The art of the art song
Since moving to Hamilton in 2014, they have immersed themselves in the local classical music scene. They run a private voice studio in their Strathcona neighbourhood home. They’ve sung as soloists with the Bach Elgar Choir and various local church choirs as well as other musical organizations in and outside of the city. And now soprano Julie Ludwig and her husband, baritone Jeremy Ludwig, are ready to take yet another plunge, this time into the wonderful world of lieder (the German term for art songs), musical settings usually for solo voice and piano of lyrical or romantic poems. With local performances of art songs few and far between, the Ludwigs, alumni of Western University and various high profile vocal programs, have been pondering how best to fill that void.
“Art song is something you do a lot of at school (university),” said Jeremy on the phone to The Spec. “But once you’re out in the working world, there’s not a lot of opportunities to do it, to get paid to do it. The lieder or art song genre is not really well known even by people who like to go to classical music concerts.”
So, when opportunity vis-à-vis art song isn’t exactly knocking at your door, you make your own door, or in the case of the Ludwigs, their own art song series called “The Linden Project.”
The first of their two concerts this season is on Saturday, Nov. 3 at 8 p.m. at St. Cuthbert’s Presbyterian. And wouldn’t you know it, the concert, entitled “A Song Sampler,” includes the very song that inspired the series’ name,
namely Franz Schubert’s “Der Lindenbaum” (“The Linden Tree”).
Singing in turn, the Ludwigs will also perform, among others, Caccini’s “Amarilli mia bella,” Purcell’s “If music be the food of love,” Wolf’s “Er ist’s,” Fauré’s “Après un rêve,” Debussy’s “C’est l’extase langoureuse,” Poulenc’s “C,” Vaughan Williams’ “The Vagabond,” Britten’s “The Ash Grove,” and Joni Mitchell’s “California.”
Yup, you read that last one correctly. It seems that the Ludwigs don’t mind pushing the art song envelope just a bit.
And to help them do that, they’ve enlisted a long-time colleague, Toronto-based collaborative accompanist Trevor Chartrand to play the 88s.
Printed translations of the foreign language texts will be provided and will also be projected on a screen behind the singers. Jeremy estimates that there’s about an hour’s worth of music, though he and Julie will be chatting in between some of the songs. “It just makes the whole thing a little bit less formal, a little bit less intimidating, kind of bring people in to hear this great music,” said Jeremy.
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Guitar Hamilton favourite, Holland-based Johannes Moller has postponed his recital until next season. In his place, GH artistic director Emma Rush has booked French guitarist Ingrid Riollot for Sunday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Hamilton Conservatory, 162 James St. S. Riollot, president of the Guitar Society of France and on staff at the Conservatoire du Pays de Montbéliard, has toured to over 25 countries and released three CDs. Her recital will include Villa-Lobos’s “Prelude no. 1,” Tárrega’s “Lágrima,” Barrios’s “La Catedral,” Yocoh’s “Sakura: Theme and Variations on a Japanese Folk Song,” an arrangement of de Falla’s “Danza del molinero,” among others. Tickets: $25, student/senior $15. Call 905-8074792.
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Friday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. in St. Paul’s Presbyterian, 70 James St. S., the Hamilton Centre of the Royal Canadian College of Organists holds its annual Halloween concert. Free admission. Donations welcome.
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Sunday, Oct. 28 at 2 p.m. in Mohawk’s McIntyre Performing Arts Centre, 135 Fennell Ave. W., the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra presents a one-hour Halloween Spooktacular family concert under guest conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser. Audience costumes encouraged. Tickets: adult/senior $20, child $10. Call 905-526-7756.
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Sunday, Oct. 28 at 4:30 p.m. in the Music Hall at New Vision United, 24 Main St. W., the sophomore season of Adrean Farrugia and Rev. Ian Sloan’s Jazz Vespers opens with vocalist Sophia Perlman and her husband, the aforementioned Mr. Farrugia on keys, Clark Johnston on bass, and Chris Wallace on the kit. Poetry by Seamus Heaney. Free-will offering.