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By Rick Pender
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Violinist Christopher Poppen and vocal group The
Hillard Ensemble tackle Bach's Morimur.
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What was on Johann Sebastian Bach's mind when he composed? German violin teacher Helga Thoene has a theory that's evolved into a break-out hit in the world of Classical recording. In Bach's day (1685-1750), composers often threaded riddles and hidden messages into the music they wrote. Thoene thinks Bach created his Partita for Unaccompanied Violin in D minor as an epitaph in music for Maria Barbara Bach, his first wife. Thoene maintains that the piece is full of references to death and sorrow, drawn from the composer's choral works. In a recent ECM recording -- entitled MORIMUR (Latin for "we die") -- violinist CHRISTOPHER POPPEN performs the 14-minute chaconne movement. Next four singers from THE HILLIARD ENSEMBLE, a British choral group, perform a selection of the vocal pieces. Then Poppen plays violin work again, this time with the vocal material superimposed. It's stark, somber stuff, to be sure, but it's captured the fancy of a ton of Classical music buyers, who have turned the recording into a hot seller. Late last year it was on amazon.com's list of best-selling recordings. On Wednesday at 8 p.m., you can hear Poppen and The Hilliard Ensemble perform the material in person at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, 325 W. Eighth St., Downtown. Tickets: 513-421-2222.
... Mozart's always a popular guy on the Classical music circuit, so it's no surprise the HAMILTON-FAIRFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND CHORALE is performing a MOZART FESTIVAL this weekend. Saturday offers a chamber music concert at 5 p.m. at the Hamil-tonian Hotel, followed by an "18th Century Feast & Frolic" including dinner. On Sunday at 2:30 p.m. the big finale happens at St. Julie Billiart Church in Hamilton. Dennis Simons, former concertmaster of the London Philharmonic, will conduct. The weekend also offers a wine-tasting and tours of Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park. Info: 513-895-5151.
... Thursday's 801 PLUM CONCERT at Cincinnati City Hall features Jazz flutist JIM WALKER, who performed with Paul McCartney on the Academy Awards broadcast last month. He'll perform with a local favorite, Jazz pianist Phil DeGreg. Festivities begin with a happy hour at 5:30 p.m.; music begins at 7 p.m. Info: 513-381-6868.
E-mail Rick Pender
Previously in Fine Tuning
Fine Tuning
By Rick Pender
(April 4, 2002)
Fine Tuning
By Rick Pender
(March 21, 2002)
Other articles by Rick Pender
Home Again (April 11, 2002)
Theatrical Barometer (April 11, 2002)
Gut-Check Theater (April 11, 2002)
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