Jeewon Park, piano
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Kyung Sun Lee, violin
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Edward Arron, cello
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Handel-Halvorsen – Passacaglia for Violin and Cello
Based on a Spanish dance form, a passacaglia features a series of continuous variations over a repeated bass line or “ostinato.” A contemporary of Grieg, Norwegian composer Johan Halvorsen arranged the passacaglia movement of one of Handel’s harpsichord suites for two violins and viola (cello in this performance.) The trio simulates a string quartet by playing many double stops, that is two or more notes at once. This technique makes this work extremely demanding for the performers.
Arvo Part – Spiegel im Spiegel for Cello and Piano
Estonian composer Arvo Part wrote “Spiegel im Spiegel” (“mirrors in the mirror”) in 1978 for piano and violin. This piece will be played by cello and violin in this performance. The composition is an example of musical “minimalism” and, like much of Part’s work, evokes a serene tranquility,. The title refers to the infinity of reflections produced by multiple mirrors, musically imitated by chords repeated with small variations.
Robert Schumann – Intermezzo from F-A-E Sonata for Violin and Piano
Schumann, Brahms, and Schumann’s student, Albert Dietrich, collaborated on the F-A-E sonata The composers wrote the sonata as a gift to their friend, the famous violinist Joseph Joachim. The sonata’s movements are based on the initials F.A.E., which stand for “Frei aber einsam” or “free but lonely”, Schumann’s personal motto. The most famous movement, the Intermezzo, has an attractive simplicity.
Franz Liszt – La Campanella
La Campanella (“The Little Bell”) is a piano etude written by Liszt in 1838 and revised in 1851. One of a series of studies based on musical themes by violinist and composer Niccolo Paganini, it features two octave intervals for the right hand, making it an extraordinarily difficult piece to play.
Astor Piazzolla – Selections from Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
Contemporary Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla revolutionized the tango by incorporating elements of jazz and classical music into the traditional dance form. The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires has four tangos inspired by the Argentine capitol.
Antonin Dvorak – Trio in e minor, Op. 90, the “Dumky”
Czech composer Antonin Dvorak published the “Dumky” Trio in 1891., His friend, Johannes Brahms, did the final proofreading. The title refers to the Dumka form, a musical style known for sudden transitions from melancholy introspection to cheerful exuberance. An immediate success when it premiered this trio remains one of the most popular pieces in the chamber music repertoire.