Eugene, OR – Oregon Bach Collegium presents David Rogers, Lute and Early Guitar Recital on Sunday, February 24th at 3:00pm at United Lutheran Church, 2230 Washington Street, Eugene, OR 97405 (corner of 22nd and Washington). Admission: $10.00 general, $5.00 student. For more information contact the Oregon Bach Collegium.
David will divide his recital into two sets. The first set will be rarely heard renaissance lute repertoire from the 16th century. Music by Vicenzo Capirola, Francesco Da Milano, Pietro Paulo Borrono, Luis Milan, Alonso Mudarra and John Dowland will be performed on solo lute and vihuela. This music stretches from sublime contrapuntal pieces to loud and raucous flamenco like music.
The second half of the concert will be 19th century guitar music. Joining David will be Dr. Margaret Gries playing Fortepiano. Guitar and Piano duets were very popular in the 19th century and many guitarists and pianists composed for the combination. David and Margaret will be playing duets by Matteo Carcassi, Pietro Pettoletti, and Johann Kaspar Mertz. David will end the program with a couple more modern ‘surprises’ as well.
16th century lute repertoire was very influential in building our modern western ideas about ‘functional’ harmony. The Italian music by the Venetian Capirola, Francesco Da Milano and Pietro Borrono will seem more familiar to 21st century ears. Consisting of canonic fantasias, song arrangements and dances, the Italian lute repertoire contains many of the cadential and voice leading conventions that one hears in the music of J.S. Bach and much later church music. The Spanish vihuela repertoire on the other hand retains many medieval and Moorish aspects, which suggest modern gypsy and flamenco styles. The English musician, John Dowland, who was born a year before William Shakespeare in 1563, spent most of his career outside of England, exerting a large influence over musicians in Germany and the Low countries for the next century.
The Piano and Guitar duet combination was very popular in the early 19th century. Duets by Matteo Carcassi, Pietro Pettoletti, and Johann Kaspar Mertz will be played. Classical guitarists know Carcassi from his 25 Etudes, Op. 60 which are still required practice for all serious classical guitar students. Margaret and David will be playing Carcassi’s settings of Rossini’s Airs De Ballet, a stunning arrangement by Pettoletti of Bellini’s aria from Somnambule, Vi Avviso, O Luoghi Ameni and two duets by the Hungarian guitarist, Johann Kaspar Mertz.
David will end the program with the extended, display vehicle, La Source du Lyson by Napoleon Coste as well as his setting of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah and his own composition, Folia.