Exploring the sounds of JMU’s past
Musical selections chosen for historical significance, faculty honor Madison’s time
Posted on January 28, 2008
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, the audience members of Saturday evening’s performance of “In Madison’s Time” were given plenty of ideas for lines to use to charm their loved ones this Feb. 14.
“Ah, you know it, dear soul, That far from you, I languish, Love causes hearts to ache…”
This verse from “Zeignung (Devotion),” composed by Richard Strauss and performed by baritone In Dal Choi and pianist Gabriel Dobner, both professors in the school of music, was the opening selection for the concert. JMU music faculty performed pieces at that were, as the title suggests, composed or popular during James Madison’s lifetime. The program also featured pieces by Bach, Beethoven and Rimsky-Korsakov.
“They were chosen on the basis of a theme,” said JMU’s Director of Orchestras Robert McCashin. “The pieces were to have come from the lifetime or the lifespan of Madison-the-person, or from the lifetime of or the span of James Madison-the-University.”
The concert was the first in a series of performances in honor of the Centennial. The second concert was Jan. 27 and featured a jazz group, music by Franz Schubert and American music by Aaron Copeland.
“I started meeting in a committee mid-to-late October,” McCashin said. “Then I contacted the faculty [performers] at that time. Some of the faculty groups performing probably put this together in a fairly short time,” he said. This wasn’t a problem for them since they are “fine and talented musicians.”
Professor of clarinet Janice L. Minor, who performed Rimsky-Korsakov’s piece “Quintet in B-flat Major,” played with the all-JMU faculty group the Montpelier Wind Quintet.
“We actually performed this piece at a recital in December,” Minor said. “So a lot of practicing, a lot of individual parts and rehearsal.”
She noted that they chose the music and purposely tied it in with the Centennial.
“They were probably listening to this in their parlors, the entertainment of music,” she said.
The members of a string trio and the Montpelier Wind Quintet all took second bows for their performances, which were the audience’s favorites.
“This concert was a required event for me because I’m a music major,” freshman Kristopher Pourzal said. But he also wanted to come and support his professor, flautist Beth Chandler.
“I would want to hear her anyway for obvious reason,” Pourzal said. “I really like the piece she played.”
Other audience members, including freshmen Jung Kim and Philipp Kofler, said they favored the “Zueignung” piece.
For more information on events hosted by the JMU school of music go to jmu.edu/music.
