|
|
|
| Current Issue |
|
|
| Resources |
|
|
|
Flute Fest in Colmar
| Article
# : |
22636 |
|
|
Section : |
THE ARTS
|
| Issue
Date : |
10 / 2002 |
2,101 Words |
| Author
: |
Iris Brooks
Iris Brooks, based in Upper Nyack, New York, has written about
music festivals on five continents. Her book New Music Across
America, celebrating contemporary American music festivals,
was published by the California Institute of the Arts. |
As a child, he was forbidden to play the flute. His father, a professional flutist, hoped that the boy would become a doctor. Jean-Pierre Rampal was determined, however, not only to play the instrument but to elevate it to the status of a virtuoso solo instrument. He did just that in an illustrious career beginning in the mid-twentieth century. Carving out a new place for the flute through his worldwide concert tours and extensive recordings, he played everywhere from the Muppets Show to Carnegie Hall. He greatly expanded the instrument's repertoire to include neglected Baroque masterpieces, works adapted from other instruments, both melodies from places such as Japan and England, and new pieces by contemporary composers (many of which he premiered). He made over three hundred recordings, covering nearly all the flute's major repertoire and much besides. The first flutist ever to attract international attention and draw large audiences, he inspired many young musicians to take up the instrument, and instructed quite a few. His impact was felt worldwide, and this influence has continued since his death in May 2000 at the age of 78.
This year, the International Festival of Colmar paid homage to Rampal, drawing together classical flute virtuosos from throughout Europe to celebrate the man who had inspired each of them. Colmar is a charming historic town in the Alsatian region of France, filled with beautiful timber-frame buildings from the Middle Ages and Renaissance and cobblestoned streets perfect for rambling. The ambience is most conducive to a classical music festival, especially as it is easy and pleasurable to walk from one concert venue to the next.
The Colmar festival is different from others in that each year it has a different theme, allowing for focused programming. Vladimir Spivakov--a renowned violinist and the founder and director of the Moscow Virtuosi--has taken this approach ever since he became artistic director of the festival in 1989. He feels "we must appreciate those who gave light from the past generation," and he often structures the festival to pay homage to a great artist. Past themes have included Glen Gould, David Oistrakh and the Russian violin school, Jacqueline Du Pre, Vladimir Horowitz, Yehudi Menuhin, Andr? Segovia and the classical guitar, and Leonard Bernstein (Spivakov conducts with Bernstein's baton).
While the main theme of this year's festival was Rampal, subsidiary themes were wind instruments and French music. This meant that, in addition to flutists, other instrumentalists were featured, such as the transporting French clarinetist Paul Meyer and the wonderful young Russian trumpeter
...
Read Full Article
Look for this article in Ask.com
|
|
