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http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=30-Sep-2022&lang=en&s=19328
http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=30-Sep-2022&lang=en&s=19328
30-Sep-2022
Stas Venglevski: Four Concerts in Four Days with One World Premiere – USAby Dan Grauman |
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  During the four-day period from September 22nd to 25th, 2022, Stas Venglevski (picture left) performed four concerts for diverse audiences – a senior community, my friends and family, a mostly Eastern European audience, and the Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society (WMAS). The concerts, which included a mix of classical, folk, tango, and American music were well received by enthusiastic and appreciative audiences.One of the pieces that Stas performed as part of the classical music set was a World Premiere. This article focuses on that 202-year-old piece of music and the Swiss church with which it is associated. Many thanks to Cornelia Schmid, Director of AKKORDeMOTION, who made it possible for Stas to get the music, and, as a freelance journalist for the newspaper WillisauerBote, provided us with the following text about this work. Additional thanks go to the Willisauer (Lucerne) Tourist Bureau, whose information about the church will also be quoted. On a recent performing tour in Switzerland, Mrs. Schmid asked Stas to look at some organ music that was written by Anton Joseph Frey in 1820, and to pick one piece and transpose it for accordion and play it during the Fall concert series of AKKORDeMOTION in Switzerland (organ music picture above right). “Anton Joseph Frey lived in Ettiswil in the early 19th century. He was organist in the church "Maria Himmelfahrt und Stefan". He created a collection of small, pretty organ pieces for church services and compiled them in an 84-page manual in 1820. A second book is by Isidor Frey, probably the son of Anton Josef, it has the date 1836. The music in Anton Josef Frey's book was written in the style of the late Viennese classical period, combined with popular melodies of the time. Both handwritten books with the collections of the organ pieces lay unnoticed and in a slightly rotten state amidst disused choir and organ sheet music. In 1972, in connection with the upcoming construction of a new organ, the dusty, disheveled organ books were found. For the time being, these were stored in the rectory. In 1981 the then organist, Rudolf Zemp, took the two organ books with him to his new job in Stans and was allowed to test them in practice. He gave the dilapidated books to a bookbinder, who rebound them. In October 2021 the books were brought back to Ettiswil and solemnly handed over to the parish of Ettiswil by Rudolf Zemp, who played some songs on the church organ. Now the books are stored for the time being in the parish hall in Ettiswil. At the AKKORDeMOTION concert in October 2022, 202 years after the first book was written, three formations will each play a work from Anton Josef Frey's collection. The band Gupfbuebä, the duo FINKpositiv and Stas Venglevski, have each made an arrangement on one of the songs and will present it on 2nd October 2022 (see poster below) in the Catholic Church, that is, in the home of the notebook of 1820. Stas Venglevski has already performed one of the works in July 2022 on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of ATG (Accordionist and Teachers Guild) in Isle, Greater Chicago area, USA. So, the music from Ettiswil finds its way to America 200 years after its creation.” As it turns out, the work was not performed at the ATG Festival, thus, the audiences who came to the four performances in Maryland and Virginia had the good fortune to hear the World Premiere of Stas Venglevski’s transcription of “Rondo & Allegro” by Anton Joseph Frey. The history of the church is also very interesting, and the fact that Stas will be performing “Rondo & Allegro” at that particular Swiss church in Ettiswil on October 2nd will make that performance very special and emotional. This concert will be the 66th for Stas in the series of AKKORDeMOTION concerts over the years! “The parish church (Maria Himmelfahrt und Stefan) of the Assumption of Mary and St. Stephen of Ettiswil (picture top). History – On August 24th, 1773, the papal nuncio consecrated the present parish church. However, the history of the parish church, which was built in the Baroque style, goes back much further. The first structure was built in 1350, it was a part of the tower. This fell victim to a village fire in 15 71. The new complex with the choir was built around 16 50. In 1768 the Lucerne authorities gave permission to build a new church. The construction of the present church, which was built according to the plans of Jakob Singer, dates back to the years 1769 - 1771. Renovations – Various renovations have shaped the image of the parish church. In 1873 the first renovation took place, unfortunately with great artistic loss due to overpainting. During the renovation in 1956 the overpainted paintings were uncovered again. In 2017, after more than 35 years, the parish church was thoroughly restored on the outside and shines from autumn 2017 in a new dress. In spring 2018, after more than 30 years, the figures of the three saints, St. Anthony, St. Francis Xavier and St. Charles Borromeo, found their place again in the niches in the façade.” I wish that I could be present at the October 2nd concert in Ettiswil, Switzerland. If the reaction to “Rondo & Allegro” by the four local audiences who heard it performed for the first time in 202 years by Stas is any indication, I cannot even imagine the reaction of the audience on October 2 at the very church where this music originated. |
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