Conservatorium of Music
Thursday Concert Class
Thursday Concert Class
| Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58 | Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849) |
| II: Scherzo. Molto vivace III: Largo IV: Finale. Presto non tanto | |
| Timothy Liu, Piano | |
| The very brief Scherzo uses light, fleet, but finger-challenging E flat outer sections to frame a gentle and pensive trio section in B major. The ensuing slow movement, a Largo, is the heart of the sonata. A lyrical, striding section leads to a delicate, nostalgic aria in the bel canto style of Bellini. This is soon supplanted by a long, flowing section of quiet rumination. The final movement makes a short transition from the Largo with a few swelling introductory bars that lead to the urgent, surging first theme of what turns out to be a rondo; this B minor material alternates with a contrasting, chord-launched section in the major key. | |
| Church Sonata in C K.336 | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) |
| Arranged by Yona Ettlinger | |
| 4- Allegro | |
| Olivia Grosfeld, Clarinet | |
| Rhodri Clarke, piano | |
| This sonata was the last of seventeen Church Sonatas written by Mozart, while he was chief organist in Salzburg. The work was originally written for full orchestra and organ, and was to be played as an interlude between readings in the church service. In the other 16 sonatas the organ had a background role whereas in the last it acts as the soloist and was possibly written for Mozart himself to play. Four of these sonatas were arranged by Ettlinger, one of the 20th century's most prominent clarinettists and teachers in Israel, in 1978. They are one of many arrangements of Baroque and Classical arrangements he made for clarinet. | |
| Mephisto Waltz No.1 | Franz Liszt (1811 - 1886) |
| Chai Jie Low, Piano | |
| Originally written for orchestra, Liszt's first Mephisto Waltz is one of his most popular and challenging works. It is based on an episode from 'Faust' by the poet Lenau which tells the story of Faust and Mephistopheles, a demon from German folklore, passing by a wedding feast in a village. Mephistopheles begins to fiddle a fast and dizzying dance melody which leads them into a wild dance into the forest. | |
| Toothbrush Time | William Bolcom, Poetry by Arnold Weinstein (1938 - ) |
| Louise, Voice | |
| Rhodri Clarke, piano | |
| Arnold Weinstein was an American poet, playwright and librettist, who referred to himself as a "theatre poet". Weinstein is best known for his collaborations with composer William Bolcom who described his work with Weinstein as a "true collaboration", and said about him that "He had such a gift for writing words that were singable, and that gave character. He was more influential on a lot of other people than people have taken He was more influential on a lot of other people than people have taken into account." | |
| Nuit d\'étoiles | Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918) |
| Louise, Voice | |
| Rhodri Clarke, piano | |
| Nuit d’étoiles (“Starry night”) was Claude Debussy’s first published composition. A youthful work, composed in 1880, it nonetheless foreshadows in its wistful melancholy the composer’s mature works of later years. Debussy chose to set only three of the four stanzas (omitting the third) in Théodore de Banville’s poem, and additionally to use the first stanza as a refrain, thus creating in effect a sort of rondo. The poet, here, sits beneath a starry night sky, lyre in hand, and sings melancholic of a past love. | |
| Selected Songs | Joseph Marx (1882 - 1964) |
| 1. 'Hat dich die Liebe Beruhrt' ('If Love has touched you') 2. 'Und Gestern Hat er Mir Rosen Gebracht' ('Ah, Yesterday he Bought me Roses') 3. 'Marienlied' ('Song of Maria') 4. 'Japanisches Regenlied' ('Japanese Rain Song') | |
| Rhian Tuohy, Voice | |
| Rhodri Clarke, piano | |
| This lovely selection of works by Joseph Marx sets to music the poetry of Paul Heyse and Novalis. The first two in the programme, 'If Love has touched you', and 'Ah, Yesterday he Bought me Roses' are permeated with a buoyant sense of both wonder and ecstasy; a theme which is also present in 'Japanese Rain Song', which juxtaposes the endless fall of rain and snow on the distant mountain peaks to the endlessness of the poet's love. 'Song of Maria' is a gorgeous, musically simple interlude describing the soul's contentment in knowing the lovely mother of Jesus. | |
| Bruyères | Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918) |
| Edited by Duran | |
| Nicole Ng, Piano | |
| Bruyères is inspired in the moors of the Scottish highlands. It's nostalgic melody presents a hint of loneliness, by the structure and harmony of this pastoral prelude. The opening phrases (as well as some later portions of the prelude) are composed of a pentatonic collection; however they are followed by several improvisatory scalar passages and very straightforward diatonic harmony in A-flat Major. This prelude is easy for the listener to assimilate, and it’s folk song-like aura recalls La fille aux cheveux de lin from Book One. | |
| Minstrels | Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918) |
| Edited by Duran | |
| Nicole Ng, Piano | |
| Minstrels contains expressive techniques that are not often heard today: random pushes and pulls of tempi, flippant rhythmic alterations, frequent inégale, and tempo rubato. In most cases, the performer must also have a great performance gesture in the body (being humoristic, clumsy-like playing), as the theme of this piece is based on acts in a minstrel show. | |
| Episode Quatrième | Betsy Jolas (1926 - -) |
| Anthony Vouliotis, Tenor Saxophone | |
| This piece, completed in September 1983, is the fourth in a series with the same title intended for a solo instrument. It may be observed that the piece calls for a member of the large saxophone family that is curiously little used outside the field of jazz. Similar to the style of Giacinto Scelsi, the work explores the multiple colours that a single note can produce. The piece is designed to offer a step-by-step exploration of the entire register of the tenor saxophone, with an almost systematic outward and return journey. | |
| Chaconne in D minor BWV 1004 | Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750) |
| Transcribed by Ferruccio Busoni | |
| Scott Zheng, Piano | |
| The Partita in D minor for solo violin by J. S. Bach was written during the period 1717¨C1723. The partita is a five-movement piece; however, the final movement, Chaconne, surpasses the duration of the previous four movements combined. In 1892, Busoni transcribed this great piece and dedicated it to the celebrated pianist, Eugen d¡¯Albert. Bach has left us only the ¡°bare bones¡±¡ª the notes themselves with no instruc¬tions, explanations, or directions for tempi and dynamics for his complex, polyphonic masterpiece. Busoni applied the resources of the modern grand piano¡ªits volume, range, and sustaining power¡ªto augment Bach¡¯s contrapuntal scoring. | |
| Tango Suite for two guitars | Astor Piazzolla (1921 - 1992) |
| Tango n.1 (deciso) | |
| Therese Ng & Madi Chwasta, Vibraphone & Marimba | |
| Ástor Pantaleón Piazzolla was an Argentine tango composer, bandoneon player and arranger. His oeuvre revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed nuevo tango, incorporating elements from jazz and classical music. Therese and Madi are just playing the original guitar score on marimba and vibraphone. It works pretty good except that we cannot play as fast as the guitarists. | |