Hyunah Yu, soprano
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John Novacek, piano
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Jesse Mills, violin
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Edward Arron, cello
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Mozart – Rondo in A minor for solo piano, K. 511
Mozart wrote this one movement work in 1787, at the height of his career, and just after he had finished “The Marriage of Figaro” and “Don Giovanni.” Its hauntingly beautiful and melancholic opening theme makes this rondo one of Mozart’s most popular works for piano.
Shostakovich – Seven Romances on Poems by Alexander Blok
In 1966, while Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack, he was inspired to write the Seven Romances. Upon his return home, he started composing. He also found a bottle of brandy in the kitchen, started drinking, and finished the piece (and presumably the bottle) in only three days. The songs are set to poems by Alexander Blok, a popular symbolist poet who lived from 1880 to 1921.
Schumann – Du bist wie eine Blume and Der Nussbaum from the “Myrthens” cycle
Robert Schumann wrote his song cycle “The Myrtles” in 1840 and dedicated it to his new bride, Clara. Myrtles are evergreen shrubs with white or rosy flowers that were used to make bridal wreaths. Schumann presented this work to Clara on their wedding day.
“Du bist wie eine Blume” (You Are Like a Flower) – Considered one of Schumann’s finest songs, this is a melancholy portrayal of worldly influence on a maiden’s purity.
“Der Nussbaum” (The Nut Tree) – The text tells of the whispers and caresses shared by two nut tree blossoms, revealing a maiden’s dream of a bridegroom.