The composer Stanley Grill joins me for a conversation about his beautiful compositions with a focus on some of his award-winning albums including The Mystic Trumpeter and Two Symphonies. Every composer’s path is unique and I was curious to learn about his personal career and creative choices which have sometimes gone counter to what people expect of a composer, and why his accidental career outside of music helped him in many ways. You’ll hear about some of his formative experiences and influences, including the legacy of Abby Whiteside’s piano pedagogy, the songs of Charles Ives, and some interesting lesser known composers he’s been researching including Gernsheim and Mayakovsky. All the music you’ll hear is Stanley Grill’s and is linked on his web site including scores.

ALL THE LINKS!

Show notes take you to Stanley's music, scores, suggested episodes, podcast merch, newsletter sign up, YouTube video version, transcript on my blog, and how you can support this independent podcast.

(00:00) Intro

(01:30) The Mystic Trumpeter with clips, Walt Whitman

(09:04) Schenker and the importance of musical architecture, Abby Whiteside

(15:47) Two Symphonies album with clip of 4th mvt Symphony for Peace music for peace project

(19:48) writing for brass, Bruckner orchestration, Summer with clip of 3rd mvt

(22:43) Stanley’s contrapuntal style, emphasis on getting his music recorded

(28:57) chamber music including string trios with clip of Sinfonia 4, tribute to Bach

(31:26) childhood love of music

(34:50) suggested episodes and ways to follow and support this independent podcast

(35:36) Abby Whiteside pedagogy

(40:03) Charles Ives, Mahler, studying composition, decision to get a job outside of music

(46:17) New York Transit Authority and other work outside music

(54:14) Symphony of Sighs with clip

(58:15) family background, Gernsheim, Mayaskovski, AI scraping blog post, composing

Andrew Arceci is an Early Music Specialist who performs on the viol family and is also a founding member of Floyd’s Row ensemble. You’ll be hearing music excerpted from their new album The Carlisle Sessions and also from Andrew’s earlier album with soprano Elizabeth Hungerford Love and Lust of wonderful music from the 16th and 17th centuries. Andrew also speaks about the tragic loss of his father, a prominent paediatric oncologist and how Andrew established the remarkable Winchendon Music Festival in Massachusetts, which features series of free concerts of jazz, early music, classical, and world music with established artists.

It was fascinating to learn about Andrew’s path from jazz and classical bass to art history and early music scholarship which he studied at the Peabody Conservatory, The Julliard School and the University of Oxford. Andrew got into some fascinating specifics about the intricacies of reading different forms of notation while playing in different temperaments on many different instruments. On a personal note, he shared the joys of his nomadic life with his wife the violinist Asako Takeuchi, and some of the experiences they have shared living in Italy and Japan with their children.

For Andrew's projects, the music featured in this episode, other suggested episodes, YouTube video, transcript, podcast merch, newsletter and more: All the links

(00:00) Intro

(02:34) Italian heritage

(03:23) Floyd’s Row “The Carlisle Sessions” with clips from tracks 1, 5, 2

(12:20) Andrew’s art history background, discovering early music and viol family

(18:37) Floyd’s Row “The Carlisle Sessions” with clips from track 3, and 4, balancing family life, George Lernis percussion

(23:25) background in jazz, improv elements in early music, lute tablature, continuo

(27:25) Winchendon Music Festival, loss of his father

(36:20) Love and Lust with Elizabeth Hungerford with clips of Tobacco, Death, Life

(44:38) suggested episodes and ways to support this podcast

(45:35) Hume, Mark Cudek, Love and Lust project with clip of Amarilli track 5

(48:21) viola da gamba and viol family with clip of She Loves it Well and Chi Passa Per ‘sta Strada

(01:00:28) languages, Japan, Italy

(01:05:11) composing and arranging, music direction, art, Floyd’s Row

(01:14:35) balancing touring, projects and home life

Rupert Guenther is an Australian improvising violinist and pedagogue. Some of the music you’ll be hearing is excerpted from his 5 albums commissioned from the ABC. You’ll hear stories from his varied career, in both Australia and Vienna, and influences and mentors from Melvyn Cann, Terje Moe Hansen, Igor Ozim and Allan Zavod. He shares his approach to creating fully improvised music as a classically trained violinist and how he teaches his students to ground their playing with his reflective approach.

You can also watch the video on my YouTube. Have a look at the show notes of this episode on my website, where you’ll find all the links, including different ways to support this podcast, and other episodes you’ll enjoy: All the links!

photo: Anne Errey

(00:00) Intro

(01:43) Guildhall experience with clip of track 2 from New Letters to Esterhazy Sonata I

(07:09) Terje Moe Hansen, Rupert’s first teachers

(11:50) ABC commissions, remembering Melvyn Cann with clips track 3 and 1 from Sonata I The Moxbournienna Sonatas

(19:03) playing with amplification with clip Sticks and Branches from Amplified Soundscapes for solo violin, benefits of improv

(24:30) Igor Ozim, Brian Finlayson, Helfried Fister, Vienna

(39:17) linked episodes and ways to support this independent podcast

(40:30) Rolling Stones, Melbourne exposure to global music with clip of track 2 The Moxbournienna Sonata I

(46:33) how busking helped connect with audiences with clip “Meeting Lao Tau from New Sacred Music vol. 2

(52:03) approach to teaching, getting over stage fright through improvisation, Conservatorium of Intuitive Music, with clip of track 4 New Letters to Esterhazy Sonata I

(01:07:32) Allan Zavod

(01:23:52) Cosmology projects, teaching improvisation

(01:23:52) meditation and teaching