Concert II - Gypsy Nights
Friday, February 17, 2012
7:30pm - Town Hall
Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dances No. 5 & 6
Christophe Chagnard: Opre Roma!
with Neil Andersson, Ron Peters, and Christophe Chagnard, guitars
Antonin Dvořák: Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”
The word Gypsy conjures fascination and a timeless mystic. The rich heritage of its musical culture which began in India some 1500 years ago permeates the music of some of the greatest composers of the romantic and modern eras. Brahms and Dvorak were two great champions of Bohemian music (along with Mahler who was born in that very region.) Django Reinhardt has had a profound impact on my self-discovery as a conductor, composer and guitarist and he inspired this ambitious project. One of the great challenges in composing “Opre Roma!” was to merge the two contrasting worlds of Gypsy Jazz and Classical Music together: How to make an orchestra swing and make it feel as though it is improvising while having the jazz guitarists stay synchronize with the orchestra at all time? The riddle proved fascinating and you are about to find out if these worlds can complete one another into musical fulfillment.
- C. Chagnard
Christophe Chagnard: Opre Roma!
with Neil Andersson, Ron Peters, and Christophe Chagnard, guitars
Antonin Dvořák: Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”
The word Gypsy conjures fascination and a timeless mystic. The rich heritage of its musical culture which began in India some 1500 years ago permeates the music of some of the greatest composers of the romantic and modern eras. Brahms and Dvorak were two great champions of Bohemian music (along with Mahler who was born in that very region.) Django Reinhardt has had a profound impact on my self-discovery as a conductor, composer and guitarist and he inspired this ambitious project. One of the great challenges in composing “Opre Roma!” was to merge the two contrasting worlds of Gypsy Jazz and Classical Music together: How to make an orchestra swing and make it feel as though it is improvising while having the jazz guitarists stay synchronize with the orchestra at all time? The riddle proved fascinating and you are about to find out if these worlds can complete one another into musical fulfillment.
- C. Chagnard
