Belfast Music Society Celebrity Concerts

BEETHOVEN PROKOFIEV CHOPIN SCHUMANN JOHN LILL piano Sonata in Eb Op 27 no 1 Sonata no 6 Interval Supported by the OXO ARTS COUNCIL Nocturne in E minor op 48 no I Polonaise in F sharp minor op 44 Carnaval Saturday 7 May 1994 Elmwood Hall, 7.30 pm

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Sonata in E Flat, op 27 no 1 Andante - allegro - andante Allegro molto e vivace Adagio con espressione Allegro vivace Ludwig van Beethoven 1770-1827 The two sonatas of opus 27, published in Vienna in 1802, were each subtitled by the composer "quasi una fantasia", reflecting that both works are freer in form than was customary. This particularly applies to their first movements, which would normally have been in sonata form (that of the later sonata is the famous Moonlight movement); in addition, the remaining three movements follow each other without a break. The first movement of the E flat sonata begins rather as a gentle divertimento, the eminent musicologist Tovey was rather scathing of its "ostentatiously silly graces", but accurately detected a "hidden power" of "bright gleams and dark shadows". The rather naïve first theme is suddenly interrupted by a brutal allegro with percussive chords in the bass. The opening music returns, after which a few chords lead us into the scherzo, with its strangely lumpy trio section. The short lyrical slow movement is the heart of the sonata; a brief cadenza-like passage ushers in the rondo finale that again makes full, but effective, use of what is basically very simple material. Towards the end, the course of the music is interrupted unexpectedly by a reappearance of the theme of the slow movement, before sanity is restored and the sonata ends with a presto coda. 2208

Sonata no 6 in A, op 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 hackles among listeners and critics for its "excessively brutal" language. This applies particularly to the first movement, which seems to hark back to his musical style of the 1920s 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. orst 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 will return to haunt the closing pages of the sonata. Before that, the finale has begun as a typically Prokofiev toccata, with quirky, but melodic themes. At first the motto theme merely interrupts the progress of the toccata, which restarts, though the atmosphere is noticeably cooler. The motif's influence becomes more dominant and the sonata ends in the same mood of disquiet as it had begun. Prokofiev later remarked to a friend that his sonata would "frighten the grandmothers...!"

Nocturne in C minor, op 48/1 Polonaise in F sharp minor, op 44 Fryderyk Chopin 1810-49 The nocturne was "invented" by John Field, but it was Chopin who made the form particularly his own. The two nocturnes of op 48 were published in Paris in 1841. This C minor nocturne shows clearly how Chopin elevated the form a hesitant, unsettled first section, a chordal C major central section that begins quietly and becomes increasingly more dramatic, and then a return of the opening theme, now transformed into an agitated and stormy section that only subsides at the very end. Chopin's 16 polonaises, like his nocturnes, show a wide variety in mood and size, but all make use of the familiar polonaise rhythm and all are cast in three-part form, with a contrasting central section. In op 44 this is in the style of a mazurka. Carnaval (Scènes mignonnes sur quatre notes), op 9 Robert Schumann 1810-56 Carnaval, which Schumann wrote in 1834, is in every way a perfect example of Romantic thought. It is cast in the popular form of a set of short piano pieces, each with a title, some referring to a favourite composer, others more fanciful, and some referring to the Davidsbund, Schumann's imaginary society (another Romantic conception here) which he saw as upholding all that was progressive and alive in music, as opposed to the musical Philistines Among the "members" of the Davidsbund were Eusebius and Florestan - Schumann's own pseudonyms in his writings, reflecting different aspects of his personality, poetic and passionate respectively. The other particularly Romantic aspect of Carnaval is Schumann's use of musical ciphers - themes derived from the names of people or places Here all the movements are based on three permutations

of the letters A SCH, not very fruitful in English notation, but in German notation providing A, Ab (As), Eb (Es), C and B (H), the musical letters in his own name, and also representing the town of Asch where his girl of the moment - Ernestine von Fricken - lived The movements of Carnaval are Préambule. Pierrot, Arlequin, Valse noble, Eusebius, Florestan, Coquette. Replique. After this comes Sphinxs. a mysterious line of music in which Schumann merely presents his three themes in long notes. There is a stern commandment attached "not to be played", though this is sometimes disregarded After Sphinxs come Papillons, Lettres dansantes, Chiarina (ie. Clara Wieck, later to be his wife), Chopin, Estrella (Ernestine herself), Reconnaissance, Pantalon et Colombine, Valse allemande (with a toccata-like central intermezzo mol entitled "Paganini"), Aveu, Promenade, Pause, leading into the final, triumphant, March of the Davidshindler against the Philistines. que Alec Macdonald JOHN LILL John Lill's rare talent emerged at an early age - he gave his first piano recital at the age of nine, and at eighteen he performed Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto under Sir Adrian Boult, and made his much- acclaimed London debut playing Beethoven's Emperor Piano Concerto at the Royal Festival Hall. His success was reflected in major prizes and awards, and in 1970 he won the most coveted of these, the Moscow International Tchaikovsky Competition, which led to engagements with major orchestras throughout the world working with conductors such as Barbirolli, Jochum, Ozawa, Svetlanov and Rozhdest vensky. TA 4- International demand has brought John Lill to over forty countries, both as a recitalist, and as a soloist with the majority of the world's leading orchestras. He has an extensive repertoire including more than sixty

concertos, and is recognised in particular as a leading interpreter of Beethoven. In 1982, he became the first British pianist to perform the complete Beethoven Sonata cycle at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, and was also the first to perform the cycle at the Barbican Centre in autumn 1986. He played the thirty-two sonatas for the opening of the new Casals Hall in Tokyo in 1987, and has also performed them in California as part of a season of concerts in which he played the five concertos and the Choral Fantasy with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. The complete sonata cycle has been broadcast by the BBC, and the complete concertos have been televised with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (formerly the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra) and broadcast with the London Symphony Orchestra and James Loughran. In December 1992 he gave a Celebrity Recital at Symphony Hall Birmingham, and last March visited St Petersburg to give a recital and concerts with the St Petersburg Philharmonic and Temirkanov. He rounded off the season with a performance of Brahms No 2 with the Leipzig Gewandhaus and Masur at the BBC Proms. He will adjudicate the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow this summer. The seasons's highlight will be the celebration of his 50th birthday with a series of Brahms concerts with the RPO and Temirkanov, and with the RLPO, and a recital in the International Piano Series at the Royal Festival Hall. Next September he opens the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's 94/95 season with a series of Beethoven concerts, gives a recital in Toronto in the spring of 1995, and will be soloist in the Britten Concerto with the RSNO on their Klubhaus Tour of Switzerland in May 1995. John Lill has recorded for DG, EMI/CFP (the Beethoven Piano Concerto Cycle with SNO/Gibson), ASV (the Beethoven Sonata Cycle, and Brahms Piano Concerti with Halle/Loughran), and Pickwick Records (Tchaikovsky I/LSO/Judd) 5-

In 1991 he recorded the complete Prokofiev sonatas for ASV and his recent recording of the complete Beethoven Piano Concerti and Bagatelles has been released on Chandos with CBSO/Weller. Last autumn his recording of Malcolm Arnold "Fantasy on a Theme of John Field" with RPO/Handley was released on Conifer, and he has just embarked on a project to record the complete Rachmaninov concerti and solo piano works for Nimbus. John Lill lives in London and in 1978 was awarded the OBE for his services to music. Concert presented in association with: PEARL ols Sold 4102 201 Lions Gag 04 at the sim yal at br bsis due Matched Uns 15% Next season's programme will include: Gemini The Brodsky String Quartet Tasmin Little Gordon Fergus-Thompson The Chandos Baroque Players The Barbic Piano Trio Nicola Hall Ruth McGinley oll FEDERATION OF MUSIC SOCIETIES NEMS me eide pilot