Monthly Archives: May 2012

Jesus; from a Jew/Gentile assessment 1

Uncategorized

Review by Danny Gaisin

Hamilton’s WESTDALE UNITED CHURCH obviously concerns itself with its parishioners but also obliges the wider community…not to proselytize but to educate and enlighten. Its ‘Distinguished Visiting Speaker’ program attracts the most creative minds; even some that are not so-called mainstream. Last night’s guest was Rabbi Emeritus, Bernard Baskin who iterated for the five hundred audience, a thought-provoking yet factual elucidation of where; who and what Jesus stands for or really was to both his original people (us Jews); his early followers & apostles; and today’s one billion plus religionists.

Baskin knows his history and whatever facts are actually verifiable. Judaism, Christianity & even Islam share the same early history books, i.e. the Old Testament. More…

“For the Love of Music”…5 @ the 1st 1

Concert

Review by Judith Caldwell

The final concert in the 5 at The First series for the 2011/12 season was entitled ‘For the Love of Music’ and featured a truly unusual combination of instruments: -  Rachel Mercer on cello; Joseph Phillips on double bass and sitarist Anwar Khurshid;  a rare concert indeed.   The afternoon began with Rachel and Joe playing Duet in D major by Rossini, a truly gorgeous piece of music in three movements.  It began with an allegro that was so playful and so much fun that the audience could not resist laughing and applauding at the end of it. This was followed by a rich, complex andante molto with lovely long melody lines that invited one into the experience. More…

O.C.O. does “The Seasons” 3

Concert, Dance, Uncategorized

Review by Terry Gaisin

The artistic director of the Oakville Chamber Orchestrais a multi-talented musicologist. He is an accomplished arranger; dedicated conductor, and an adept composer. This latter flair was displayed yesterday afternoon (Sunday) at a concert staged at Sheridan College. It was music written as backdrop to a poem by Haitian Gérard Étienne dealing with the poet’s loves. The prose is rather repetitious with the subject word appearing in almost every sentence, in some cases- thrice! Naturally, Demuynck’s work is also repetitive, but that is a reflection of the subject’s intrinsic restraints

Demuynck’s new composition – interpreted

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H.P.O. closes season on a high note Reply

Concert

Review byDanny Gaisin

My first foray into the world of classical music-critiquing was an OSM concert under Zubin Mehta- autumn 1961. During the past five decades I’ve probably attended about 5 thousand such events. Multiply that by approximately 3 works each, thus I’ve been privileged to hear a fair sampling of the repertoire. Naturally, I have my favorites and two of these made up the last H.P.O. concert of this season.  Both are works by Beethoven

HPO; combined choirs & soloists

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Possible Worlds” –thought provoking, but… 1

Play, Theatre

Review by Danny Gaisin

                This scribe is anything but scientific. 60 years ago I had to study a theory by Professor Alan Guth of MIT about parallel Universes; quantum leaping, and his ‘false vacuum’ concept. Couldn’t grasp it and generally hated everything about theoretical physics! So, a play that requires imagining such a scenario is not my first-choice subject.
               Hamiltonian John Mighton’s play –“POSSIBLE WORLDS” is a challenge to produce, a burden for the actors, and an effort for its audience.

the cast of POSSIBLE WORLDS

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‘Celebration by “5@1st” Reply

Concert

A Celebration Concert by ‘5 @ the First’

Review by Judith Caldwell

Yesterday, Rachel Mercer & Angela Park offered a free Celebration concert to all those who had supported them through the year. The afternoon began with the Adagio and Allegro opus 70 written by Robert Schumann, an energetic piece with rich tones that showcased the considerable talents of this duo. More…