Alan Wasserman, sponsored by the Cecilian Music Club, recently presented his Music Hour at Freehold Music Center, Freehold Township.
The Music Hour, now celebrating its 10th anniversary, is designed to reach out to community members and enhance their knowledge and enjoyment of music, according to a press release.
Wasserman began by performing “Cee Bop,” an original jazz composition by composer arranger-teacher Phil Carr.
Wasserman then began his discussion of “The Elements of Music” and demonstrated each element at the piano.
For “Melody,” he chose “Comes a Time” by Hunter-Garcia. For a discussion of “Harmony,” he performed an improvisation on a “mantooth chord,” a voicing of a chord that lends itself to many possibilities, according to the press release.
For “Rhythm,” he played “Last Date,” by Floyd Cramer. Then he explained the term “timbre,” the quality of a musical sound, or a blending of sounds. Timbre was demonstrated with Chopin’s Preludes No. 1 and No. 3.
And for “Form,” Wasserman selected the second movement of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata, Opus 57, known as the Appassionata, which is a Theme and Variations.
The hour concluded with a rendition of “Hey Jude” by the Beatles.
Wasserman is a classical pianist and educator who has performed in Europe, China, Russia, and at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City, according to the press release.
The Cecilian Music Club, founded in 1883, is an organization of teachers, performers and music lovers dedicated to the performance and study of music. For more information, or to become a member, visit www.cecilianclub.org.