The public is invited to attend a free concert given by The Musical Club of Westfield on Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 1:30 p.m. This is the December offering in a year-long series of events sponsored by the Musical Club and will be held at the First Baptist Church of Westfield located at 170 Elm Street in Westfield, NJ.
The concert will begin with Angelsong, written in 2014 by noted contemporary composer Gary Schocker. The piece has four movements: I. Cassiel, Angel of Tears II. Phanuel, Angel of Hope and Repentance III. Hesediel, Angel of Benevolence, Mercy, Freedom IV. Netzach, Angel of Eternity and will be performed by Jenny Cline, flute and Beverly Shea, harp.
Baritone Stephen Tasy, accompanied by pianist Carolle-Ann Mochernuk, will continue the program with Italian art songs by Giordani, Scarlatti and Pregolesi and two operatic arias, “Il Lacerato Spinto” from Verdi’s Simon Boccanergra and “Madamina! Il Catalogo e Questo!” from Mozart’s Don Giovanni.
The trio of Robert Romano, clarinet, Wendy Romano, bassoon and Carolle-Ann Mochernuk will close the concert with The Poulenc Clarinet Sonata, composed in 1962. One of the last pieces written by Francis Poulenc, it was premiered by Benny Goodman, clarinet, and Leonard Bernstein, piano, 2 1/2 months after the composer died. Although Goodman commissioned the work, Poulenc dedicated it to the memory his old friend, Swiss composer Arthur Honegger, who, like Poulenc, was a member of Les Six, a group of composers living and composing in Paris in the 1920s.
There will be a reception with light refreshments immediately after the concert where audience members will have the opportunity to meet the performers. The Musical Club of Westfield is a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster and encourage good music, provide performance opportunities for local musicians and support young musicians from Union county with college scholarships. It also sponsors the Junior Musical Club for students in grades 8 to 12 from the surrounding communities. Additional information about the club can be found by visiting musicalclubofwestfield.org.
