Faculty Recital to Feature ‘Three Pianos and a Tenor’

Tenor Edward Swenson, a professor of music history, will team up with fortepianist Gary Kirkpatrick, an assistant professor of music at William Paterson University, for a free concert of songs from the romantic lieder repertoire. Titled "Three Pianos and a Tenor," the concert will start at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 10, in the recital hall of the James J. Whalen Center for Music.

Offering a twist on the "three tenors" theme made famous by José Carreras, Placido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti, the concert combines the three major threads of Swenson’s musical life. In addition to teaching music history, Swenson is an accomplished tenor as well as the owner and operator of a piano restoration workshop. His interest in pianos focuses on the era when many different builders made pianos of great individuality. This concert will feature the different sounds of three pianos from Swenson’s collection. All were built in the latter half of the 19th century; the manufacturers were Erard, Boesendorfer, and Collard & Collard.