The concert by the Magnificat at the Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies, Brigham Young University, better known as the Mormon University, has been a regular rendezvous now for a number of years. For some time now the Center has been very attached to the Magnificat Institute, precisely because musical activity is very important for the Mormons. The Jerusalem Center organizes a season of concerts, offering the musicians in the region its marvelous hall, seating 350, free of charge; its glass walls look over Jerusalem from the top of the Mount of Olives. All the professional musicians of the Holy Land, “from Beer-sheba to Dan”, have played at the Center, and each year the students of the Magnificat are lucky to have a “performance reserved” for them.
However, this year’s was not a concert by the students, but by the teachers of the Magnificat. A few years ago, pianist Jiries Boullata and organist Haig Aram Vosgueritchian played at the Mormons University, together with some of the best pupils of the Istituto Magnificat. Now, having passed their exams with flying colours marking the end of their long course of study, in Jerusalem and at the Conservatoire of Vicenza and now in their second year as teachers, they appeared before the audience of “fans” of the Center with a very challenging programme: Schumann and Chopin for Boullata, Schumann, Lemmens and Dubois for Vosgueritchian. As can be seen, despite their young age, the two musicians chose very meditative pages, which concede little to displays of virtuosity. Boullata highlighted the depth of his interpretation, in particular in the Fantaisie in F minor, op. 49, one of the greatest of Chopin’s piano compositions; while Vosgueritchian offered the Fugue on B-A-C-H, op. 60 no. 1 and the Study in Canon Form, op. 56 no. 4 by Schumann, two works which organists avoid presenting to the public due to the great concentration they require.
After some songs in which the Yasmeen Choir, conducted excellently, as always, by Hania Soudah Sabbara, wished the audience a Merry Christmas, the two musicians played together the Marche Triomphale op. 34 by A. Guilmant for organ and piano.
It is the word “triumphant” that best fits the evening: a triumph that gave the two soloists the awareness of their means of expression and the corresponding enthusiasm of the audience, and gave the Magnificat the comfort of having made the right choice, when it aimed for academic professionalism and excellence in performance.
PAP
However, this year’s was not a concert by the students, but by the teachers of the Magnificat. A few years ago, pianist Jiries Boullata and organist Haig Aram Vosgueritchian played at the Mormons University, together with some of the best pupils of the Istituto Magnificat. Now, having passed their exams with flying colours marking the end of their long course of study, in Jerusalem and at the Conservatoire of Vicenza and now in their second year as teachers, they appeared before the audience of “fans” of the Center with a very challenging programme: Schumann and Chopin for Boullata, Schumann, Lemmens and Dubois for Vosgueritchian. As can be seen, despite their young age, the two musicians chose very meditative pages, which concede little to displays of virtuosity. Boullata highlighted the depth of his interpretation, in particular in the Fantaisie in F minor, op. 49, one of the greatest of Chopin’s piano compositions; while Vosgueritchian offered the Fugue on B-A-C-H, op. 60 no. 1 and the Study in Canon Form, op. 56 no. 4 by Schumann, two works which organists avoid presenting to the public due to the great concentration they require.
After some songs in which the Yasmeen Choir, conducted excellently, as always, by Hania Soudah Sabbara, wished the audience a Merry Christmas, the two musicians played together the Marche Triomphale op. 34 by A. Guilmant for organ and piano.
It is the word “triumphant” that best fits the evening: a triumph that gave the two soloists the awareness of their means of expression and the corresponding enthusiasm of the audience, and gave the Magnificat the comfort of having made the right choice, when it aimed for academic professionalism and excellence in performance.
PAP