NYS Music 202​1

Tag: Opus 40

  • Members of American Symphony Orchestra Perform at Opus 40

    On June 24, members of the American Symphony Orchestra played Opus 40 in Woodstock. Winds Among Trees, a wind instrument sextet brought a new layer to experiencing the sculpture park. Both shared a story of creative survival amidst destruction, which made it the perfect time and place for the convergence to occur.

    Opus 40
    The sextet blending in the shadows

    Senses Alive

    Bright light, contrasting stone and stunning landscapes made for the perfect atmosphere. Placing the band strategically on the artwork itself, allowed for an elevated way of experiencing both the art and the music.

    A welcomed visual obstruction

    Ornate hedges and seemingly innocuous smaller sculptures partially obstructed nearly every view the music and the monolith. Senses were heightened as participants were compelled to be more present, and listening with a more focused ear and eye. As the post-solstice afternoon progressed, the sun started to blare into the eyes of the audience, which made viewers feel like they were part of a progressive performance art piece.

    Opus 40
    Enjoying the experience

    Rare Music, Rare Location

    The contrasting stone with all of the afternoon’s light made all the of the artist’s intentions clear. The monolith’s sun dial- like beacon of love was built on an old bluestone quarry after the land had been destroyed by construction.

    Beautiful works like this achieved though years of manual labor.

    The music played by the sextet was extremely rare in that it is not often played or performed, but also in the idea of it being chosen by the musicians. During shutdown, when all sought-after cultural celebrations of art and music were closed, members of the American Symphony Orchestra were given an interesting assignment. Captains were chosen to enlist a team to learn a collection of rare music.

    Opus 40
    A beautiful venu

    This is not common and the idea to perform these collections in different interesting venues made this even more thoughtful. Being able to have creative control as well as the project and accountability hopefully helped some through the incredibly trying time.

    Opus 40
    Music stands excited they non longer have to socially distance

    Visitors to Opus 40 took away a feeling of gratitude. They felt music in a unique environment during a new beginning for our society.

    Setlist: Serenade for 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, and 2 Horns (Matyas Seiber),
    Sextet No. 1 in Eb (F.H.J. Castil-Blaze), Sextet (Harald Genzmer), Adagio and Rondo (Carl Maria von Weber)

    Setlist via americansymphony.org

    To see more of what the ASO has done over shutdown, visit their website.

  • American Symphony Orchestra Performing at Opus 40 on June 24

    On June 24 at 5 pm at the beautiful sculpture park and museum Opus 40, a wind sextet showcasing acclaimed musicians from the American Symphony Orchestra will offer Winds Among the Trees, a program of rarely-heard classical music that will immerse the audience in a sprawling landscape. The concert will include works by Carl Maria von Weber and Matyas Seiber and explore the evolution of the wind sextet in the 19th and 20th centuries.

    opus 40 symphony
    The wind sexted from American Symphony Orchestra

    The musicians will be Shari Hoffmanon and Lino Gomez on clarinet, Lawrence DiBello and David Smith on French horn, and then Marc Goldberg and Gilbert Dejean on bassoon. Most of the players also belong to the American Ballet Theater Orchestra. Dejean however also is a member of the Saratoga Opera and along with Gomez has performed in the orchestra for the Broadway productions of West Side Story.

    Opus 40 is a large environmental sculpture park in Saugerties, New York, created by sculptor and quarryman Harvey Fite. It includes a central in-earth bluestone sculpture with dry-stone ramps, pedestals, bridges and platforms. The property also houses the Quarryman’s Museum and hosts a range of artistic events.

    The program will include:

    • Matyas Seiber – Serenade for 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, and 2 Horns
    • F.H.J. Castil-Blaze – Sextet No. 1 in Eb
    • Harald Genzmer – Sextet
    • Carl Maria von Weber – Adagio and Rondo

    Tickets for American Symphony Orchestra at Opus 40 are $20 and can be purchased here.