California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
timothy shanks violin titus shanks cello
A Senior Recital in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts in Music
Susan Azaret Davies, accompanist
April 10, 2021 Saturday at 3:10 p.m. Davidson Music Center Room 218
Sponsored by Cal Poly’s Music Department and College of Liberal Arts program
Senior Recital Timothy Shanks, violin; Titus Shanks, cello Susan Azaret Davies, piano
Hungarian Folk Melodies for Violin and Cello ...... Béla Bartók Allegretto (1881-1945) Choral: Andante Con moto Vivace
Timothy Shanks, violin Titus Shanks, cello
Cello Concerto in A Minor, Op . 129 ...... Robert Schumann Nicht zu schnell (1810-1856)
Titus Shanks, cello Susan Azaret Davies, piano
Partita II in D Minor, BWV 1004 ...... Johann Sebastian Bach Ciaccona (1685-1750)
Timothy Shanks, violin
— Intermission — Cello Sonata in A Major, G . 4 ...... Luigi Boccherini Allegro (1743-1805)
Titus Shanks, cello Susan Azaret Davies, piano
Polonaise Brillante in D Major, Op . 4 ...... Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880)
Timothy Shanks, violin Susan Azaret Davies, piano
Moderato ...... Mstislav Rostropovich (1927-2007)
Titus Shanks, cello
Eight Pieces for Violin and Cello, Op . 39 ...... Reinhold Glière Prelude (1875-1956) Gavotte Canzonetta Intermezzo Scherzo Etude
Timothy Shanks, violin Titus Shanks, cello program notes
Hungarian Folk Melodies for Violin and Cello by Béla Bartók From humble origins to worldwide fame, Béla Bartók lived through politically unstable times . Discouraged by folk traditions’ continual waning, he used his compositional tools to generate lasting cultural music . Through his studies and travels, the Hungarian composer fell in love with peasant music and determined to help preserve it . This devotion to folk music earned Bartók an ethnomusicology position in the USA in 1934 . Unfortunately, plagued by poor health, he died after an illness in 1945 . As a composer, performer, and ethnomusicologist, Bartók’s legacy lives today . Bartók’s Hungarian Folk Melodies (1910) were ideally suited for their original function: teaching children to play piano . In 1963, Karl Kraeuter transcribed seven of the melodies for the violin and cello; today’s program features four of those transcriptions . Interestingly, Bartók considered Bach’s and Schumann’s simpler keyboard works inadequate for young pianists, so he composed his pieces to help students gain valuable technical skills while exposing the young people to folk music . Since the works have become a cornerstone of piano pedagogy, Bartók achieved his goal . Anyone who has sustained a long-distance relationship would appreciate the first movement in today’s set—originally called “Margitta is Not Far Away ”. The original folk tune related the story of a young man excited to travel to the town of Margitta to see his girlfriend . The violin begins with jovial rhythms while the cello adds to the gaiety using pizzicato (plucking) underneath . The carefree, excited attitude lasts until the last note, marked morendo: “dying away ”. “Cock-a-doodle-doo” was Bartók’s original title for this movement, and the musical elements give the impression of someone savoring a tasty poultry dish . Kraeuter renamed the movement “Choral,” and the hymn-like feeling of the slow tempo (speed) can still be related to relishing food . Starting softly, the music grows towards the end—as if the bird tastes better with each bite . Every phrase ends with a prolonged pause (enjoying a mouthful?), but the final notes create an abrupt ending, something that happens all too often with a good meal . The sixth movement’s original song described someone enjoying the view of a mountain village and its maidens, and Bartók and Kraeuter again convey those images . The beginning instructionCon moto (“with motion”) encourages the performers to add flow to the music—an effect advanced by one instrument playing pizzicato while the other performs arco (with the bow) . Beats (or pulses) are placed in alternating groups of 3s and 4s, adding variety, and the pizzicatos at the end lead to a smooth transition into the final movement . The lively character of the final movement portrays a frivolous mood that originally depicted the unfortunate results of an individual’s very foolish decision: drinking a jug of beer . The rhythms make the music feel erratic, and the dynamics (volume) change dramatically . The cello alternates high and low notes at the beginning while the violin plays chords (groups of simultaneous notes) above . In this movement, and the others, Bartók created simple yet intricate pieces that showcase the beauties of Hungarian folk music .
Cello Concerto in A Minor, Op. 129, by Robert Schumann After a successful life musically and romantically, darkness shrouded Robert Schumann’s final days . Born in Germany in 1810, he studied the piano and fell in love with one of his piano teacher’s daughters, whom he was able to marry only after a court overruled her father’s opposition . After Robert’s left hand became crippled, he turned to composing and taught at the Leipzig Conservatory . Failing mental health, however, forced him to resign, and after an attempted suicide, he was placed into an asylum, where he remained until his death . Tragically, his wife was denied access to Schumann until just days before he passed away . Though primarily a pianist, Schumann possessed enough compositional knowledge and ingenuity to compose a cello concerto that has endured to this day . He drafted the work in 1850 over a period of two weeks but did not officially complete it until four years later—just two days before his attempted suicide . Unsurprisingly, he never heard the work performed, and it did not premiere until four years after his death . The piece has endured a variety of criticisms over the years, but it has weathered these attacks to secure its status as a masterpiece of the cello . Since this work was finished just before Schumann’s mental collapse and death, it may give an indication of his mind’s instability . The form is ternary (a three-part structure in an ABA pattern) with each A having two subsections, and the initial mood is brooding and uncertain . He achieved this emotion by avoiding a steady pulse and by inserting outbursts of angry energy . The A section’s second mood switches to peace and hope, but uncertainty and anger resume in the B section . With the return of A, its first half continues the brooding mood until peace and hope return again .
Partita II in D Minor, BWV 1004, by Johann Sebastian Bach The definition of insanity has been facetiously defined as doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results . Johann Sebastian Bach managed to avoid this pitfall in his Ciaccona from the Partita No. 2 in D Minor by taking a short pattern and adjusting it sixty-four times . One of the world’s greatest composers, his musical career included singing in choirs, playing the organ, conducting, and leading the music for religious institutions . Maybe most relevant to today’s composition is his training as a violinist: he played the instrument in the early 1700s . These musical experiences enabled him to create exceptional works of monumental influence . At a time in history when unaccompanied musical works were rare, Bach wrote solo pieces that set the standard even to this day . This partita (a collection of dances) has five movements; theCiaccona is number five . A ciaccona is a Spanish and Italian dance imported from Latin America that is built on three repeating beats with an emphasis on beat two . He produced the set of six solo violin works containing the Ciaccona in 1720, and while some have conjectured that he wrote the Ciaccona in memory of his first wife’s death, it is unlikely scholars will ever truly know why he composed the work . Because of its length and structure, the Ciaccona showcases a kaleidoscope of emotions . It is possible to divide the piece into four sections: the first is melancholy, the second excited, the third contented, and the fourth resigned . Beginning in D minor (“minor” often indicating a gloomier sound), the work switches to a more contented “major” sound in the third section . Repetitive yet varied, somber yet joyful, simple yet extremely intricate, this work unifies its dichotomies so well that it has earned the title of “Mount Everest” in the violin repertoire: a title few pieces could even attempt to claim .
Cello Sonata in A Major, G.4, by Luigi Boccherini Despite enduring a chronically inflamed finger—discovered when his bones were examined nearly two hundred years after his death—Luigi Boccherini led a successful musical life as a cellist and composer . Born in 1743 in Lucca, Italy, he began studying cello at eight years old and performed professionally by the time he was fifteen . Shortly thereafter he began composing, and when he was twenty-three, he toured Europe giving concerts, ending up in Madrid where he remained almost continuously until his death in 1805 . He owned two Stradivarius cellos, and his skeleton revealed that he was only 5’4” tall . Though little is known about the creation of this sonata (Boccherini himself did not include it in his catalogues), it has become one of the composer’s best-known cello sonatas . It likely dates from his youth, and the piece survives in at least two different versions, the first of which will be played today . The movements are swapped between the two, and Boccherini altered the opening melody substantially in the second . Originally, Boccherini’s work was scored for two cellos, but in 1909, cellist Alfredo Piatti arranged the sonata for cello and piano . Boccherini balances repeated music with new material to keep the listener engaged . The movement is in two larger sections, and the opening tune sets the prevalent mood with cheerful turns and short notes that move upward . The second half of the first section—which returns at the very end of the piece—is marked by four, relatively slowly rising notes and a blazingly fast passage . The second section of the movement features a slower pulse and a wandering, uncertain melody before building in excitement prior to the reappearance of the four rising notes of the first section .
Polonaise Brillante in D Major, Op. 4, by Henryk Wieniawski “Il faut risquer” (“One must take risks”) wrote violinist Henry Wieniawski across his music, explaining, “I write these words for my own encouragement, for these passages are really dangerous!” Wieniawski had a very successful performing career before his poor health led to an early death . He showed talent at a young age, as seen by his entrance into a conservatory at age eight and his tours as a soloist in Europe . While teaching and traveling, his health continually declined, and he died following a performance in Russia . To honor him, the Polish government instituted the Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition—an event still held today . ThePolonaise Brillante, Op . 4, (1853) earned a permanent place in the violin repertoire because of its dancelike character and virtuosic sparkle . The polonaise (from Poland) is a moderate-speed piece in triple meter (meaning its pulses are grouped into sets of three instead of two) . Wieniawski’s work, written when he was eighteen, verified that he was a stellar composer . A dramatic piece, the Polonaise Brillante employs various challenging techniques and offers a chance for a violinist to demonstrate numerous skills . The work’s main theme recurs several times, and the other melodies create a delightful alternation of moods and styles . The piece is rondo in form, meaning it intersperses its main melody with other tunes . Labeling each melody with a letter produces the following sequence: ABACADA . The “A” melody sounds capricious and jovial while featuring large leaps and flurries of fast notes . The other melodies offer variety by exploring chords, harmonics (whistle-sounding notes), lush phrases, and stratospheric leaps . Because of its challenging nature, the Polonaise Brillante is played best when one uses Wieniawski’s risk-taking approach .
Moderato by Mstislav Rostropovich It is perhaps surprising that Mstislav Rostropovich’s role in today’s performance—as a composer—was the least celebrated of his abilities . Born in 1927 in the USSR, he learned cello and piano at home before studying at the Moscow Conservatory . He then pursued a performance career as a cellist, but as a pianist, he publicly accompanied his wife, a soprano, and in 1968 began conducting . A year later, his Soviet citizenship was revoked for his outspoken criticism of the USSR, and he did not return to his home country until the Soviet Union’s collapse . He died in Moscow . Even for those focused on a compositional career, it is rare for a student effort to enter the performance repertory, but this Moderato has done just that . Little is known about the work’s inception, but Rostropovich seems to have composed it as a technical exercise while still a student . It was not published until nearly thirty years later . Clearly, the work had pedagogical intentions, for he included instructions on the sheet music and referred to the piece as a “study ”. The work now is used as a concert piece and has made it into the repertory of several professional cellists . Cello students need to master many techniques, and the Moderato showcases several of them in a ternary structure . The A sections alternate between low notes and higher chords that force the cellist’s left hand to move rapidly and accurately . These portions also feature swift alternations betweenarco and pizzicato . The B section explores the higher, more lyrical register of the instrument, and the cello accompanies itself by playing chords . The final technique that Rostropovich forces the student to master is “ricochet,” in which the cellist swiftly drops the bow onto the string, letting it bounce for several notes .
Eight Pieces for Violin and Cello, Op. 39, by Reinhold Glière If Reinhold Glière were present today, he might be amused, knowing that his only work on the program does not represent his compositional masterpieces . Born in Russia, Glière straddled the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and as a student, he studied violin, theory, and composition at the Moscow Conservatory . He is best known for his works that are in the grand Russian tradition, such as his operas, ballets, symphonies, and symphonic poems . Historically, he is considered to be the founder of Soviet ballet, and his cello concerto was dedicated to Mstislav Rostropovich, composer of the Moderato earlier in this program . Today’s performance of these duets in the educational setting of Cal Poly may reflect the context of their premiere . Very little detailed information is available regarding these works, but they were composed in 1909, just after Glière had returned from Berlin, where he studied conducting . He wrote these duets during his time as a teacher at the Gnesin Institute in Russia, and they may have premiered there . Despite the fact that his duets demonstrate his superb understanding of small-scale forms, these works are not as well known as some of his other chamber works . One can hardly say that Glière opened these duets with a joyful movement . In fact, the opening “Prelude” sounds a bit nervous . The tempo is moderately slow, enhancing the mood, and the minor mode also contributes to the atmosphere of the piece . The melody of the movement winds around itself while rising, lending urgency to the nervousness, and the accompaniment, which switches between the violin and cello, is continually made up of throbbing, repeated notes . Throughout the movement, Glière maintains the anxious mood . The second movement—by being cheerful—is in stark contrast to the first . This “Gavotte” evokes a dance from the seventeenth century . Glière structured the movement in ternary form and set it in the major mode, which greatly aids the happy spirit . The Gavotte’s central section imitates a musette, a type of bagpipe, featuring sustained pitches in both violin and cello that mimic that folk instrument . Unlike the prelude’s winding melody, this movement’s tune prefers to jump, contributing to the upbeat atmosphere . The next movement, the “Canzonetta,” features soothing elements and a pleasant atmosphere contrasted with a moment of sorrow . One tool Glière uses to achieve these moods is a moderate tempo that is neither too fast nor too slow . In ternary form, the A sections feature the violin with a pleasant melody . The remorseful B portion, however, begins with the cello playing a more somber tune . Most of the movement is soft, providing a gentle element, and the accompaniment (provided primarily by the cello) rises and falls smoothly beneath the lyrical melody . Glière, by pursuing a playful mood within the next movement, fulfills the expectations for an intermezzo, which is an inner movement with a lighter feeling . He incorporates a rhythm that sways back and forth to give the movement a brighter atmosphere, and swift changes in dynamics also contribute to this ambiance . The violin’s melody features a sighing drop from one note to the next, while the cello part contrasts this drooping element with rising accompaniment patterns . The attitude of the middle portion of the ternary structure is thoughtful—and then passionate—before returning to the original, more lighthearted mood . For the “Scherzo,” Glière again looked to historical dance for inspiration and, like the “Gavotte,” his scherzo fulfills historical expectations . A scherzo is a quick, often humorous dance in triple meter . This movement is in triple meter, but Glière confuses the listener by shifting the beat, the primary pulse of the rhythm, throughout the A portions (again within a ternary form) . These shifts in beat, along with a lively tempo, help give the A portions a peppy mood, but the B portion is sober and marked “Tranquillo,” meaning “calm ”. If the “Canzonetta” relaxes the listener, the “Etude,” (meaning “study”), will do just the opposite . An etude is a work created to help performers to learn or perfect a technique . A prominent element in this movement is its speed: allegro molto (“very fast”), and this pace sets the stage for the primary technical challenge for the players, that of each note being doubled . The speed also creates a challenge when the instrumentalists must switch between pizzicato and arco swiftly . Both the pitches and the dynamics have a wide range, building the movement’s excitement before its soft ending . acknowledgments
Our Cal Poly endeavors would have been impossible without the support and encouragement of a number of individuals, and we want to thank them most sincerely for their help .
First of all, we want to extend a special thank you to our accompanist, Mrs . Susan Azaret Davies . You always inspire us with your musicianship, and we are honored that you agreed to play with us in our senior recital .
Thank you to all of the faculty and staff of the Cal Poly Music Department . You exposed us to the exciting world of music theory, built our musical repertoire, trained our ears, and guided us through music’s history . We will cherish the relationships we have developed with you all .
Thank you particularly to the lifelines of the department: Mrs . Druci Reese and Ms . Michele Abba . Thank you for everything you have done in keeping things running smoothly and in helping us stay on track . We would not have survived Cal Poly without you!
A hearty “Thank You!” goes to our academic advisors, Dr . David Arrivée and Dr . W . Terrence Spiller . Your office doors (and Zoom links) were always open to us, and we enjoyed poring over academic forms, examining musical scores, and discussing the broader aspects of school and life .
Additionally, we want to offer a sincere expression of gratitude to Dr . Alyson McLamore . Your untiring support helped us strive to become better students and individuals . Your input into our academic and personal development will not be forgotten .
Thank you so much to our individual private teachers, Mrs . Barbara Spencer and Mrs . Janet Shulman (for Titus), and Ms . Brynn Albanese (for Timothy and Titus) . Your investments in our musical growth have expanded our horizons and helped us understand music much more fully . Thank you for the many hours you spent instructing us and patiently answering our questions . We can never repay the debt of gratitude we owe to you .
To Joseph, Philip, Valerie, Elijah, Luke, Amethyst, Judah, and Emerald: thank you for coming to our performances, hearing us relate the (sometimes geeky) intricacies of music theory, and listening as we tried to explain the musical analyses we learned in music history . We love and appreciate each of you .
Thank you most especially to our parents, Randall and Julie Shanks . Thank you for teaching us the essentials of diligence and good studying as well as guiding us through our college years . You helped us manage our time and understand proper etiquette in interacting with our classmates and professors, and you unwaveringly attended practically every single one of our performances . Your investment in our lives is truly priceless .
Lastly, and most importantly, we want to give thanks to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . It is because of Him that we are here today, and without His help, we could not have achieved this milestone . Our words echo those of Johann Sebastian Bach: Soli Deo gloria .