Retirement Events after 50+years
teaching music at Vassar College
TWO
Concerts December 10 and 11
Days of festivities with his wonderful colleagues and some of his last students in the music department. Many thanks to Kim M. Andresen, concerts administrator; Alix Hoffman, administrative assistant and to Jane Podell, concert assistant.
Todd Crow playing Charades, a premiere.
Attacca playing Richard's 4th String Quartet
Vassar Chorus singing The Fox and the Goat, an Aesop's Fable
Christine Howlett, conductor Susan Brown, piano
Tom Sauer playing Richard's first real Piano Pieces. Three Short Pieces
Richard's memories
Joe Orton scenes read by the department ---really fun! For the Transfigured Goat piece which was performed after the skits, Richard used bits from these texts, mixed up, together with what he used to say to our dog, Tracy.
Narrators: Justin Patch, Jim Osborn
Scene 1 (Drew Minter, Jim Ruff) (Orton Text 1)
Scene 2 (Christine Howlett, Michael Pisani) (Orton Text 2)
Scene 3 (Mark Moriarty, Susan Botti) (Orton Text 3)
Scene 4 (Kathryn Libin, Eduardo Navega) (Orton Text 4)
Scene 5 (Jim Ruff, Brian Mann) (Orton Text 5)
Scene 6 (Drew Minter, Jim Ruff, Sarah Canino (Orton Text 6)
Transfigured Goat. At the event, it was performed by Mary Nessinger and Robert Osborne, with Moran Katz, clarinet and Richard Wilson, piano. We don't have a YouTube of that performance, so here is a video with Mary Ann Hart (mezzo-soprano), Richard Lalli (baritone), Allen Blustine (clarinet), and Richard Wilson (piano). The text is shown in the video, but is also here below.
TRANSFIGURED GOAT
A Curtainraiser. Text by Richard Wilson, inspired by Joe Orton and our dog Tracy, who sometimes looked like a goat.
1.
Man: What kind of dog is this?
Woman: An outrageous animal.
Man: What sort of fraud do we have here?
Woman: A preposterous charlatan....Have you got an appointment today?
M: The trademark is in the shape of a goat.
W: Have you got an appointment today?
M: A French cheese salesman would be even worse.
W: Have you got an appointment today?
M: Yes, I'm to be at Lincoln Center at eleven. I'm meeting someone behind the
scrim.
W: You always go to such interesting locations. Are you taking the van?
2.
W: There is no telling who my father was.
M: Are you taking the van?
W: I refuse to discuss my financial affairs.
M: Is violence within your means?
W: Are you taking the van?
M: There is no telling who your father was.
W: We grant an exemption only in the case of possession by the Devil.
M: This dog has violated every known rule and regulation.
W: I am shocked beyond expression.
M: You always go to such fascinating locations. Are you taking the van?
W: The trademark is in the shape of a goat.
3.
M: Let me be candid, Ms. Vander Twee. I can't promote you if you're in any
way miraculous. It would be contrary to our tenure policy. You did have a
father?
W: Our dog is some kind of a goat.
M: Are you an exhibitionist?
W: I slept next to one once.
4.
M: Don't go yet. I don't trust myself....
W: Couldn't you just pretend...
M: ...at this time of the evening.
W: ...to have throttled me? Couldn't you just pretend...
M: Don't trust myself at this time...
W: Just pretend to have throttled me?
M: To save face? I don't trust myself.
W: To save face? Couldn't you just pretend...
M: Pretend to save face...
W: I am shocked...
M: You are throttled...
W: No telling...there is no telling...
M: No telling where the dog is...
W. Who my father was...
M: Some kind of baboon...
W: Pretend to throttle...
M: I just don't trust...
W: No telling who was shocked...
M: Who was throttled...
W: What kind of dog...
M: Something is going on here...
W: My father was throttled...
M: And I don't know what...
W: Shocked beyond expression.
M: How refreshing...
W: How refreshing...
M: How refreshing to meet a sensitive artist in today's world of
highly-praised baboons.
W: Don't go yet.
M: I don't trust myself at this time of the evening.
5.
M: Your first was poisoned. Your second collapsed while celebrating
Nixon's resignation. Your third fell from a hot air balloon. Your fourth
took an overdose on the eve of his retirement from Princeton. Your fifth
and sixth husbands disappeared in the subway. Presumed dead. Your last
partner suffered a seizure three nights after marrying you. How do you
account for this?
W: I refuse to discuss my financial affairs.
6.
M: A French cheese salesman would be even worse.
W: You could say she'd gone to Anaheim. That spells death to most people.
M: She's shown no preference for California. Not even under hypnosis.
W: There is some kind of chicanery involved here.
M: I've an appointment at the nude calendar shop. I've been commissioned
to do October.
W: Say she's on a surf-riding holiday. The bizarre culture of the coast
fascinates her. She takes up residence. And, after a decent interval, is
swept into the ocean on a dinghy.
M: Would that suit you?
W: It isn't the death I've dreamt of.
7.
W: Our dog is some kind of impostor.
M: You refuse to discuss your financial affairs.
W: I refuse to discuss my financial affairs.
M: Our dog is a fraudulent animal.
W: What a....
M: Dismal failure...
W: Yes, the trademark is in the shape of a baboon.
M: I refuse to discuss our dog...
W: ...is some kind of a goat...
M: ...does not share your affection for Grieg...
W: Are you some kind of a nut?
M: ...and Rachmaninov; Spohr and Puccini.
W: What are you talking about?
M: Let me be candid, Ms. Vander Twee. I can't promote you if you're in any
way miraculous. It would be contrary to our tenure policy. You did have a
father?
W: Oh, I'm sure I did. My mother was frugal in her habits, but she'd never
economize to that extent.
M: Have you got an appointment today?
W: I've an appointment at the nude calendar shop. I've been commissioned
to do October.
M: You always go to such fascinating locations. Are you taking the van?