Conservatorium of Music
Thursday Concert Class
Thursday Concert Class
| Godba | Uros Rojko (1954 - ) |
| I. II. | |
| Michellina Chan, Alto Saxophone | |
| Leigh Harrold, piano | |
| Uros Rojko is a Slovenian composer and clarinetist who is currently living and working in Germany. He is a multi-award winning composer who has won the prestigious 1st prize at the International Competition for composition Alban Berg in Vienna. His chamber music compositions are memorable and exploits a wide range of new technique for the instrument. Godba is a piece with strong presence. Each of the 4 movements, though relatively short, are extremely contrasting. In the opening passage of Godba, he uses a small range of notes very effectively by pairing them with impressive cross-rhythms between both instruments. | |
| Concerto | Josef-Hector Fiocco (1703 - 1741) |
| Transcribed by Jean-Marie Loondeix | |
| II: Modere et gracieux | |
| John Lauricella, Saxophone | |
| Leigh Harrold, piano | |
| Fiocco was a Belgian violinist and church musician. He wrote many religious works, as well as two suites for harpsichord. He is known for blending Italian and French styles. This concerto was originally composed for cello, however it's first movement has become a popular violin study. | |
| Violin Concerto in E minor, Opus 4, No. 2 | Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741) |
| Transcribed by John Lauricella | |
| I: Allegro | |
| John Lauricella, Saxophone | |
| Leigh Harrold, piano | |
| This is from the second of twelve concertos that comprise the set called 'La Stravaganza' (The Extravagance), published in 1716 and dedicated to Venetian nobleman Signor Vettor Delfino. The concertos were heavily criticised in Vivaldi's day as being overly technical and lacking substance. Composed after 'L'estro Armonico', this set also indicates Vivaldi's progression towards the solo concerto form. | |
| Piano Sonata No. 3 in A minor, Op. 28 | Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953) |
| Timothy Liu, Piano | |
| Prokofiev completed both the Third and Fourth Piano Sonatas in 1917, though they owe much of their existence to sketches dating from 10 years earlier. Both sonatas are subtitled "D'après de vieux cahiers" (From the Old Notebooks), and are re-constructions of compositions and sketches from 1907-1908. These sonatas are also studies in contrast between the lyrical and what pianist Murray McLachlan calls Prokofiev's "Scherzando-motoric" style. The Third Sonata is a short piece, but has been described by some commentators as one of Prokofiev's best piano compositions, by virtue of its passion and freshness. | |
| OPHELIA... a haunted sonata | Phillip Houghton (1954 - ) |
| I. FEAR... AND THE ANGEL II. SUFFERING AND MADNESS.... AM I BUT A DREAM OF A SHADOW III. CHANT...of the flower-moon IV. WATER...memories-halls of ghosts-wash away V. DEATH...with moons in your hair | |
| Yunjia Liu, Classical Guitar | |
| "The mythic stereotype of the beautiful, lonely maiden who goes mad and kills herself is as old as myth itself. The most famous example in literature is the legend of Ophelia, which was established by Shakespeare when he included Queen Gertrude's description of Ophelia and her death in 'Hamlet' (act IV)." Followed the inspiration, OPHELIA... a haunted sonata is a one continuous movement piece in five sections, composed for solo classical guitar by Melbourne-born guitarist-composer Phillip Houghton in 2004 (revised in 2010). This piece was premiered by Carlos Bonell in 2005 at the London International Guitar Festival. | |
| Sonata in E-flat Major Op.7 | Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) |
| I. Allegro Molto e Con Brio | |
| Ann Anh-Thu Nguyen, Piano | |
| Beethoven's fourth piano sonata in E-flat major, sometimes nicknamed as the Grand Sonata was dedicated to his student Babette the Countess of Keglevics. The first movement, Allegro molto e con brio, begins with throbbing chords full of anticipation, but quickly gives way to a bright, confident melody that wanders up and down the scale. Beethoven often used the tonality of E-flat major to represent the majestic or the heroic in many of his well-known works such as the Emperor Concerto and the Eroica Symphony. | |
| Page Turn | Elena Kats-Chernin (1957 - ) |
| Ann Anh-Thu Nguyen, Piano | |
| This piece was written in 2000 for the Sydney International Piano Competition. It is a piece that shows technique of overlapping hands, repetition and leaps. As an interpretation, the meaning behind 'Page Turn' is that every time a page is turned, a new feature or theme begins, where one theme begins one after the other. | |
| Danse | Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918) |
| Meyrem Ogutveren, Piano | |
| Alongside Clair de Lune, Danse was one of Debussy's early piano works that launched his career as a composer to be watched. The piece is a hearty show of brilliance, showcasing syncopated rhythms and dynamic contrasts. Its middle section is to be noted for its fantastic Impressionistic harmonies. | |
| Grand Quartet for 4 Flutes, Op.103, Friedrich Kuhlau | Friedrich Kuhlau (1786 - 1832) |
| 1. Andante Maestoso | |
| Alyse Faith, Flute | |
| Hankos Clifton, Alyse Faith, Lina Park, Georgia Williams | |
| Kuhlau wrote several compositions for flute and a large number of works for piano. Particularly his short pieces, sonatinas, for piano, enjoyed great popularity both in Denmark and abroad. Beethoven, whom Kuhlau knew personally, exerted the greatest influence upon his music. His most-often recorded and played works are several piano sonatinas and numerous works for flute. It is because of these flute works that he was nicknamed "the Beethoven of the flute" during his lifetime. | |