Rachmaninoff-Wilson Medley

Jonathan Golove, and Magnus Martensson

Music Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

• Year: 2012
• Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A.

Abstract:

Program notes: The most impressive uses of the theremin cello during Theremin's time in New York are Leopold Stokowski's inclusion of one in the Philadelphia Orchestra's low string section and Varese's composition of two solo parts in Ecuatorial. Even more important, from my perspective, is the fact that the instrument represents the first attempt to harness the human potential to shape and manipulate electronic sound by means of the technical apparatus of the modern player of bowed string instruments. Rachmaninoff's Vocalise, Op. 34 no. 14, for textless high voice, highlights the hauntingly vocal quality of the theremin cello. Vocalise is the last of a set of 14 songs published in 1912, less than a decade before Theremin's experiments with musical sounds began to bear fruit. Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys, by virtue of their use of Bob Whitsell's Electro-Theremin on several recordings, are irrevocably linked to the history of the theremin. Composer(s) Credits: Vocalise, Op.34 no. 14 - Sergei Rachmaninoff Medley (Good Vibrations/God Only Knows) - Brian Wilson Instrumentalist(s) Credits: Jonathan Golove (Theremin cello), Magnus Martensson (piano) Artist(s) Biography: Jonathan Golove, Associate Professor of Music at the University at Buffalo, has been featured as theremin cello soloist with the Asko/Schoenberg Ensemble, London Sinfonietta, and International Contemporary Ensemble; and as cello soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Slee Sinfonietta, and New York Virtuoso Singers. He has recorded for the Albany, Centaur, Albuzerque, and Nine Winds labels, and appeared at festivals including the Holland Festival, Festival d'Automne, Lincoln Center Festival, June in Buffalo, and the Festival del Centro Histórico (Mexico City). Golove gave the first performance of Varese's Ecuatorial using Floyd Engel's recreation of the legendary early 20th century instrument at the University at Buffalo in 2002. He is also active as an electric cellist, particularly in the field of creative improvised music. An accomplished composer, his works have been performed at venues including the Kennedy Center, Venice Biennale, Festival of Aix-en-Provence, Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society II, and the Kitchen. Magnus Martensson is Music Director of The Scandinavian Chamber Orchestra of New York; between 1996 and 2007 he was Visiting Assistant Professor at SUNY Buffalo and conductor of the Slee Sinfonietta. In 1989, Martensson made his operatic debut in Malmö, Sweden, conducting a production of Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld, and has subsequently conducted operas by Mozart, Puccini, Golove, among others. He has conducted several world premiere recordings, including orchestral music by Jeffrey Stadelman, Roger Reynolds, and David Felder. In the past few seasons Martensson has guest conducted with the New York New Music Ensemble, the Trondheim Soloists, Musica Vitae, ICE, and at the Monday Evening Concert Series (Los Angeles), The Manhattan School of Music, and Teatro San Martin (Buenos Aires). Concert Venue and Time: Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, Tuesday May 22, 7:00pm

Citation:

BibTeX Entry:

  @incollection{nime2012-music-GoloveMartensson2012,
 abstract = {Program notes:

The most impressive uses of the theremin cello during Theremin's time in New York are Leopold Stokowski's inclusion of one in the Philadelphia Orchestra's low string section and Varese's composition of two solo parts in Ecuatorial.  Even more important, from my perspective, is the fact that the instrument represents the first attempt to harness the human potential to shape and manipulate electronic sound by means of the technical apparatus of the modern player of bowed string instruments.

Rachmaninoff's Vocalise, Op. 34 no. 14, for textless high voice, highlights the hauntingly vocal quality of the theremin cello. Vocalise is the last of a set of 14 songs published in 1912, less than a decade before Theremin's experiments with musical sounds began to bear fruit.

Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys, by virtue of their use of Bob Whitsell's Electro-Theremin on several recordings, are irrevocably linked to the history of the theremin.

Composer(s) Credits:

Vocalise, Op.34 no. 14  - \emph{Sergei Rachmaninoff}
Medley (Good Vibrations/God Only Knows) - \emph{Brian Wilson}

Instrumentalist(s) Credits:

Jonathan Golove (Theremin cello), Magnus Martensson (piano)

Artist(s) Biography:

Jonathan Golove, Associate Professor of Music at the University at Buffalo, has been featured as theremin cello soloist with the Asko/Schoenberg Ensemble, London Sinfonietta, and International Contemporary Ensemble; and as cello soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Slee Sinfonietta, and New York Virtuoso Singers. He has recorded for the Albany, Centaur, Albuzerque, and Nine Winds labels, and appeared at festivals including the Holland Festival, Festival d'Automne, Lincoln Center Festival, June in Buffalo, and the Festival del Centro Hist\'{o}rico (Mexico City). Golove gave the first performance of Varese's \emph{Ecuatorial} using Floyd Engel's recreation of the legendary early 20th century instrument at the University at Buffalo in 2002. He is also active as an electric cellist, particularly in the field of creative improvised music. An accomplished composer, his works have been performed at venues including the Kennedy Center, Venice Biennale, Festival of Aix-en-Provence, Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society II, and the Kitchen.

Magnus Martensson is Music Director of The Scandinavian Chamber Orchestra of New York; between 1996 and 2007 he was Visiting Assistant Professor at SUNY Buffalo and conductor of the Slee Sinfonietta. In 1989, Martensson made his operatic debut in Malm\''{o}, Sweden, conducting a production of Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld, and has subsequently conducted operas by Mozart, Puccini, Golove, among others.  He has conducted several world premiere recordings, including orchestral music by Jeffrey Stadelman, Roger Reynolds, and David Felder.
In the past few seasons Martensson has guest conducted with the New York New Music Ensemble, the Trondheim Soloists, Musica Vitae, ICE, and at the Monday Evening Concert Series (Los Angeles), The Manhattan School of Music, and Teatro San Martin (Buenos Aires).

Concert Venue and Time: Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, Tuesday May 22, 7:00pm},
 address = {Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A.},
 author = {Jonathan Golove and Magnus Martensson},
 booktitle = {Music Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 day = {21-23},
 editor = {Georg Essl and Brent Gillespie and Michael Gurevich and Sile O'Modhrain},
 month = {May},
 publisher = {Electrical Engineering \& Computer Science and Performing Arts Technology, University of Michigan},
 title = {Rachmaninoff-Wilson Medley},
 year = {2012}
}