Saturday, June 2, 2018 • 7:00 p.m ​

Shaleah Feinstein

Junior Recital

DePaul Recital Hall 804 West Belden Avenue • Chicago

Saturday, June 2, 2018 • 7:00 p.m. ​ DePaul Recital Hall

Shaleah Feinstein, violin Junior Recital Beilin Han, piano

PROGRAM

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) in D Major, Op. 35 (1876) Allegro Moderato Canzonetta Finale

Beilin Han, piano

Edvard Grieg (1806-1875) Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major, Op. 13 (1867) Lento doloroso – Allegro vivace Allegretto tranquillo Allegro animato

Beilin Han, piano

Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) Tambourin Chinois, Op. 3 (1910)

Beilin Han, piano

Shaleah Feinstein is from the studio of Ilya Kaler. This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of the degree Bachelor of Music.

As a courtesy to those around you, please silence all cell phones and other electronic devices. Flash photography is not permitted. Thank you.

Shaleah Feinstein • June 2, 2018 ​

PROGRAM NOTES

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35 (1876) Duration: 37 minutes Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto is one of the most celebrated and frequently performed concert works in the contemporary violin repertoire. Despite the popularity of the work today, the circumstances of its composition proved to be difficult for the composer. It was written in a relatively short period of time in a particularly tumultuous period during Tchaikovsky’s disastrous marriage to his wife . To recover from his deep depression, he stayed for a time at a Swiss resort on Lake Geneva. It would be here where the concerto was to be written. Tchaikovsky’s friend and pupil, violinist and composer , was there helping him develop and workshop the piece.

As the close nature of their relationship was kept a secret, Tchaikovsky was hesitant to dedicate the work to him out of fear of exposing his homosexuality to a society that would reject him. In the subsequent period following the composition’s completion and publication, the composer would have serious trouble finding a soloist and dedicatee to premiere the work, as his next choice, violinist , would also eventually reject the composer’s offer. Eventually the work was premiered by violinist and found other champions such as violinists Karel Halíř and Stanisław Barcewicz.

Edvard Grieg (1806-1875) Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major, Op. 13 (1867) Duration: 22 minutes Grieg’s second violin sonata marks a certain advancement in compositional maturity and stands in contrast to his first violin sonata written just two years prior. While the first sonata is a happy representation of a composer yet to experience tragedy, his second sonata violin sonata is remarkably darker and overtly more nationalistic than previous works. In fact his composition teacher at the time remarked that it was “too Norwegian”, to which Grieg defiantly said his next would be “even more Norwegian”.

Shaleah Feinstein • June 2, 2018 ​ Program Notes

Interestingly, the melancholic nature of the work seems to conflict with the jubilance Grieg was experiencing at this time as he is said to have written the sonata in “the euphoria of my honeymoon” after marrying his beloved wife. The trend of writing works in direct contrast to current life circumstances was also shared by Beethoven who was known to write uplifting works under dire or challenging life circumstances.

Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) Tambourin Chinois, Op. 3 (1910) Duration: 4 minutes Fritz Kreisler was one of the most well-regarded violin virtuosos of the twentieth century. As well as being an extraordinarily accomplished performer, he is also known as the composer of a multitude of virtuosic showpieces for violin.

In this work, Kreisler is known to have said, “I don’t mind telling you that I enjoyed very much writing my Tambourin Chinois. The idea for it came to me after a visit to the Chinese theater in San Francisco—not that the music there suggested any theme, but it gave me the impulse to write a free fantasy in the Chinese manner.” As this work utilizes pentatonic pitch collections and harmonies based on perfect intervals, it does not necessarily represent authentic Chinese music. Even though it is the result of Kreisler’s brief exposure to Chinese culture, it is still a fun and lighthearted gem of the violin repertoire.

Notes by Shaleah Feinstein.