Performances and Recordings
of works by Paul Ramsier
RECENT
RECORDINGS
Eminent
American critic, Roger Dettmer, (who recently discovered the earlier Ramsier CD:
Compositions for Virtuoso Doublebass), writes:
Ramsier
is “…an exemplar in the tradition inherited from Koussevitzky. . .
The contrabass
viol is a lyrical instrument -- an open secret Paul Ramsier underscores in his
music. Listen to it; be surprised, maybe even dumbfounded that an instrument so
bulky can produce music so suavely eloquent.”
See: www.classicalcdreview.com.
(Release
date: December 1, 2002
MILLER
& RAMSIER PLAY RAMSIER
Albany
Records, Troy 554
John
Miller, Doublebass
and Narrator
Paul
Ramsier, Piano
Three
Lyric Pieces (Pavane, Lullaby, Habanera)
Zoo
of Dreams I: WalrusBird
(John
Miller, solo)
Variations
Transcriptions
Six
Early Scriabin Pieces
J.S.
Bach: Preludes and Gallantries
Pieces
for the Young and the Very Young
The
Grand Bass Gavotte
Bicycle
The
Low-Note Blues (A Musical Tale for Children)
John Miller, Narrator
Pied
Piper (Paul
Ramsier, piano)
PREMIERES
Zoo
of Dreams I: WalrusBird
Stickley
Music
John
Miller, Doublebass Solo
Premiered on CD: Miller
& Ramsier Play Ramsier
Zoo of Dreams
II: Cheetah
Departs Stickley
Music
The
Florida String Quartet
Dan
Jordan, Chris Takeda, violin;
Yuri Vasalaki; viola;
Christopher Pegis, cello
Symphony
Center, Sarasota, Florida,
Nov. 3, 2002
Commissioned by the Florida West Coast Symphony
“A
large and enthusiastic audience experienced Ramsier’s first string quartet
with the premiere of Zoo of Dreams II (Cheetah Departs) as the highlight of the
Florida String Quartet’s first concert this season. . . The dreams, Ramsier
notes, are drawn from his own inner world as well as those of the patients in
his psychotherapy practice. . . The three-movement work is decidedly
non-programmatic. The composer relied on atmospheric harmonies and textures to
paint a dream realm of his own.. .Throughout, the cello serves as the
spokesperson for the ensemble, searching and exclaiming with almost vocal
expression. Ramsier composes lyrically for the bass and is widely regarded as
the champion composer for the string bass as a solo instrument. In Zoo of Dreams
he expands this role by creating a wide range of seemingly new colors and
textures for the string family.”
--Gayle
Williams, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Three
Lyric Pieces (Pavane; Lullaby and Habanera) Slava
Publications
For
solo doublebass with string orchestra
John
Miller, with the Florida West Coast Symphony, Leif Bjaland, cond.
Symphony
Center, Sarasota, Florida, February 21, 2001
Diana
Gannett, ISB Convention, June 8, 2001 (with
Piano)
“A
simple and at the same time deeply felt elegant work, Pavane
is perfectly tailored to the sonorous, lyric qualities of the bass. . .From
fiery fanfares to cantabile melodies and brilliant runs, Habanera is an
intensely dramatic piece that explored the entire range of the instrument .
. .the dramatic Habanera is sure to become another standard in the
repertoire.”
--Hans
Sturm, ISB Journal, Spring 2001.
OTHER
PERFORMANCES
Divertimento
Concertante on a Theme of Couperin G.Schirmer
Frano
Kakarigi, doublebass, José
Luis Hidalgo Aguado, piano
“In
Memoriam Stuart Sankey”
April 6, 2002
Instituto de Américas, in Santa Fé (Granada, Spain)
Paul
Sharpe, doublebass, the Lubbock
Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Sill, cond.
Lubbock,
Texas, Masterworks Program, May 3 and 4, 2002
Eusebius
Revisited Boosey &
Hawkes
Dan
Styffe, doublebass, Gonzalo Moreno, piano
Oslo
Philharmonic Series, Oslo, Norway, National Theater, February 2, 2002
Homanaje
a Rafael (Toque
de Trompetas, Cancion, Tocata Impetuosa) Stickley
Music
John
Stansell, organ
Organ
Festival, Alte Kirche, Essen-Kray,
May 26, 2002
Hochster
Orgelsommer, Frankfurt Am Main,
June 2, 2002
Music
of Paul Ramsier
John
Miller, doublebass, Paul Ramsier, piano
University
of Florida School of Music, June 10, 2002
BIOGRAPHY
The New
Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians,
Paul Ramsier
ARTICLES
Chester
Lane, senior editor, Symphony Magazine,
April
2000
Article on Road to Hamelin
Charlie
Huisking, “The Psychology of Composing,” Sarasota Herald-Tribune,
Interview,
August 20, 2000
Performances in 1999
March 24
Eusebius Revisited
John Miller, double bass soloist, with the Florida West Coast Symphony, conducted by
Christopher Confessore.
May 24
Silent Movie
Lynsay McInally, double bass soloist, at the Royal Scottish Academy of
Music, Glascow, Scotland
June 30
Divertimento Concertante
Miguel Pereira, double bass soloist, and Nuno Barroso, pianist, at the
Palacio Foz, Lisbon, Portugal
July 3
Six Early Scriabin Pieces (Transcription)
Christopher Pegis, cellist, and Brandt Fredriksen, pianist, at Silver Bay Music
Festival, Kent College, CT
October 8
Divertimento Concertante
John Miller, double bass soloist, with the Florida West Coast Symphony,
conducted by Christopher Confessore
Performances in 1998
Road to Hamelin
Eight European Performances in l998 (Sold Out)
Sept. 24, 25 October 22, 23 Sinfonieorchester Basel
(as "Der Rattenfänger von Hameln")
Howard Griffiths, guest conductor
Christian Sutter, Doublebass Soloist and Narrator
May 24, Stäfa
(as "Der Rattenfänger von Hameln")
Zürcher Kammerorchester (Zurich Chamber Orchestra)
Howard Griffiths, cond, Gary Karr, soloist
Narrator: Jörg Schneider, Choreographer: Luzia Burgdorfer
May 24 Zurich Tonhalle
Grosser Saal
April 24 and 25 Istanbul
Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra
Howard Griffiths, cond., Yaz Baltacigil, soloist
Other Events and Performances
October, 1998
First performance of Pavane with string orchestra, by David Heyes at Wells College,
Somerset, England.
August, 1998
Ramsier was featured composer of BassFest, London, sponsored by the British and International
Bass Forum. Performances (with piano) included: Pavane (David Heyes), Silent
Movie (Mark Morton)
and Road to Hamelin (Jeff Bradetich).
June, 1998
American School of Double Bass,
at Wesleyan University, Ohio. Workshop, Lecture and Performance of Original Music with
Mark Morton.
Recordings
Compositions for
Virtuoso Double Bass
(Albany Records # TROY 237; available through your record dealer, from
Lemur Music,
or directly from the recording company at 1-800-752-1951)
