Sonata Night 50: Music by Lera Auerbach, Frank Bridge, and Fazil Say
Under the direction of NEC faculty pianist Pei-Shan Lee, Sonata Night is an evening of piano-instrumental masterworks featuring collaborative pianists in partnership with their instrumental colleagues. Tonight's program is a collaboration with Yeesun Kim's cello studio.
Sonata, a musical term of several meanings, is used here to signify a duo form of equal partnership. Sonata Night programming spans a wide range of musical styles and features the world's greatest duo works from the Baroque through the 20th century, including compositional forms such as multi-movement suites and character pieces.
Sonata Night performers are coached jointly by faculty of the collaborative piano and instrumental departments.
This is an in-person event with a private stream available to the NEC community here: https://necmusic.edu/live.
Lera Auerbach | Suite for Cello and Piano
9 Preludes from 24 Preludes for Cello and Piano, op. 47
Andante (No. 1)
Allegro (No. 2)
Andante misterioso (No. 3)
Allegro appassionato (No. 19)
Tragico (No. 6)
Allegro con brio (No. 15)
Tempo di valse (No. 16)
Adagio (No. 12)
Vivo (No. 24)Artists- Zanipolo Lewis, cello
- Benjamin Rossen, piano
Frank Bridge | Sonata for Cello and Piano in D Minor, H. 125
Allegro ben moderato
Adagio ma non troppoArtists- Alex Davis-Pegis, cello
- Seongwoo Moon, piano
Short pause
Fazil Say | Sonata for Cello and Piano "Four Cities (Dört Şehir)", op. 41
Sivas
Hopa
Ankara
BodrumProgram note
Fazıl Say’s Four Cities sonata (2012) can be considered as a journey through four cities of Anatolia. This work has taken its inspiration from Fazıl Say’s memories and events of his life. Bodrum is well known as a city greatly frequented by tourists which sets it apart from the other three locations. These four very different cities with their individual cultures have been selected from the nearly 2000-km wide expanse of Anatolia.
Sivas: Sivas is a conservative city located in Eastern Anatolia which is known for its large Alevi population. Âşık Veysel is an Alevi Ozan (poet) and Fazıl Say has been inspired by his song Sazım (my saz/my instrument) in the first part of this work. The movement is concluded on a melancholy tune in imitation of this ethnic instrument.
Hopa: A traditional wedding provided Fazıl Say with his inspiration for this second movement which embraces Eastern Black Sea culture. Horon is a very fast folk dance in 7/16 time which is played on the kemence, a typical instrument of the Eastern Black Sea region. The music also touches on Caucasian, Georgian and Laz dances, anonymous songs, Laz women and Cilveloy nanayda (a Turkish song).
Ankara: Ankara was declared the capital city of Turkey by Atatürk in 1923. This city with its population of four million was where the composer was born and also spent his childhood. Ankara’nın Taşına Bak, a rebellious song dating back to the First World War, can be discerned in the mournful middle section. The movement with its atmosphere of tragedy evokes the republican spirit and the ambience of former times.
Bodrum: Bodrum is universally known as the Saint-Tropez of Turkey. A famous street in the city is fringed with countless bars and pubs from which a cacaphony of different music can be heard, ranging from jazz, pop and rock to folk songs. Fazıl Say blends the sounds from these pubs in this movement which includes a walking theme in a swinging jazz tempo. The movement makes a reference to the song Yıldızların Altında which was performed by the famous singer Zeki Muren who was also born in Bodrum. Âşık Veysel’s song Uzun Ince Bir Yoldayım which is well-known in numerous arrangements is also featured in this movement. It is brought to an abrupt and absurd conclusion in its depiction of a pub brawl as frequently experienced in this city.”
– from the publisher, Schott MusicArtists- Zac Fung, cello
- Rafe Schaberg, piano