This morning saw the release of the third of the eight videos in the Midweek Melodies series of performances by guitarist Giulio Tampalini released by OMNI on-Location, as curated by the Omni Foundation for the Performing Arts. The composers for the first two videos were, respectively, Joaquín Rodrigo and Johann Sebastian Bach. Today Tampalini returned to the twentieth century with the Swiss composer Frank Martin. He selected the first movement “Prélude” from the 1933 collection entitled Quatre pièces brèves. Clocking in at about two and one-half minutes, the work was definitely true to the collection’s title!
While I was aware of Martin during my student days, my opportunities to listen to the works by this composer since I made my shift from writing about software to writing about music have been decidedly sparse. However, in that context, I was pleased to see his appearance on the latest album released by the Neave Trio this past July. That was a three-movement suite of popular Irish tunes, suggesting that Martin was inclined to brevity. Nevertheless, the guitar selection was decidedly more meditative.
Giulio Tampalini playing for the surrounding artwork in the Church of Santa Giulia (from the third Midweek Melodies video)
Mind you, the setting in which it was performed could not have been better for meditation. This was the Church of Santa Giulia, which is part of the Monastic complex of San Salvatore-Santa Giulia in the Italian city of Brescia. As one can see from the above screen shot, the interior of that space is a feast of artwork, thus engaging the eyes while the ears are occupied with Tampalini’s performance. Martin’s brief composition may not have encouraged reflection on this visual experience, but the combination of the two made for an engaging encounter.
No comments:
Post a Comment