It is truly that great music never dies no matter how fast time passes by. Great music always finds its way to get into our time no matter how it ages.

Last October 16, 2019, in commemoration of Clara Schumann’s 200th birth anniversary as well as to celebrate her great pieces and works, the Goethe-Institut Philippinen, a German Cultural Center, has partnered with University of Santo Tomas’ Conservatory of Music to bring and stage all the way to UST Schumann’s primo works through a theatrical multi-faceted performance held at the UST Museum.

Mary Patrice Pagis, a soprano singer, played the role of little Clara. (Photo by Aliah Danseco/TomasinoWeb)

Clara Wieck-Schumann, whose name might be familiar to some, was a known German musician and composer. As a virtuoso in her field, she was acclaimed to be one of the most notable composers and pianists of her time. She has offered 61 years of her life in contributing and composing various works like piano concertos, chamber works, and choral pieces. She also became a piano instructor at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt. She was the wife of Robert Schumann, who was also a renowned musician during their era.

As the night began, people arrived and gradually filling up the museum as they were in excitement to witness the concert happening in just a few minutes. Setting up the mood, the entire area was turned into a dark and slight histrionic ambiance when the lights turned off. This, together with the archival vibe in the museum, have made the participants and guests experience the feeling of travelling back to the romantic era.

The audience fell into silence as the first melody of Impromptu in D Major was fired up on the piano by Boris Schonleber, a freelance pianist from Berlin. It was accompanied by the wondrous voice of mezzo-soprano singer Katharina Padrok as she serenaded the audience with Schumann’s Mein Stern (My Star). 

Photo by Aliah Danseco/TomasinoWeb

The audience was fully taken back to the romantic era as Mary Patrice Pagis, a soprano singer, played the role of little Clara. Pagis portrayed the young Clara who was confident and passionate for her first piano debut. The audience were in awe as Pagis transitioned her role from childish Clara to Clara’s mother. Meanwhile, Peter Portigos took the roles for playing both Clara’s father and husband. Really, it is as if the people were stock-still that no one bothered to unleash any noise but amusement drawn on each of their faces after every enlivening performance.

As the night went deeper, more of Clara’s pieces and songs were played such as Am Strance (On the shore), Loreley WoO 19, Notturno op. 6, Nr. 2 and others. 

The concert also exhibited Robert Schumann’s music including Widmung op. 25, Nr. 1(Dedication), Marienwiirmchen op. 70, Nr. 14 (Ladybird), and a lot more. 

Clara Schumann was a master of the game. She was a woman way ahead of the times – a composer, pianist, and a singer all rolled into one person. If there is anything else, she will be remembered not only because of her uniqueness and outstanding character but also because of her works that truly upped the standards for musicians in her time until now. It has been 200 years! Imagine the lengths her works could go. Indeed, music, as long as people appreciate it, will always be remembered even after centuries.

Comments

In a museum visit on a Saturday afternoon – an unusual break from the hourly streaks of readings and reviewers, I immersed and got lost in Rembrandt’s flair to depict the pinnacle of any presented moment, all works artistically suspended on a larger-than-life canvas. As a new admirer, seeing his works and understanding its narratives may be happily overwhelming. But later, with eyes fully satisfied from the beauty of his collections, I left the  museum’s premises seeking for more. 

October 5, 2019 celebrates the 43rd anniversary of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila which then gave the opportunity to commemorate the 350th death anniversary of the great Baroque artist, Rembrandt van Rijin. The museum featured a guided viewing of a couple of his famous works as presented by Ms. Alec Madelene Abarro, through a projected presentation. Although the actual works were not on display, the discussion transcended the technological constraints by carefully dissecting each piece, reveling in the masterpieces of Rembrandt, all the while paying attention to his palpable play of lights and its significance not only in his works, but on the phases of his remarkable life. 

The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp 

Photo from Wikipedia

Prior to showing this piece, thirty or so individuals were seated on the carpeted floor of the museum. We were invited to a game of guessing if the artwork shown is a Rembrandt or not. Several group portraitures were presented, some were recognizable as other artists’ works and some were convincing enough to believe it was part of Rembrandt’s collection. What was common among the  group portraitures were the cramped lines and rows, seemingly placing the subjects in a structured frame. Then Rembrandt’s recognizable formulas of dark backgrounds and dramatic flares popped up on the screen that had the audience muttering silent yeses. 

What Ms. Abarro pointed out about this piece is its boldness to highlight what a spectator must engage with: the corpse and tendrils of its arms, Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, and the masterful hand of Rembrandt in finding the peak of the narrative – all given importance by his famous light and shadow techniques. Moreover, its diversion from the usual formality of group portraiture make it a plausible odd thumb of sorts. 

The Jewish Bride

Photo from Google Arts and Culture

Perhaps Rembrandt’s artistic branding is his ability to frame the dramatic instances of his works and to carefully put the pristine details on canvas, from the mere muskets to the anatomical details of his craft which all serve as an amalgamation of his theatrics. However, “The Jewish Bride”, a picture which exuded an enthusiastic admiration out of Van Gogh, were stripped off his usual branding. It is still bathed in the Rembrandt light, but the schema of the narrative revolves around the tranquility of the moment, a picture which diverts from the loudness of “The Night Watch” and other works from his collection that seem to overhaul chaos. 

The Marriage of Jason and Creusa 

Photo from Google Arts and Culture

Metropolitan Museum of Manila has acquired a copy of the famous Rembrandt etching that depicts two subjects: the marriage of Jason and Creusa and Medea’s picture of revenge, all inspired by the Greek mythology. 

It is quite known that Rembrandt’s works are inspired from mythologies and the Bible. This was most evident in “The Three Crosses” and “The Return of the Prodigal Son”. This etching, however, is the figurative cherry-on-top of the afternoon as it showcases the skillful and prolific lighting of Rembrandt, even with a metal etching. If one would scrutinize on the artwork, it elaborates how Rembrandt gives such importance and attention to intricacies. The tangible copy, however, is caged on a frame, just a mote piece on the wall beside the guided viewing, waiting to be appreciated by spectators. 

If there’s one thing that Rembrandt is known and celebrated for, it’s his ability to bathe his works with lights, casting a shadow here and there to indicate the picture’s prominent subject and to engage the spectator to take two glimpses: firstly, with expectant eyes ready to digest the work and secondly, with an unsizeable heart that glorifies the existence of the dark, an element necessary to let the light string in. 

“The best way to honor [an artist’s] legacy is to take a look at the artwork,” Ms. Abarro concludes with a call to the audience of different ages – sitting presently in front of the projected wall, mostly cramped beside the sculpture of the body sitting in the middle of the floor – to bask in the details and let it arrest you enough to inspire and expand your horizons. 

For upcoming events and exhibits of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, visit their webpage at https://metmuseum.ph/. You may also visit National Commission for Culture and the Arts‘ Facebook page for other events and exhibits in other museums and galleries around Metro Manila. 

Photo from Metropolitan Museum of Manila facebook Page

Comments

Binge-eating, watching shows on Netflix, staring into nothingness, and scrolling through Twitter are just a few things that one does when procrastinating.

With the major exams coming up, start your week right by avoiding procrastination! Use your time efficiently for more important matters and avoid stalling around to actually get your work done. Here are some tips to help you get through the next couple of hours with your readings and plates on hand!

Keep a journal

Purchase a journal and try to create a bullet journal. In there, create a timetable, a weekly calendar, and a monthly calendar to properly manage your schedule. Creating a helps in distribution and management of tasks. You can also utilize this to plan how you will be doing your requirements in the next couple of weeks. Surely, this could help you keep up with your academic and organizational workload.

Apps that ‘do not disturb’ 

Can’t stop checking your phone? Download “Forest: stay focused”, in order to avoid checking your messages while studying. If you don’t have enough storage left, you can also enable “Do not disturb” found in your phone’s settings in order not to receive notifications. 

Fix your stuff

Information overload from memorizing? Try going over your bag! Try to arrange your things as a means to unwind from your long readings. This is a good way of using your time properly. Not only will you fix your things but also you get to relax by reorganizing everything. Additionally, you won’t have to stress over the next morning of what you should pack in your bag. 

Take down notes

Keep a small notebook or utilize the note-taking app on your phone to take note of ideas. In case you are given a project or an assignment, it is best to think of ideas immediately to prevent staring into nothingness in the midst of doing your work. You might eventually form the best ideas on the spot!

Keep some snacks

When studying, it’s a good idea to keep some snacks but keep them away from the mean time. Why? Your studying session might turn out to be a binge-eating session (not unless if you can do both at the same time!).

Go home early

In case you are going out with friends, make sure to tell them what time you plan to go home. As much as possible, plan your schedule for the day so that you can use your time wisely!

Mind your drafts

Your first few drafts should not be the papers you are to pass moments before the deadline. If possible, revise until necessary. Avoid doing your paper hours or a day before the deadline in order to veer away from stress and pressure to finish the task.

Sort out your tasks

Determine which of your tasks would take the least and the most amount of time. It is best to start with the lighter tasks so that you won’t tire yourself out for the next couple of hours. On the other hand, do not forget to take breaks so that you’ll still have an attentive mind while you’re studying. 

Thea Andrea Magueriano

Comments