Bach: Partita no.1 in B flat major, BWV 825
Schumann: Kinderszenen Op. 15
INTERVAL
Elgar: Enigma Variations (composer’s transcription)
Sunderland Pianoforte Society continued its 77th Season with a recital given by the brilliant young Lithuanian pianist Ugnius Pauliukonis who delighted his audience with a thoughtful and interesting programme. The recital began with a beautiful performance of the Sonata no. 52 in E flat by Haydn which was played with great care and authority. The speed was perfect as was the use of pedal which was minimal. This was followed by a selection of Chopin Nocturnes, Waltzes and Studies which made a good end to the first half. After the interval we heard Images, Book 1 by Debussy and again were impressed by the atmosphere created by Reflets dans L’eau which was followed by Hommage a Rameau and Mouvement which was given a brilliant performance. The evening finished with a moving and beautiful performance of the Sonata no.2 in B flat minor by Chopin, and the audience which had bravely struggled through very bad weather to attend were well rewarded by having such a good evening.
The Society is grateful for the sponsorship and support of Making Music’s Philip and Dorothy Green Award for Young Concert Artists scheme which over the years has been a great help to the Society.
Lily Scott
Haydn: Sonata no.52 in E flat
Chopin: Two Nocturnes Op.62
. Two Waltzes Op.34 nos.1&3
. Two Études Op.25 no.5 & Op.10 no.12
INTERVAL
Debussy: Images Book I
Chopin: Sonata no. 2 in B flat minor, Op.35
** Please note that this is a change of programme, although the Haydn Sonata remains the same, and there is still plenty of Chopin!
The 77th season of the Sunderland Pianoforte Society continued with a recital given by Korean pianist Grace Yeo in the Pottery room at Sunderland Museum. It was well attended by an enthusiastic audience who enjoyed listening to works by Robert and Clara Schumann, Beethoven, and Scriabin, and were privileged to be present for the first performance of local composer David Pennycuick’s Preludes op.19 [nos. 20, 21, 24 and 6]. These were well contrasted preludes which were well received by the audience and beautifully played by Grace Yeo who had a clear understanding of the works.
The first half of the recital consisted of Robert Schumann’s Arabeske, op.18 and Sonata in G minor, op.11 as well as Clara Schumann’s Romance in A flat and Deuxième Scherzo in C. The second half began with the Pennycuick Preludes which were followed by Sonata op.10 no.3 by Beethoven and the recital finished with a brilliant performance of Scriabin’s Sonata no.4 in F sharp. However the audience wanted more and were given two encores, Liszt’s Gnomenreigen and Schumann’s Träumerei.
Grace Yeo was making her second visit to Sunderland and is an artist of great technical ability as well as a clear understanding of the music and gave the audience a most enjoyable evening.
Lily Scott
Robert Schumann: Arabeske Op.18
Clara Schumann: Deuxième Scherzo in C Op.14
. Romance in A flat Op.11 no.3
Robert Schumann: Sonata no.2 in G minor Op.22
INTERVAL
David Pennycuick: Preludes Op.19 nos. 20,21,24,6
Beethoven: Sonata no.7 in D Op.10 no.3
Scriabin: Sonata no.4 in F sharp Op.30
Please note that this is an amended programme, although all the composers, and many of the pieces, remain as in the brochure.
On Tuesday, 22nd October Sunderland Pianoforte Society continued its 77th season with a recital given by Alexander Soares who played works by Bach, Beethoven, Albéniz and Messiaën. This was attended by an appreciative audience who enjoyed the Bach English Suite in G minor which opened the recital. The first half continued with El Puerto and El Albaicin by Albéniz and Regard de l’Église d’Amour by Messiaën which was a good contrast to the Bach and which was brilliantly played, showing a clear understanding of the music as well as a huge technique. The Messiaën in particular was most impressive. After the interval we heard the well loved Beethoven late sonata op.111 which was followed by an encore, Morceau de Lecture à Vue by Messiaën. Altogether a good evening given by a brilliant young pianist who is assured of a successful career.
Alexander is a graduate from Cambridge and his recent performances include Wigmore Hall, St. Johns Smith Square and the Barbican Centre.
Lily Scott
Bach: English Suite no.3 in G minor BWV 808
Albeniz: El Puerto & El Albacin (from Iberia Books 1 and 3)
Messiaen: Regard de l’Église d’Amour (from Vingt Regards)
INTERVAL
Beethoven: Sonata no.32 in C minor Op.111
The Sunderland Pianoforte Society opened its 77th season with a recital of sheer perfection given by Dinara Klinton who played to an enthusiastic audience in Sunderland Museum on Tuesday evening.
The recital began with five works by Tchaikovsky ending with the Andante Maestoso from the Nutcracker Suite which was brilliantly played with both power and virtuosity and followed by the Beethoven Sonata in A major, op. 101. Again, well played, particularly the 2nd and 4th movements which always present a challenge both technically and artistically. After the interval we heard the Elegie and 2 preludes (op.23 nos.4 and 5) by Rachmaninoff, romantic music which was a good introduction to the Prokofiev Sonata no.6 in A major. Composed in February 1940 this sonata expresses the cruelty and tragedy of the times he was living through and Dinara Klinton’s performance portrayed this perfectly. The dynamic range and technique were impressive but at the end of the evening the audience still wanted more. Dinara gave an encore of two Scarlatti sonatas in A major and B flat major.
Dinara’s music education began at the age of five in her native Kharkiv, Ukraine and she graduated with highest honours from Moscow Central Music School, where she studied with Valery Piassetsky. After playing throughout the world with many orchestras, Dinara is a young pianist who is already a great success.
Lily Scott
Tchaikovsky: Nocturne & Humoresque Op.10
. Meditation Op.72 no.5
. Valse Sentimentale Op. 51 no.6
Tchaikovsky/Pletnev: Andante Maestoso from Nutcracker Suite
Beethoven: Sonata no.28 in A major Op.101
INTERVAL
Rachmaninoff: Elegie Op.3 no.1
Rachmaninoff: Preludes Op.23 nos.4&5
Prokofiev: Sonata no.6 in A major Op.82
**Please note that the second half of this programme is amended. The first half is as in the brochure.
The 76th season ended with a concert by members and friends of the society, organised by our chairman, Kevin Walsh. A good audience at the Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens enjoyed a varied programme, with interval refreshments. The pianists and the pieces they played were:
Alan Bowers
Schubert: Impromptu in A flat (op 90 no 4)
Alan England
Debussy: The Girl with the Flaxen Hair
Mark Tanner: Fishing Off Logan Rock
James Barker
Bach: Gigue from French Suite no 2
Chopin: Mazurka (op 59 no 2)
Sarah Robinson
Chopin: Preludes nos 1,2,5,6,7,8,9,10 (op 28)
Kevin Walsh
Chopin: Nocturne in G (op 37 no 2)
Ben Richards
Alexander Ilyinski: Étude (op 31 no 1)
INTERVAL
Fabio Raciti
Chopin: Nocturne in C sharp minor (op posth.)
. Polonaise in A flat (op 53)
Peter Hayes
Scott Joplin: The Ragtime Dance
. Elite Syncopations
Graeme Humphries
Brahms: Intermezzo (op 118 no 2)
John Welch
A selection of music from The Threepenny Opera by Bertold Brecht, Kurt Weill and Elisabeth Hauptmann: Overture – Mack the Knife – Pirate Jenny – Tango Ballade – What Keeps Mankind Alive -The Flick Knife Song (Mack Reprise)
David MacRae
Granados: Spanish Dance no 5 “Andalusia”
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody no 2
Thanks to all the pianists for their contributions to what was a very pleasant and successful evening.