The first of three Journey of 100 events at Hamilton College, Clinton NY 13323
Journey of 100
Chaconne #33 – 12 Noon 2/24/17 Science Center Atrium
Chaconne #32 – The Explorers Club, NYC Mon Feb 13
https://explorers.org/events/detail/public_lecture_series_with_shem_guibbory_and_dorit_donoviel
This performance in my series Journey of 100 is part of an amazing evening: a program I am sharing with my niece Dr. Dorit Donoviel, one of the chief scientists in charge of the medical program for NASA astronauts. We are calling it For the Love of Music and Space.
RESERVATIONS 212.628.8383 or email us at reservations@explorers.org
Date: Monday, February 13th Time: 6:00 pm Reception, 7:00 pm Lecture
Location: Explorers Club – 46 East 70th Street, New York, NY, 10021
Member Ticket Price: $10 Guest Ticket Price: $25 Student Ticket Price: $5 with a valid academic ID
3 Comments
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sgwp_a1
What a great night – a packed house once again at the Explorer’s Club. Dorit is so expert at speaking to lay audiences without dumbing down the scientific and medical content! Our idea played out well for our audience: fact is that the isolation astronauts experience during extended time in outer space is frequently reduced by listening to music, or taking their own musical instrument with them. Perfect parallels: a long Journey into Outer Space, my lengthy Journey of 100 Bach Chaconne performances – both take individuals deeper into their own Inner Space.
I hope all the people who planned to write their comments will remember and share them with you here!
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Serafima Dashevskaya
Dear Shem,
This was my third time when I joined you in your Journey of 100. Every time my experience is a little different, but it is always that I can feel my own Inner Space (as you stated) listening to Bach. Chaconne for me is very personal and I find solace during your masterful performance.
Dorit’s presentation was so engaging and interesting and the idea of connecting science and music at the same event was great.
Thank you very much and I looking forward to joining you at your Journey in the future.Serafima
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christopher
This was such a wonderful event. I found the juxtaposition of human exploration of deep space with the kind of deep inner exploration that music can provide to be a profound experience. This was my first, but hopefully not my last, time seeing the performance of Chaconne journey of 100 and it took me through quite a spectrum of emotional reaction. At one moment watching the performance it brought me to a place of almost unease and sadness only to be swept along to a feeling of pervasive joy. The experience of listening to this beautiful music performed masterfully seems to open up a channel of connection, to cut off the stream of thought and plunge you deep into an inner space where seemingly only you can go. In the context of Shem’s interpretation of the piece, which he touched on briefly before the performance, and being in a room of people all taking that plunge into the inner space of connection, combined with Dr. Dorit Donoviel’s wonderfully informative presentation of outer exploration, it made for a very profound and intellectually stimulating night. Thank you Shem and Dorit and thank you all who attended!
Chaconne #31 – January 23 10:30am – Tarrytown NY
at the JCC on the Hudson in Tarrytown, NY just next to Hyatt Doubletree.
371 S. Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591, phone (914) 366-7898
Admission $5
http://shamesjcc.org/events/2017/01/23/events/j.s.-bach-journey-of-100-lecture-performance/
4 Comments
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JOURNEY of 100 #31 – JCC on Hudson January 23, 2017
Shem,
I was transfixed by your performance today at JCC. Aside from exposure to the greatness of Master Bach, to experience your interpretation in such a small venue allowed for a personal connection with the music which is indescribable. As I allowed the music to come into me, without boundary, without guard, the experience was almost shattering. I emerged drained.As to the message Bach intended (or not) to transmit, to me, the subject of this piece is about life (fully-lived) versus death (nothingness, the end). The emotional contrast Bach expresses veers from frivolity in pizzicato strains to morbid, dying embers in minor base tones. Listening to you play this extremely biographically-revealing piece by the master allows us a doorway into existential crisis should we allow ourselves to submit to the glory of the work.
I cannot say enough about your skill and generosity in sharing your playing of this very personal work. The mystery to me is how you were ever able to memorize it all. I am in your debt for sharing this experience with me. I do hope to hear you again and look forward perhaps to your rendition of the sonatas.
As an aside, since the argument has been made that Bach was a zealously religious composer, I wonder if you’ve seen the scholarly article in the Jan. 2nd article of The New Yorker, about Bach’s unruly obsession with God titled Holy Dread. The author makes a strong case for Bach’s piety expressed in his St. John Passion. Alex Cross explores music theory in great detail and text, “Herr, unser Herrscher” to validate his case of the religious Bach, immersed in the climate of the day. How amazing for you to allow us to experience, directly, the man, the personal Bach without the need for words or dogma.
Thank you so much!
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Vivian, thank you so much for your comments. As this was a lecture and a performance, this was the first time I shared my thoughts as to Bach’s (possible) personal motivation in writing the piece. Regardless as to whether these ideas are so or not, you, me and many previous listeners all share the same experience: as you say, of his depiction of struggle in life, the loss of death, and, as one of our fellow listeners remarked, his expression of Divine Grace amidst it all.
And thank you ten-fold for your appreciation of Bach’s music as separate and distinct from superficial, dry analysis, and dogma. sg
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Linda Paver
Reflections: Feeling and hearing the intensity of the Chaconne in an intimate setting was a quieting experience. The integration of Shem Guibbory’s performance, the stillness of the audience, as if holding its breath, and the vibrations of the violin so close- I almost didn’t realize it happened till it was over, so complete was my involvement. It’s rare to have this kind of experience. Shem – Thank you for providing us with your passion and art. Linda
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VIVIAN PRONIN
Shem,
I wanted to add a comment related to your lecture at JCC in Tarrytown. You mentioned that you purchased your violin from David Segal. My daughter, who is now an adult studied violin with Anna Pellekh at Hoff Barthelson for many years and we purchased an “old” violin from David Segal as well. I helped her select it. It has rich, dark tones which I so appreciate in violin sounds. Interesting paths that cross.Vivian
Chaconne #30 – Bennington College August 11, 2016 – 10pm
From my perspective, this performance touched into something that is hard to put into words…certainly a sense of me being able to “step back” in part, from “doing” (a state familiar to many musicians and others who perform on a regular basis), the music being organized in a new way…it left me feeling a new sort of freedom within a rhythmic structure, one larger than the measures of the harmonic phrase.
I finally achieved a balance for the Bass voice that I like – one that envelops, or surrounds the listening space and allows me to place the Soprano and Tenor voices in the middle of that space, and give them dynamics and articulations distinct from the Bass voice.
From my perspective, this performance touched into something that is hard to put into words…certainly a sense of me being able to “step back” in part, from “doing” (a state familiar to many musicians and others who perform on a regular basis), the music being organized in a new way…it left me feeling a new sort of freedom within a rhythmic structure, one larger than the measures of the harmonic phrase.
Some of my more creative fingerings that I devised to help create separation of the Soprano, Tenor and Bass voices that are present throughout the work, still present challenges for me. One spot in the Corrente and two in the Gigue. A wee bit more practice time needed here…
Some of my more creative fingerings that I devised to help create separation of the three “voices” (soprano, tenor, bass) that are present throughout the work, still present challenges for me. One spot in the Corrente and two in the Gigue. A wee bit more practice time needed here…
One Comment
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Elizabeth Williams
I was transfixed by the otherworldly beauty of the music. It transported my mind to a place that I can only describe as “limitless”. Thank you for sharing Part 30 of your Journey with me, Shem.
Chaconne #29 – Bennington College August 4, 2016 – 10pm
Well this performance was one of the best yet overall. The right attitude and expression in the opening movement (Allemande), unity of flow through the entire work, and assimilation of the fingerings I use to clarify the various voices in fast technical passages (Corrente and Gigue), so that they “disappear” (meaning you can’t hear them you only hear the music) – all these were just “there”. Still some internal confusion in musical organization of the 2nd part of the Gigue, that led to small errors, some three-voice measures in the Chaconne that were screwed up. I can tackle those this week and see where we are in next week’s performance.
It has been a year since the last one. Not for any particular reason, however. I just have been focussing on the two other Partitas – in b and E – and establishing the independent characters of the three Fugues.
2 Comments
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Seth Novatt
A deeply personal experience. Together with two others in a performance hall, the emptiness of the space just heightened the emotions of this incredibly profound work. Shem did a womnderful job navigating the emotional range of the work,and as expected, provided some new interpretations of various passages.
A very special way to hear this masterpiece
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Emma Barrett
I’ve heard the Chaconne many times, performed by fine musicians in some spectacular locations and been moved by each experience. So I figured I had a reasonable idea of what to expect when I was invited to hear Shem play the work on the 4th.
I was wrong!
Shem’s command of the work is evident and indisputable. But his idea (as he explained) that the entire Partita (including the chaconne) is the expression of a single idea/thought/thread, brought a coherence and expressive power to the performance which I hadn’t yet heard.
I was also struck by the effect of the entire format of the performance. The seemingly small act of taking a seat with us-the lucky few listeners-after playing the work to share his experience of what had transpired, and to listen to ours, changed the event from a conventional,even memorable performance to a rare, powerful moment genuinely shared by all of us, together.
Thank you Shem!
One Comment
What a terrific experience. The first bars of the Chaconne brought a tear or two of emotion, then I settled into the delight of the moment. It felt like being at a German outdoor cafe for lunch–the only thing missing was the beer. But the juxtaposition of beautiful music and the more usual social traffic of lunch made such a connection for me. I wish that we had opportunities to experience such occasions more here.
I had not heard solo violin played in such an intimate setting before and was delighted to experience the range of sonority, of the forte and piano, and of the bowing–things one doesn’t hear in the orchestra. Thanks for the occasion and the lesson, and good luck with the project.