

Vaya de musica, Orfeos

Dame albricia

Highland Park Recorder Society 30th Anniversary full concert in 2017

The Highland Park Recorder Society presented its 30th anniversary concert. The concert included the world premiere of “Highland Concerto,” a neo-Baroque concerto grosso by John Franek for recorders, strings and basso continuo.

Part One:
Medieval Music
Douce dame Jolie (Sweet, Lovely lady), Guillaume de Machaut (c. 1300-1377)
Sumer Is Icumen In (Summer Has Arrived), John of Fornsete (?), a 13th century monk.
Se la face ay pale (If My Face Seems Pale), Guillaume Dufay (c. 1400-1474)

Renaissance Music:
Isbruck, ich muss dich (Isbruck, I Must Leave You), Heinrich Isaac (c. 1450-1517)
There Were Three Ravens, Thomas Ravenscroft (1590-1633)
La Primavera (Springtime), Vincenzo Galilei (c. 1520-1591)

Sephardic Set,
Chansons II, III, and IV of the Six Chansons Populaires Séphardiques, set by Joaquin Nin-Culmell (1908-2004). II, Adonenu, Elohenu (Our Lord, Our God); III, La rosa enflorece (The Rose Blooms)

Part Two:
Sephardic Chanson: IV, ¡ Ya salió de la mer la galana ! (She Came Out of The Sea).
Performers: Sonya Headlam, soprano; Martin Néron, pianist.
“Recorder Day” Waltz, James Chaudoir, composer (1946 - )
Highland Concerto, A neo-Baroque concerto grosso by John Franek (1996- ) , Conducted by Francisco Luis Ortiz.
Prelude, Allegro, Adagio, Canon

Part Three:
Highland Concerto, the final Allegro
Frans Courant from Der Fluyten Lust-hof, by Jacob van Eyck (1589/90-1657) From a mid-17th century collection published in Amsterdam entitled “Flutes Pleasure Garden.” Performed by John Burkhalter III on soprano recorder.

Part Four:
Schafe Können sicher weiden (Sheep May Safely Graze), J.S. Bach (1685-1750), Performers: Sonya Headlam, soprano; Martin Néron, piano; Donna Messer, recorder; Lea Karpman, violin; Douglas Hardin, cello.
Trio (Concerto in G minor), Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741), for recorder, strings and basso continuo. Performed by Donna Messer, recorder; Lea Karpman, violin; Douglas Hardin, cello.