ATCL
Pianoforte Recital
By
Hong Tuck Kong
20th June 2016
9.40 am
One World Hotel
Programme
Franz Joseph Haydn Sonata in B minor, [Link]/32
(1732 1809)
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Tempo di Menuet
III. Presto
9 minutes
Domenico Scarlatti Sonatas in G, K.259 and K.260
(1685 1757)
6 minutes
Claude Achille Debussy La plus que lente
(1862 1918)
5 minutes
Franz Peter Schubert Impromptu in Eb, Op.90 No.2
(1797 1828)
5 minutes
Peter Sculthorpe Night Pieces
(1929 2014)
I. Snow, Moon and Flowers
II. Night
III. Stars
7 minutes
Sonata in B minor, [Link]/32 Franz Joseph Haydn
(1732 1809)
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Tempo di Menuet
III. Presto
This sonata was composed between 1774 and 1776, during the
Storm and Stress stylistic period in Germany.
The first movement is in a sonata form and portrays a
mischievous character, depicted by a disjunct melody and a
fragmented bass-line in the opening. A build-up of tension
appears in the development section with greater rhythmic
activity focused on dotted rhythms before the recapitulation.
In contrast, the minuet has a graceful and modest quality
before the low, grovelling figure appears in the trio. The third
movement exudes a sense of urgency until rapid octaves end
the finale of this sonata with panache.
Haydns sonatas and these generally represent his growth as a
composer.
Sonatas in G, K.259 and K.260 Domenico Scarlatti
(1685 1757)
Scarlatti is primarily remembered for his prolific output of
over 600 keyboard sonatas that he composed in Spain between
1719 and 1757.
These two sonatas are in a two-part form. The first sonata,
K.259 begins with a lyrical melody in the upper part and
features syncopated rhythms throughout. It consists of three
voices that share and imitate the melodic material playfully.
The following sonata is contrasting with joyful and energetic
rising arpeggios and scales. According to Ralph Kirkpatrick,
this sonata has also captured the strumming of Spanish guitars
in the left-hand accompaniment. There are sudden changes
from major to minor, and diminished chords are cleverly used
to build tension.
La plus que lente Claude Achille Debussy
(1862 1918)
Debussy composed this work in 1910, which emulated the
valse lente genre that was prominent in Frances social scene
at that time.
The title may be translated as The even slower waltz. Gerald
Larner states that La plus que lente consists of a hesistantly
syncopated main theme in G flat major, with harmonic
suspensions and an appassionato exclamation in right- hand
octaves.
Overall, a languid atmosphere is created as denoted by a
seemingly prolonged ending, marked Molto rubato con
morbidezza which means very freely with tenderness.
Impromptu in Eb, Op.90 No.2 Franz Peter Schubert
(1797 1828)
In 1827, Schubert wrote eight Impromptus for solo piano in
Vienna.
This impromptu begins with a cascading scalic passage in the
right hand while being accompanied by a syncopated left hand
figure. The middle section is in B minor and depicts a sense of
impatience as accents and fortissimo markings predominate.
This implies Schuberts lesser-known character, as remarked
by Eduard von Bauernfeld, in Schubert there slumbered a
dual nature. An oscillating figure marks the end of the middle
section and the initial idea returns. The piece ends with an
abrupt coda, and interestingly, in the parallel minor.
Night Pieces Peter Sculthorpe
(1929 2014)
I. Snow, Moon and Flowers
II. Night
III. Stars
Sculthorpe wrote this set of pieces for the Festival of Perth in
1971, where it was first performed. Snow, Moon and
Flowers was dedicated to Michael Hannan, Night to Anne
Boyd and Stars to Peter Kenny.
As explained by Peter Sculthorpe, the opening bracket of
pieces is based on a Japanese concept known as setsugekka.
This concept is concerned with metamorphosis: moonlight, for
instance, may make snow of flowers, and flowers of snow;
and the moon itself may be viewed as an enormous snowflake
or a giant white flower.
The thin texture and pianissimo markings in Snow portray a
feeling of loneliness, while Moon covers a wider register
implying the moon at a distance. The mood in Flowers is
sweet and delicate, before darkness looms into Night where
dissonant chords and moments of silence are used. Finally,
Stars illustrate the shimmering night sky as indicated by a
variety of accentuations that are scattered throughout.
