The Majolly Music Trust and The International Music and Arts Society presented an evening of French keyboard music at the Alliance Francaise recently.
The artiste for the evening was Justin McCarthy, a talented pianist, who took the music-lovers on a wonderful journey back in time as he played some of the best known compositions from France.
Justin,who studied piano as a child, came to India in 1979, and has been residing here ever since. Pursuing a double career in piano and bharatnatayam, Justin has been teaching and performing actively in both the disciplines for the past few decades. He even started performing on the harpsichord a few years ago.
He has appeared in numerous solo and duo performances both in India as well as Europe.
He has also collaborated with numerous artistes like the French violinist Philippe Honore; the Indian soprano Situ Singh-Buehler and the German violinist Kerstin Linder-Dewan, French cellist Domonique de Williencourt and the French soprano Dominique Moaty.
Justin started the evening with pieces such as Lully-d'Anglebert in G major — Overture from Cadmus , Menuet Dans nos bois and Chaconne from Phaeton.
As he explained his performances to the audience, Justin said, "I am performing five sets of pieces from five composers. All are from the late 17th and early 18th century."He added, "The first composer Lully-d'Anglebert set the standard for whatFrench music was supposed to be despite being an Italian."
Up next were pieces of Forqueray in D minor — La Forqueray and La Couperin. "Forqueray took his father's music and rewrote it. However, there is also a doubt that his wife could have written them," he noted. Post this, Justin performed the compositions of Royer in Dminor —La Majestueuse, Courante and La Zaide, Rondeau.
These were followed by pieces of Rameau in G minor — L'Egyptienne, Lenharmoniqueand La Poule. The last set for the evening consisted of the pieces of Couperin in B minor — La Raphaele, Courante, Sarabande, Gigue and Passacaille.
As beautiful lilting melodies filled the hall, the music-lovers were seen shaking their heads and engrossed in the music. "I totally enjoyed Justin's performance. It was a great evening for the lovers of Western classical music,"said Sanjay, a member of the audience.
The artiste for the evening was Justin McCarthy, a talented pianist, who took the music-lovers on a wonderful journey back in time as he played some of the best known compositions from France.
Justin,who studied piano as a child, came to India in 1979, and has been residing here ever since. Pursuing a double career in piano and bharatnatayam, Justin has been teaching and performing actively in both the disciplines for the past few decades. He even started performing on the harpsichord a few years ago.
He has appeared in numerous solo and duo performances both in India as well as Europe.
He has also collaborated with numerous artistes like the French violinist Philippe Honore; the Indian soprano Situ Singh-Buehler and the German violinist Kerstin Linder-Dewan, French cellist Domonique de Williencourt and the French soprano Dominique Moaty.
Justin started the evening with pieces such as Lully-d'Anglebert in G major — Overture from Cadmus , Menuet Dans nos bois and Chaconne from Phaeton.
As he explained his performances to the audience, Justin said, "I am performing five sets of pieces from five composers. All are from the late 17th and early 18th century."He added, "The first composer Lully-d'Anglebert set the standard for whatFrench music was supposed to be despite being an Italian."
Up next were pieces of Forqueray in D minor — La Forqueray and La Couperin. "Forqueray took his father's music and rewrote it. However, there is also a doubt that his wife could have written them," he noted. Post this, Justin performed the compositions of Royer in Dminor —La Majestueuse, Courante and La Zaide, Rondeau.
These were followed by pieces of Rameau in G minor — L'Egyptienne, Lenharmoniqueand La Poule. The last set for the evening consisted of the pieces of Couperin in B minor — La Raphaele, Courante, Sarabande, Gigue and Passacaille.
As beautiful lilting melodies filled the hall, the music-lovers were seen shaking their heads and engrossed in the music. "I totally enjoyed Justin's performance. It was a great evening for the lovers of Western classical music,"said Sanjay, a member of the audience.