Wednesday, 9 April 2008, 7.45pm
Fortepiano recital at Letchworth Music Club
Howgills, 42 South View, Letchworth
CPE Bach and all that followed…
Schantz fortepiano
For further details go to the Letchworth Music Club website
CPE Bach Fantasy in F sharp minor H300 (Wq67)
Mozart Adagio in B minor K540
CPE Bach Rondo No.2 in C minor H283 (Wq 59/4)
Haydn Sonata No.58 in C Hob.XVI/48
INTERVAL
CPE Bach Sonata No.VI in f minor Wq.63/6
Mozart Fantasy in C minor K.475
Beethoven Sonata ‘Pathetique’ in C minor Op.13
Intense lyricism, dare-devil virtuosity, shocking harmonisation, wild chromaticism, passion, eloquence, emotion, drama and subtlety, are all hallmarks of CPE Bach’s kaleidoscopic, often outrageous and bizarre masterworks.This programme offers concert-goers the opportunity to closely examine CPE Bach’s indisputable influence on the music of his successors, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven; to discover how he helped shape and bring about the Classical era, as we know it today.
“Joshua’s playing demonstrated that in the hands of an excellent musician the fortepiano’s qualities can enhance the work of the greatest composers”
Musical Opinion
“Her recital was distinguished not just by insightfull, intelligent musicianship, but also by the refinement and shading of the tone colours she extracted from her instrument”.
Harpsichord and Fortepiano magazine
I heard Sharona play this programme in the intimate concert venue of Howgills, which ideally suited the quiet volume of the Schantz fortepiano. Listening to works for early piano requires a lot of practice, but for those, like me, who prefer pre Romantic music played on period instruments, true period performance is a rare delight, even allowing for the discontinuities engendered by inherently low sustainability in experimental compositions by CPE Bach. I found the performance of the early Beethoven sonata absolutely fascinating; to hear his music, written for fortepiano, probably the very Schantz he owned, without dicontinuity but even less notes, and the power reserved for posthumous performance, told us so much about the genius of that composer and why his music transcends all styles and invention. Bravo Sharona…encore.