“BACH TO TUVA”
The Buffalo Chamber Players kick off their fifth season on Wednesday, September 21, with a program titled “Bach to Tuva.” Acclaimed for their diverse programming, the ensemble continues this tradition with an evening featuring an eclectic assortment of chamber music exploring the traditional, the experimental, and the fusion of the two.
Though Bach composed hundreds of cantatas for the church, his Coffee Cantata, BWV 211 is one of only a handful of secular cantatas. Written between 1732 and 1734, the Coffee Cantata tells a humorous tale of coffee overindulgence, something that was common in his 18th century Leipzig—and is still relevant today. Singing the work are soprano Christina Lynch, tenor Jeffrey Porter, and bass Timothy Flynn.
Overtone vocalist and composer Dr. Alexander Glenfield will premiere his Echos of Derinkuyu, a new work written for the Buffalo Chamber Players. Dr. Glenfield’s research has taken him to Tuva and Mongolia, where he studied and performed with master throat-singers. Echoes of Derinkuyu is an experimental work for overtone vocalist and ensemble, utilizing the different throat-singing styles of Central Asia, Europe and North America.
Here is a video of Dr. Glenfield demonstrating different styles of Tuvan throat-singing:
Estonian composer Arvo Pärt is regarded as one of the most prominent living composers of sacred music. His Mozart-Adagio for violin, cello and piano combines the Adagio from Mozart’s Sonata in F Major, K. 280 with elements of “Tintinnabuli,” a deeply spiritual, minimalist compositional style created by Pärt and used in many of his works. The result is a hauntingly beautiful work, fittingly dedicated to the memory of Pärt’s friend, the Russian violinist Oleg Kagan.
Rounding out the program is La Maja Dolorosa by Buffalo Chamber Players’ composer-in-residence Rob Deemer. The work originated as a re-setting of the text by Fernando Periquet from a Granados song cycle for soprano, viola and piano. The cycle tells the story of a woman who has lost her lover and over the course of three movements her emotions evolve from rage and despair to delusions to catharsis and peace.
A reception sponsored by Sweet_ness 7 Café will follow the performance.
The concert takes place at Buffalo Seminary, 205 Bidwell Parkway at 7:30 PM, and is open to the public. Tickets are $15/$5 for students, and available here and at the door.
