A dozen short pieces drawing on a variety of influences and techniques, evoking a wide range of expressive characters – from the silly and ironic to the tender and heartfelt.
Author: Ezra Donner
Ezra Donner is an American composer, conductor, pianist, and teacher. He serves as Music Director at The Birmingham Temple Congregation for Humanistic Judaism in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and teaches at Ada Conservatory of Music in Ada, Michigan.
“¡Cigarra!” (2010) for violin, clarinet, soprano voice, percussion, and piano
Sinuous, expressive melodic writing, pungent harmonies built from perfect fourths and tritones, and a recurring ritual-like rhythmic ostinato.
“Antigone,” a sung drama in one act (2010)
An ancient story of gender, civil disobedience, and family ties.
Vienna
The ticket counter in the Budapest-Keleti train station:
The food on the train from Budapest to Vienna. It was pretty great, but we won’t talk about what it cost…
The street leading to the apartment where Mozart composed “The Marriage of Figaro” and some of Mozart’s letters, from inside the museum:
A view from outside the window and the first page of Mozart’s manuscript of “Don Giovanni”:
The original title page from “Don Giovanni,” the first page of the manuscript of the “Dies Irae: from Mozart’s Requiem, and Mozart’s death mask (possibly). Photos inside are not allowed, so I had to be discreet:
Some lunch and a few sights around the city:
The Beethoven Pasqualati House in Vienna. I arrived too late to see the inside, but I got to take some pictures of the exterior. I don’t know why there is so much graffiti:
Budapest – part 2
Meat and potatoes at Chagall Cafe. Not exactly sure what kind of meat it was:
After lunch I had time for a guided tour of the city. Our first stop was the Synagogue. Hungary had one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe before World War II, and the Synagogue in Budapest is one of the largest in the world:
Our next stop was St. Stephen’s Bisilica. We had a half hour to get out and walk around:
“The second biggest circus in Budapest.” (The biggest, according to our witty tour guide, is Parliament.)
In and around Millennium Square, also known as the Heroes’ Square:
The Castle on the Buda side. A bit touristy now, but an architectural gem with a great view of the River and the Pest side:
The Hungarian Parliament, as seen from the Castle:
Budapest – part 1
After Serbia I continued on to Budapest for a few days. My first stop was the home of composer Béla Bartók:
The home is now a beautiful museum inside, carefully restored with the composer’s personal effects, including his piano and phonograph:
The attic contains more items (including some preserved insects):
The tour wrapped up with a manuscript of the Third Piano Concerto, the concert hall on the second floor, and a relief map of the places Bartók collected folk songs:
A monument to the composer in the garden:
Novi Sad, Serbia
After our week in Sombor, several of us continued on to Novi Sad, the second largest city in Serbia.
Some pictures of the Old City, as seen from the Fortress:
The Danube river:
Some more pics of the Old City, the river, the Fortress, and afternoon coffee at this great rooftop cafe:
Our stay culminated in another great concert in this amazing contemporary art gallery:
Sombor, Serbia
In July of 2010 I traveled to Sombor, Serbia, for the South Oxford Six “Summer in Sombor” composers’ workshop. The program featured a week of great lessons and classes, culminating in a fantastic concert at the Town Hall.
High Octane (2010) for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and percussion
Non-stop energy blending the traditions of 90′s Rock and Eastern European folk music.
Review of “Sonata Judaica” and Sonata no. 1 for Piano in Miss Music Nerd
Sonata no. 1 for Piano…had energy to spare, with driving rhythms and harmonies based on 4ths and 5ths. His Sonata Judaica for clarinet and piano gave clarinetist Mark Dover a chance to rock ‘n’ roll as well.
from a review by Linda Kernohan, Miss Music Nerd 6/1/10
Ezra Donner 