An Artsong Tribute to Peter Klatzow

The Songmakers' Guild

presents:

An Art Song tribute to Klatzow

 with

Aubrey Lodewyk (Baritone)

Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi (Soprano)

Christine Bam (Mezzo-Soprano)

and

Albie van Schalkwyk (piano)

Sunday, 23 October

Erin Hall, Rondebosch

15:00

A personal tribute by Albie van Schalkwyk and the Songmakers’ Guild to the songs of Peter Klatzow. The programme contains works of diverse styles and most of them have been performed at the Guild at earlier concerts.

The Three Sonnets were written for Hanna and Albie van Schalkwyk and first performed at the Songmakers Guild by Megan Katz and Albie in 2012. The sonnets chosen by Peter are by e.e. cummings, William Shakespeare and William Wordsworth.

Net vir jou on poems by Philip de Vos was written for the voice and guitar duo, Marisa and Uliano Marchio and a piano part was provided by the composer at a later stage. This echoes a process from years before when Peter wrote a series of miniatures for voice and guitar on poems by another Afrikaans poet beloved by SA composers: Boerneef. Net vir jou is a light-hearted little cycle full of humour to match Philip’s poetry.

I am an African was composed for voice and orchestra for the finalists in the UNISA International Singing Competition in 2010. The piano score was revised by Albie for performance at the Guild in 2012. Unusually, the text is not poetry but an extract from the speech given by the then Deputy President Thabo Mbeki, on behalf of the African National Congress on the occasion of the adoption by the Constitutional Assembly of “The Republic of South Africa Constitutional Bill 1996.” In Cape Town on the 8th of May 1996.

The extended cycle Songs of an exile was commissioned by the Foundation for the Creative Arts and originally saw the light in a version for tenor and piano premièred by Stephen Carletti and Albie at the Grahamstown Festival in 1992. A version for baritone was made many years later and performend by Aubrey Lodewyk and Albie at the Guild in 2018. Peter was not happy with this version and because he thought it was one of his best compositions he completed a revision for middle voice which he sent to Albie only a few months before his death. This will therefore be the first performance of the final version, again performed by Aubrey and Albie – complete with extensive changes in the vocal and piano parts. The 7 poems are by Dennis Brutus and cover a huge range of emotions with matching musical complexities for singer and pianist.

We look forward to offering this rare occasion to hear Peter’s contribution to the world of the art song with you.

The concert will be followed by a farewell to long-time committee members Albie van Schalkwyk, Hanna van Niekerk, Magriet Stemmet and Ilse Andrag honoring them for their invaluable contribution to the Guild in the past years. Please join us for an afternoon of art song, wine and snacks!

TICKETS

Standard Price: R190

Pensioners: R120

Students with student cards and all scholars: FREE

Available on Quicket and at the door (cash / card)

CONTACT

Christine Bam

[email protected]

083 621 8483

SPONSORS

The Songmakers' Guild concerts are sponsored by the

Rupert Music Foundation.