Program Offerings – 2013/14 season
I. Russian Reflections
Prokofiev: Sonata for Cello and Piano in C major, Op.119 (1949)
Shostakovich: Sonata for Cello and Piano in d minor, Op. 40 (1934)
Scriabin: Five Preludes for solo piano, Op. 16 (1894-95)
Rachmaninov: Sonata for Cello and Piano in g minor, Op. 19 (1901)
With a program of music that is alternately grand, nostalgic, mystical and earthy, David Finckel and Wu Han present a recital in which cello and piano tell the gripping story of Russian music of the 20th century. Culminating in Rachmaninov’s ultra-romantic cello sonata, a masterpiece of the repertoire, the program showcases the styles of four of Russia’s most beloved composers, with Prokofiev’s stately and lyrical sonata opening the great gates to the vast Russian landscape. The ground-breaking sonata by Shostakovich, composed on the eve of some of his most controversial musical creations, quickly took its place among the pantheon of cello sonatas, championed worldwide by the great Rostropovich. This unusual recital program also features the voice of the solo piano in a short work by one of the instrument’s most innovative masters, Alexander Scriabin, whose sublime Op. 16 Preludes connect the language of Tchaikovsky with the coming age of modernism.
II. The Unfolding of Music
Bach: Sonata in G major for viola da gamba and harpsichord, BWV 1027 (1720)
Beethoven: Sonata for Piano and Cello No. 4 in C major, Op. 102, No. 1 (1815)
Mendelssohn: Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 58 (1842-43)
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Debussy: Sonata in d minor (1915)
Britten: Sonata in C (1961)
Through cello and piano duos spanning nearly a quarter of a millennium, David Finckel and Wu Han take listeners through the extraordinary evolution of classical music. Beginning with Bach’s vibrant sonata for the viola da gamba and harpsichord - the ancestors of the cello and piano – the program transitions seamlessly to Beethoven’s experimental sonata from the twilight of the Classical period, whose opening recollects the music of Bach. Mendelssohn, who paved the way for full-blown Romanticism, is featured in his second sonata, an ebullient, virtuosic work that pushed the capabilities of the instruments to their limits at the time. Debussy, universally regarded as the inspiration for musical modernism, composed his only cello sonata late in his life, the short work becoming the most important work for the cello in the Impressionist style. The program concludes with the extraordinary sonata by the renowned Englishman Benjamin Britten, a composer who ranks with the greatest of the twentieth century who stands shoulder-to shoulder with Englands most celebrated composers, Henry Purcell and Edward Elgar. Britten’s sonata, the first of five masterworks he composed for Rostropovich, employs innovative ideas in each of its five short movements, and is a true delight to hear from beginning to end. David Finckel was privileged to study the work with Rostropovich, gaining priceless insight into the sonata's conception through the intimate knowledge of its dedicatee.
III. Ludwig van Beethoven: The Complete Sonatas for Piano and Cello
Beethoven’s five sonatas for piano and cello are not only the first significant works for the genre, but also constitute the briefest, yet most comprehensive Beethoven cycle. Spanning from his early period in the 1790’s, when he was the hot commodity-virtuoso pianist-composer of Vienna, to his mystical late period, when his works foretold the future of music, the sonatas provide the listener with a total Beethoven experience. David Finckel and Wu Han’s landmark recording of the sonatas, plus their performances of the cycle at distinguished venues and festivals around the world, have afforded them the reputation of leading interpreters of the works.
Availability:
September 15-29, 2013
October 23-31, 2013
February 14-23, 2014
March 8-15, 2014
Classic Trios Variations
Drawing upon their acclaimed and fast-growing discography, the trio of David Finckel, Wu Han, and Philip Setzer offers, for the first time, a varied selection of masterpieces of the literature, in flexible combinations. Presenters may choose works below to form a program, or select from the suggested programs below.
Overall Repertory options: Classic Trios (Available in all booking periods)
Beethoven: Trio in G-Major, Op. 1, No. 2 or (presenter choice) Haydn: Trio in E-major
Mendelssohn: Trio in d-minor, Op. 49 or (presenter choice) Dvorak: Trio in e-minor, Op. 90 “Dumky”
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Schubert: Trio in Eb-Major, Op. 100 or (presenter choice) Mendelssohn: Trio in d-minor, Op. 49
Specific suggested programs:
Classic Trios I
Beethoven: Trio in Op. 1, No. 2 or Haydn: Trio
Dvorak: Trio in e-minor, Op. 90 “Dumky”
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Mendelssohn: Trio in d-minor, Op. 49
Classic Trios II
Beethoven: Trio in Op. 1, No. 2 or Haydn: Trio
Mendelssohn: Trio in d-minor, Op. 49
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Schubert: Trio in Eb-Major, Op. 100
Classic Trios III
Beethoven: Trio in Op. 1, No. 2 or Haydn: Trio
Dvorak: Trio in e-minor, Op. 90 “Dumky”
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Schubert: Trio in Eb-Major, Op. 100
General note: David Finckel and Wu Han plan to offer AudioNotesfor all programs.
AudioNotes is a CD-companion to conventional program notes, featuring biographical information on the program’s composer(s) and discussions of each work, illustrated with musical examples. It can be made available by special arrangement with ArtistLed, Inc., for presenters to offer to advance ticket buyers, or to help promote the concert in other ways. AudioNotes, narrated by the artists, offers audiences an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the music at their convenience in advance of the concert experience. Beyond audience development, presenters may also find AudioNotes a useful tool for promotional, educational, and development purposes. |
