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Home , Franz Schubert

Colburn Rising Stars: Rodolfo Leone SUN / NOV 17 / 2:00 PM

Rodolfo Leone

PROGRAM

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Piano No. 19, D. 958 i. Allegro ii. Adagio iii. Menuetto. Allegro – Trio iv. Allegro

Intermission

Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) 24 Preludes, Op. 28 i. Agitato ii. Lento iii. Vivace iv. Largo v. Molto allegro vi. Lento assai vii. Andantino viii. Molto agitato ix. Largo x. Molto allegro xi. Vivace xii. Presto xiii. Lento xiv. Allegro xv. Sostenuto xvi. Presto con fuoco xvii. Allegretto xviii. Molto allegro xix. Vivace xx. Largo xxi. Cantabile xxii. Molto agitato xxiii. Moderato xxiv. Allegro appassionato

Classical Series at The Broad Stage made possible in part by generous support from the Colburn Foundation.

PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE 20 Grilc Andrej by Photo ABOUT THE PROGRAM

PROGRAM NOTES unassuming manner with a yearning for the instrument, which he did melody over a chordal foundation. almost exclusively. The piano and Franz Schubert (1797-1828) This soon gives way to a darker its sonic capabilities underwent No. 19, D.958 (1828) space as Schubert forays into the great improvements in the romantic The oeuvre of Austrian minor and discards all melody for era to which Chopin responded to Franz Schubert includes some of the pure sonic texture. This duality with an innate understanding of the most significant contributions to the between the opening melody and instrument. He pushed the limits repertory of German , piano music the contrasting textural material of the piano and the performer— and chamber works. Although history defines the movement as Schubert pairing his highly-informed idiomatic celebrates his genius, Schubert travels into foreign and adventurous language with his uniquely lyrical received very little acclaim during his harmonic territory. He closes with approach resulted in music lifetime and died in relative poverty, the simple melody that began the unmatched in depth and beauty. succumbing to at the age of movement, though the final iteration There is a certain sense of 31. When considering the wealth and is deceptive in its chromaticism. improvisation at the heart of many profundity of Schubert’s output, it Although the Adagio has reached a of Chopin’s works. Although he had a is astounding that a composer who close, the pathway to the end has culturally rich upbringing supported experienced such personal difficulty been ambiguous, leaving an uneasy by instruction from various , in a very short life has imprinted so resolution for the movement. Chopin was largely self-taught, his strongly on Western music. The third movement is exemplary genius transcending the confines The late piano of Schubert of Schubert’s treatment of modal of instruction. Even at a very young (D.958, D.959 and D.960) were mixture. In this minuet and trio, age, Chopin had a distinctive composed in the final months of the Schubert seamlessly transitions musical voice and his technical and composer’s life, by which time he had between the major and the minor, musical understanding seemed to be realized his inevitable fate. All three surprising the listener at each knowledge a priori. Though intrinsic works are monumental in scope and musical corner. The finalAllegro to the music of Chopin, improvisation vision, the longest of which (D.959) is lively and full of energy, the is also fundamental in the history of comes close to forty-five minutes. As incessant rhythmic pulse driving the piano prelude, the French word is characteristic of many of his late the entirety of the movement. Like préluder meaning “to improvise.” In works, these sonatas are imbued with the opening movement, the finale the tradition of the early renaissance, a certain gravitas, requiring the poise has a prolonged development, the the prelude was improvised as of a mature artist to fully realize their unrelenting rhythmic drive juxtaposed a free-form piece to introduce genius. The first of these sonatas, with the slow harmonic progression choral music in church settings. By and the one heard this evening, is —a struggle between the temporal the 17th century, the prelude had the most tempestuous of the three and the eternal. Schubert concludes formed as a distinct musical genre, and perhaps the closest spiritually the sonata by dying down over a and prefaced dance to . Opening dramatically long pedal tone—the slow unwind suites, arias and sonatas with with barren chords, Schubert is suddenly interrupted by a forte written preludes. The genre would be prepares the rest of the work with an which signals the close as adopted by performers throughout uncompromising authority unusual for the work comes full circle, ending the classical and romantic periods, the composer. This drama unravels as with the same immediacy as it began. and although the style of the prelude Schubert balances between urgency evolved over time, its essence as a and sentimentality throughout the Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) free-form miniature remained largely first movement. He stretches out 24 Preludes, Op. 28 (1835-39) unchanged. the motivic development in the The name of Polish composer The cycle of 24 Preludes, Op. 28, is Allegro, harnessing the tension by Frédéric Chopin has become one of Chopin’s most beloved works. pitting moments of lyricism with synonymous with piano music. One Based upon the 24 major and minor harmonically-driven material. The of the most influential composers for keys, this collection of miniatures, movement closes softly and subdued, the instrument, Chopin’s works are each bearing the unmistakable imprint a distant echo of the opening chords. universally recognized and admired of Chopin’s personal style, was The following Adagio is one of for their deep expressive capacity. considered by as the most beautiful yet abstract Chopin began his career as a “eagles’ feathers, all wildly variegated of Schubert’s slow movements. but soon abandoned performing [and] intermingled.” In these short The movement opens in a simple, to concentrate on composing pieces, Chopin demonstrates his

PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE 21 ABOUT THE ARTIST full expressive range and tests the in a performance in at the Rodolfo is currently based in Los absolute limits of a pianist’s emotional Brahms-Saal of the Musikverein. Angeles, where he previously studied depth and technical capabilities. He also performed recitals in at the Colburn Conservatory of Between the melancholic longing of Los Angeles and Naples, Florida, and Music. He holds both a Masters of the fourth, the regal conviction of the appeared on the Music degree and an Artist Diploma ninth and the nail-biting virtuosity of series Le Salon de Musiques in Los from Colburn, where he studied with the 16th, Chopin has amalgamated Angeles. As a 2018-19 Performance Fabio Bidini. He previously studied a set of miniatures into a towering Today Young Artist in Residence, at the Hans Eisler School of Music in monolith, titanic in effect. The words Rodolfo’s live recordings were Berlin, Germany and at the G. Rossini of (Chopin’s love interest broadcast nationally throughout Conservatory in Pesaro, Italy. while composing these preludes) are the United States. apt in their description of “the gift of A native of Turin, Italy, Rodolfo [him]...[being] the deepest and fullest made his orchestral debut in feelings of emotions that have ever 2013 performing Rachmaninov’s existed...he could sum up...poems Piano Concerto No. 3 with the of boundless, exultation, dramas of Haydn of Bolzano and unequalled power.” In retrospect, Trento (Italy). He toured Italy with perhaps the spirit of the prelude that orchestra the following year is captured best in the very first performing Shostakovich’s Piano one, opening in the key of . Concerto No. 1. Rodolfo made Graceful and uplifting in its nobility, his North American debut in 2014 the first prelude builds in waves, performing Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. each crest dying in resolution before 1 with the Toronto Concert Orchestra. resurfacing. This fantasy prepares Since then, he has performed with, the listener for the remainder of among others, the Vienna Radio the cycle; a prelude for a long and Orchestra with Stéphane remarkable journey. Denève and the Colburn Orchestra at by Paul Williamson, pianist in the Concert Hall; and recitals Master of Music program of the Colburn at Festival Napa Valley and the Conservatory of Music Soka Performing Arts Center. He has also performed chamber BIO music with Lynn Harrell, Fabio Bidini, Andrew Schulmann and the Viano The brilliant 27-year-old Italian String . born pianist RODOLFO LEONE was the first-prize winner of the 2017 Rodolfo has performed extensively International Beethoven Piano throughout Europe, North America Competition in Vienna. Described and China. These performances as “a true sound philosopher” include debuts in venues such as (Oberösterreichische Nachrichten), the Musikverein in Vienna, Steinway Rodolfo released his debut album Hall in London, the Music Hall of the on the Austrian label Gramola in May National Centre for the Performing 2018. The all-Beethoven disc features Arts in Beijing, the Politeama Theatre two pillars of the : in Palermo, the Mozart Concert Hall the “Hammerklavier” Sonata and of Accademia Filarmonica in Bologna the “Waldstein” Sonata. His playing and the BASF Gesellschaftshaus has been described as having in Germany. A top-prize winner of “impeccable style” and “absolute several major piano competitions, technical control” (Il Nuovo Amico). Rodolfo was awarded top prizes at the 2014 Toronto International Piano Rodolfo’s 2018-19 season included Competition and the 2013 Busoni debuts with the San Diego Symphony International Piano Competition. (Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1) and the magazine described his Pasadena Symphony (Mozart’s Piano Pianist concerto performance during the Concerto No. 21); he also performed 2017 International Beethoven Piano Beethoven’s Triple Concerto in Walt Competition as a “communion with Disney Concert Hall with the Colburn the orchestra” that “was raptly Orchestra. In May 2019, he gave a convincing… robust and joyful.” recital tour in , culminating

22 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE