Byron House Assisted Living in Potomac, MD, is a new addition to Community Outreach. Their Activities Coordinator had heard favorable comments from another Home where the AMSF musicians had performed last year and decided to contact us to schedule this recital. Saturday, January 18th, was a sunny, balmy day, and all six participants arrived early. There were five pianists, a violinist, and a singalong on the program. 15 residents waited patiently as we set up and tried out the Yamaha upright piano, which had a very bright tone. After a brief introduction about the AMSF, the recital began at 3:30 p.m. with pianist, Alberto Gamez.
Alberto played Prelude in E minor Op. 28, No. 4 by the great Polish composer of the Romantic period, Frederic Chopin (1810–1849). Composed between 1831 and 1839, it was a slow poignant piece that reflected Chopin’s feelings of isolation and depression when he was ill with tuberculosis. The piece was also played at his funeral along with Mozart’s requiem. Alberto’s expressive playing and gentle touch perfectly portrayed the melancholic mood.
Jodi Lipson followed with the 2nd movement, Andante, of the Italian Concerto BWV 971 by German Baroque composer, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750). The piece was composed in 1735 and published as part of Bach’s Clavier-Ubung II series of keyboard works. The tempo was slow and peaceful, but the melody was peppered with Bach’s strategic trills which added a special beauty that Jodi competently captured.
Making his debut at Community Outreach, Mark Serrano also played pieces by J.S. Bach. He selected the Prelude and Fugue in C major from the Well-Tempered Clavier Bk.2 BWV 870. Not for the faint of heart, Bach’s music can be especially challenging as it was written not for piano, but for harpsichord. Mark’s awareness of this fact was clearly evident in his crisp clean playing and his tempered use of the sustaining pedal. Bach would have been pleased with his performance.
Violinist Stephanie Dailey performed next. Accompanied by her Bluetooth speaker, she first played Hungarian Dance No. 5 by German Romantic composer, Johannes Brahms (1833–1897). Stephanie obviously enjoyed the familiar dance-like melody as she played and so did the audience. Her second piece was “The Impossible Dream” from the 1965 Broadway musical Man of La Mancha, which had the residents smiling and humming along.
Returning to the piano, Carol Henry changed the mood with a romantic bolero love song named “Bésame Mucho” (“Kiss Me a Lot”) by female Mexican composer Consuelo Velazquez (1916–2005), who wrote the song at age 16. It was very well received because the residents immediately recognized the famous Latin melody. Some of them sang along as the room filled with the throbbing syncopated beat.
The second Chopin piece on the program was Waltz No. 19 in A minor Op. Posth. performed by Gregory Riviello. Though written between 1847 and 1849, it was not discovered and published until after Chopin’s death. Gregory’s tender interpretation highlighted the sad melody. He then switched gears and played the vibrant “Wedding Day at Troldhaugen” Lyric Pieces Op. 65, No. 6 by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg (1843–1907). Troldhaugen was the name of Grieg’s summer home where he and his wife spent the summers up until his death. The piece was written in 1896 to commemorate Grieg’s 25th wedding anniversary. Technically challenging with hand-crossing, left hand octaves, and a fast tempo, the piece takes tremendous energy. Gregory was unintimidated and easily mastered the challenges with a flawless finger technique to produce a beautiful and lively rendition of the music that thrilled the audience.
The recital ended with a singalong of two songs. They were “Climb Every Mountain” by Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), from the movie Sound of Music and “Battle Hymn of the Republic” by Julia Ward Howe (1819–1910). Printed words were distributed to the residents and Carol Henry led the singing skillfully accompanied by Gregory Riviello on the piano. Singalongs always energize the residents, and this one was no different. They came alive and sang out with gusto!
After the recital, as we were gathering to take our group photo near the piano, one resident named Carolyn came over to say that we had “made her day.” It is the kind of comment that warms hearts and makes the AMSF Community Outreach worth the effort.