Categories: Concerts

Jerry Borshard, piano, and David Solem, organ

Friday, August 3, 2018 — 5:30pm
Music of Rachmaninoff

Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini for Piano and Orchestra”
a set of 24 variations whose energies suggests the traditional character of a piano concerto in three movements:

Variations 1-10 Allegro vivace
Variations 11-18 Moderato
Variations 19-24 L’istesso tempo

Paganini’s theme is from his 24th Caprice for solo violin, which has inspired works by a number of other composers in addition to Rachmaninoff, most notably Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms.  Rachmaninoff’s intensely romantic 18th variation enjoys wide popularity on its own, which was further enhanced by it’s thematic role in the 1980 film ‘Somewhere in Time’ with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour.  Throughout the Variations Rachmaninoff also integrates the Dies Irae, a medieval Latin hymn traditionally sung in the Catholic requiem mass.

Jerry Borshard studied at Northwest German Music Academy in Detmold as part of his undergraduate work before going on to graduate piano studies under the late Larry Walz at the University of North Texas. Occasional recital and concert performances have highlighted his 35 year career as a private piano teacher and adjudicator in North Texas. Moving to Santa Fe has led to discovering greater mindfulness through yoga and massage which has directly improved keyboard control and musical communication.

David Solem was born and raised in Washington D.C. David has Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from The Peabody Conservatory of Music where he studied organ, harpsichord, and piano. He is currently assistant organist for First Presbyterian Church (Santa Fe) and a member of the baroque ensemble for Santa Fe Pro Musica. An active performer in the northern NM area with 36 years of experience in liturgical music, David is also a Jungian psychoanalyst in private practice in Santa Fe.