Download 2013 Recital Programme Notes

END OF SESSION SOLO PIANO
RECITAL
Ivan Penev MMuS 1
May 2013
/Programme Notes/
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) – “Miroirs”
Composed between 1904 and 1905, “Miroirs” (“Reflections”) has always been
regarded as one of Ravel’s capital works not only because of its duration or because of
the vastly creative diapason of its expressive nature, but more importantly because this
solo piano suite explicitly conveys the style of Impressionism as conceived by the
composer himself in its most plausible and genuine image. As the music unfolds, the
listener can clearly witness the typical for the vogue and especially for Ravel synthesis
between text (obvious notes, precise details) and meta-text (suggested content,
encrypted meaning). The thoughtfully arranged visible profile of the music is merging
together with the invisible panorama of sound illustrations and nuances – an idiom that
can be both sensually noticed or intuitively perceived in each of the five movements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
“Noctuelles” (“Night Moths”) – dedicated to Léon-Paul Fargue.
“Oiseaux Tristes” (“Sad Birds”) – dedicated to Ricardo Vines.
“Une Barque sur l’Ocean” (“A Boat on the Ocean”) – dedicated to Paul Sordes.
“Alborada del Gracioso” (“The Gracioso’s Aubade”) – dedicated to Michel-Dimitri
Calvocoressi.
“La Vallée des Cloches” (“The Valley of Bells”) – dedicated to Maurice Delage.
Apart from the dedications that all refer to close friends of Ravel, gathered
around the avant-garde, undaunted ideology for artistic renovation and thus calling
themselves with the provocative name of ‘Les Apaches’ (‘Hooligans’ in French), the
listener can also spot from the programmatic titles of the pieces that each one of them
depicts a scene or an emotion that is associated with symbols and perspectives from the
Universe – (nocturnal time, air, water, landscape). The corporeal, humane dimension is
incarnated most clearly in the “Alborada” thorough the alluring, flashy Spanish flavour.
With its fiery aura and earthy dance, this movement completes the circle of elemental
forces, hence making the suite an overall reflection of Nature’s rich palette. Why after all
the cycle is so attractive to the public? The reason maybe is because each individual as a
part of Nature’s organism has his private, secret and deeply cherished “Miroirs”.
Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951) – “Sonata Tragica in C minor, Op. 39 No.5”
The single movement Sonata was composed in 1919 as part of the second cycle
of the so-called “Forgotten Melodies” series. The piece shares parallels with composers
whom Medtner admired and one can inspect that in terms of tonality it is analogous for
instance with Beethoven’s highly peculiar use of the ‘C minor’ key especially for solemn,
grand symphonic and choral settings with agitated or sombre character such as “Piano
Concerto No.3”, “Coriolan Overture”, “Fifth Symphony” and “Choral Fantasy”. In terms of
form and structure “Sonata Tragica” reveals common ground with Liszt’s emblematic
method for thematic transformations, while in terms of sensitivity and pictorialism it is
reminiscent of Rachmaninoff’s and Scriabin’s both orchestral intensity and pianistic
subtlety. The insight of the work does not also remain neutral to the typical late-Romantic
icon of the Hero-Artist, who in contrast to the early-Romantic introverted image of the
Wanderer, is no longer inclined to escape always from the oppressive reality in idyllic,
subjective utopias, but finds himself in sharp conflict with it, attempting to reform, to
change its very objective ethos. Perhaps that is reason behind the Sonata’s expressivity. It
may be titled as ‘tragic’, but indeed this sense of tragedy does not invoke an action of
surrender, capitulation or collapse. Even in the tender middle section one can feel waves
of hopes and compassion to the protagonist, who is defending and asserting heroically his
stature in the turbulent exposition and coda. Exactly through the alliance of epic and lyric
the audience can perceive Medtner’s very personal and unique musical signature.
In summary of my solo recital programme notes I would like to say that the process of
interpreting will not simply feature the process of playing the piano, but the purer and more
candid process of playing itself – playing with sounds, playing with colours, playing with
emotions.
/Ivan Penev/