Saturday, May 27, 2017 • 5:00 p.m

Hsin-Chieh Li Certificate Recital

DePaul Concert Hall 800 West Belden Avenue • Chicago

Saturday, May 27, 2017 • 5:00 p.m. ​ DePaul Concert Hall

Hsin-Chieh Li, piano Certificate Recital

PROGRAM

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) French Suite No. 5 in G, BWV 816 (1722-1725) Allemande Courante Sarabande Gavotte Bourree Loure Gigue

Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827) Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 (1798) Grave-Allegro di molto e con brio ​ Adagio-Cantabile Rondo-Allegro

Hsin-Chieh Li • May 27, 2017 Program

Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856) Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (1838) ​ Von fremden Ländern und Menschen (Of Foreign Lands and People) Curiose Geschichte (A Curious Story) Hasche-Mann (Blind Man's Buff) Bittendes Kind (Pleading Child) Glückes genug (Quite Happy) Wichtige Bebebenheit (An Important Event) Träumerei (Dreaming) Am Camin (At the Fireside) Ritter vom Steckenpferd (Knight of the Hobby-Horse) Fast zu ernst (Almost too Serious) Fürchtenmachen (Frightening) Kind im Einschlummern (Child Falling Asleep) Der Dichter spricht (The Poet Speaks)

Hsin-Chieh Li is from the studio of George Vatchnadze. This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of the degree Certificate in Performance.

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

Hsin-Chieh Li • May 27, 2017 PROGRAM NOTES Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) French Suite No.5 in G, BWV 816 (1722-1725) Duration: 18 minutes Johann Sebastian Bach was a Baroque musician and composer. He was an ​ organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist. He gained his reputation as an organist during his lifetime. However, his talent as a composer was not recognized until the 1820s. Contemporary views on Bach’s style are that he added on to the German signature style by using counterpoint and harmony, and blended the in influence of other cultures, including French and Italian. Bach utilized techniques from many genres in his compositions. Bach later composed the English Suites and the French Suites, but these were not published until after his death.

The name French did not come from Bach, but a German theorist and critic Friedrich W. Marpurg. He named the suites French twelve years after Bach’s death. Bach’s first biographer Johann Nikolaus Forkel commented, “They are generally called French Suites because they are written in the French taste.”

The French suites were written when Bach served as Kappelmeister at the court at Cöthen. The suites existed in various drafts. At the time of Bach’s suites, these were no longer composed for the actual dance function, but solely for listening. However, the style still carried the lively spirit of dances. French Suite No. 5 contains seven movements. Bach added three other movements, Gavotte, Bourree, Loure, along with the traditional four movements, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, and Gigue. Each movement is in binary form with the same key but has different origin, tempo, and atmosphere, each associated with its original dance function. It opens with the gentle and mellow Allemande and closes with the exciting and fast paced Gigue.

Hsin-Chieh Li • May 27, 2017 ​ Program Notes

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op.13, “Pathetique” (1798) Duration: 20 minutes Beethoven wrote Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor when he was 27 years old and published it a year later in Vienna. It is quite unusual and unique that Beethoven gave a nickname to his work, but it is a great reflection of his life experience and attitude when he decided to name this sonata “Pathetique.” Other nicknames of his works were given by publishers. Born in a traditional music family, Beethoven began his training early with his father and later with various notable mentors throughout his career, such as Christian Gottlob Neefe and, later on, Haydn. The early strict training was often harsh, but built a strong musical foundation for young Beethoven. He was a productive composer and pianist, and was compared to Mozart by the critics of his time.

Beethoven began to develop hearing problems in 1798. He initially attempted to hide his condition and continued to compose music as before. This plan was not successful as his hearing worsened. Early on, his frustration over his illness, and challenges to continue his music career, were hard to endure. His parents had also just passed away a few years earlier. All of sudden, his life transitioned into a dark period, which left a significant mark on Beethoven’s musical style from that period. Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor was one of his first works completed after these life changes. This theatrically dramatic sonata soon became one of his most celebrated works, and gave Beethoven the strength he needed to continue his career.

This sonata has three movements. The opening Grave has a dramatic contrast in the tempo of its two parts. It opens with a slow dark mystery passage which sets up for the simple second lyrical theme. It then goes back to the same dark atmosphere before reaching a coda. This dark power continues to build up in the second movement, Adagio Cantabile, which is famous for its abundant and rich lyrical melodies. This movement allows the audience to breathe after the intense and aggressive Grave. The final movement Rondo is the shortest of the three movements creating a balance

Hsin-Chieh Li • May 27, 2017 Program Notes to the heavy first two movements. Even though it is lighter in its melody, it still echoes the theme from the first movement, giving a consist sense of completion.

Robert Schumann (1810-1856) Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (1838) Duration: 18 minutes Schumann’s life was characterized by instability. He started his musical career as a pianist, but was forced to abandon his art due to a finger injury. He fell in love with Clara Wieck, the daughter of his teacher, but their relationship was rejected by Clara’s family, resulting in years of lawsuits in court. Schumann also struggled with his own mental health and was hospitalized for psychosis symptoms. The only bright light coming through the dark tunnel was Clara. Their relationship bloomed around the same time Kinderszenen was introduced to the world. When the two were separated for a time while touring, Schumann would comment on this piece multiple times in his correspondence with Clara.

Kinderszenen translated means “Scenes from Childhood.” Schumann selected thirteen short piano sketches and published them under the subtitle “Easy Pieces for the Piano.” This was during his most productive period as a composer. The theme of childhood shows throughout each titled piece, and it has won the place of some people’s most favorite work of Schumann’s. This “Easy Pieces for the Piano” might be misleading since the subtitle does not do any justice to the high expression and skill level required of the experienced pianist. Schumann originally wrote thirty movements but just over half of them were included.

Kinderszenen speaks well to the romantic, sentimental spirit of Schumann’s work. It is melodic, full of imagination, and has a sense of musical poetry. These piano miniatures share similar structure and straightforward harmonies. Each movement is an independent childhood memory, but

Hsin-Chieh Li • May 27, 2017 ​ Program Notes some have implicit musical connections with each other. The seventh movement, Träumerei (Dreaming), is one of the most memorable melodies of Schumann’s work, and the poet in the last movement, Der Dichter spricht (The Poet Speaks), represents Schumann himself.

Notes by Hsin-Chieh Li.

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