THE BELFAST MUSIC SOCIETY CH ELEBRITY CONCERTS 1990-91 11.5-9.1 AT THE ELMWOOD HALL

Varia r piano work ARTUR PIZARRO (piano) written in 1793 prents, Haydn Beethoven Variations in F Minor Sonata in D op. 28 Pour Le Piano Sonata no. 6 op. 82 ******** CITY that the independent existence, present fora, as well as its was probably an Saturday 11 May, 1991 likely that it was originally inc at 7.30 pmst eaent of a Elmwood Hall Debussy Prokofiev 38 LF OU ST UN 11 15. Beethoven The BMS is very grateful to the Belfast City Council for its generous sponsorship of this concert.

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Variations in F Minor 1 One of Haydn's major piano works, this set of variations was among his last compositions for the instrument. It was written in 1793 and is, like many of his variation movements, a set of double variations - i.e. there are two themes, one in the minor and one in the major, which are varied alternately. After each theme is presented, there are two pairs of variations, followed by a reprise of the minor theme and a lengthy coda. Joseph Haydn 1732-1809 The manuscript and sketches reveal that the work caused Haydn some problems and that the movement's present form, as well as its independent existence, was probably an afterthought. It seems likely that it th was originally intended as the first movement of a sonata. Sonata in D, opus 28 (Pastoral) Allegro Andante Ludwig van Beethoven 1770-1827 Scherzo (Allegro vivace) Rondo (Allegro ma non troppo) The nickname of this sonata isn't Beethoven's, though it appeared in his lifetime, no doubt inspired by the rustic nature of the sonata, especially the outer movements with their use of drone bass. Much of the sonata is imbued with the nature of the dance too; it thus provides a great contrast with the immediately preceding sonata, the Moonlight. The Pastoral was apparently one of Beethoven's favourites among his own works, and he frequently performed it. It was written in 1801 and was the last of four sonatas he composed that year. The main theme of the first movement,

presented over a repeating bass D, is a marvellously fluid melody. The generously proportioned second theme seems to climb slowly on to a gently undulating plateau. The D minor slow movement begins with a simple melancholy song over a dancing staccato bass line. The mood of the dance soon spreads to the melody too, as the major key breaks in. When the aria returns, it is embellished with running lines of a rustic pipe-tune character. The coda presents a minor key version of the central dance section. The scherzo is small in stature and light-hearted, after which there is a return to the rustic dance atmosphere in the jogging hunting-like theme of the sonata-rondo finale.. The non troppo marking shows that this is more a gentle celebration, rather than a wild 'knees-up', and only in the final coda does the music rouse itself for a presto conclusion. Pour le piano 2 Prélude Sarabande Toccata (lamodent) 8C Claude Debussy 1862-1918 In 1894, the young Debussy wrote a set of three Images for piano. Although they were never published in the composer's lifetime, he later made use of two or them, the finale being transformed into the familiar Jardins sous la pluie, while the Sarabande, revised, became the middle section of Pour le piano, where it bears the dedication, as it had in its earlier guise, to Yvonne Lerolle. She was a young girl whom Debussy seems to have worshipped and who seems to have been the image behind his Mélisande (he was working on the opera at this time). The outer movements of the suite. are dedicated to two of his pupils. Musically, Pour le piano reveals the chromatic tonality of Debussy's earliest compositions being gradually obscured by modal and whole-tone elements. The Sarabande's block )

3 chords have a primitive quality perhaps inspired by Satie's music; in contrast, the brilliant toccata ends unusually emphatically for the composer, with seven loud tonic chords. Sonata no. 6 in A, opus 82 Allegro moderato Allegretto Tempo di valzer lentissimo Vivace Sergei Prokofiev 1891-1953 Prokofiev was a considerable pianist, and this is reflected in his large and important output of works for the instrument, notably the five concertos and the nine completed sonatas (the .composer was only able to complete a few pages of a projected tenth). The sixth sonata was one of three Prokofiev was working at simultaneously, along with a number of other works, during the darkest days of the second world war. The first of the trilogy to be completed, and the longest of all his sonatas, the sixth was premièred by its composer in April, 1940, and immediately raised not a few hackles among listeners and critics for its 'excessively brutal' language. This applies the ni particularly to the first movement, which seems to hark back to his musical style of the 1920's, with its percussive writing, clashes between major and minor chords, and a pervasive tritone interval (A-D sharp) in the bass. The opening phrase dominates the movement and casts its shadow over the whole sonata. The inner movements are much less 'difficult' (for the listener, that is, not for the pianist!); a quick march with a slower central section, and a slow waltz whose melody sinuously weaves through the parts. There are even a few subtle references to the opening movement's three note motto to remind us that the spectre of this theme has not been exorcised and will1

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The BMS has been presenting concerts of first-rate chamber music, including materpieces which are landmarks in European culture, for 70 years. Some of the world-famous artists who have played and sung for us have included the Amadeus Quartet, Elly Ameling, Claudio Arrau, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Janet Baker, Pierre Bernac and Francis Poulenc, Alfred Brendel, Barry Douglas, Kathleen Ferrier, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, John Lill, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Gerard Souzay and Rosalyn Tureck. Copies of BMS brochures available from the Secretary, Margaret Hunter, 36 Sharman Road, Belfast, BT9 5FX, tel. 661708. CITY HOSPITAL ELMWOOD HALL LISBURN ROAD CAMDEN ST ELMWOOD AVENUE COLLEGE GARDENS METHODIST COLLEGE WELLESLEY AVENUE UNIVERS LOWER CR DOOTE MOUNT CHARLES UNIVERSIT DONEGALL PASS UNIVERSITY SQUARE F QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BOTANIC GARDENS JUGOS