Ben Sullivan
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Saturday, May 27, 2017 • 9:00 p.m Ben Sullivan Junior Recital DePaul Recital Hall 804 West Belden Avenue • Chicago Saturday, May 27, 2017 • 9:00 p.m. DePaul Recital Hall Ben Sullivan, classical guitar Junior Recital Diana Ortiz, violin PROGRAM Francisco Tárrega (1852 - 1909) El Columpio Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907) Lyric Pieces Book III (1886), Op 43, No 2 Ensom vandrer (Lonely Wanderer) Fernando Sor (1778 - 1839) Estudio No 11, Op 6 (1815) Francisco Tárrega (1852 - 1909) Marieta Federico Moreno Torroba (1891 - 1982) Sonatina (1924) Astor Piazzolla (1921 - 1992) Histoire du Tango (1986) II. Cafe 1930 I. Bordel 1900 Ben Sullivan is from the studio of Mark Maxwell. 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. Ben Sullivan • May 27, 2017 PROGRAM NOTES Fransicso Tárrega (1852-1909) El Columpio Duration: 4 minutes Tárrega was a Spanish born composer and often regarded as one of the greatest guitarists in history. Legend claims, that as a child he was thrown into an irrigation channel by his nanny for constantly wetting the bed. This caused a severe injury to his eyes. In fear of his eminent blindness, his father sent him to study at the Madrid Conservatory in Spain. Here, he would learn to make a living as a composer and performer. His professors of composition quickly told him to drop any idea of a career with the piano, and to focus all of his efforts on the guitar. Our instrument would be a fraction of what it is today, had it not be for Tárrega. He is one of the most important figures in classical guitar. He laid the foundation for our modern technique, and his expansive repertoire is a cornerstone for any guitarist's program. El Columpio translates from Spanish to "The Swing." The main theme utilizes an ostinato (repeating) bass line that balances wonderfully with the melody of thirds above it. He is able to create a gentle, yet strong sound that depicts a swaying, swing-like motion. The second half of the piece starts from a quiet murmur to a large booming resolution. It has traces of the same beginning bass line, but changes it slightly to create a new mood. Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) Lyric Pieces Book III, Op 43, No 2, "Lonely Wanderer"(1886) Duration: 3 minutes Edvard Grieg is Norway's most famous composer, and one of their national treasures. Never having written for guitar, Grieg is most known for his short piano pieces, and his orchestral works. The Lonely Wanderer is one of his works originally written for solo piano; which is part of a collection of 66 small piano pieces. This arrangement was created by Francisco Tárrega. However, I have taken the liberty of adding more notes to better depict the original piano score. Written by Grieg, arranged by Tárrega, and edited by Sullivan. This slow, melancholy work is just a glimpse into the creative, and colorful mind of Edvard Grieg. Ben Sullivan • May 27, 2017 Program Notes Fernando Sor (1778-1839) Estudio No 11, Op 6 (1815) Duration: 4 minutes Regarded as the Beethoven of the guitar by his contemporaries, Fernando Sor was a Spanish born guitarist, whose virtuosity on the instrument led to new boundaries and technical abilities that had never been heard before. During his career, he wrote such complicated music, that no guitarist at the time could play it. Publishers were demanding that he wrote easier music for amateurs and students. He moved to France later in his life; and during this time he got tired of the restrictions. He named his Op. 43's Mes Ennuis ("My Annoyances"), and dedicated six ballets to "whoever wants them." This does not mean he did not write difficult music. In fact, this study is part of the harder etudes he wrote, and thrives off a melody of suspensions and an underlying triplet accompaniment. Fransicso Tárrega (1852-1909) Marieta Duration: 3 minutes Marieta was the name of Tárrega's second daughter. This dance is in the style of a Mazurka, a polish dance which goes back centuries in tradition. Tárrega was influenced greatly by the polish pianist Frédéric Chopin, a virtuoso player and important composer of the mazurka. The combination between their two styles creates a wonderful sound that is both delicate yet aggressive. Frederico Moreno Torroba (1891-1982) Sonatina (1924) Duration: 12 minutes Spanish composer F.M. Torroba never played the guitar, but his extensive works for solo guitar are some of the most beautiful and charming music written for the instrument. He was best known for his writing of zarzuelas, a Spanish light opera that combines elements of comedy, and dance. He Ben Sullivan • May 27, 2017 Program Notes owned a zarzuela company that toured throughout the world, but extensively through South America. Sonatina in A major, composed in 1926 for Andres Segovia (1893-1987), is among his earliest of many works for guitar. He was a very prolific composer of guitar music writing many solo works for Segovia such as Suite Castellana, Nocturno, Madroños, Castles of Spain, Pieces Caracteristiques, as well as music for guitar quartet such as Rafagas and Estampas, and chamber music with guitar and guitar concertos with orchestra. Torroba composed his solo guitar music with the colors of the orchestra in mind. Segovia described the guitar as a "miniature orchestra.” Torroba’s Sonatina certainly confirms his narrative. Many shifts in range and timbre portray different instruments of the orchestra. The first movement’s opening fanfare suggests brass instruments. A “string section” follows with the contrasting lyrical “B” theme. This type of orchestration occurs in each of the three movements. His extensive experience writing for voice gives him a lyrical touch in his long-breathed melodic writing, which is especially evident in the second movement Andante. Formally the Sonatina is in classic sonata-allegro form: sonata first movement, aria for the second and rondo for the third. Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) L'Histoire du Tango (1986) Duration: 12 minutes Hailing from the southern regions of Argentina, Astor Piazzolla is known worldwide as the greatest composer of tangos in history. He was a virtuoso bandoneon player, an instrument that is a close relative of the accordion. He is credited with creating an entirely new genre of tango, called Nuevo Tango, or "New Tango." This style incorporates elements of jazz and classical as well as a divergence from the traditional tango 4/4 meter. Piazzolla relied on the tresillo, or 3+3+2 syncopation over the traditional 4/4 in his tangos. This was highly controversial. L’Histoire du Tango was composed originally for flute and guitar; but is often performed with other melodic instruments, such as bandoneon, violin and even saxophone. There are a total of four movements. Each depicts a style of tango during different Ben Sullivan • May 27, 2017 Program Notes times in its history. The second movement, Café 1930, will be played first today. This slower, introspective tango represents the form at a time when it was beginning to be more widely accepted as serious music. In this movement, Piazzolla creates a texture of long-breathed melody with accompaniment figures that demonstrates the particular beauty of blended timbre from the combination of the guitar and violin. Bordel 1900 is set in a brothel, the birthplace of the tango. This movement has a lively, flirtatious quality with rhythms punctuated by percussive effects on both guitar and violin. Notes by Ben Sullivan. 804 West Belden Avenue Chicago, IL 60614 773.325.7260 music.depaul.edu.