The individual pieces of Kreisleriana are strongly unified in tonality, and
alternate between agitated (most frequently G minor) and lyrical (almost always
Bb major), based on Schumann’s frequent habit to use identical keys to denote
similarity in mood.
Franz Liszt
Rigoletto Concert Paraphrase
Fantasies on popular themes of operas constituted perhaps the most successful
vehicles for the virtuoso-composer in the nineteenth century. Paganini was
writing them for the violin, while Liszt composed more than seventy piano
pieces based on operatic material. Liszt himself called them Paraphrases or
Transcriptions. While a transcription is a faithful re-creation of the original, a
paraphrase allows much more freedom to the composer’s fantasy. Liszt’s
paraphrases are not conventional variational works, but rather represent an
adaptation of the basic thematic material in a thoroughly pianistic context.
The Rigoletto Paraphrase, the fifth of Liszt’s nine Verdi pieces, was composed
in 1859. It is based entirely on the famous Quartet in Act IV, “Bella figlia dell
amore.”
Coming Events
Mika Harada and Bo-Hye Kang,
pianists
Monday, December 10, 5:30 pm
Recital Hall
* Symphony Orchestra
Monday, December 10, 7:30 pm
Aycock Auditorium
Community Music School Recital
Saturday, December 15, 1:30 pm
Recital Hall
*Fee charged. Please contact the
University Box Office at (336) 334-4849
or visit our campus locations at either
Aycock Auditorium or the School of
Music. The box office will be open one
hour before each event. Ticket prices
are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $3
for students.
Elizabeth Loparits
piano
Graduate Recital
Sunday, December 9, 2001
7:30 pm
Recital Hall, School of Music
Program
Partita No.4 in D Major, BWV 828 Johann Sebastian Bach
Overture (1685-1750)
Allemande
Courante
Aria
Sarabande
Menuet
Gigue
Kreisleriana: Fantasien, Op. 16 Robert Schumann
Äußerst bewegt (1810-1856)
Sehr innig und nicht zu rasch
Sehr aufgeregt
Sehr langsam
Sehr lebhaft
Sehr langsam
Sehr rasch
Schnell und spielend
Rigoletto Concert Paraphrase Franz Liszt
after the opera of Verdi (1811-1886)
In partial fulfillment of the degree requirements for the
Doctor of Musical Arts
* * * * * * * * * *
The hall is equipped with a listening assistance system.
Patrons needing such assistance should please see one of the ushers in the lobby.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Partita No.4 in D Major, BWV 828
In 1726, while serving as Cantor and Director of Music at St. Thomas Church in
Leipzig, Bach started engraving and printing his Partitas at his own cost as parts
of his “Clavierübung consisting of Preludes, Allemandes, Courantes,
Sarabandes, Gigues, Minuets, and other Galantries Composed for the
Pleasurable Diversion of Music Lovers, to Refresh their Spirits.” In 1731, when
the series was completed, Bach reissued the collected set as his Opus 1. This
nomenclature is surprising, because at this time the forty-six-year old Bach was
already a composer of many wonderful works such as the passions, the Well-tempered
Clavier Part I, the Brandenburg Concertos, cantatas, chamber music,
and solo instrumental music.
Although Bach’s six Partitas contain movements derived from dance, there is
no suggestion that this music was ever actually danced to. Each Partita is a set
of highly stylized dance movements. Stylistically the Partitas are deeply
indebted to the French manner of Couperin and Lully.
Robert Schumann
Kreisleriana: Fantasien, Op. 16
The eight fantasies that Schumann united under the title Kreisleriana were
composed in the spring of 1838. Although Schumann noted on the third of May:
“I finished the Kreisleriana in four days,” his diary reflects subsequent additions
to the set. “I will call it Kreisleriana,” he writes to Clara Wieck, “in which you
and one of your ideas play the main role, and I will dedicate to you … then as
you recognize yourself, you will smile fondly.” In seven of the eight movements
appears a theme of Clara’s (five descending steps). Despite his promise, when
published later the same year, Schumann dedicated the piece to Frédéric Chopin.
A second, slightly revised edition was issued 12 years later.
The title of this work comes from a story by E.T.A. Hoffmann (1776-1822), the
German novelist and composer. The main character of his fictional musical tale,
called Kreisleriana (1814), is Kapellmeister Kreisler, an arrogant and passionate
musician, who also represents the thoughtful, detached character of a
philosopher. These two aspects of his personality constitute the nature of the two
figures, Florestan and Eusebius, dreamt up by Schumann.
Although the title originated in Hoffmann’s story, the true inspiration for
Kreisleriana was Clara. During the unhappy months when Friedrich Wieck’s
objections kept his daughter and Robert Schumann apart, music was the chief
means of communications between them. Schumann created a series of piano
“portraits” not only of Kreisler but also himself and his beloved Clara: “Play my
Kreisleriana occasionally,” he writes to her. “In some passages there is to be
found an utterly wild love, and your life and mine, and many of your looks”.
Elizabeth Loparits
piano
Graduate Recital
Sunday, December 9, 2001
7:30 pm
Recital Hall, School of Music
Program
Partita No.4 in D Major, BWV 828 Johann Sebastian Bach
Overture (1685-1750)
Allemande
Courante
Aria
Sarabande
Menuet
Gigue
Kreisleriana: Fantasien, Op. 16 Robert Schumann
Äußerst bewegt (1810-1856)
Sehr innig und nicht zu rasch
Sehr aufgeregt
Sehr langsam
Sehr lebhaft
Sehr langsam
Sehr rasch
Schnell und spielend
Rigoletto Concert Paraphrase Franz Liszt
after the opera of Verdi (1811-1886)
In partial fulfillment of the degree requirements for the
Doctor of Musical Arts
* * * * * * * * * *
The hall is equipped with a listening assistance system.
Patrons needing such assistance should please see one of the ushers in the lobby.
