NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

NEXT MPRO MEETING

The Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra’s next Zoom meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 1 at 7:30 p.m. See Fred Palmer’s column in this issue for more information.

COMING EVENTS

The San Francisco Early Music Society’s in-person concert series features three performances by Aulos Ensemble on December 3, 4 and 5. The concert, titled “In Dulci Jubilo,” will include holiday music by Scarlatti, Couperin, Rameau, and Bach.   On January 14, there will be a one-time performance by Quicksilver Baroque (in Berkeley) titled “The (Very) First Viennese School.”  For information on these concerts, and post-concert virtual “snapshots ” see the Concerts link at the top of the sfems.org website.

The Renaissance wind band Piffaro, as part of this season's Boston Early Music Festival, gave a live concert in Boston on November 14. "Virtual tickets" to that concert are still available and can be used through December 9. See: https://bemf.org/concert-season/ for more information. BEMF has live and virtual concerts by other well known early music groups coming up, including the Tallis Scholars and Jordi Savall.

The Bay Area ensemble Voices of Music has scheduled three performances of its “Holiday Concert: Bach, Corelli and More” on December 17, 18 and 19. See: https://www.voicesofmusic.org/concerts.html for more information.

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CONDUCTOR’S CORNER

Dear members of the Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra,

        Ray White and I will be co-hosting a virtual MPRO meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, December 1, at 7:30 P.M.  Those attending will be admitted to the meeting starting at 7:15 P.M.  We will be working on the following two pieces, both of which are seasonal selections:

Vejvanovsky:  Sonata Natalis

Manfredini:  Concerto Op. 3, No. 12

 (Pastorale Per Il Santissimo Natale)

I have sent out the music and PDF files for these selections to all MPRO members.  Please remember that I will be conducting each of the selections scheduled.  This means that the music will not appear on the screen, and those attending will need to read from hard copies they have downloaded when playing along with the sound files.  Ray White will be sending out invitations to all MPRO members with a link to the virtual Zoom meeting and other information.  Please contact him at <rayhwhite@yahoo.com> if you do not receive an invitation.

The orchestra will continue with virtual meetings until the current health situation changes and in person meetings are once again possible.  I look forward to seeing those who will be attending the meeting on December 1.

Sincerely,

Fred Palmer

COMING EVENTS AND ONLINE RESOURCES

Amherst Early Music has scheduled four online weekend classes in December, including “Bicinia 1642-2012” with Tom Beets (recorder) on December 4. Two other classes are for voice and multi-instruments. Shira Kammen (vielle) will present “The Holly and the Oak: Nature Images in Medieval and Renaissance Music” on December 5.  “‘ Tis the Season for Polyphony” on December 11, with Amy Bearden (voice) will involve playing along with a multi-level vocal ensemble. For more information see: https://www.amherstearlymusic.org/weekend_online_classes.

The American Recorder Society has added new links to its “Playing it Safe: Social Distancing for Recorder Players” page.  For more information, see: https://americanrecorder.org/playing_it_safe_social_distan.php.

RECORDINGS OF MPRO’S LATEST MUSIC

Mouse over the following links for YouTube video recordings.

P.J. Vejvanovský (1633-1693)  XXI Sonata Natalis, Virtuosi di Praga

Manfredini- Sinfonia No. 12 in D Major "Pastorale Per Il Santissimo Natale" The “SHOW MORE” link under the video screen includes links to individual movements.

MORE BY VEJVANOVSKY

Pavel Josef Vejvanovsky, a trumpeter, was Kapellmeister to Prince-Bishop Karl Liechtenstein-Castelcorno.  The bishop’s chaplain was violinist Philipp Jakob Rittler.  The syndicated early music radio program Harmonia has an online full length broadcast of a recent program featuring music by Vejvanovsky and Rittler: 17th-Century Bohemian Rhapsody | Harmonia Early Music.

DONATIONS TO MPRO

It's time to think about year-end tax deductible donations. (Donations to MPRO are always welcome!)  MPRO is an affiliate of the San Francisco Early Music Society (SFEMS).  Under the terms of an annual agreement, SFEMS handles the Internal Revenue Service paperwork associated with our non-profit status, takes 7.5% from our donations to offset its expenses, and returns “disbursement” checks to MPRO for the remainder.  

Checks should be made payable to SFEMS with a note in the memo field that the donation is for MPRO.  To ensure that your donation is credited to MPRO, please do not mail a check directly to SFEMS or use SFEMS’ online links for donations using credit cards.  Mail your check to MPRO Treasurer Chantal Moser at the address in the membership list.  Checks should reach Chantal before the last week in December in order to be sent to SFEMS this year.

The Board: President: Judith Unsicker; Treasurers: Chantal Moser and Mary Ashley; Recording Secretary: vacant; Membership: Chris Flake and Tom Granvold; Publicity: vacant; Graphics: Mary Ashley; Newsletter Editor: vacant; Workshop Coordinator: vacant; Hospitality: vacant; Music Sales: Laura Gonsalves; Historian: vacant; Webmaster: Dan Chernikoff;  Music Director: Fred Palmer.  MPRO website: http://www.mpro-online.org   

Past Months' Issues: http://www.mpro-online.org/MPROArchives.htm