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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1998)
LAURA BRANDT, a music performance graduate student, practices her violin with the UNL Symphony Orchestra Thursday. The orche^ra^alongwiththe UNL Oratorio Chorus, Concert Choir and five vocal soloists, will present Joseph Haydn’s “Creation” Saturday evening in Kimball Recital Hall. Students to ‘create’ Haydn By Barb Churchill Assignment Reporter God created the world in six days. Saturday, a group of students and faculty members from UNL’s School of Music will attempt to recreate that feat in considerably less time. The UNL Oratorio Chorus, Concert Choir, Symphony Orchestra and five vocal soloists will present Joseph Haydn’s “Creation” Saturday evening in Kimball Recital Hall. With his “Creation” oratorio for solo voices, chorus and orchestra, the 18th century composer tried to describe the Biblical story of the world’s ere ation. And Tyler White, associate pro fessor of music and director of orches tral activities at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said Haydn was successful. White is pleased to present “Creation” at UNL, because he thinks it is one of the best pieces ever written. It is justifiably famous, he said, being second only to George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” m popularity. “It’s an oratorio (rather than an opera),” White said, “because its sub ject is a sacred one. It uses vocal soloists, chorus and orchestra to tell a very powerful story.” But that doesn’t necessarily make the story depressing, White said. “This oratorio relates the Biblical story of the creation of the world to the temptation and fall,” White said. “(Stopping before the fall) is one of the lovely things that relates (‘Creation’) to its 18th century origins. Its optimism, enlightenment and rationality make it less relevant to show evil.” Saturday’s performance will fea ture soloists Donna Harler-Smith and Peggy Holloway, sopranos; Reginald Pittman, tenor; and William Shomos and Charles “Chip” Smith, baritones. Harler-Smith, Holloway and Shomos are all UNL music faculty members. “It’s important for our students to see our faculty cooperating together and to get the opportunity to accompa ny them,” White said. “Especially in such an important piece as this.” This presentation of “Creation” is a bit different because of the text, White said. “We are using an English version of the text translated by Robert Shaw instead of the original English ver sion,” he said. “Unfortunately, the orig inal English version was quite terrible. “It has bad translations, bad choic es of words and doesn’t sing at all well. The original text has been a drawback to performance.” The Shaw translation was made in the 1950s, White said, which has great Please see HAYDN on 16 w 2 cu W s cS C-*H O >• C/5 W E-* « o C/5 o H o a: cu African musician to present unique blend By Bret Schulte Assignment Reporter In an increasingly Westernized world, Stan Tohon is a voice of con science and tradition. He tells stories of his native land’s social and political turmoil, ranging from monetary devaluation to public transportation. But Tohon isn’t a politician. He is a musician. And Saturday night, he will be in Lincoln. Stan Tohon & the Tchink System will celebrate their ethnic blend of reggae, rap and tchinkoume music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Culture Center, 333 N. 14th St., Saturday in an all-ages 7:30 p.m. show. Tohon, leader of Stan Tohon & the Tchink System, grew up in the West African nation of Benin - where the official language is French, and the government is less than 10 years old. His occasionally political and always-upbeat music has packed sta diums in Benin and sold copies of his 15 albums across Africa and Europe. The tchink system (also the name of the band) is a Westernized version of the native tchinkoume sound, a polyrhythmic percussion-based composition accompanied with dance and narrative. The Westernized albums retain their ethnic flavor but include elec tric guitar, bass and synthesizers along with the traditional instru ments. “I play it to show that in the tchink system you have reggae, you have rhythm, you have rap,” Tohon said. “All this music is from Africa.” lohon was brought to Lincoln by Carter Van Pelt, who plans to inter view Tohon on his weekly radio pro gram on KZUM-FM (89.3). Van Pelt said Tohon is among the world’s premiere percussionists. “The drumming is as intricate and polyrhythmic as anything I’ve ever heard,” he said. “People with intimate knowledge of African music are excited that these are in the United States.” People are excited around the world when Tohon appears. Van Pelt said the Benin artist has played in front of crowds ranging from 5,000 to 12,000 people. But in the United States, Tohon’s albums are not available, and he has spent most of his second visit in rel ative obscurity. The time to himself has allowed the artist to complete his newest album, “Fire,” while staying in Omaha for the past four months. Although the album adapts Tchinkoume music to modern music, Saturday’s show will be entirely traditional, percussion-dri ven and acoustic. The music is augmented by vocals and harmonies from the play ers as well as a troupe of dancers called the Superanges: French for angels. Van Pelt said language is not a barrier in music and dance. “There is a story-telling aspect to the performances,” he said. “You'll be able to gather a lot from it because they are very expressive. (But) 1 did n’t understand the language.” Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. show costs $7 for adults and $5 for students. Ulcer puts Magic Slim in hospital, son steps in By Bret Schulte Assignment Reporter Nationally known blues artist and current Lincoln resident Magic Slim was hospitalized Tuesday after returning from a tour across Europe. Slim, whose real name is Morris Holt, said doctors are treating him for a bleeding ulcer, but he should return home today. Slim was slated for a weekend stint at the Zoo Bar, 136 N. 14th St., the club that helped him gain nation al attention and played a large role in his decision to relocate to Lincoln. Until Slim, 60, feels better, his son, Shawn Holt, will be playing in his father’s place. Larry Boehmer, owner of the Zoo Bar, said Holt learned more than just guitar-playing from his father - he also learned the attitude to go with it. “He’s quite a fireball himself,” Boehmer said. Slim is expected to play Saturday at the earliest, according to the Zoo Bar. Slim, 60, grew up in Grenada, Miss., where he discovered the blues and followed the sound to Chicago in the mid-1950s. The Zoo Bar has been a favorite venue for Slim since his first appear ance in 1975. “When he first came to the Zoo, he really hadn’t played out of Chicago before,” Boehmer said. Slim now boasts more than 50 recordings, and his acclaimed stage presence has been enjoyed across the country. Slim hopes to play this weekend, but if not, he believes “Little Slim” will do just fine taking the place of the Zoo’s greatest attraction. This weekend’s concerts are tonight and Saturday. Both shows start at 9:30 p.m. and have a $5 cover charge.
