Cue Online (Grahamstown)
Jeff Brukman
2 July 2009
This year’s classical music offerings are both full and varied, with the repertoire of most performers including works from South Africa, though compared to last year these appear to be muted in number.
While the Swiss ensemble babel will be collaborating with Xhosa musician Madosini Latozi Mpahleni, it is a pity that more of our international visitors are not exploring the rich tapestry of South African music.
Michael Moerane’s centenary is given due prominence, with a symphonic tone poem and a choral tribute highlighting his contribution to South African music.
It is fitting that Moerane’s work is being highlighted at Festival as his connection with Grahamstown is not well documented; Rhodes University’s first Professor of Music, Friedrich Hartmann, taught him composition during the 1940s. The Moerane choral tribute, led by the Voices of Cape Town, promises to be an exceptional event.
Cape contribution
The Cape Philharmonic Orchestra will be presenting two symphonic concerts, firstly with Grahamstown-based pianist Catherine Foxcroft as soloist, followed by another, featuring Jacques Imbrailo, this year’s Standard Bank Young Artist award winner.
Foxcroft’s glittering, virtuoso piano technique is well suited to Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto, making this a concert to diarise.
Imbrailo’s rich, soaring baritone will be to the fore in the Gala Concert and during his lieder recital. The latter programme comprises traditional fare by Schumann, Grieg, Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky.
It is a pity that Imbrailo has not included South African compositions in his lieder programme, as our composers
deserve exposure from such a celebrated performer.
More traditional repertoire is to be heard in the two programmes presented by the Pacific Boychoir. The purity of boys’ voices in the acoustic of the Great Hall ought to make these two programmes special events on this year’s calendar.
Musical diversity
Two other programmes devoted to the music of African-American and Filipino composers respectively promise to introduce festinos to a new, wide range of repertoire.
The latter, presented by Grahamstown-based musicians Juan Muñoz and Mariel Ilusorio, features the participation of Philippine ambassador Virgilio Reyes. The former programme is presented by an international visitor, the clarinettist Marcus Eley.
Last year’s Standard Bank Young Artist, Zanne Stapelberg, is back performing a programme with a mainly Spanish flavour, appropriately accompanied by guitar virtuoso, James Grace.
This programme, which includes a work by South African composer Matthijs van Dijk, ought to be a riveting performance with
Stapelberg’s sensual and expressive performance style especially suited to the Latin repertoire.
Trio Hemanay, a flute-piano-cello ensemble, will present a wide-ranging programme that includes works by two South African composers, Neo Muyanga and Hendrik Hofmeyr, interspersed with traditional favourites by Haydn, Rachmaninoff and Piazzolla.
SA talent
The stature of the three performers, Helen Vosloo, Malcolm Nay and Marian Lewin, should make for a phenomenal showcasing of chamber music.
Two other South African composers, Hans Huyssen and Andrew Cruickshank, will be presenting their original compositions within recitals celebrating Baroque music played on the cello and harpsichord.
Grahamstown-based composer, Keith Moss, will be premiering a sextet with the Paz Consort. These concerts, which feature the composer as performer, represent the creative essence of the Festival, something which could possibly have been explored by more artists in this year’s Festival.
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