Yekwon Sunwoo, Piano
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
YEKWON SUNWOO, PIANO VAN CLIBURN INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION GOLD MEDALIST Wednesday, March 14, 2018, at 7:30pm Foellinger Great Hall PROGRAM YEKWON SUNWOO, PIANO VAN CLIBURN INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION GOLD MEDALIST Franz Schubert Four Impromptus, D. 935, Op. 142 (1797–1828) No. 1 in F Minor No. 2 in A-flat Major No. 3 in B-flat Major No. 4 in F Minor Percy Grainger (arr.) Ramble on the Last Love-Duet from Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier (1882–1961) Richard Strauss (1864-1949) 20-minute intermission Johannes Brahms Sonata No. 2 in F-sharp Minor, Op. 2 (1833–1897) Allegro non troppo, ma energico Andante con espressione Scherzo: Allegro Finale: Sostenuto–Allegro non troppo e rubato Franz Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 in C-sharp Minor (1811–1886) Yekwon Sunwoo appears by arrangement with: The Cliburn 201 Main Street, Suite 100 Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.738.6536 2 THE ACT OF GIVING OF ACT THE THANK YOU FOR SPONSORING THIS PERFORMANCE Krannert Center honors the spirited generosity of donors who make these performances possible. This event is supported by: CAROL BERTHOLD JAMES ECONOMY Fifteen Previous Sponsorships Special Support of Classical Music Three Current Sponsorships * MAXINE & JIM KALER Twenty-Two Previous Sponsorships Two Current Sponsorships PAULA KAUFMAN CLAUDIA REICH & GARY OLSEN First-Time Sponsor Twelve Previous Sponsorships *PHOTO CREDIT: ILLINI STUDIO HELP SUPPORT THE FUTURE OF THE ARTS. BECOME A KRANNERT CENTER SPONSOR BY CONTACTING OUR DEVELOPMENT TEAM TODAY: KrannertCenter.com/Give • [email protected] • 217.333.1629 3 PROGRAM NOTES FRANZ SCHUBERT both heart-rending and monumental. Already Born January 31, 1797, in Alsergrund, in the work, too, is a sense of the variations that Vienna, Austria will dominate the third B-Flat Impromptu. To this Died November 19, 1828, in Vienna, Austria complexity, Schubert gives a simple conclusion. Four Impromptus, D. 935, Op. 142 The theme of the second and briefer Impromptu Despite illness, depression, and persistent in A-flat Major, marked Allegretto, is immediately financial troubles, the last five years of Schubert’s put forward in a simple chorale-like statement life were remarkably productive: the song that soon turns complex as it moves from the cycles Die Schöne Müllerin and Winterreise, the vertical to the horizontal. Harmonic shifts and Symphony No. 9, the last three piano sonatas, dynamic changes lead to a rising tension that the great Quintet in C Major, and the two sets Schubert, once again, resolves simply. Despite of Impromptus, D. 899, Op. 90, and D. 935, Op. the emotional impact of his music, Schubert is not 142 that we hear on this program. Both sets were given to overstatement. composed in 1827, just a year before his death. Like most of his works, the Op. 142 Impromptus The third Impromptu, marked Andante (Theme were not published within his lifetime. Heard and Variations), is comparable in length to the as a set, the four Op. 142 Impromptus might first but structured differently. Here we meet suggest a grand sonata rather than a collection of variation form, another Schubert imprint and one disparate pieces. While they have infinite variety, that is challenging to the performer. The B-flat there is also a unity to them that spells a certain Impromptu opens with a simple statement of a wholeness of concept. Governing all is Schubert’s theme that Schubert used in his incidental music glorious sense of song. to the play Rosamunde and in his A Minor String Quartet. The five variations then elaborate on The declarative opening of the F Minor that theme with an ever-increasing complexity. Impromptu, marked Allegro moderato, draws Here Schubert does not hold back on virtuosic our attention and paves the way to the multiple display with his dramatic scale passages, but, in themes that glisten throughout the work. Within typical Schubert fashion, he returns to the spirit these themes are quick harmonic shifts that of the chorale-like opening and offers a sublime evoke an emotional reaction from listeners. Why ending to the work. shifting from a major mode to a minor mode can cause this is one of the mysteries of music and If Schubert could ever be accused of an important part of Schubert’s genius. He does showmanship, surely it is in the fourth Impromptu, it like no other. Additional Schubertian hallmarks appropriately marked Allegro scherzando with in the F Minor Impromptu are the strong use of its element of humor. Here we have rippling left-hand melody, rippling triplet figures offering chromatic scales, arpeggios, and trills employed accompaniment, great dynamic variation, and, in the freshest of ways. Schubert gives us a flashy as already mentioned, a sense of song. With ending with a sweeping glissando. Our emotions Schubert, a simple five-note theme becomes have been pulled to the darkest of points in the set, but, typical of Schubert, he leaves us smiling. 4 PERCY GRAINGER, ARRANGER JOHANNES BRAHMS Born July 8, 1882, in Melbourne, Australia Born May 7, 1833, in Hamburg, Germany Died February 20, 1961, in White Plains, New York Died April 3, 1897, in Vienna, Austria Ramble on the Last Love-Duet from Sonata No. 2 in F-sharp Minor, Op. 2 Der Rosenkavalier by The F-sharp Minor, Op. 2 Sonata is Brahms’ first piano sonata, composed in November of 1853 RICHARD STRAUSS and published the following year. Despite its Born June 11, 1864, in Munich, Germany numbering as Op. 2, it did precede the C Major Died September 8, 1949, in Garmisch- Sonata listed as No. 1, Op. 1. Evidence states that Partenkirchen, Germany it may have been performed for the first time on Australian-born composer, arranger, and February 2, 1882 in Vienna. pianist Percy Grainger is well-known for his The highly passionate nature of the Sonata might arrangements of other composers‘ works as very well be inspired by Brahms’ well-known noted here in his setting of the final love duet admiration of Clara Schumann to whom the work between Sophie and Octavian from Richard is dedicated. To Romantic style, however, Brahms Strauss’ famous comic opera, Der Rosenkavalier, brought his honoring of Classical form. This first performed in Dresden on January 26, 1911. combination is further revealed in the contrasts To undertake an arrangement of the brief but between many highly passionate statements ecstatic duet for piano solo was quite a challenge, and slower expressions that suggest Brahms’ but Grainger accomplished it in a grand way. fascination with folk song. Heard in its entirety, The beautiful sweeping arpeggios that Grainger the Sonata is a continuous contrast between lends to his adaptation are indeed pianistic yet these two effects even though each movement do not lose the sense of Strauss’ song. The piece also has its individual stamp. The work is also does indeed ramble its way through an ecstatic marked by many virtuosic challenges which may keyboard expression of love quite comparable to account for its not being heard as often as we Strauss’ famous duet. It is considered to be one might expect. of Grainger’s finest and most elaborate piano paraphrases. Since Grainger and Strauss admired The first movement offers a dramatic opening each other’s work, one can only assume that with demanding octave playing before a Strauss approved of Grainger’s brilliant treatment contrasting slower passage with beautiful of his duet. Grainger began his transcription in arpeggios. The energico direction in the 1920 and completed it in 1922. movement marking is especially evident. The second movement Andante con espressione is of a gentler nature but not lacking in deep expressiveness and growing passion. The third movement Scherzo reveals the happier side of Brahms, but the following Trio section returns us to the Brahms we expect. The final movement 5 begins in a sustained manner but does not truth is that Liszt also used tunes from Hungarian conclude before numerous elaborations on composers such as Komel Ábrányi. Central to its theme and dramatic effects such as widely the scheme of the Rhapsodies is the concept of extended trills. It is a combination of both the the Verbunkos, a Hungarian dance form used to solemn and the ecstatic. In this impressive sonata, recruit military troops. It would later be used by there seems to be nowhere that Brahms does not Bartók in his famous Contrasts for Clarinet, Violin, take us. and Piano. The Rhapsodies caught the contempt of FRANZ LISZT Schumann and Chopin. Later on, Charles Rosen Born October 22, 1811, in Raiding, Austria would speak of them as “the least respectable Died July 31, 1886, in Bayreuth, Germany side of Liszt.” This writer suggests that we Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 in C-sharp Minor abandon such controversial discussions and Liszt’s two visits to Hungary in 1839 and 1840 enjoy the Rhapsody No. 12 for what it is: an inspired his 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies composed unapologetic ten minutes of glorious and serious in two periods of his life, 1846 to 1853 and 1882 virtuosic display from its dramatic opening to its to 1885. In addition to five others, the No. 12 thrilling conclusion. Within those moments, the Rhapsody was arranged for orchestra by Franz pianist is invited to exercise pianistic expressions Doppler with revisions by Liszt who also scored that dazzle the listener. Be dazzled! them for piano duet. Although he claimed ©2018 Lucy Miller Murray inspiration from the Hungarian Gypsy bands, the 6 PROFILE Yekwon Sunwoo (piano), is the Gold Medalist Madrid, Helsingborg, and across Germany. His of the Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano appearances in Asia include those in Beirut, Competition. 28-year-old Sunwoo has been hailed Taiwan, Hong Kong, and across South Korea.