The Retired Men’s Association of Greenwich (RMA) will host George Ubogy discussing “Rogers, Hammerstein, and an Unusual Musical Instrument,” on Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 11 a.m.
Ubogy returns to the RMA to show how great composers convey different emotional states. He will highlight the show tunes of Rogers and Hammerstein to illuminate how words and music build to a climax. He will analyze their compositions in an effort to understand the signature qualities of their style that have made them so popular with audiences for several generations. He will further demonstrate how variances in the performer’s interpretation of the music can lead to different perceptions by the audience.
Ubogy will also tell us all about an unusual percussion musical instrument, called the chimes, a relative of a carillon. A carillon is a set of large tuned bells in a tower played using a keyboard, and chimes are a diminutive version. He discovered the chimes as an undergraduate at Cornell University. The Cornell Chimes are the university’s oldest musical tradition, and one of the most frequently played set of bells on any American college campus. Ubogy had the privilege of playing the Cornell Chimes and will share with us their history, their use, and their emotional impact on listeners. Finally, he will let us know where we can find bell towers in Greenwich and Stamford.
Ubogy attended the Preparatory Division of the Julliard School and continues to play the piano for pleasure. A Chimesmaster at Cornell, he often submits musical arrangements for the bells to his alma mater. In his career as a physician, he was an internist and for many years Medical Director of the Addiction Recovery Center at Greenwich Hospital.
The Greenwich RMA offers a free program every Wednesday at 11 a.m., at the First Presbyterian Church, 1 W. Putnam Ave., that is open to the public; no reservations are required. For more information, visit greenwichrma.org or contact info@greenwichrma.org
