By: Rachael Jackson Staff Writer
English Professor Dr. Marjory Lange showcased her violin, viola, and vielle skills in the Smith Recital Hall on Sunday, Oct. 25.
The concert began with a piano trio composed by Clara Schumann. Dr. Lange played the violin for this piece with Christopher Wicks on the piano and adjunct faculty member Katherine Parks on the cello.
The two pieces that followed were unique in their own way – a whimsical sonata that Wicks composed himself (which Dr. Lange played the viola for), and movements from Bach’s Two-part Inventions that was transcribed for the violin and cello.
Bach was a fun piece that many audience members bobbed their heads or tapped their hands to.
Then the concert moved to a real treat for history and music lovers alike, featuring a series of songs played on Medieval and Renaissance period instruments – the vielle played by Dr. Lange, and the douçaine by Aage Nielsen.
Both instruments were minimalist designs of their junior counterparts – the vielle looks similar to a violin, while the douçaine resembles its woodwind cousin, the bassoon.
The first two historical compositions they played were traditional works from the 13th and 15th centuries. In contrast, the duo’s third song, “Four Strong Winds” is by modern day Canadian singer-songwriter Ian Tyson. This may seem like a strange inclusion until Nielsen explains it.
“During the big folk boom in the 60s, we had a lot of traditional-inspired songs show up,” he said. “This is when the singer-songwriter boom took place.”
Their final song, ‘Estampie,’ an anonymous composition from the 14th century, was a long and virtuosic piece that showcased the range of the instruments.
While there seemed to be a large number of faculty, friends, and community members in the audience, there was also a distinct lack of students.
Lange spoke about the importance of pursuing hobbies, saying, “Students tell me they used to play an instrument and I ask, ‘Why did you stop?’ It’s necessary for intellectual growth to keep a hobby or two.”
There are several upcoming events for students to attend at the Smith Recital Hall.
The next concert will be Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2015 when jazz flugelhorn player Dmitri Matheny will perform with his trio of musicians at 7:30 p.m. Western students get in free with I.D.
