Concerts well attended, appreciated

The final two concerts of the series at the 5th International Piano Festival were held June 24 and 27 in the sanctuary of the Woodfords Congregational Church, sponsored by the Portland Conservatory of Music. They were well-attended and much appreciated.

The Tuesday evening pianist was Tamara Poddubnaya, one of Russia’s foremost pianists. She is professor of piano at North Netherlands Conservatory in Groningen, and the International “Peter the Great Festival,” Netherlands, and is artist-in-residence at Long Island Conservatory. She has judged numerous competitions and festivals and held master classes in Belgium, Bulgaria, England, Germany, Holland, Israel, Italy, Russia, South Korea, and the United States. Dr. Poddubnaya was a driving force behind the creation of the Conservatory’s International Piano Festival.

Her program: Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 903”; Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Piano Solnata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109”; Frederic Chopin’s “Sonata No. 2 in B Flat Minor, Op. 35”; and his “Polonaise-Fantaisie in A Flat Major, Op. 61.” Her encores were two well-known Chopin numbers, including the “Minute Waltz.”

Her concert was very well received.

The Friday evening concert was given by Frank Glazer. Our program notes read, “He is one of the most compelling musical personalities of our day.” He has performed frequently in the Portland area. I must attend every time he does. He is amazing, still playing beautifully, after many years of performing, world-wide. His late wife, Ruth, was a founder of the Portland Conservatory of Music, and I was fond of her, too.

His program: Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Toccata in D Major, BWV 912”; Franz Schubert’s “Piano sonata in B Flat Major, D 960”; Maurice Ravel’s “Valses Nobles et Sentimentales,” including 8 numbers; and Frederic Chopin’s “Two Etudes,” “Andante Spianato,” and “Grande Polonaise Brillante, Op. 22.”

After much applause, Glazer returned to give us two encores. Glazer always receives an appreciative audience.

We thank the conservatory for these festival concerts.

Class of ’36 reunion in July

Meeting with committee member Harold Griffith last week were fellow members of the Class of 1936, Deering High School: Betty Halloran Kennedy, Eleanor Berry Beal, Jane Drew Sampson, and Anne Blanchard Foote. They discussed plans for their 72nd reunion, which will be held Saturday, July 26, at Verrillo’s Restaurant, 155 Riverside St., Portland, with a luncheon at noon. Guests will order from the menu. The meeting will be in the Somerset room.

Reports of birds and other wildlife

I’ve just received the March-April edition of the Sorrento Scientific Society’s newsletter, The Guillemot, from my friend Joan Ashley. I read it with interest, and like to find items about this southern part of Maine. The edition contains 19 pages, with many reports of astronomy, weather, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and birds to read about.

There were Ruddy Ducks in Freeport on March 15 and in Scarborough on April 13. Sharp-shinned hawks wintered over at a number of feeder areas. Migratory birds started being seen on March 15 when they appeared from Scarborough Marsh to Winter Harbor. A single rough-legged hawk was seen at Scarborough Marsh on March 16. Tree swallows were in Wells, Biddeford, and Scarborough, with dozens of reports throughout April. The first Veery was seen at the Evergreen Cemetery in Portland on April 16. A pair of Orchard Orioles were in Portland on May 6 and one was seen in Windham on May 8 while Baltimore Orioles were also present at Windham on May 8, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird was seen in Scarborough on April 21.

Recipe

Today’s recipe is from “The Best of Maine, Church Supper Cookbook” by Elaine Robinson, 1988.

Raisin bars

1 cup seedless raisins

1 cup water

1/2 cup oil or shortening

1 cup sugar

1 slightly beaten egg

1 tsp. salt

1-3/4 cups sifted flour

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 cup walnuts

Combine raisins and water in a big saucepan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in oil. Cool to lukewarm. Stir in egg and sugar. Sift together dry ingredients. Beat into raisin mixture. Stir in nuts. Pour into 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until done. When cool, cut into bars. If desired, dust with confectioner’s sugar. Makes 2 dozen.

(Submitted by Myrtle R. Weiss, Sanford First Baptist Church)