SEPTEMBER 2021

ANOTHER VIRTUAL SEASON

Due to the ongoing pandemic, MPRO's 2021-2022 season (our 59th) will be virtual until further notice. Our usual rehearsal venue, Trinity Church in Menlo Park, is not currently renting space to outside groups.  MPRO will hold monthly play-along sessions similar to those offered from January through June 2021. Our first Zoom session is scheduled for Tuesday, September 14. (Note the change from our usual Wednesday rehearsals.) See Fred Palmer's column in this issue for further information.

COMING EVENTS

The San Francisco Early Music Society has scheduled six in-person concerts for this season, beginning on October 22.  SFEMS will implement COVID-19 protocols including proof of vaccination, masking and social distancing in seating.  See the "Concerts" drop-down menu at https://sfems.org for more information.  

Hidden Valley Music plans two "Road Scholar" Recorder/Early Music Workshops this fall. They will be held from October 24-30 and October 31-November 6 in Carmel Valley. They are currently planned as in-person events. See: Concerts/Events for more information.

The Santa Cruz Baroque Festival’s planned season will involve in-person concerts (with COVID-19 protocols). See https://scbaroque.org/.

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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 Tuesday, September 14, 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 music:

Handel: Réjouissance

Gluck: Objet de mon Amour

Andrea Gabrieli: Quando'io ero giovinetto

Gabrieli: Canzona per sonare No. 4

I have sent PDF files of this music 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.

This is the first meeting of MPRO’s 2021-2022 season. 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 September 14.  -Sincerely, Fred Palmer

MORE COMING EVENTS AND ONLINE RESOURCES

The University of California, Berkeley "CalPerformances"music and dance series has announced its calendar of in-person events for the 2021-2022 season. Proof of vaccination will be required and other COVID protocols will be followed. Planned events include concerts by: Canadian Brass on December 11, Jordi Savall and Le Concert des Nations on March 4, English Baroque Soloists on April 10, and Tallis Scholars on May 6.   Events is the link for more information.

The early music radio program Harmonia is running a series of online podcasts from past programs. The "Harmonia Uncut" podcasts include: ‘Arrangements of Bach," a 1980 performance of Judith Linsenberg's arrangement of J.S.Bach's Sonata in G major, and "Buzzies" featuring music for crumhorns. The "Transcript" links include narrative background information on the music. See the drop-down menus for "Podcasts" and "Archives" at https://indianapublicmedia.org/harmonia/index.php.

RECORDINGS OF MPRO’S “NEW” MUSIC

Following are links to recordings of some of the music that will be played at MPRO’s September 14 session:

Handel,  Rejouissance.  This is a link to a four part recorder performance.Handel: Royal Fireworks (Bourrée, La Paix, La Réjouissance, Menuets) from Lockdown.  This is another recording with period instruments: Handel - Music for the Royal Fireworks - Academy of Ancient Music

Gluck- Objet de mon amour.  This is a recording from the 1774 Paris version of the opera:  Act I Scene 2: Objet de mon amour (Orphee)

Gabrieli:  Canzona per sonare No. 4: Giovanni Gabrieli - Canzona per Sonare N. 4.

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IN MEMORIAM

MPRO lost two long-time members recently. Richard “Dick” Davies (1927-2020) edited our newsletter for 13 years before relocating to Missouri in 2017. This is a link to his obituary: Richard Davies - St Louis Cremation.  George Greenwood (1936-2021), in addition to being an excellent player, helped the orchestra to tune, copied and distributed sheet music for our workshops, and sent MIDI files of the orchestra’s music to help members practice at home. See:

George Greenwood | Obituaries | losaltosonline.com 

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