Monday, October 26, 2015

Charles Kaufmann: "Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and His Music in America, 1900–1912"... "Gipsy Song and Gipsy Dance," (Op. 20, No. 2 & 3)

 

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Gipsy Dance (Opus 20, No. 3. 1898)

Charles Kaufmann writes:
 
Hi, Bill,

I have separated out and re-edited audio versions of Rachel Barton Pine's performances of SC-T's "Gipsy Song" and "Gipsy Dance," Opus 20, Nos. 2 & 3, from my documentary, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and His Music in America.

Gipsy Song is extraordinarily lovely music, and Gipsy Dance is electrifying. SC-T was only 23 when he wrote this music, and he could play both the piano part and the violin part. At that point in his life, he was full of youthful feeling, optimism and confidence. It is a wonder why this virtuosic music is not in the repertory of every violinist today. And here, in this recording, we have one of America's elite violinists paying tribute to one of the United Kingdom's perhaps least celebrated composers.

This link will take you to a Youtube playlist of both pieces.

Charles



Charles Kaufmann


Published on Oct 25, 2015
From the documentary, "Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and His Music in America, 1900–1912," Rachel Barton Pine, violinist, and Matthew Hagle, pianist, perform Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's "Gipsy Song and Gipsy Dance," (Opus 20, No. 2 and No. 3. 1898). Maud Powell, the early Victor gramophone recording artist, was an important advocate in the United States for the music of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor during the first twelve years of the 20th century. Maud Powell may have been the first to perform SC-T's Gipsy Song and Gipsy Dance in the United States, though she never recorded it. Maud Powell interpreter Rachel Barton Pine made the recording Powell never did when she and Mathew Hagle came to The Studio in Portland, Maine, in December 2012, at the invitation of Charles Kaufmann, artistic director of The Longfellow Chorus. Filmed portions of this recording appear in the documentary, "Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and His Music in America, 1900–1912.

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