PREVIEW NOTES

Shai Wosner, Friday, May 1, 2015 – 8:00 PM American Philosophical Society, 427 Chestnut Street

Program Four Impromptus, D. 935 These two short works by Ligeti were written as exercises during his studies at the Budapest Born: January 31, 1797 in Vienna, Austria Conservatory. They show the beginning of the shedding Died: November 19, 1828 in Vienna, Austria of Bartok's influence. While they are attractive and Composed: 1827 clearly structured pieces, they are also chromatic and Last PCMS performance: Emanuel Ax in 2010 modern in their harmonies, and constructed from tightly Duration: 34 minutes controlled little motives.

Many have heard Hungarian influences in the first and Capriccio in G Major, Hob. XVII/1 last of these impromptus. Although both movements Franz Joseph Haydn are in , the fourth Impromptu has a melody Born: March 31, 1732, in Rohrau, Austria whose accented grace‐note embellishments and Died: May 31, 1809, in Vienna, Austria harmonic motions echo the minatory music of Hungary. Composed: 7 minutes First PCMS performance Impromptu in A‐flat Major, Op. 29 Duration: 1765 Frédéric Chopin Born: March 1, 1810 in Zelazowa Wola, Poland Capriccio in , Hob. XVII/4 Died: October 17, 1849 in Paris, France Franz Joseph Haydn Composed: 1837 Composed: 1789 Last PCMS performance: Peter Serkin in 2009 First PCMS performance Duration: 5 minutes Duration: 6 minutes

This work shows a clear without the In a letter to his publisher Artaria dating from March lengthy codas heard in late Chopin although the 1789, Haydn references his Capriccio: "In a moment of composer employs great variation within its sections. most excellent good humor I have written a quite new Capriccio for the pianoforte whose tastefulness, Impromptu in G‐flat Major, Op. 51 singularity, and special construction cannot fail to win Frédéric Chopin applause from connoisseurs and amateurs alike." Composed: 1842 Last PCMS performance: Richard Goode in 2003 in C Major, Op. 2, No. 3 Duration: 6 minutes Born: December 16, 1770 in Bonn, Germany Dedicated to the Countess Esterházy, this Impromptu Died: March 26, 1827 in Vienna, Austria was composed in 1842 and published in 1843 in Leipzig. Composed: 1795 Last PCMS performance: Marcantonio Barone in 2013 Capriccios Nos. 1 and 2 Duration: 25 minutes György Ligeti Born: October 22, 1811 in Raiding, Hungary This is the last of the three from the Op. 2 group Died: July 31, 1886 in Bayreuth, Germany that Beethoven more or less composed simultaneously. Composed: 1947 Like the First Piano Sonata, the Third draws on material First PCMS performance from his youthful work, Piano Quartet No. 3, and Duration: 4 minutes contains some significant compositional innovations.