Sources of Inspiration: A Lecture and Recital with Sonia Lee

On April 23, 2016, an appreciative audience gathered at Reed College in Portland to be inspired by a lecture and recital by international keyboard artist and scholar, Sonia Lee.

Lecture: The Legacy of French Harpsichord Music in the 19th-Century

Dr. Lee gave a fascinating lecture tracing the appearance of French Baroque harpsichord pieces in editions, anthologies and serial publications of the 19th century, including the assessments and misinterpretations of the pieces made by the editors and publishers.   [Handout pending]

Recital: Nature, Man and Myth

Her recital explored nature, humankind and mythology as sources of inspiration in early keyboard literature, with programmatic pieces by a wide range of composers.  She used each of the five instruments of the Reed College Early Keyboard Collection to great advantage in expressing the Affect of each piece.  Printed Program

• The Italian harpsichord was used for a lively performance of Pasquini’s Toccata featuring the calls of the cuckoo.

  

• The Italian virginal spoke well in rendering Sweelinck’s setting of the song, “Under the Linden Green.”

  

• The clavichord provided poignant expression for the performances of Froberger’s Lamentation on the death of Ferdinand III and the first three slow and entreating movements of Bach’s Capriccio on the departure of a beloved brother.

  

• The portative organ expressed the hopefulness and rigor appropriate for the final three movements of Bach’s Capriccio, which closes with a Fuga.  [Photo pending]
  
• The Franco-Flemish double harpsichord provided full color and brilliance for vividly programmatic selections from suites by Fischer and Marpurg, Rameau’s La Poule and Les Cyclopes and Royer’s La Marche des Scythes.