Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 - Madison Bach Musicians
We really can hardly wait to perform the Monteverdi Vespers in the wonderful acoustical space of First Unitarian Society’s Atrium Auditorium. Outstanding choral conductor Andrew Megill will direct 15 renowned instruments specialists and 10 internationally acclaimed vocal soloists hailing from throughout the US. There is no explaining this work; it simply seems to generate its own form and rules. So at every surprising turn of events, all I can say is, “Yes, I never could have thought of it, but that is just where we need to go next.” We hope you can come and experience it with us!
Saturday, April 25, 2020
7:15 pm lecture/ 8 pm concert
First Unitarian Society of Madison – Atrium Auditorium
Sunday, April 26, 2020
2:45 pm lecture/ 3:30 pm concert
First Unitarian Society of Madison – Atrium Auditorium
Trevor Stephenson--Keyboard Music, 3 Virtual Concerts for Summer of 2020: June 14, 28, and July 12
I hope you’re doing well! Although we cannot yet gather under one roof, I’d like to try a virtual house-concert keyboard music series over the next several weeks on Sundays June 14, 28, and July 12 at 3 pm. We’d start with an all-Bach harpsichord event (June 14)―a program covering music from his teenage years (Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother) up through the other-worldly and incomparable Art of Fugue, then to Haydn & Mozart’s theatrical wit and joy on the fortepiano (June 28), and finishing (on July 12) with Chopin & Debussy’s exploration of the Victorian piano’s sonic complexities.
The basic idea for each concert is that for the first half hour via Zoom we can chat a bit and then I’ll give a pre-concert talk; then (we’ll close Zoom) and you can click on the private Youtube link we’ll send you so you can watch the performance in High-Def (from my living room, filmed the week of the concert), and then afterward via Zoom again we can chat and have some questions to wrap things up. We’ll limit the attendance for each concert to 45 people—similar to a house concert―so the Zoom sessions will be more manageable and you can ask questions.
Concerts are $35 per event to register for one or two events. Concerts are $30 per event if you sign up for the series of all three concerts ($90 total).
To make your reservation for a single event(s) or for all three:
1. Just email and we’ll email you back and put you on the list
2. Mail in your check (made to Light & Shadow, 5729 Forsythia Place, Madison Wi 53705), we’ll let you know by email when it arrives, and that your reservation is confirmed. If you don’t have checks (some folks don’t anymore) just let me know and we’ll figure out an alternate route.
3. Two days before the concert you’ll receive your Zoom meeting link
4. On the morning of the concert you’ll receive your private Youtube link that let’s you view the music portion of the program.
I know this is a new type of “concert attendance” for many of us—and hopefully, in the near future, when we can return to actually being there, the virtual will be an old type of concert attendance. Please feel free to ask any questions. I’m sure I’m forgetting something. Below is the list of the dates and most of the likely repertoire.
Trevor Stephenson
June 14, 3-5 pm
Bach—at the 17th-century Flemish Harpsichord
Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother, English Suite in G minor, Contrapunctus XIX from The Art of Fugue (with B-A-C-H fugue)
June 28, 3 pm
Mozart & Haydn―at the 18th-century Fortepiano
Haydn: Sonata in D major Hob. XVII: DI; Sonata in F major Hob.XVI:23
Mozart: Fantasy in D minor, Rondo in D major, selection tbd
July 12, 3 pm
Chopin & Debussy―at the 19th-century Victorian Piano
Chopin: Prelude in D-flat major (Raindrop), selected Mazurkas, Nocturnes, Waltzes
Debussy: (selections from) Suite Bergamasque, Two Arabesques, selected Preludes Book II
July 2020 Carmel Bach Festival cancelled due to Covid-19 Pandemic. Bach Classes for Road Scholar Program cancelled
Each summer since 1935, the Carmel Bach Festival has presented the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, his contemporaries and his musical heirs in concerts and recitals in the spectacular setting of the European-inspired Carmel-by-the-Sea. Heighten your aesthetic experience and musical appreciation as experts’ lively presentations prepare you for each piece you will hear. Delve into the world of Bach, his inspirations and his on-going influence at this world-famous festival experience integrating music, education and ideas.
Trevor Stephenson performs music of Scott Joplin - 8 Rags and a Waltz. A Concert/lecture & audience zoom meeting
Trevor Stephenson performs piano music by Scott Joplin - 8 Rags and a Waltz!
(1868-1917)
The Sycamore, Wall St. Rag, Elite Syncopations, Solace, The Entertainer, Pineapple Rag, Bethena (Concert Waltz), Maple Leaf Rag, Magnetic Rag
"The Romantics" - Trevor Stephenson performs music by Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn, and Edvard Grieg
Concert-Lecture and Zoom meeting with audience
email trevor@trevorstephenson.com for reservations and tickets
Trevor Stephenson plays a c. 1850 English parlor grand piano.
Music by Felix Mendelssohn, Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann, Edvard Grieg
Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words--E major, A minor (Regret), A major (Hunting Song), G minor (Venetian Boat Song), C major (Tarantella)
Clara Schumann: Prelude & Fugue in D minor
Robert Schumann: Intermezzo from Faschingschwank aus Wien, Waldscenen (Forest Scenes) selections
Edvard Grieg: Arietta from Lyric Pieces Op. 12, Puck's Dance, Wedding at Troldhaugen, Cowkeeper's Song
Dedication of newly completed harpsichord by Norman Sheppard! Music by Frescobaldi, G. Gabrieli, and Mozart
Trevor Stephenson plays a dedication concert on Norman Sheppard's fabulous newly completed harpsichord modeled on a c. 
1600 Venetian instrument by Celestini! Works by Frescobaldi, G. Gabrieli, Froberger, Haydn, and Mozart.
Portrait of Mozart, age 13, sitting at a Celestini harpsichord, which was nearly 200 years old at the time the portrait was painted.
The name "Celestini" is deep in the shadows just above Mozart's left hand -- but it is there!
Harpsichord Music for the New Year 2021! Trevor Stephenson concert-lecture January 9 at 6:30 pm. Works by Bach, Handel, Scarlatti & Rameau
On Saturday, January 9, 2021 starting at 6:30 pm we'll celebrate the New Year with a selection of works by Bach, Handel, Scarlatti, and Rameau. From 6:30-7 pm I'll give a pre-concert lecture via Zoom. Then from 7-8 pm you can watch the program on a high-definition Youtube (private link) video that I'll be filming here in December. And at 8 pm we'll return to Zoom for a wrap-up Q&A session.
To sign up for the concert, just email me at trevor@trevorstephenson.com.
See you in 2021!
Trevor
Bach's "Goldberg Variations" BWV 988, a four-part online class Jan. 11-Feb. 1 - Trevor Stephenson, instructor
J. S. Bach
Goldberg Variations
Aria and Thirty Variations for Double-Manual Harpsichord, BWV 988
4 Classes – Trevor Stephenson, instructor
January 11, 18, 25, and February 1
Monday evenings from 6-7 pm via Zoom
Enrollment for the class limited to 30 participants
Fee is $100 for the four-part course, $30/class for à la carte sign ups.
Contact Trevor Stephenson at trevor@trevorstephenson.com to enroll
Four days before each class, participants will receive a link to Trevor’s HD video recording-performance of the material for that week and a PDF score clearly marked with the fingerings used in the video recording.
Topics of class discussion
The Aria: character, origins, phrase and harmonic structure
Overarching structure of the 30 variations: how Bach achieves variety, unity, and dramatic flow
The spiritual odyssey of the set
Use of Arioso, Toccata, Overture, Quodlibet, and Canonic compositional techniques
Comparison of the nine canonic variations--3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, and 27
History of Quodlibet technique, folk melodies used in the GV Quodlibet
Significance of the Aria’s return at the work’s end
Designation and set-up of the double-manual harpsichord
Finding a good temperament (tuning) and pitch level for the work
Approaches to fingering and articulation
Selecting tempos for each variation
Uses of rubato and agogic accents
Playing the work on the piano, organ, and in instrumental arrangements
The additional 14 canons Bach composed after the GV publications
Reception and performance history
Week 1, January 11: Aria and Variations 1-6
Week 2, January 18: Variations 7-15
Week 3, January 25: Variations 16-24
Week 4, February 1: Variations 25-30; reprise of the Aria
Scarlatti Keyboard Sonatas, a 3-part Course: March 9, 16, 30
Domenico Scarlatti - Keyboard Sonatas
3 Classes – Harpsichordist Trevor Stephenson, instructor
March 9, 16, and 30, 2021 — Tuesday evenings from 6-7 pm via Zoom
Enrollment for the class limited to 30 participants
Fee $75 for the three-class course
Contact Trevor Stephenson at trevor@trevorstephenson.com to enroll
Three days before each class, participants will receive a link to Trevor’s HD video recording-performance
of the material for that week and a PDF score clearly marked with the fingerings used in the video recording.
- Scarlatti’s life: Italy – Naples & Rome, Portugal, Spain
- Personality, employment, colleagues
- Sources for the keyboard sonatas
- His uses of Binary Form
- Keyboard technique: Approaches to fingering, articulation, agogic accents, arpeggiation, hand crossing
- Tempo: indications, rate, regularity, rubato
- Ornamentation: realizing specified ornaments, improvising ornaments
- Line, rhythm, harmonic language, spacing and texture
- Types of instruments Scarlatti may have played:
Italian, German, French & Spanish harpsichords, fortepianos, clavichords & organs - Keyboard temperaments and pitch levels (e.g., A=390, 400, 415, 440, 465HZ…), historical precedents
- Publication, performance, and reception history
- Recordings and discography
Sonatas for Class Study
D minor, K. 1
D minor, K. 9
G minor, K. 30 “Cat’s Fugue”
B minor, K. 87
A major, K. 113
C minor, K. 156
C major, K. 159
A major, K. 208
A major, K. 209
E major, K. 215
F minor, K 238
F minor, K. 239
G major, K. 259
E minor, K. 263
A major, K. 322
E major, K. 380
G major, K. 470
C major, K. 513