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HomeArts/LeisureFortepiano takes center stage during historical recreation of Die schöne Müllerin at...

Fortepiano takes center stage during historical recreation of Die schöne Müllerin at APSU

On Sunday evening the APSU Department of Music and the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts presented free concert, a historical recreation of a Schubert composition. The singer was Dr Gerald Thomas Gray, and was accompanied by David Breitman on the Forte Piano. Sharon Mabry and Thomas King narrated the Prologue and Epilogue.

Die Schöne Müllerin,” based on the poems of Wilhelm Müller, is the story of a young miller who falls in love with the maid of the mill and is rejected, sending him into despair and tragedy. The performance included a reading of several poems by Müller not set to music by the composer. After the program there was an opportunity for the audience to meet the performers and get a close-up view of the unique fortepiano at the reception following the concert.

Dr. Gerald Thomas Gray singing as David Breitman plays the Fortepiano
Dr. Gerald Thomas Gray singing as David Breitman plays the Fortepiano

Dr Grey is an associate Professor of Music at the State University of New York at Fredonia. He sang the performance entirely in German. In my opinion, he sounds like a native speaker. At the reception after the program he expressed a lingering concern about speaking and especially singing in German when in front of native speakers, but he has absolutely nothing to worry about. He a very expressive performer, ranging from joyous to stern.

David Breitman provided the music for the evening. He played what is known as a fortepiano. It produces a softer, slightly different sound than what modern audiences are accustomed to hearing. The fortepiano was a precursor to the modern day piano, and isn’t used much anymore. Breitman was clearly a master of his instrument.

Sharon & George Mabry, Stanley Yates, David Steinquest, and others be performing at the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Art’s High Tea which will be held on Sunday, March 7. The tea will begin at 2:00 p.m. in the Music/Mass Communication Building lobby, and several awards will be given out in the Concert Hall following the tea. Details about the Annual High Tea will be announced soon.

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