May 23 Bénédicte Lauzière & Ken Gee
Program notes
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Mélodie in E-flat major, Op. 42 No. 3 (“Souvenir d’un lieu cher”)
Tchaikovsky’s Mélodie is the third and perhaps most beloved movement from his suite Souvenir d’un lieu cher (“Memory of a Dear Place”), composed in 1878. This period was a turning point for Tchaikovsky, following the emotional upheaval of his ill-fated marriage and the completion of his Violin Concerto. The suite was written during a restorative stay at the Ukrainian estate of his patroness, Nadezhda von Meck, whose support was both financial and deeply personal.
The title Mélodie—originally Chant sans paroles (“Song without Words”)—aptly captures the piece’s vocal quality. The violin sings a gentle, yearning melody, supported by the piano’s delicate harmonies. This music is suffused with nostalgia, its phrases unfolding with the naturalness of speech. The simplicity of the melodic line belies the emotional depth beneath, inviting listeners into a world of private reflection.
Thanks to its melodic charm and emotional immediacy, the Mélodie is often performed as a standalone encore. Yet, in the context of the full suite, it serves as a lyrical centrepiece, balancing the passionate Meditation and the lively Scherzo. Tchaikovsky’s gift for melody and his ability to evoke deep feeling with the most economical means are on full display here. The piece has been arranged for various ensembles, but its intimacy and expressive nuance are most keenly felt in the original violin and piano version.
Listening for: The seamless dialogue between violin and piano, the subtle shifts in harmony that colour the melody, and the way Tchaikovsky uses simplicity to achieve profound expressiveness.
Amy Beach – Violin Sonata in A minor, Op. 34
Amy Beach’s Violin Sonata, composed in 1896, stands as one of the crowning achievements of American Romantic chamber music. Premiered in Boston in 1897 by the eminent violinist Franz Kneisel and Beach herself at the piano, the sonata was immediately recognized for its passionate intensity, structural sophistication, and sweeping lyricism.
Beach was a prodigious talent and a trailblazer: the first American woman to gain recognition as a composer of large-scale forms. Her Violin Sonata reflects her deep engagement with the European Romantic tradition—particularly the music of Brahms, whom she greatly admired—while also asserting her own distinctive voice.
The sonata unfolds in four movements:
I. Allegro moderato
The opening movement is dramatic and rhapsodic, beginning with a mysterious, searching theme in the piano. The violin soon enters with a soaring melody, and the two instruments engage in a richly textured dialogue. Beach’s harmonic language is bold, with chromatic inflections and unexpected modulations that heighten the emotional stakes. The movement’s development section is particularly striking for its motivic inventiveness and contrapuntal interplay.
II. Scherzo: Molto vivace
A lively scherzo follows, full of rhythmic vitality and sparkling exchanges between violin and piano. The outer sections are playful and light, while the contrasting trio offers a lyrical respite. Here, Beach demonstrates her flair for character and colour, with quicksilver shifts in mood and texture.
III. Largo con dolore
The slow movement is the emotional heart of the sonata. Marked “with sorrow,” it opens with a plaintive melody in the violin, supported by gently rocking chords in the piano. The music builds to a passionate climax before subsiding into a mood of quiet resignation. Beach’s writing here is deeply expressive, drawing on her experience as a song composer to craft lines of vocal intensity.
IV. Allegro con fuoco
The finale bursts forth with energy and resolve. The movement is notable for its rhythmic drive and contrapuntal complexity, including a fugal episode that showcases Beach’s compositional mastery. The sonata concludes with a triumphant restatement of earlier themes, bringing the work to a rousing close.
Beach’s Violin Sonata is a testament to her artistry and ambition, blending the grandeur of the European tradition with a distinctly American voice.
Listening for: The interplay of themes across movements, Beach’s inventive harmonies, and the way the violin and piano seem to converse as equals throughout.
Claude Debussy – Clair de lune (arr. Roelens)
Clair de lune (“Moonlight”), the third movement of Debussy’s Suite bergamasque, is one of the most recognizable and beloved pieces in the piano repertoire. Composed in the 1890s and revised before its 1905 publication, the piece was inspired by Paul Verlaine’s poem of the same name, which evokes a dreamlike, nocturnal landscape suffused with longing and melancholy.
Debussy’s music perfectly captures the poem’s atmosphere, using subtle shifts in harmony, delicate textures, and a sense of suspended time to conjure the shimmering light of the moon. The melody unfolds with gentle grace, floating above softly undulating chords. The music’s impressionistic language—marked by unresolved dissonances and blurred tonal boundaries—invites the listener into a world of suggestion rather than statement.
The arrangement by Alexandre Roelens brings Clair de lune into the realm of chamber music, allowing the violin to sing Debussy’s famous melody with a new timbral colour. The violin’s warmth and expressive range highlight the music’s vocal qualities, while the piano retains the original’s luminous accompaniment.
Clair de lune has become a cultural touchstone, appearing in countless films and arrangements, yet its magic endures. In this version, the dialogue between violin and piano adds a new layer of intimacy and lyricism.
Listening for: The interplay of light and shadow in the harmonies, the seamless flow of the melody, and the way the arrangement allows the violin to “paint” with sound.
Johannes Brahms – Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 100
Brahms’s Second Violin Sonata, composed in the summer of 1886 in the Swiss resort town of Thun, is the most compact and lyrical of his three violin sonatas. Written during a period of contentment and creative fecundity, the sonata radiates warmth, intimacy, and a sense of serene happiness.
Unlike the more dramatic first and third sonatas, the A major sonata is notable for its seamless integration of violin and piano. Both instruments share thematic material and engage in a true partnership. Brahms weaves in references to several of his own songs, written that same summer, lending the music a songful, almost vocal character.
I. Allegro amabile
The opening movement is marked by its flowing lyricism and gentle optimism. The main theme, introduced by the piano and echoed by the violin, is one of Brahms’s most memorable melodies. The movement unfolds with unhurried grace, its themes developed with subtlety and restraint.
II. Andante tranquillo – Vivace
The second movement is a marvel of contrast and concision. It alternates between a tranquil, hymn-like section and a lively, scherzo-like episode. The interplay between these moods is handled with characteristic Brahmsian craftsmanship, balancing introspection and exuberance.
III. Allegretto grazioso (quasi andante)
The finale continues the sonata’s gentle spirit, with a lilting, dance-like theme and delicate interplay between the instruments. The movement’s understated virtuosity and expressive nuance bring the work to a satisfying and luminous close.
Brahms dedicated the sonata to his friend and collaborator, the violinist Joseph Joachim, but it was also closely associated with the singer Hermine Spies, with whom Brahms was infatuated at the time. The work’s lyricism and intimacy have made it a favourite among performers and audiences alike.
Listening for: The seamless integration of violin and piano, the song-like quality of the themes, and the subtle shifts in mood and character throughout.
Frédéric Chopin – Nocturne in C-sharp minor (arr. Milstein)
Chopin’s Nocturne in C-sharp minor, composed in 1830 and published posthumously, is a work of haunting beauty and emotional depth. Dedicated to his sister Ludwika, the piece is imbued with a sense of longing and introspection, qualities that are heightened in this arrangement for violin and piano by the legendary violinist Nathan Milstein.
The nocturne opens with a solemn, chordal introduction, setting a mood of quiet melancholy. The main theme, introduced by the violin, is lyrical and plaintive, unfolding in long, singing phrases. Chopin’s gift for melodic invention is on full display, as the melody weaves through subtle harmonic shifts and expressive ornamentation.
The central section offers a moment of hope, with a brighter, more flowing melody in A major. But the return of the opening material brings the music back to its original mood of gentle sorrow. The piece concludes with a luminous cadence in C-sharp major—a fleeting glimpse of consolation.
Milstein’s arrangement preserves the nocturne’s intimate character while allowing the violin to bring new color and expressiveness to Chopin’s lines. The result is a work that feels both familiar and newly poignant, a testament to the enduring power of Chopin’s music to touch the heart.
Listening for: The expressive shaping of the melody, the interplay between violin and piano, and the subtle shifts in mood from darkness to light.
Tonight’s program journeys across continents and centuries, from the salons of Romantic Europe to the concert halls of turn-of-the-century America. Each work offers a unique perspective on lyricism, intimacy, and the expressive possibilities of the violin and piano duo. We invite you to listen for the threads of song, memory, and longing that connect these masterpieces, and to discover anew the emotional richness of this extraordinary repertoire.
Tchaikovsky’s Mélodie is the third and perhaps most beloved movement from his suite Souvenir d’un lieu cher (“Memory of a Dear Place”), composed in 1878. This period was a turning point for Tchaikovsky, following the emotional upheaval of his ill-fated marriage and the completion of his Violin Concerto. The suite was written during a restorative stay at the Ukrainian estate of his patroness, Nadezhda von Meck, whose support was both financial and deeply personal.
The title Mélodie—originally Chant sans paroles (“Song without Words”)—aptly captures the piece’s vocal quality. The violin sings a gentle, yearning melody, supported by the piano’s delicate harmonies. This music is suffused with nostalgia, its phrases unfolding with the naturalness of speech. The simplicity of the melodic line belies the emotional depth beneath, inviting listeners into a world of private reflection.
Thanks to its melodic charm and emotional immediacy, the Mélodie is often performed as a standalone encore. Yet, in the context of the full suite, it serves as a lyrical centrepiece, balancing the passionate Meditation and the lively Scherzo. Tchaikovsky’s gift for melody and his ability to evoke deep feeling with the most economical means are on full display here. The piece has been arranged for various ensembles, but its intimacy and expressive nuance are most keenly felt in the original violin and piano version.
Listening for: The seamless dialogue between violin and piano, the subtle shifts in harmony that colour the melody, and the way Tchaikovsky uses simplicity to achieve profound expressiveness.
Amy Beach – Violin Sonata in A minor, Op. 34
Amy Beach’s Violin Sonata, composed in 1896, stands as one of the crowning achievements of American Romantic chamber music. Premiered in Boston in 1897 by the eminent violinist Franz Kneisel and Beach herself at the piano, the sonata was immediately recognized for its passionate intensity, structural sophistication, and sweeping lyricism.
Beach was a prodigious talent and a trailblazer: the first American woman to gain recognition as a composer of large-scale forms. Her Violin Sonata reflects her deep engagement with the European Romantic tradition—particularly the music of Brahms, whom she greatly admired—while also asserting her own distinctive voice.
The sonata unfolds in four movements:
I. Allegro moderato
The opening movement is dramatic and rhapsodic, beginning with a mysterious, searching theme in the piano. The violin soon enters with a soaring melody, and the two instruments engage in a richly textured dialogue. Beach’s harmonic language is bold, with chromatic inflections and unexpected modulations that heighten the emotional stakes. The movement’s development section is particularly striking for its motivic inventiveness and contrapuntal interplay.
II. Scherzo: Molto vivace
A lively scherzo follows, full of rhythmic vitality and sparkling exchanges between violin and piano. The outer sections are playful and light, while the contrasting trio offers a lyrical respite. Here, Beach demonstrates her flair for character and colour, with quicksilver shifts in mood and texture.
III. Largo con dolore
The slow movement is the emotional heart of the sonata. Marked “with sorrow,” it opens with a plaintive melody in the violin, supported by gently rocking chords in the piano. The music builds to a passionate climax before subsiding into a mood of quiet resignation. Beach’s writing here is deeply expressive, drawing on her experience as a song composer to craft lines of vocal intensity.
IV. Allegro con fuoco
The finale bursts forth with energy and resolve. The movement is notable for its rhythmic drive and contrapuntal complexity, including a fugal episode that showcases Beach’s compositional mastery. The sonata concludes with a triumphant restatement of earlier themes, bringing the work to a rousing close.
Beach’s Violin Sonata is a testament to her artistry and ambition, blending the grandeur of the European tradition with a distinctly American voice.
Listening for: The interplay of themes across movements, Beach’s inventive harmonies, and the way the violin and piano seem to converse as equals throughout.
Claude Debussy – Clair de lune (arr. Roelens)
Clair de lune (“Moonlight”), the third movement of Debussy’s Suite bergamasque, is one of the most recognizable and beloved pieces in the piano repertoire. Composed in the 1890s and revised before its 1905 publication, the piece was inspired by Paul Verlaine’s poem of the same name, which evokes a dreamlike, nocturnal landscape suffused with longing and melancholy.
Debussy’s music perfectly captures the poem’s atmosphere, using subtle shifts in harmony, delicate textures, and a sense of suspended time to conjure the shimmering light of the moon. The melody unfolds with gentle grace, floating above softly undulating chords. The music’s impressionistic language—marked by unresolved dissonances and blurred tonal boundaries—invites the listener into a world of suggestion rather than statement.
The arrangement by Alexandre Roelens brings Clair de lune into the realm of chamber music, allowing the violin to sing Debussy’s famous melody with a new timbral colour. The violin’s warmth and expressive range highlight the music’s vocal qualities, while the piano retains the original’s luminous accompaniment.
Clair de lune has become a cultural touchstone, appearing in countless films and arrangements, yet its magic endures. In this version, the dialogue between violin and piano adds a new layer of intimacy and lyricism.
Listening for: The interplay of light and shadow in the harmonies, the seamless flow of the melody, and the way the arrangement allows the violin to “paint” with sound.
Johannes Brahms – Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 100
Brahms’s Second Violin Sonata, composed in the summer of 1886 in the Swiss resort town of Thun, is the most compact and lyrical of his three violin sonatas. Written during a period of contentment and creative fecundity, the sonata radiates warmth, intimacy, and a sense of serene happiness.
Unlike the more dramatic first and third sonatas, the A major sonata is notable for its seamless integration of violin and piano. Both instruments share thematic material and engage in a true partnership. Brahms weaves in references to several of his own songs, written that same summer, lending the music a songful, almost vocal character.
I. Allegro amabile
The opening movement is marked by its flowing lyricism and gentle optimism. The main theme, introduced by the piano and echoed by the violin, is one of Brahms’s most memorable melodies. The movement unfolds with unhurried grace, its themes developed with subtlety and restraint.
II. Andante tranquillo – Vivace
The second movement is a marvel of contrast and concision. It alternates between a tranquil, hymn-like section and a lively, scherzo-like episode. The interplay between these moods is handled with characteristic Brahmsian craftsmanship, balancing introspection and exuberance.
III. Allegretto grazioso (quasi andante)
The finale continues the sonata’s gentle spirit, with a lilting, dance-like theme and delicate interplay between the instruments. The movement’s understated virtuosity and expressive nuance bring the work to a satisfying and luminous close.
Brahms dedicated the sonata to his friend and collaborator, the violinist Joseph Joachim, but it was also closely associated with the singer Hermine Spies, with whom Brahms was infatuated at the time. The work’s lyricism and intimacy have made it a favourite among performers and audiences alike.
Listening for: The seamless integration of violin and piano, the song-like quality of the themes, and the subtle shifts in mood and character throughout.
Frédéric Chopin – Nocturne in C-sharp minor (arr. Milstein)
Chopin’s Nocturne in C-sharp minor, composed in 1830 and published posthumously, is a work of haunting beauty and emotional depth. Dedicated to his sister Ludwika, the piece is imbued with a sense of longing and introspection, qualities that are heightened in this arrangement for violin and piano by the legendary violinist Nathan Milstein.
The nocturne opens with a solemn, chordal introduction, setting a mood of quiet melancholy. The main theme, introduced by the violin, is lyrical and plaintive, unfolding in long, singing phrases. Chopin’s gift for melodic invention is on full display, as the melody weaves through subtle harmonic shifts and expressive ornamentation.
The central section offers a moment of hope, with a brighter, more flowing melody in A major. But the return of the opening material brings the music back to its original mood of gentle sorrow. The piece concludes with a luminous cadence in C-sharp major—a fleeting glimpse of consolation.
Milstein’s arrangement preserves the nocturne’s intimate character while allowing the violin to bring new color and expressiveness to Chopin’s lines. The result is a work that feels both familiar and newly poignant, a testament to the enduring power of Chopin’s music to touch the heart.
Listening for: The expressive shaping of the melody, the interplay between violin and piano, and the subtle shifts in mood from darkness to light.
Tonight’s program journeys across continents and centuries, from the salons of Romantic Europe to the concert halls of turn-of-the-century America. Each work offers a unique perspective on lyricism, intimacy, and the expressive possibilities of the violin and piano duo. We invite you to listen for the threads of song, memory, and longing that connect these masterpieces, and to discover anew the emotional richness of this extraordinary repertoire.
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