Hear an evening of sonatas
Violinist John Harrison and pianist Andrew Trechak will pair up for "Sonata Recital" for the next Faculty Artist Series at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 8, in Wiedemann Recital Hall.
The two first worked together last spring to prepare for a competition in Belgium.
Their program March 8 will feature works by Beethoven, Jean Rogister, and Darius Milhaud.
It’s easy to see why Beethoven’s aptly named "spring" sonata is so famous, Harrison says. "A young Beethoven composed the work with stereotypical youthful enthusiasm – humor, gaiety and witty dialogue between the violin and piano," Harrison says. "Characteristically Beethoven, the work has some extreme and abrupt mood changes and internal personal struggles, but warmth and happiness embrace the work throughout."
Harrison and Trechak stumbled upon Rogister’s "Poème" when searching for appropriate music for their competition. Rogister was a violist and Belgium composer in the first half of the 20th century. Looking toward French and Belgium impressionistic composers such as Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel and César Franck for inspiration, Rogister’s music is wonderfully picturesque, Harrison says.
"It conveys dreamy images, pastel colors and a feeling of intimacy," he says.
"Poème" is fresh and original in that Rogister combines his impressionistic ideas with some of the developments of harmonic language of his time, Harrison says. "It is a wonderfully successful work, one that Trechak and I plan to record soon."
Born in 1892 in France, Milhaud was trained at the Paris Conservatoire, originally as a violinist, before turning to composition. Rebelling against the romantic, post-romantic and atonal developments in music, Milhaud modeled his neoclassical composition style after Mozart and Haydn. He combined their concepts of lightness and frivolity with his own pioneering ideas in polytonality.
"The result musically parallels a great comedian – brilliant yet humorous, laughing at itself throughout moments of genius," Harrison says.
Harrison and Trechak also will perform Milhaud’s Sonata No. 1, an early work best described as carefree, singing and beautiful. The two plan to record this work soon as well.
For reserved tickets call 978-3233. Prices are $4 with discounts available.
– Compiled by Julie Rausch
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