the Fall program is set!......FINALLY!

Heyooou!

So a funny story. Choosing a recital program may sound like a very natural, organic process. One chooses works that satisfy a demand (or i guess deliberately does not) and is also balanced with surprises- pieces that are less often performed.

well, at b&h inc. we knew we had the majority of the program figured out, but it just wasn't all enticing. The Debussy Sonata is very beautiful and extremely pleasing to listen to; the Prokofiev is a core piano-violin piece that I was particularly excited about; the Paart is a meditation, a piece that really can allow the performers to quietly connect with their audience. Now for the final piece of the puzzle.....

Already this program is about 45 min- too short for a standard program, yet not too much room for another big work. What will fit?

Kit suggested one of the Mozart sonatas with the Brahms "sonatensatz"...but i felt it was a little to conservative. Those pieces are very well known, and I wanted to find something different.

I suggested one of the Milhaud sonatas....but both pieces were very intense and a little too heavy to be placed in the front of the program. Plus...am I getting a little predictable? I tend to be heavy handed in choosing Russian or French composers ;)

Then, 8 hrs later, a miracle happened!

Kit suggested we listen to not only an American composer, but a FEMALE American Composer: Amy Beach. Her violin-piano sonata is absolutely superb. Written in a similar time period as the Debussy and Prokofiev, but with a completely different feel. You can hear elements of Vaudeville, Romanticism, French, and a little bit of Folk in her writing. Plus, she was a pianist, and the balance between the 2 instruments is very, very interesting.

I ashamedly must admit that this is the first work I will be performing by a female composer....absolutely shameful!

So we are very excited to list our complete program for the fall, as well for this summer (when we are in Italia!)

Amy Beach: Sonata for Piano and Violin
Claude Debussy: Sonata for Piano and Violin
Sergei Prokofiev: Sonata no 2, for Pno/Vln
Arvo Paart: Spiegel im Spiegel

Can't wait to share this wonderful music with all of you!