102nd Season of The Musical Club of Westfield begins Oct. 11

You are cordially invited to attend a free concert set for October 11 at 1:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Westfield, 170 Elm St. in Westfield, NJ. Given by members of the Musical Club of Westfield and guests, this is the first in a series of free concerts mounted by the club, now in its 102^nd season.
The concert will open with Ted Schlosberg, French horn and Beverly Shea, piano performing Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 1 in D Major. Allegro, K 412 and Rondo-Allegro, K. 514.  While numbered first, the Concerto was actually the last of the four horn concertos to be completed.  In fact, only the first 44 bars of the second movement are by Mozart, it was finished by Mozart’s student Franz Xaver Süssmayr using phrases from Mozart’s Requiem.
Next on the program will be pianist Helen Ryba who will play two selections composed by J.S. Bach, Chaconne in d minor and the Choral Prelude in f minor. Both pieces were edited by Ferruccio Busoni who dedicated thirty years of his career to transcribing the organ, harpsichord, clavichord, violin and other works of Bach for the modern piano.  Yehudi Menuhin called the Chaconne “the greatest structure for solo violin that exists” and we shall hear through the piano mastery of Busoni and Helen Ryba. The Choral Prelude in f minor is an organ piece that Busoni transcribed.
The afternoon concert will close with Four Dances by Astor Piazzolla performed by flutist Jenny Cline and guest artist Fumi Kuwajima at the piano. Best known for his role in elevating the music of Argentina’s national dance, the tango, from the dance hall to the concert stage, Piazzolla studied composition in Paris with Nadia Boulanger, who encouraged him to return to his roots and write music that came from his native country’s traditions. The pieces that Ms. Cline and Ms. Kuwajima will perform include two tangos, a milonga, and a waltz.
The audience is invited to a reception following each concert to enjoy light refreshments and to meet the artists.
A 501©3 non-profit organization, the mission of the Musical Club is to foster and encourage music by providing opportunities for performance and supporting college musicians with scholarships. More information about membership in the club can be found by visiting www.musicalclubofwestfield.org.