Painter Cosio turns singer/PTGP anniversary concert: 40 pianos, over 300 pianists

Known as the father of the lied (the art song), Schubert is highly admired for “Hark, Hark the Lark!”, “Who is Sylvia?” “The Erl King”, the latter regarded as a tiny opera by musicologists.

A biographer tells this story of Hark, Hark, the Lark! “Schubert was sitting in a noisy beer garden, and idly turning over the pages of a German translation of Shakespeare. All of a sudden he exclaimed, ‘The loveliest melody has just come into my head! If only I had some music paper with me!’ One of his friends drew a few staves on the back of a menu, and there and then Schubert wrote this perfect song. After a song was written — and in seventeen years he wrote over six hundred lieder in just about this way — it was to all intents and purposes done with.”

Indeed, Schubert excels in song rather than in any other musical form, his melodic vein arguably richer than that of any other composer. For this reason, those who attended the recital of painter-turned-singer Allan Cosio enjoyed listening to Schubert’s Die Schone Mullerin (The Fair Maid of the Mill), a song cycle to poems by Wilhelm Muller.

Rendered in German, the cycle revealed the admirably retentive memory of Cosio who hardly glanced at the memory aids around him. That alone was something of a feat, Cosio not having studied German.

The widely diverse subjects, among them nature, love, the fair maid and various aspects of daily life and living were read in their English resumes by journalist Nestor Mata, himself a singer by avocation.

Described as “a one-man drama in Quixotic interpretation”, its conceptualized staging, presumably by Cosio himself, was most original and imaginative. Picturesquely attired as a German peasant, the singer had a guitar slung across his back; the small platform had a framed painting as well as a chair and a board.

To vary and enliven stage action, Cosio would sing seated on the chair or on the platform itself; remove his jacket, hold the painting, hang his guitar on the board, give his back to the audience while singing. More ambiance was created by drawings of the peasant and the mill on the walls.

The tenor interpreted the songs with stirring power and passion, the lyrics ringing loudly and clearly, his countenance reflecting the emotion of each moment. Cosio’s dynamics ranged from fortissimo to mezzo forte. Subtle, gentle, delicate piano to pianissimo nuances would have infused more color and variety to his renditions.

Having heard Cosio in recital more than once, I had already expressed the belief that with the early rigid training of his intensely powerful vocal equipment, he could have become a superb professional singer rather than the celebrated visual artist he is today.

With further voice lessons, he can still attain a much wider range of dynamics and inevitably convey greater appeal. Notwithstanding, his performance at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Vibal Publishing House moved and impressed his audience.

Pianist Cherrie I. Platon was a most gratifyingly expressive assisting artist whose phrasing and rhythmic verve were arresting.

-tThe recital was presented by the Monday Music Club headed by Esther Vibal who, besides being a distinguished publisher, is herself a singer by avocation. In the audience were former Ambassador Jose “Toto” Zaide, Bert Robledo of DZFE, and remarkable actress Ivi A. Cosio who, like her husband, is both visual artist and occasional singer.

Unique concert set

On Nov. 18 (3 pm. and 7 pm) at the CCP Little Theater, there will be 40 pianos on stage and more than 300 pianists — ages eight to eighty — alternately playing at a unique presentation by the Piano Teachers Guild of the Philippines headed by president Anthony Y. Say.

A mini-concert will be held at a press conference on Oct. 20 from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm at the Lyric Hall, New Manila, QC, to announce details of the special Nov. 18 concert which will mark the PTGP’s 40th anniversary.

The mini-concert will consist of Valse Noble by Cornelius Gurlitt, Grand Perpetual Motion by Michael Cox, Saranggola ni Pepe by Ryan Cayabyab, Mozart Sonata and Perpetual Commotion by Kevin Olson.

Pianists Lorenzo Medel, Ma. Regina Montesclaros and Denise Faith See have already given public debuts. The rest are Hansel and Yvonne Jael Ang, Clarissa Li, Aldrich Liao, Sharon Jasminez, Anna Marie Caldoza, Jenny Pearl Tan, Mayden Ong, Almond Ponge, Robelle Alalong, Patrick Sy, Matthew Calderon, Miguel and Paolo Panagsagan.

Tertulia at Abelardo Hall

I missed the above concert because the invitation arrived late, having been sent to The STAR and not to my home address.