Music Episode: Phillip Serna recital - a podcast by Jason Heath

Here is a full-length recital showcase featuring a performance from double bassist Phillip Serna.  Visit Phillip online at www.phillipwserna.com

Northwestern University School of Music

Presents a Doctoral Recital

Phillip Woodrow Serna, double bass

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

Doctor of Music in Double Bass Performance

Double Bass Student of Michael Hovnanian

Viola da Gamba Student of Mary Springfels

assisted by:

Shirley Trissell, piano

Sunday, April 27, 2003, 8:30 p.m.
Regenstein Recital Hall
60 Arts Circle Drive
Evanston, Illinois

Sonata in E-Minor, Op.38 (1862-1865)           Johannes Brahms
For Violoncello and Piano                                     (1833-1897)

    Allegro non troppo
    Allegretto quasi Menuetto        
    Allegro      

SHORT INTERMISSION

Sonata No.2 in E-Minor, Op.6                               Adolf Mišek
For String Bass and Piano                                     (1875-1955)

    I. Con fuoco
    II. Andante cantabile
    III. Furiant: Allegro energico        
    IV. Finale: Allegro appassionato      

SHORT INTERMISSION

Sonata (1956)                                                    František Hertl
For String Bass and Piano                                           (b. 1906)

    I. Allegro moderato
    II. Andantino
    III. Rondo: Alla polka, moderato        

[ENCORE] Vocalise, Op.34, No.14              Serge Rachmaninoff
                                                                              (1873-1943)

Program Notes

Johannes Brahms' Sonata in E-Minor, Op.38 (1862-1865)


    In the summer of 1862, Johannes Brahms composed the first two
movements of the Sonata for Piano and Violoncello, Op. 38. He later
added the final Allegro in June of 1865. Intended as an "homage to
J.S. Bach," Brahms based the principal themes of the outer movements on
Contrapuntctus 4 and Contrapunctus 13 from "The Art of Fugue." Indeed,
beyond these thematic references, fugal interplay is the prevailing device
employed throughout the work. The sonata was first performed in July
of 1865, and submitted for publication to both Breitkopf & Härtel and
Simrock in September of the same year. Breitkopf & Härtel refused to
publish the work. Simrock soon accepted it, however, and it was probably
published in early 1866. Brahms' famous description of the work,
which accompanied his submission to Simrock, remarks that it is "a
violoncello sonata which, as regards both instruments, is certainly
not difficult to play.

    David Cardon, Discordia Music

    Discordia Music, a publishing company run by Professor Michael
Hovnanian, publishes the edition used for this performance. Discordia
specializes in publishing new works and transcriptions for the double bass,
as well as to publish premium quality, well-researched, scholarly editions
of music part of the standard double bass solo literature.

Adolf Mišek's Sonata No.2 in E-Minor, Op.6


    The typesetter, composer, conductor, and double bass player Adolf
Mišek was born in Modletin, Czechoslovakia in 1875. At age 15, Mišek
attended the Academy of Vienna, later conducting as choirmaster of The
Czech Choir ,,Tovaovský" and Slavonic Chorus. Additionally, he
conducted The Czech Academic Orchestra in Vienna. From 1890 to1894 Mišek was a student of the famous lecturer, Franz Simandl (1840-1912), who in Mišek's time was associated with the Vienna Conservatory, an
institution that Mišek would later be engaged as bass professor. From
1920 to 1934 Mišek returned to his place of birth in Bohemia. He returned
to Prague where he built a career as a soloist with the National
Theatre. He died in Prague in 1955.

    Mišek composed various works in different genres for voice, violin,
chamber ensembles, and lastly for the double bass. His works for
bass include a Scales Study, Legend op. 3 for Double Bass and Piano, a
Capriccio (1899), Concert Polonaise, Sonata No.1 in A Major, Op. 5,
Sonata No.2 in e minor, Op. 6, Sonata No.3 in F Major, and a Concert in
C-major.

František Hertl's Sonata (1956)

    Composer and double bassist František Hertl was an active member in
Czech music throughout his career. From 1920 to1926, Hertl studied double bass at the Prague Conservatory with Professor Fr. Cerny, also
studying composition from 1933 to1936. Hertl was solo double bassist in
the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra (1929-1935) and Czechoslovak Radio
Orchestra Prague (1935-1950).  Hertl was director as well as performing
member of the Czech Nonet from 1936 to 1950 and 1963 to1966 in addition to his duty as conductor of the Radio Orchestra in Brno (1950-1961). As a pedagogue, Hertl was professor at the Prague Conservatory (1951-1961), at the Leoš Janácek Academy of Music Arts in     Brno (1954-1961), and at the Academy of Music in Prague (1953-1973).

    Hertl wrote 35 compositions for orchestra including a Czech Suite
(1947), Czech Dances (1947), and a Symfonietta for Oboe and Small
Orchestra. Hertl composed a Sonata for Violoncello and Piano as well
as various choral works. Hertl also composed a Concert Polka (1948)
and a Concert for Double Bass (1957) premiered by František Pošta in 1958.
He additionally composed a Prelude, Burlesca, Nocturno, and Tarantella
(1969). As pedagogical works, Hertl wrote a Double Bass School  (1962) and 20 Studies  (1965) for Double Bass. The Sonata for Double bass and Piano (1956) was first recorded by his pupil Pavel Horak, a member of Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, now in retirement.  Hertl was directing during the recording process.

    Information courtesy of Miloslav Jelinek of the Czech Society of
Double Bassists

Biography

A native of Houston Texas, Phillip W. Serna (viola da gamba) is an active
and enthusiastic performer of early music, as well as the contemporary,
solo, orchestral, and chamber repertoires. Phillip earned his Bachelor of
Music in double bass performance with Stephen Tramontozzi at the San
Francisco Conservatory of Music in 1998. Phillip later completed his Master of Music at Northwestern University School of Music in 2001 as a Civic Orchestra of Chicago Graduate Fellow. On June 16, 2007, Phillip will receive the Doctor of Music degree from Northwestern University where he studied double bass with international soloist DaXun Zhang and formerly with Chicago Symphony Orchestra member Michael Hovnanian. Phillip studied viola da gamba with Newberry Consort founder Mary Springfels.

Since 2003, Phillip has been principal double bass of the Northbrook
Symphony Orchestra and has been recently elected to a two-year term on the Board of Directors of the Northbrook Symphony.  In addition, Phillip has performed regularly with other orchestras such as the Bach Chamber Orchestra & Choir, Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra, Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra, Kenosha Symphony Orchestra, New Philharmonic Orchestra, Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra, Racine Symphony Orchestra, Rockford Symphony Orchestra, Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, Waukesha Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra as well as the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. In March of 2007, Phillip will perform Giovanni Bottesini's Concerto No.2 in b-minor with the Waubonsie Valley High School Orchestra in Aurora, IL after having already performed Estonian composer Eduard Tubin's stirring Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra with Northwestern University's Summer Orchestra under the direction of Robert Hasty in July of 2003. Recently joining the board of the
Early Music Chicago arts advocacy & performance organization, Phillip
regularly performs on viola da gamba and period double bass/ violone with
period instrument ensembles and organizations such as the Apollo Chorus of Chicago, Ars Antigua, Chicago Early Music Consort, Period Opera Cosi fan Tutte with Chicago Opera Theater, Classical Arts Orchestra, Comic
Intermezzo, Early Music Chicago, the Janus Ensemble, the Newberry Consort, the Evelyn Dunbar Memorial Early Music Festival at Northwestern University, the Oriana Singers, the Second City Musick, and the Spirit of  Gambo - a Chicago Consort of  Viols, as well as the Concert for Compassion Viol Consort & the Forces of Virtue Ensemble and Choir, dedicated to raising money for disaster relief and other charities.

In addition to his intense performance schedule, Phillip teaches lessons on
double bass, bass guitar, guitar, viola da gamba, and presents master
classes and workshops on modern and period double bass. As a passionate
advocate of early music, Phillip has championed the viola da gamba with his initiative 'Viols in Our Schools,' bringing solo and chamber music for viols into Chicago area classrooms. Phillip also currently teaches at numerous institutions around the Chicago area. Phillip lives in Plainfield, IL with his best friend and wife, Magdalena.Program

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