Midday Masterpieces (1/4/17)

Happy New Year! Midday Masterpieces is a concert series sponsored by WQXR (NYC’s classical music radio station) in partnership with the Juilliard School of Music. This version was a solo pianist, Drew Peterson, who (I believe) is in the graduate program. One of my least favorite aspects of this series is that there is not a printed program. My notes for the first work were, Invention? Suite? Nope.

J.S. Bach – Toccata in F-sharp minor, BWV 910
Schumann – Humoreske in B-flat major, Op. 20
Liszt – La Leggierezza, S. 144/2
Liszt – Mazeppa, S. 139/4

OK, I was close. The Bach had some nice contrapuntal lines weaving in and out and back and forth, but they weren’t cohesive, like one of the suites or even one of the inventions. Still the piece had pleasant contrasts and held my interest very well.

Schumann’s Humoreske also seemed steeped in the vignette. I haven’t explored on line yet, but it seemed to me as though there were five or six mini-movements. I may report back later. Or I may not. [UPDATE: Once again, I was darned close. I pegged at six movements. In reality, there are seven.] The opening was very gentle, definitely in the Romantic style, yet still subdued, followed by brisk and happy variations. (This piece was new to my ears, but judging by the head nods and fingers moving on thighs and knees, the piece and certain audience members seemed to be old friends.) A couple of the movements had expressive, song-like qualities. The next to last movement, a presto, almost caused an audience faux pas—applause almost broke out—until the pianist finished it and the final movement. This was clearly the showcase presentation of the concert.

After a phone chime {{ahem!}}, we heard the first of the Liszt études, La Leggierezza. From Liszt’s own program notes, we learned that it was designed to be a study in ‘light and airy’—though it also incorporated the requisite Liszt pyrotechnics.

Mazeppa was far more dramatic, and Mr. Peterson’s description (very Jeff Spurgeon-like) included the fact(s?) that it might be based on Turkish folklore. Or Polish. And that Mazeppa (the man, not the composition, or the stripper) was lauded by the Turks (or Poles) for surviving a harrowing ride through the desert (which may or may not have happened). But I digress. The work was a fine example of Liszt’s craft and even hearkened back to the song-like structures of Schumann.

As it turned out, we were an appreciative audience experiencing a very fine concert performance. This is an ongoing series, and I’m already booked to attend the Feb. 1 iteration (first Wednesday of each month, through June). Very much worth a midday day off, to attend a performance of a masterwork or two.

ConcertMeister