David Dalle
Thursday April 6th, 2023 with David Dalle
Passion music... and music for Passover. Farewell to Ethiopian pianist Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou, and a warm Ottawa welcome to Ethiopian pianist Girma Yifrashewa.
Every year I dive into the extremely rich tradition of Passion music. But, as I have done occasionally, we will take a detour into music for Passover. Tradition has it that the Passion of Christ occurred during Passover, so the two are forever linked. We will start with a unique piece by Jewish Swiss composer Ernest Bloch. Bloch had many influences, but he purposely composed music inspired by his Jewish heritage. Most fascinating of these compositions is his "Avodath hakodesh" or "Sacred Service". This was a work for soloist, choir, and large orchestra. There was no precedent for a large scale work of music like based on Jewish liturgy. He composed it during a very tense time for European Jews, from 1930-1933. The work was actually premiered in Italy in 1934 before Mussolini made his alliance with Hitler and before adopting his antisemitism wholesale. Though the work is based on Jewish liturgy of Sabbath services, due to the large musical forces required, it was never really intended to be performed as part of an actual Jewish service. Bloch was trying to create something new for Judaism along the lines of great musical Catholic Masses from Bach, Beethoven and many others, music "conceived as a transcendent, even inclusive humanistic work of universal spiritual experience" which could speak to everyone.
We will also hear music from two Ethiopian pianists, the first, celebrating the life of Ethiopian pianist Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou who passed away last week aged 99 years old. Second, Girma Yifrashewa who will be performing in Ottawa on Saturday.
At First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa 30 Cleary Avenue from 4-6pm.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sounds-of-peace-a-classical-piano-concert-tickets-541069542567
And of course, we will hear some Passion music.
| Avodath hakodesh Ernest Bloch/Douglas Lawrence, The Utah Symphony Orchestra, The Utah Chorale, Maurice Abravanel - Bloch - EMI |
| The second hour of music will be bookmarked by two gorgeous Passion pieces separated by more than five centuries. The first is by the obscure Renaissance English composer John Browne and his beautiful "Stabat iuxta". It is unusual in being scored for only tenor and bass voices, giving it a deep, tenebrous texture. The second is another gorgeous piece by Anna Thorvaldsdottir "Ad genua". We heard this on last year's Passion program, but I can't resist playing it again. The text is in English and based on a poem by Icelandic writer Guðrún Eva Mínervudóttir with the music based on a cantata by Bach's idol Deiterich Buxtehude. With the human drama and intense emotions this music explores it is no surprise I love Passion music so much! In between, we will hear the exquisite Ethiopian piano music.
I fall to my knees I fall I fall I fall to my knees and ask forgiveness for lazy thoughts, unseemly hunger and the beautiful, wild stampede of my fear I fall to my knees I fall I fall I fall to my knees and into the dark haze of the purple, innocent sky I fall deep into the sky and beg for clarity, true satisfaction and union of the soul I give myself up I give I give up I fall to my knees I fall I fall |
| Stabat iuxta Johne Browne/The Tallis Scholars - Perfect Polyphony - Gimell |
| Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou was born in 1923 into a well-to-do family in Ethiopia. As a child, she studied in Switzerland where she first became taken by music. She studied violin and piano, and continued her studies in Addis and then Cairo. After WWII she was prepared to further her studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London and prepare for a career as a concert pianist. However, this plan did not occur. I have heard it was the Emperor Selassie himself who forbade her to go. Whatever the cause, it completely altered the trajectory of her life. By her early 20's, she had become a nun in the Ethiopian Orthodox church, spending the next decade in a monastery. In the 60's, she began to play piano again and made some recordings. In the 80's she left Ethiopia to live in an Ethiopian monastery in Jerusalem, where she spent the rest of her long life. A few more recordings were made and she donated all proceeds from her music to charities. We will hear a couple of pieces from an upcoming release of her music.
https://emahoytsegemariamgebru.bandcamp.com/album/jerusalem |
| Jerusalem Emahoy Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou - Jerusalem - Mississippi 
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| Quand la mer furieuse Emahoy Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou - Jerusalem - Mississippi
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| Golgotha Emahoy Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou - Ethiopiques vol. 21 - Ethiopia Song - Buda |
| Unlike Marya Guèbrou, Girma Yifrashewa grew up playing an Ethiopian instrument, the Krar, a type of lyre with an ancient history in Ethiopia. He was introduced to the piano as a teenager and fell in love with it, later studying on a scholarship at the Sofia State Conservatory in Bulgaria where he eventually graduated with a Masters in Piano. He returned to Ethiopia in 1995 and taught there, as well as performing throughout Africa, Europe and North America. He performs both classical music from the Canon as well as his own compositions based on Ethiopian music. He will be appearing in Ottawa this Saturday afternoon! |
| The Shepherd with the Flute Girma Yifrashewa - Love & Peace - Unseen Worlds |
| Elilta Girma Yifrashewa - Love & Peace - Unseen Worlds |
| Fljotavik Sigur Ros arr. Guy Button/The Dmitri Ensemble, Graham Ross - Iceland: The Eternal Music - Harmonia Mundi |
| Ad genua Anna Thorvaldsdottir/Choir of Clare College Cambridge, The Dmitri Ensemble, Graham Ross - Iceland: The Eternal Music - Harmonia Mundi |
| Chewata Girma Yifrashewa - Love & Peace - Unseen Worlds |
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Thank you CKCU FM 93.1 for this wonderful tribute to Ethiopian pianist Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou, and a warm Ottawa welcome to Ethiopian pianist Girma Yifrashewa. Much love and appreciation!
10:46 AM, April 6th, 2023