01 February 1979
GERTRUD ROBERTS
COMPOSER HARSICHORDIST PIANIST
Label: HO'OKANI ENTERPRISES
Format: 33 rpm 12" LP stereo
Country: United States
Vinyl Condition: New (1 time played)
Cover Condition: Perfect
Year Released: 1979
LP Quantity: 1
Catalog #: 781219
Side 1
Chaconne
Charlot Suite
Triptych
Side 2
Rondo: Homage To Couperin
Twelve Time Gardens
Garden Of The Sand
Garden Of The Stone God
City Squares
Temple Garden
Glass Garden
Garden Of The Sea
Garden Of Petals
Garden Of Bois De Boulogne
Swaying Dancers
Maypole Dancers
Winter Garden
Kauai Garden Of John Allerton
Notes by Ben Hyams
The rare coincidence that brought three artist families
together in Hawaii out of diverse origins in the early years
after the end of World War II was responsible for two of the
works on this recording: the Charlot Suite and Twelve Time
Gardens.
Gertrud Roberts arrived in 1946 when her husband, Joyce,
was appointed to an executive position in the pineapple
industry. Three years later the French-born artist, Jean
Charlot, a world-renowned muralist, joined the art faculty of
the University of Hawaii. In 1950 the engagement of George
Barati as conductor of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra
brought him and the poet, Ruth, his wife, to the islands. All
struck up close friendships and a strong bond founded in
music, poetry and the visual arts grew up among them.
The other compositions recorded show Mrs. Roberts' wide
range of styles, the basic one rooted in the gloried age of harp-
sichord music in the 18th century, another clearly influenced
by the East-West cultural mixture of Hawaii.
CHACONNE
Johann Christian Bach celebrated the arrival of a new
piano by writing a piece for "mein Silbermannische klavier."
In like fashion, when Gertrud Roberts' new John Challis
harpsichord was delivered to her home in Hawaii in 1951 she
welcomed it with her Chaconne, a ceremonial set of seven
variations in the stately manner of Handel.
The harpsichord was dedicated, and the Chaconne received
its "premiere", in the presence of the Roberts family
and three beaming Hawaiians who delivered the instrument
and would not leave without hearing an audition.
to be continued