Conservatorium of Music
Thursday Concert Class
Thursday Concert Class
| Sonata in F major | William Hurlstone (1876 - 1906) |
| Movement 1- Vivace, Movement 2- Ballade, Movement 3- Allegretto, Movement 4- Moderato- Vivace | |
| Emma, Bassoon | |
| Leigh Harold , piano | |
| English composer, William Hurlstone died before his talent could have reached a full maturity at the age of thirty, and is regarded as one of the 'might have beens of musical history'. This exciting sonata features the broad tonal range of the bassoon and a contrast of expressive qualities ranging from a bouncy, staccato, comical and playful mood to a more serious, lyrical, sombre, longing mood frequently. The final movement features a combination of motifs accumulated in previous movements. A pianist himself, Hurlstone wrote an intense piano line that interchanges between accompaniment and solo roles often. | |
| THE SINGER (AN UNACCOMPANIED SONG) | MICHAEL HEAD (1900 - 1976) |
| CORRYN RATTTRAY, VOICE | |
| This is a folk-like art song which Head composed with an optional accompaniment. It tells of a mysterious singer whose voice, appearance, and demeanour impacts the storyteller. The British composer became famous as a classical singer who accompanied himself at the piano, so it is not surprising that the great majority of his works are for voice and piano. Head is considered especially gifted in his ability to conjure images using music, demonstrated here as he assumes in turn the roles of biographer, travel guide, and naturalist philosopher. | |
| Ballade | Frank Martin (1890 - 1974) |
| Lauren, Flute | |
| Leigh Harrold, piano | |
| Martin originally composed the Ballade as a compulsory piece for a flute competition; the particular musical challenge it poses for the performer is the negotiation of the composer\'s typical wide melodic leaps while retaining a lyrical, legato line. The work further tests the performer\'s abilities throughout the instrument\'s entire range; the section that focuses on the low register is particularly striking, with an effective ostinato in the accompaniment. The Ballade is neoclassical in its orientation and tonal (though marked by chromatic coloration) in its harmonic language, and has remained one of the most popular works in the 20t | |
| Flute Concerto in E minor Op. 57 | Saverio Mercadante (1795 - 1870) |
| I. Allegro Maestoso | |
| Stephanie Jackson, Flute | |
| Leigh Harrold, piano | |
| Composer of some sixty operas, Saverio Mercadante was born in Italy in 1795. Occupying the transition period between the operas of Rossini and Bellini, Mercadante’s operas enjoyed great success and acclaim at the time, despite being all but forgotten today. The composer wrote quite prolifically for flute in his youth, composing six concertos and several other smaller works for the instrument. Of these, the second Concerto in E minor remains the most popular, with it’s melodramatic themes and opportunity for great virtuosic display. | |
| Three romances, for oboe and piano, op. 94 | Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856) |
| Romance no. 2 and 3 | |
| Eddy Chen, Oboe | |
| David Barnard, piano | |
| Schumann wrote these three pieces in December 1849.The first piece, marked Nicht schnell (Not quickly), presents a lovely theme on oboe, supported by imaginative accompaniment on piano. The mood is tranquil throughout. That description might also apply to the second piece, marked Einfach, innig (Simply, ardently), but for a somewhat tense middle section. The third piece is the liveliest of the trio. Marked Nicht schnell, it is also the most rugged and colorful-sounding one in its main theme. | |
| Concerto for oboe and small orchestra | Richard Strauss (1864 - 1949) |
| Vivace | |
| Eddy Chen, Oboe | |
| David Barnard, piano | |
| Strauss' Oboe Concerto (1945-1946) dates from the final stages of the composer's career. As a product of his lifetime of experience, it ranks as one of the finest works ever composed for the instrument. Following the classical model, the concerto is cast in a fast-slow-fast three-movement form | |
| Concerto No 3 in C major Opus 26 | Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953) |
| ii. Tema con Variazione iii. Allegro ma non troppo | |
| David Soo, Piano | |
| Konrad Olszewski, piano | |
| This is Prokofiev's most popular and exciting concertos written for the piano repertoire. It contains many balletic themes and lyrical melodies throughout the concerto. Also there is a lot of many exciting moments in the piece. The opening theme of the third movement features an 'argument' between the perhaps and the bassoon. The dialogue with the piano and orchestra features prominently throughout the entire concerto, particularly in the final movement. | |
| Scherzo No. 4 in E Major, Op. 54 | Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849) |
| 1 | |
| Christopher, Piano | |
| Chopin’s 4th scherzo was one of his contrasting pieces from his works of scherzos. His scherzi consisted of a series of dark, menacing and serious characters, however his 4th scherzo featured a somehow humorous, lighter and playful character, which reflects Chopin’s blessed and joyful moment within his life as a composer and virtuoso. The term “scherzo” is defined as “a joke” and “a play” in Italian in a vigorous or light character. Chopin’s 4th scherzo demonstrates the traits of a typical scherzo due to the light character being portrayed within the soft dynamics in the primary theme within the piece. | |