Welcome to a relaxed concert in the foyer with some of our fantastic festival artists. The program includes two beloved works by Robert Schumann: Fantasiestücke for clarinet and piano and the great Piano Quartet in E flat major!
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Fantasiestücke op. 73 are three short pieces originally written for clarinet and piano, but often performed on violin or cello. Schumann was a master of abrupt changes in music and these pieces are no exception. They are entitled 'Zart und mit Ausdruck' (tender and expressive), 'Lebhaft, leicht' (lively, light) and 'Rasch und mit Feuer' (fast and with fire).
In the first piece, the clarinet sings a beautiful melody over the piano accompaniment, often inviting a dialog between the two instruments. The second piece is exuberant and playful, showing Schumann's humor and imagination. The clarinet and piano exchange fast and light phrases, sometimes broken by more lyrical passages. The third piece is a passionate and virtuosic rondo, full of temperament and power. It is as if the clarinet and piano are competing to impress each other with their fast runs, big jumps and rhythmic figures.
The Piano Quartet in E flat major op. 47 is one of Schumann's most famous and beloved chamber music works. It was written during his 'chamber music year' of 1842, when he also wrote three string quartets, a piano quintet and a fantasy for violin and piano. In addition to the piano works, Schumann had previously composed mainly for piano and voice, but was inspired by his wife Clara, an accomplished pianist and composer, to explore other musical forms.
The piano quartet consists of four movements: Allegro ma non troppo, Scherzo: Molto vivace, Andante cantabile and Finale: Vivace. The first movement is strikingly lyrical, with an ever-present restless energy. The second movement is clearly inspired by the scherzo in Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream. It is elusive music that rarely reaches above the dynamic range of the piano.
The third movement has been criticized for possibly being too beautiful, if that is possible. The cello and violin have prominent roles in conveying the vocal lines in a movement that begins beautifully and becomes even more beautiful along the way. The fourth and final movement is a brilliant and virtuosic finale based on the interweaving of the different voices in several grandiose fugues, ending the work in complete triumph!
Fantasiestücke op. 73
Piano Quartet in E flat major op. 47
The concert features works by four composers who have explored travel and encounters with other cultures in different ways, one of which is the fifth and final commissioned work of the festival.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
We begin with a bittersweet Romance for violin and piano by Amy Beach, considered the first successful American female composer. The romance was written for her husband as a wedding gift, a wedding that in many ways marked the end of Beach's career as a pianist but also the beginning of her composing career.
Franz Liszt's Petrarch sonnets were originally written as songs with text by the Italian Renaissance poet Francesco Petrarch but later Liszt rewrote them in versions for solo piano as part of his second collection of pieces called Pilgrim's Years and it is this version that we encounter here. The sonnets are examples of Liszt's late style, characterized by rich harmony and enormous spiritual depth.
The work Ode to Napoleon is a celebration of Arnold Schoenberg, who would have turned 150 in 2024. Considered one of the most influential and innovative composers, this work was written in 1942 in the United States, where Schoenberg was forced to flee during World War II. Schönberg based the work on a poem by Lord Byron, who criticized Napoleon for his lust for power and cruelty, and the work can be seen as a protest against tyranny and dictatorship. The setting with reciter, pianist and string quartet is typically Schoenbergian and the work blends elements of both tonal and atonal music in a celebration of the ideals of freedom.
After the break, we return to the present with a work by Norwegian composer and professor Lasse Thoresen. Commissioned for the Songs of Travel project, Every Minute opens a door is a musical reflection on the challenges and opportunities of migration.
"The starting point for my piece will be Vladimir Levchev's poem The Refugee, which ends with the compelling words: we may have traveled to eternity." - Lasse Thoresen
The concert ends with Amy Beach, whose music we also met at the beginning. The piano quintet is perhaps her most successful work and has become a favorite among many concertgoers and musicians alike. The quintet was written after a trip to Europe where she studied French and German music and here you can sense influences from both Brahms and French impressionism, while Amy Beach's own strong musical identity constantly shines through!
Amy Beach - Romans for violin and piano
Franz Liszt - from 3 Sonetti del Petrarca
Arnold Schoenberg - Ode to Napoleon
-PAUS
Lasse Thoresen - Every Minute Opens a Door
Amy Beach - Piano Quintet in F sharp minor
Adagio - Allegro moderato
Adagio espressivo
Allegro agitato - Adagio come prima - Presto
The program consists of four beloved works divided between different ensembles. The result is a collaboration between our music students and festival musicians where everyone gets the chance to contribute to the big picture.
PROGRAM:
Franz Schubert - Overture in C minor
Giovanna Sevi, Svetlana Riger, Asbjørn Nørgaard, Caroline Hansen, Douwe Eisses
Amanda Maier-Röntgen - Piano Quartet in E minor
1. Allegro
Finghin Collins, Dora Lapuste, Klara Kotarsky, Annika Valkeajoki
2. Andante
Gustav Schantz, Janina Olszewska, Alvin Sunding, Jakob Koranyi
3. Presto con fuoco
Daria van den Bercken, Guilherme Perez, Meeri Mäenpää, Herman Pellbäck
4th Finale: Largo espressivo - Allegro vivace
Julija Sadaunykaite, Adriana Černiukaitė, Asbjørn Nørgaard, Clara Simpson
-PAUS
Claude Debussy - ur 6 Epigraphes Antique
1. to invoke Pan, god of the summer wind
3. in order that the night be propitious
6. to thank the morning rain
Astri Aareskjold, Peter Friis Johansson
Felix Mendelssohn - Piano Trio No 1 in D minor
1. Molto Allegro agitato
Gustav Schantz, Luise Kallmeyer, Jakob Koranyi
2. Andante con moto tranquillo
Gustav Schantz, Guro Kleven Hagen, Eric Drougge
3rd Scherzo: Leggiero e vivace
Herman Pellbäck, Guro Kleven Hagen, Eric Drougge
4th Finale: Allegro assai appassionato
Herman Pellbäck, Guro Kleven Hagen, Filip Graden
Welcome to a relaxed concert in the foyer with some of our fantastic festival artists. The program includes two beloved works by Robert Schumann: Fantasiestücke for clarinet and piano and the great Piano Quartet in E flat major!
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Fantasiestücke op. 73 are three short pieces originally written for clarinet and piano, but often performed on violin or cello. Schumann was a master of abrupt changes in music and these pieces are no exception. They are entitled 'Zart und mit Ausdruck' (tender and expressive), 'Lebhaft, leicht' (lively, light) and 'Rasch und mit Feuer' (fast and with fire).
In the first piece, the clarinet sings a beautiful melody over the piano accompaniment, often inviting a dialog between the two instruments. The second piece is exuberant and playful, showing Schumann's humor and imagination. The clarinet and piano exchange fast and light phrases, sometimes broken by more lyrical passages. The third piece is a passionate and virtuosic rondo, full of temperament and power. It is as if the clarinet and piano are competing to impress each other with their fast runs, big jumps and rhythmic figures.
The Piano Quartet in E flat major op. 47 is one of Schumann's most famous and beloved chamber music works. It was written during his 'chamber music year' of 1842, when he also wrote three string quartets, a piano quintet and a fantasy for violin and piano. In addition to the piano works, Schumann had previously composed mainly for piano and voice, but was inspired by his wife Clara, an accomplished pianist and composer, to explore other musical forms.
The piano quartet consists of four movements: Allegro ma non troppo, Scherzo: Molto vivace, Andante cantabile and Finale: Vivace. The first movement is strikingly lyrical, with an ever-present restless energy. The second movement is clearly inspired by the scherzo in Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream. It is elusive music that rarely reaches above the dynamic range of the piano.
The third movement has been criticized for possibly being too beautiful, if that is possible. The cello and violin have prominent roles in conveying the vocal lines in a movement that begins beautifully and becomes even more beautiful along the way. The fourth and final movement is a brilliant and virtuosic finale based on the interweaving of the different voices in several grandiose fugues, ending the work in complete triumph!
Fantasiestücke op. 73
Piano Quartet in E flat major op. 47
The concert features works by four composers who have explored travel and encounters with other cultures in different ways, one of which is the fifth and final commissioned work of the festival.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
We begin with a bittersweet Romance for violin and piano by Amy Beach, considered the first successful American female composer. The romance was written for her husband as a wedding gift, a wedding that in many ways marked the end of Beach's career as a pianist but also the beginning of her composing career.
Franz Liszt's Petrarch sonnets were originally written as songs with text by the Italian Renaissance poet Francesco Petrarch but later Liszt rewrote them in versions for solo piano as part of his second collection of pieces called Pilgrim's Years and it is this version that we encounter here. The sonnets are examples of Liszt's late style, characterized by rich harmony and enormous spiritual depth.
The work Ode to Napoleon is a celebration of Arnold Schoenberg, who would have turned 150 in 2024. Considered one of the most influential and innovative composers, this work was written in 1942 in the United States, where Schoenberg was forced to flee during World War II. Schönberg based the work on a poem by Lord Byron, who criticized Napoleon for his lust for power and cruelty, and the work can be seen as a protest against tyranny and dictatorship. The setting with reciter, pianist and string quartet is typically Schoenbergian and the work blends elements of both tonal and atonal music in a celebration of the ideals of freedom.
After the break, we return to the present with a work by Norwegian composer and professor Lasse Thoresen. Commissioned for the Songs of Travel project, Every Minute opens a door is a musical reflection on the challenges and opportunities of migration.
"The starting point for my piece will be Vladimir Levchev's poem The Refugee, which ends with the compelling words: we may have traveled to eternity." - Lasse Thoresen
The concert ends with Amy Beach, whose music we also met at the beginning. The piano quintet is perhaps her most successful work and has become a favorite among many concertgoers and musicians alike. The quintet was written after a trip to Europe where she studied French and German music and here you can sense influences from both Brahms and French impressionism, while Amy Beach's own strong musical identity constantly shines through!
Amy Beach - Romans for violin and piano
Franz Liszt - from 3 Sonetti del Petrarca
Arnold Schoenberg - Ode to Napoleon
-PAUS
Lasse Thoresen - Every Minute Opens a Door
Amy Beach - Piano Quintet in F sharp minor
Adagio - Allegro moderato
Adagio espressivo
Allegro agitato - Adagio come prima - Presto
The program consists of four beloved works divided between different ensembles. The result is a collaboration between our music students and festival musicians where everyone gets the chance to contribute to the big picture.
PROGRAM:
Franz Schubert - Overture in C minor
Giovanna Sevi, Svetlana Riger, Asbjørn Nørgaard, Caroline Hansen, Douwe Eisses
Amanda Maier-Röntgen - Piano Quartet in E minor
1. Allegro
Finghin Collins, Dora Lapuste, Klara Kotarsky, Annika Valkeajoki
2. Andante
Gustav Schantz, Janina Olszewska, Alvin Sunding, Jakob Koranyi
3. Presto con fuoco
Daria van den Bercken, Guilherme Perez, Meeri Mäenpää, Herman Pellbäck
4th Finale: Largo espressivo - Allegro vivace
Julija Sadaunykaite, Adriana Černiukaitė, Asbjørn Nørgaard, Clara Simpson
-PAUS
Claude Debussy - ur 6 Epigraphes Antique
1. to invoke Pan, god of the summer wind
3. in order that the night be propitious
6. to thank the morning rain
Astri Aareskjold, Peter Friis Johansson
Felix Mendelssohn - Piano Trio No 1 in D minor
1. Molto Allegro agitato
Gustav Schantz, Luise Kallmeyer, Jakob Koranyi
2. Andante con moto tranquillo
Gustav Schantz, Guro Kleven Hagen, Eric Drougge
3rd Scherzo: Leggiero e vivace
Herman Pellbäck, Guro Kleven Hagen, Eric Drougge
4th Finale: Allegro assai appassionato
Herman Pellbäck, Guro Kleven Hagen, Filip Graden
