By Leonard Turnevicius
THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR
Just when you thought Alan Walker's Great Romantics Festival was down and out for the count … Surprise! It's back as strong as ever.
That's right. All systems are go for the GRF, which was put on hold last year due to funding issues.
And what got the ball rolling to make the GRF happen instead of letting it become a warm and fuzzy memory for the region's classical music fans as well as the American Liszt Society, one of the festival's co-sponsors?
"We received this year an unexpectedly generous donation from an American benefactor and admirer of the GRFestival who had regretted its absence during 2009, " wrote Alan Walker in an e-mail response to The Spectator.
So, with someone gifting greenbacks to cover the bills, Walker set about organizing the three-day festival which will take place just prior to Thanksgiving.
Much of the GRF's schedule is familiar from previous years. Opening remarks on Thursday at McMaster's Con Hall, followed by a lecture. This being the Schumann bicentennial, Mark Ainley will share his insights on that composer. Louis Nagel will then present an all-Schumann piano recital. Then, in Christ's Church Cathedral, there's Ian Sadler's organ recital, plus soprano Janet Obermeyer's Lieder recital including Schumann's song cycle, Frauenliebe und –leben. Thursday night, it's the traditional orchestral concert in Hamilton Place. But this time, it won't be with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Citing "philosophical differences" coming "after 10 years of frictionless collaboration, " as Walker put it, the HPO and the GRF are parting company, for the time being.
So, Boris Brott and his National Academy Orchestra have accepted Walker's invitation to fill that void in what will be their GRF début. But it was Brott who suggested that the evening's soloist should be pianist Valerie Tryon. Walker, who had originally pencilled in Tryon for a daytime solo recital, gave her the choice between that and a concerto. Her decision was a no-brainer, all the more so since she and Brott have honed their musical rapport over the past 35 or so years.
With 2010 also being the Chopin bicentennial, Tryon will trot out Chopin's Second Piano Concerto as well as Liszt's Totentanz (Dance of Death) on a bill that also includes Schumann's Manfred Overture and Liszt's symphonic poem, Les Préludes.
But Walker won't have Tryon play on either of Hamilton Place's two grand pianos. Instead, he's having a 9-foot-6 Mason & Hamlin brought in from Burlington for the occasion.
"It produces an exceptionally large sound - essential for such a vast auditorium as the Great Hall, " wrote Walker of the Mason & Hamlin. "I have often been disappointed by the poor sound of the in-house pianos at Hamilton Place, which are neglected and not really good enough for a truly professional concert."
And for the concerts at MacNab Presbyterian, including Saturday afternoon's all-Chopin piano gala (you didn't think any other composer would do, did you?) featuring an array of local and international pianists, the GRF is importing a nine-foot Yamaha grand from Toronto.
And don't forget about the traditional Friday night Con Hall piano recital featuring this year's winner of the Hilton Head Competition, Lukas Vondracek, who'll perform in the presence of the Czech Republic Consul General, or the Saturday night Candlelight Banquet in the Convention Centre's Webster Room. For all the info, check www.artset.net/greatromantics.html.
This Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m., Alok and Abhisek Lahiri with Kiran Morarji on tabla present a sarod duet program with a Q&A session on Indian classical music in McMaster's Kenneth Taylor Hall, Room B135. Free admission. Call 905-525-9140, ext. 27289.
GRF schedule
THURSDAY, OCT. 7
McMaster, Convocation Hall
9:30 a.m.: Opening Remarks
10 a.m.: Mark Ainley's Schumann lecture
11 a.m.: Louis Nagel: Schumann recital
Christ's Church Cathedral, 252 James N.
2 p.m.: Ian Sadler, organ
3 p.m.: Janet Obermeyer, soprano
Hamilton Place
8 p.m.: Tryon, Brott & NAO, $20
FRIDAY, OCT. 8
MacNab Presbyterian, 116 MacNab St. S.
10 a.m.: Miriam Gomez-Moran, piano
11 a.m.: Lenard Whiting, tenor, Schumann's Dichterliebe
2 p.m.: Bill Aide, piano
3 p.m.: chamberWORKS! Wagner & Brahms
4 p.m.: reception
McMaster, Convocation Hall
8 p.m.: Vondracek recital, $20
10 p.m.: reception, CIBC Banquet Hall
SATURDAY, OCT. 9
MacNab Presbtyerian
10 a.m.: Jose Cueto & Nancy Roldan, violin/piano
2 p.m.: Donald Manildi on Chopin
2:30 p.m.: Chopin gala
Convention Centre, Webster Room
7:30 p.m.: Candlelight Banquet, $70
Tickets for a morning or an afternoon $15, student/senior $10. One day pass $25, student/senior $15. An evening concert $20. ‘Rose' package (incl. all events except Candlelight Banquet) $100. Candlelight Banquet $70. Call 905-525-9140 ext. 23674.
Leonard Turnevicius writes on classical music for The Spectator