Conservatorium of Music
Thursday Concert Class
Thursday Concert Class
| Cello Sonata No. 2 in F major, Op. 99 | Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897) |
| II. Adagio affettuoso | |
| Jason Lim, cello | |
| Amir Farid, piano | |
| Hypnotic pizzicati mark time under the melody in the piano before Brahms again employs the cello’s luminous upper register to sing a long phrase which climbs passionately, before settling into a sweet lullaby. The movement is organized into ternary (A–B–A) form. The harmonies throughout the central B section are exquisitely rich. A moment of mystery pres- ages the appearance of the troubled and turbu- lent middle section. After a jarring transforma- tion of the cello’s opening pizzicati, the music of the opening returns, beautifully decorated by a flowing accompaniment in the piano. Music of heavenly serenity closes the movement. | |
| Fandango | Joseph Turrin (1947 - ) |
| Kurt To, Trumpet | |
| Amir Farid, piano | |
| Kurt To Trumpet Mandy Lo Trombone | |
| Written on commission in 2000 for the University of New Mexico Wind Symphony for Philip Smith and Joseph Alessi. This piece explores the rhythmic, melodic and syncopated elements of the Spanish fandango dance form (A lively dance in triple time for two dancers). The work divides itself into three sections. | |
| Romance op.37 | Camille Saint-Saëns (1875 - 1921) |
| Hank Clifton-Williamson, flute | |
| Amir Farid, piano | |
| Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Second Piano Concerto (1868), the First Cello Concerto (1872), Danse macabre (1874), the opera Samson and Delilah (1877), the Third Violin Concerto (1880), the Third ("Organ") Symphony (1886) and The Carnival of the Animals (1887). | |
| Vals Op. 8 No. 4 | Agustín Barrios (1885 - 1944) |
| Yunjia Liu, Classical Guitar | |
| Paraguayan-born Agustín Barrios is considered to be the greatest guitarist composer of all time. His music lay undiscovered for over three decades after his death. In the mid-1970s comprehensive editions of his music appeared and the revival began in 1977 when John Williams released an entire recording of music by Barrios. Today his music is frequently performed by concert artists and is appreciated by audiences worldwide. The tuneful Vals Op. 8, No. 4 is one of Barrios' most frequently played pieces and features an extended passage using the technique of campanella (playing stopped strings against a repeated pedal note on an open string). | |
| Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58 | Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849) |
| I: Allegro maestoso | |
| Timothy Liu, Piano | |
| This movement, named Allegro maestoso, falls into traditional sonata form, constructed from a decisive and sometimes impulsive first theme and a more extended second theme, highly lyrical with a detailed accompanimental filigree – music that would not be out of place in Chopin's nocturnes. The musical texture thickens considerably in the central development section; Chopin devotes long passages to variants on the second subject, but much of the development is highly contrapuntal. Following the recapitulation, which again emphasises the second subject, the movement ends with a surprisingly peaceful coda. | |
| Piano Sonata | Carl Vine (1954 - ) |
| II: Leggiero e legato | |
| Timothy Liu, Piano | |
| Carl Vine’s Piano Sonata is a work that creates a unique sound world through rhythmic energy and momentum, and pushes pianistic virtuosity to its very limits by displaying extreme tempi, dynamics and registers. Modelled after the Piano Sonata by Elliot Carter (1946), Vine writes two movements of considerable complexity in contrapuntal and rhythmic construction, yet the piece remains aurally “accessible”. The second movement is based on a moto perpetuo (perpetual motion) which soon gives way to a chorale-like section, based on parallel fifths. The work is dedicated to Michael Kieran Harvey and was commissioned by the Sydney Dance Company. | |
| Nocturne in B Major, Op.9 No.3 | Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849) |
| Ian Mercado, Piano | |
| The Nocturne in B major, the last of the opus 9 set, is believed to have been composed in Vienna in 1831. It is written in ternary form which features a sweet and enchanting theme, characterised as scherzando, with luscious ornamental vocalisation and a middle section that erupts in power. Whilst the Nocturne in B major is not as well known as the first two works, it is still a masterful work fitting to end the set. | |
| Caprice No. 24 | Niccolò Paganini (1782 - 1840) |
| Arranged by Barry Cockcroft | |
| Ben, Saxophone | |
| Originally composed for the violin, Niccolo Paganini's Collection of 24 Caprices were composed to show off the virtuosic qualities of the instrument; this very famous work for solo violin is Paganini's 24th and final Caprice, written in Theme and Variations. Caprice is also known as capriccio or a lively music piece. | |
| Jeux D'Eau | Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937) |
| Louis Nicoll, Piano | |
| Ravel’s work for solo piano was one of a series of successful pieces written after finishing at the Paris Conservatoire. The piece explores the same kind of virtuosic sonority as Liszt’s earlier work with a similar title, however, Ravel’s piece takes a greater deal of inspiration from the ‘noise of water’, in the composers’ own words. While the piece flows seamlessly and naturally, it is still based loosely on sonata form. There is harmonic daring as well—the piece features colouristic harmonic movement based on the tritone, a device later adopted by Stravinsky in his ballet Petrushka. | |
| Trio for Alto Saxophone, Violin and Piano | Russell Peterson (1969 - ) |
| I. Allegro II. Adagio | |
| Michellina Chan, Alto Saxophone | |
| Michellina Chan - Alto Saxophone, Ng Peiyi - Violin, Sean Barry - Piano | |
| American composer and saxophonist Russell Peterson wrote the piece Trio for Violin, Alto Saxophone and Piano for the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony for their 2007 Chamber music series. Each of the 3 movements from the piece has a traditional form, structure and harmony. Peterson writes lyrical and beautiful melodies which slowly develops through each movement. As a saxophonist, Peterson thoroughly exploits the range of the saxophone through his composition. He showcases each of the 3 instruments at different points and together, his composition brings out the beautiful texture that the 3 instruments can achieve. | |
| Piano Quartet in E-flat major, Op.47 | Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856) |
| I. Sostenuto assai - Allegro ma non troppo III. Andante Cantabile | |
| Oscar Woinarski, Cello | |
| Joyce Chahine (Piano), Rennata Morrison (Violin), Jin Long (Viola), Oscar Woinarski (Cello) | |
| Schumman's 'Year of Chamber Music' in 1842 produced three string quartets, a piano trio, piano quintet and The Piano Quartet in E-flat major, which was the last of the series and was written within a few weeks. The quartet is a wonder of clarity and concision with traits that seem to reflect Schumann’s mode of production: it is a concentrated and highly integrated composition that manages to naturally incorporate all the key features of Classical chamber music. Melody, counterpoint, motivic development, heart-felt song, quicksilver scherzo, and even fugue come together for a rich composite. | |