Jonathan M. Blair wins first prize in national song makers Guild-Composers Symposium competition
Composer Jonathan M. Blair took home first prize at the first annual Song Makers Guild for his song cycle, Winteresse. The work catalogued the final 24 hours of the life of Racheltjie de Beer, featuring techniques extending the color range and techniques of the pianist through direct manipulation inside the body of the piano. The 6 poems were commissioned exclusively for the cycle.
Music Critic Albert Combrink’s write up:
We live in a city popping with talent. Last night I had a Proudly South African moment, when a very important event happened in the history of South African Art Music, and my heart burst with pride at the same time as it broke a little - because such exceptional musicianship was met with a tiny audience. Small in number perhaps, but not small in appreciation.
The Songmaker's Guild and the South African Composer Symposium, held a competition: for young South African composers to write a new Song Cycle. Sponsored by the Rupert Music Foundation, the competition received 25 BRAND NEW Song Cycles and selected 5 finalists. The song cycles were then performed by local artists, in a concert at the Endler - where prizes were awarded, and then repeated at SpinStreet on Friday evening.
What can I say? I was blown away. Firstly the singers. Janelle Visagie has become one of South Africa's most important working sopranos. It is a big, luscious and ample voice, that flips up the range or downgears to almost mezzo-warmth. She is making a name for herself in the field of contemporary music, and she makes everything sound beautiful.
Magdalene Minnaar is no stranger to contemporary music, with many recordings of unusual and standard repertoire to her name. There is an ease of production in the middle register that combines with a crisp diction, on top of a silvery soprano that flows with ease in the high register, that made her contribution exceptional.
Lusibalwethu Sesanti is a knockout powerhouse. She is billed as a mezzo, but her high notes are spectacular and need to be heard in some serious solo roles. Repeat: SHE NEEDS TO BE HEARD.
Baritone Bongani Khubeka has an exquisite voice, and a technique of polish and refinement and an approach to the music that simply goes to the heart of the matter. If you see him on a programme anywhere, don't quibble: just buy a damn ticket and GO.
The intrepid Jose Dias accompanied ALL the song cycles with verve and finesse, and despite the occasional over reverberant acoustics and some hooting cars outside, kept up an admirable focus and support.
What about the music? WHY are people afraid of Lieder? Poetry is Magnificent. It really rewards the reader, to just take a few lines of rhyme, enjoy them, unpack them just a little bit and turn them this way and that, like a jewel in the light, to get a glimmer of joy, meaning and beauty. It takes a minute to read a poem. really. Anyone can do it.
The South African poetry chosen by the composers was of the highest standard, and some brand new poems were written by at least one composer. South African poetry is magnificent. It deserves being set to music.
Then you hear a version of that poem set to music. Somebody else has already lovingly explored the gem in the light and they are showing you the angles that they found most beautiful or meaningful. It takes but a minute. And if you really really really hated it, it's all over in a minute and you can move on with your life. But at least, pick up the gem, just for a moment. It is always worth it.
And then: why are people afraid of MODERN music? Even Bach was modern once upon a time. We've watched "Jaws", We've watched "Psycho". We've watched "Inception". I know you can handle a bit of music that isn't KFM or Tchaikovsky, you really can.
Juliet Woolton set 3 poems by Fiona Zerbst. Easy melodiousness - but not dumbed down - and some very colourful piano writing made this a special work. "After Loss" was absolutely hauntingly beautiful.
Morne van der Westhuyzen set 3 myths by Peter Anderson. Deliciously rhythmic and onomatopoeic writing for both voice and piano told stories from South Africa with great vitality and verve. A crocodile god, a Dutchman and a Tokoloshe can indeed co-exist in a song-cycle...
Pieter Bezuidenhout set surrealistic poems from Breyten Breytenbach's 1968 collection "Die Huis van die Dowe". Exquiste transparent colours and accessible melodic ideas made this one of the highlights of the evening. "D'apres Wang Wei" is one of the most beautiful artsongs to come out of this project.
Lusibalwethu Sesanti, in adition to singing TWO of the song cycles, comoposed "Love Letters to God" to her own texts. I have few words to describe this: Between her very real earnestness in writing her love letter to her god of many names and faces, and the deeply heartbreakingly earnest interpretation by Bongani Khubeka, it was a moment that brought me spontaneous tears. Love, joy, pride - all words that only vaguely convey the impact of this performance. In a night of highlights, this one will forever stay in my heart in that special room called "Things that I love the most". She says she "tried her hand" at composing. Well, she is a magnificent young singer. But my word, she is an important composer voice. WATCH THIS SPACE....
Jonathan Blair set 6 poems by Stephanie Gericke, telling the last day of the life of Racheltjie de Beer. It combined Lieder Singing traditions with extended piano plucking and technology assisted writing. The most sophisticated offering of the evening, it contained much of beauty and intellectual interest.
The Song Maker's Guild holds the banner for Art Song in South Africa, and now it holds the banner for SOUTH AFRICAN Art Song. I can not underline enough how important this event was. Arthur Arthur Feder and Antoni Schonken deserve every recognition for making this part of their Composer Symposium.
25 Entries - that's 25 new south African song cycles. Will they all be good? Of course not. Schubert wrote 614 songs, they aren't all good either. But there is no other way to bring the pearls from the ocean, but with the casting of a wide net.
And this time, it caught at least 6 gems.
Bravi to all concerned and thank you to the ever-willing, ever-generous, Rupert Music Foundation. Honestly, what would we do without them.