Music for the Winter Solstice - Twitter musings

Caroline Shaw, Music on Main's new composer-in-residence (photo by Piotr Redlinski)

This year Music on Main is bringing us a December celebration of music for the winter solstice. Featuring five musicians with two world premieres, the evening is intended as the first of many annual winter solstice concerts. Happening at Heritage Hall, there is a feeling of warmth and gathering on when the days grow short and the nights so long.

TWITTER COMMENTARY FOR YOU:

@AllysonMcGrane Dave Pay is introducing tonight's concert - it's
 
@AllysonMcGrane Carolyn [Caroline] Shaw, the new music on main composer is beginning tonight's concert with improvisation for violin & voice.
 
@AllysonMcGrane We have a full house tonight & snowflakes on the ceiling!
 
@AllysonMcGrane Now a vocalist onstage - Steve Maddock.... He sings "We'll count all our blessings" & I start to think of mine. 1 Favorite
 
@AllysonMcGrane Now we are welcoming more musicians to the stage with piano & singer to duet a piece by Schubert.
 
@AllysonMcGrane The piano sounds lovely on Heritage Hall... We are listening quietly, brought slowly under a spell of the year's ending.
 
@AllysonMcGrane Rachel Iwaasa is playing piano tonight... We will also hear Ariel Barnes on cello & Heidi Krutzen on harp.
 
@AllysonMcGrane Harp & cello now begin a new song "Beau Soir" by Claude Debussy. I close my eyes & listen. 1 Favorite 1 Like
 
@AllysonMcGrane The crowd applauds. The musicians leave the stage except for the pianist who chose a piece by Jean Coulthard to play alone.
 
@AllysonMcGrane Before she plays, she reads a quotation to us for the solstice and invites us to delve into the deepest part of night.
 
@AllysonMcGrane The piano sighs, then bellows. Now it rings out chords loud, then sweet. I think of winter, of snow which I so rarely see on the West Coast.
 
@AllysonMcGrane Now it sounds like night, a night that is cold but full of stars. Twinkling, shining, floating above me.
 
@AllysonMcGrane Slowly the piano falls silent. I can hear the cars outside on Main Street, then cannot as the audience claps.
 
@AllysonMcGrane All the musicians return to the stage to perform "A Short Song for the Longest Night of the Year" by Alfredo Santa Ana.
 
@AllysonMcGrane We are listening to the world premiere - no one else has heard this ever before. A fitting day for its debut!
 
@AllysonMcGrane RT  for the Winter . Heritage Hall, Main Street

@AllysonMcGrane Everyone is wearing black & white... Suddenly seems very somber to me.

@AllysonMcGrane From a composer not yet 40 to one much his senior, now we listen to "Spiegel im spiegel" by Arvo Part.

@AllysonMcGrane It is for violin and solo piano. I watch the bow drawn across the strings & see the sound shimmer in the air.

@AllysonMcGrane I notice that I can see a reflection of the pianist's face in the lid of the grand piano. Shiny black reflection. Oh no! A cellphone rings!

@AllysonMcGrane Whoever didn't turn off their phone manages to hush it. We listen, then wait for a bow to offer appreciation.

@AllysonMcGrane Close for Couloir (5-movement piece for harp & cello) by Caroline Lizotte. Inspired by European folklore - brilliant for tonight!

@AllysonMcGrane Movement 1 is Cromlech - Ring O'Brodgar. The cello is deep and low, the harp sings above.

@AllysonMcGrane I love to watch musicians who play together communicate onstage. The head nods, the eye contact, the rhythm of connection.

@AllysonMcGrane Movement 2 - Battle O'Harlaw. I listen to the harp & cello, watch the grace of what two musicians are shaping on a winter night.  1 Favorite

@AllysonMcGrane Movement 3 - The Sodger An' The Queen - Edinburgh Castle. At least I hope it is... no digital sign flashing above to clue me in.  1 Favorite

@AllysonMcGrane Nope - totally miscounted. They also played Movement 4 & 5.

@AllysonMcGrane And the last song tonight is another world premiere - this by Caroline Shaw. She tells us to talk to each other cuz we are singing a round.

@AllysonMcGrane Now all musicians are onstage for Winter Song - Caroline Shaw begins to sing.
 
@AllysonMcGrane I am thinking very hard to sing along in the round. I may just listen next time!

@AllysonMcGrane "When long ago swings back around..." A Winter Song indeed.

@AllysonMcGrane The concert ends. Thanks to the musicians & everyone !

By Allyson McGrane