Graduation Recital by Violinist Rebecca Anderson
A graduation recital by violinist Rebecca Anderson. Rebecca is a native of Portland, Oregon, and studied at Curtis with Ida Kavafian.
Her program, accompanied by Curtis staff pianist Amy J. Yang:
Schumann: Sonata No. 1 in A minor, Op. 105
Schumann got around to the violin sonata form rather late with this 1851 work, completed over the space of five days. He is said to have been displeased with the way it turned out. Nonetheless, Schumann entrusted the premiere to his pianist wife Clara in March of 1852, with Ferdinand David playing violin.
Eugène Ysaÿe: Sonata in E minor, Op. 27, No. 4
Speaking of alacrity, Ysaÿe composed six sonatas for solo violin in one month—September of 1924. Each sonata is dedicated to one of the composer's contemporaries, in this case, Fritz Kreisler. Ysaÿe revered Johann Sebastian Bach, particularly the sonatas and partitas for violin, and these suites are constructed with the same dance movements that Bach utilized in his versions.
Sibelius: Five Pieces, Op. 81
After a break for the Ysaÿe solo sonata, Amy Yang goes back to work with Rebecca here. Sibelius worked on these charming miniatures from 1915 to 1918. The five movements are marked: Mazurka, Rondino, Valse, Aubade and Menuetto.
Messiaen: Fantaisie
This early work by Messiaen, dating from 1933, is one of only two chamber pieces he wrote featuring the violin. Its dedication is to "Mi," Messaien's nickname for his wife, the violinist Claire Delbos. Already, we can notice the seeds of the religious mysticism which would mark Messiaen's music throughout his career. Interestingly, the Fantaisie was published only recently, in 2007.
Musical Word of the Week: Aubade
(One of the Five Pieces by Sibelius is marked "aubade.")
A piece sung or played outdoors at dawn, usually as a compliment to someone.
(from dictionary.com)
