A Family Concert To benefit the Benevolence Fund at The Randolph Church
Carl Ferré-Lang, contrabass, viola da gamba Charles Lang, viola da gamba Susan Ferré, organ
Program
Antonio Vivaldi Sonata VI (1678-1741) for violoncello and continuo Largo. Allegro. Largo. Allegro. Giovanni Schenck Le Nymphe de Rheno, Sonata IV (c.1660-1712) for two bass viols Ciacona. Bourée. Rondeau. Menuet. Joseph Bodin de Boismortier Sonate, Op. 10, á deux Violes (1691-1765) Gravement. Allemande. Rondeau. Gigue. Francois Couperin Messe pour les Couvents (1668-1733) Sanctus Plein jeu. Récit de cornet. Elevation. Sainte Colombe Concert 44 á deux Violes (c.1640-1690) Tombeau les regrets. Quarillon. Apel de Charon. Les pleurs. Joye des Elizées. Georg Philippe Telemann Sonata (1681-1767) for viola da gamba & keyboard Andante. Allegro. Largo. Presto.
About the Soloist Carl Christophe Ferré-Lang’smany talents include solving a Rubik’s cube in 20 seconds and building and repairing guitars. He has taught at the Rockwall School of Music in Texas for over twelve years, inspiring his studio of 50+ students to become life-long lovers of music. He has garnered accolades from critics, received numerous awards while principal bass of the Meadows Symphony Orchestra in Dallas, TX, and is equally at home playing early music, as well as jazz, pop, and new music. He has played with the annual Big Moose Bach Fest since its inception.
In his own words: “I am Carl. I was born in the 80's to parents who were responsible for starting one of the first early music groups in Texas, so you might say I came by this trade honestly. Or maybe not. As a typical boy, I waffled around from instrument to instrument studying violin, piano, cello, voice, and finally settling on double bass. I can't say what drew me to this instrument- to the uninitiated, it is ugly, heavy, soft and difficult to play. For those of us who play it, she is a rare beauty, lighter than our loves with a clear melodious voice and difficult to play. Probably I just wanted to be further away from the front of the class! As a pre-teenager, I picked up guitar as well as electric bass and started playing a plurality of musical styles. This schism follows me around to this day, for better or for worse. In high school I became a grossly serious fellow and took to my studies at music theory and on the double bass with veracity. By the time I was an entering undergrad, I tested with nearly perfect scores in theory and ear training at the graduate level. The next ten years are a bit of a blur. I studied orchestral double bass under Roger Fratena and Tom Lederer while I was at SMU. After that, I started my Master's studies, assisting the theory department at Meadows and promptly left town, playing in NYC, Seattle and other cities in the union before returning home to Dallas. Lately, my guitar playing has taken a more central role in my own music and the music of others and though I still consider myself a bass player, and my notoriety is as such, perhaps it can be said that guitar is my passion these days. Like piano, it allows me to do everything myself …don't know what else to say really, I've played all over at this point, I've toured in England as a soloist with the Meadows Wind Ensemble. I've toured in the Great North Country as a soloist and all around the Union with various groups playing various roles. I teach guitar, classical and otherwise, double bass, electric bass, and piano. I am a resident music theory enthusiast, historian, and collector of all sorts. Give me five teacups and some pvc piping and I'll figure out how to make music out of it.”
About the performers
Susan Ferréis director of Music in the Great North Woods, bringing classical music to the North Country, with concerts free of charge, and creating the annual Big Moose Bach Fest, begun in 2009. Now retired, she has performed throughout the U.S., Europe, Scandinavia, and Brazil, and has served the faculties of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA, University of North Texas and the University of Paris while on a Fulbright Scholarship. From 1979 until 2004, Ferré directed the Texas Baroque Ensemble, as well as the Early Music Weekend of concerts and lectures at the Festival-Institute at Round Top, Texas. She holds degrees from TCU, the Eastman School, and U. of N. Texas, receiving awards from Perkins School of Theology, SMU, for years of coaching in the Masters of Sacred Music program, and from UNT for pioneering early music.. Her numerous recordings have received glowing critical reviews as well as a Gold GrIndie Award for creativity and accessibility.
Charles Lang played his way through medical school at Ohio State University playing in the Columbus and Canton Symphonies, as well as at Chatauqua as principal cellist before being drafted into the Air Force during the Vietnam era. After the war he worked as a family physician first in San Antonio, then in Dallas where he retired after 30 years. Following another five years working for the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, he retired again to Berlin, NH, working another 10 years for Coos County Family Health, remaining on back-up status, as needed. He has been the wind behind early music movements in Texas, where he co-founded the Texas Baroque Ensemble in 1979, and now in New Hampshire, as early music has been his passion from the start.