RECITALS, LECTURES, LECTURE RECITALS
CHOPIN IN MALLORCA
Frederick Chopin, accompanied by his lover, the Baroness de Dudevant - better known as George Sand and her children Maurice and Solange spent the winter of 1838 / 1839 in Mallorca. Their stay was one of the most fertile, creative and fascinating periods in the life of Chopin.
The programme can be presented as a recital, with programme notes, as a lecture or as a lecture/ recital. A lecture and a lecture/recital can be accompanied by a projection of Maurice Sand's watercolours and drawings and other images of Mallorca at that time, affording the audience a visual testimony of Chopin's stay.
In a lecture/recital, interspersed between the works on the programme are comments about the composer and the works to be played, interpretative and personal comments, excerpts from letters by Chopin and Sand, etc. The length and contents of the lecture and comments (45’ - 70' minutes) are adjusted to the nature of the audience and presented in English, Spanish or Hebrew by the artist, or by a presenter if another language is required.
The suggested programme consists of works composed in Mallorca:
THREE PRELUDES
SONATA IN B FLAT MINOR, Op.35
Grave. Doppio movimento
Scherzo
Marche Funebre - Lento
Finale - Presto
- - - Interval - - -
TROIS NOUVELLES ETUDES Opus Posth.
BALLADE IN F MAJOR, Op.38
MAZURKA IN E MINOR ("PALMA") Op.41 No.2
SCHERZO No.3 IN C SHARP MINOR, Op.39
ROOTS: FOLK MOTIVES AND RHYTHMS
Chopin's interest in folk music stems from his early childhood, when his father would take him to the countryside to collect folk melodies and rhythms, later trying them out on his piano at home.
Chopin left us a wealth of works reflecting the folk culture of his native Poland in the form of Mazurkas, Polonaises, a Krakowiak and songs. Other works, not withstanding their traditional title, also reflect strong influences of folk themes and rhythms.
As Chopin's father was from Lorraine in France and Chopin, in addition to his travels in Europe spent most of his adult life in France, it is not surprising that this interest was extended to other cultures and manifested in his admiration and use of the Bel Canto tradition and in his Barcarolle, Tarantelle, Berceuse, Bolero, Escossaises, Rondo and Waltzes.
Arguably, his greatest contribution is the introduction of the Ballade into the realm of abstract instrumental Classical Music. An art form with its roots in Sufi mysticism and Arab poetry, the culture of Langue d'oc and its troubadours.
PROGRAMME
THE FOUR BALLADES No.1 in G minor. Op.23
No.2 in F major, Op.38 ("Mallorca")
No.3 in A flat major, Op.47
No.4 in F minor. Op. 52
- - - Interval - - -
SCHERZO in B minor, Op.20
TROIS ECOSSAISES, Op. post. 72 Nos.3,4 &5.
BERCEUSE in D flat Major, Op.57
GRAND WALTZ in A flat major, Op.42
MAZURKA in B minor, Op.33 No.4
POLONAISE in A flat major, Op.53 ("Heroic")
- - - - - -
The above programme can be presented as a traditional piano recital with additional programme notes, or as lecture / recital.
MOTIVOS Y RITMOS FOLKLORICOS EN LA MUSICA DE CHOPIN
El interés de Chopin por la música folklorica comienza durante su niñez, cuando su padre lo llevaba al campo y gustaban de recoger melodías y ritmos folklóricos para después regresar a casa, experimentar con éstas e interpretarlas al piano .
Chopìn nos dejó una gran riqueza de obras cuyas raices están en la cultura folklórica popular de su Polonia natal, como las Mazurkas Polonesas, Krakowiak y canciones.
Con la admiración que sentía Chopin por la tradición del Bel Canto Italiano y teniendo en cuenta que pasó gran parte de su vida adulta en Paris (su padre era de Lorraine, en Francia) o, viajando por europa, no resulta sorprendente que su interés en la musica folklórica se extendiése a otras culturas y encuentre expresión en su Berceuse, Barcarolla, Ecossaises, Bolero, Tarantela y Valses.
Sin duda, su mayor contribución se encuentra en introducir la BALADA (con sus raíces en el misticísmo y la poesía Sufi y Arabe, en la cultura de Langue d'Oc, sus trobadores, etc.) como una obra instrumental abstracta, en la música clásica.
PROGRAMA
LAS QUATRO BALADAS
No.1 en Sol menor, Opus 23
No.2 en Fa major, Opus 38 ("Mallorca")
No.3 en La bemol mayor, Opus 47
No.4 en Fa menor, Opus 52
- - - Intermedio - - -
SCHERZO en Si menor, Opus 20
BERCEUSE en Re bemol mayor, Opus 57
GRAND VALS en La bemol mayor, Opus 42
TROIS ECOSSAISE Opus Post.
MAZURKA en Si menor, Opus 33 No.4
POLONESA en La bemol mayor, Opus 53 ("Heroica")
ASTOR PIAZZOLLA: A CLASSICAL COMPOSER
Using mostly the works included in the CD”Urban Nostalgia”, various options are open:
1. A traditional piano recital or lecture/recital, dedicated totally or partially to works by Piazzolla.
2. A lecture in which various interpretations of the same work are presented.
3. A cronological ‘voyage’ through Piazzolla’s work and development as a composer.
4. Discussion or lecture / recital combining music by Chopin and Piazzolla to illustrate their roots in Folk Music.