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Ahead of San Antonio 'Through Fields into the Ocean' premiere, Carlos and Allison Franzetti perf/chat with Texas Public Radio

Texas Public Radio's James Baker writes……It was in November, 2009 that I found, in poking around a stack of uncatalogued CDs in the kpac library, several orchestral recordings by someone named Carlos Franzetti. I took these recordings home and listened to them and I liked what I heard. Somehow, I tracked down contact information for Carlos and set up a phone interview. In early December of 2009 Carlos and I talked for a good hour about his background and his work and pretty much from the first five minutes of our conversation I think we both felt we were talking to old friends. Was it because both Carlos and I were born in 1948? After all, it was a good year to be born a musician.

Recently, Carlos Franzetti, his wife Allison, a pianist, and flutist Laurel Zucker were in San Antonio for the premiere of a new piece, "Through Fields into the Ocean." They stopped by our KPAC studios for an interview, transcribed below.

One of the first questions I posed to Carlos, and he'll likely recall, was whether he was a composer who waited for a commission before writing music, or did he begin writing when the muse tapped him on the shoulder?

James Baker: I believe, Carlos, you described yourself as “like a shark...”

Carlos Franzetti: Yes, yes, and well, it's great to meet you in person. First of all, I mean, because we've been communicating through emails and phones and things like that, finally, I'm here in front of you. I also, I think, that I was talking about self commission projects.

JB: That's right, exactly right. And I was curious whether this music that you're premiering tomorrow is one of those self commission pieces, 0r did you get a commission that set it all in motion?

CF: I was very fortunate to get a commission from the soloist of this piece who also recorded and is going to perform it at the Convention on Friday at 1130 (I think 45), that's my wife and Laurel Zucker, who is a fantastic, wonderful flutist and is with us today, and and she did commission me, and apparently she liked it so much that she came with another three commissions. So you know, we'll talk about that later.

JB: I guess, Carlos, you're one of the busiest composers I know, very adept at doing your self commissions and . . .

CF: . . . other commissions. Yeah, I . . . I'm very fortunate my music is played, and I am constantly writing, talking about self commissions. Last year, after I finished Laurel's Sonata and other pieces, I said, well, I wonder whether I can do something for orchestra, you know, like more extensive piece and I wound up writing a Fourth Symphony, and that was a self commission. I wanted to do that, you know, I don't think I'm going to get to a ninth, but at least I match Brahms in numbers, not in quality, because Brahms Fourth is a beautiful, beautiful work.

JB: Well, Laurel Zucker, I'm sure you're the one who is the best to give a bit of background for the National Flute Association, because you've been in the middle of quite a few of these conventions. How many of these conventions have you attended? I think this is the 52nd one. Do you have any idea how many of them you've attended?

Laurel Zucker: Probably about 10. I would say about 10 of them, or maybe more, I'm not sure, but a lot. And this is a wonderful one that's so beautiful here in San Antonio.

JB: Thank you, Laurel, San Antonio really knows how to welcome visitors, and as you know, we're reliant upon it. That's an important part of our economy. Laurel, I was also looking at your discography, and I am amazed at the number of recordings you've made, and also the range of the repertoire, I guess you've always recorded for Cantelina, is that it?

LZ: Yes, it's a passion of mine. I love recording. And I, I'm the kind of person I don't want to play the same piece over and over and over again. I just once I perform something, I just want to go on to the next and learn new music. I just love it.

READ THE FULL Texas Public Radio Q&A & LISTEN TO THE SEGMENT