A Balm in Time

carthage music department presents

A Balm in Time Graduate Piano Recital by Seyi Ajibade

Wednesday, April 27, 2022 | 7:30 p.m. | A. F. Siebert Chapel

program Piano Sonata No 15, Op. 28 in D major (Pastoral Sonata) Allegro Andante Scherzo-Allegro vivace Rondo-Allegro ma non troppo

Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Humoreske, Op 20 Einfach (Simple) Hastig (Hastily) Einfach und zart (Simple and Delicate) Innig (Heartfelt) Sehr lebhaft (Very lively) Mit einigem (With some pomp) Zum Beschluss (In conclusion)

Robert Schumann (1840-1856)

program notes Piano Sonata No.15 in D major, op.28 It was first published in the 1800s and was dedicated to Count Joseph von Sonnenfels. At the time, Beethoven still had something to say in the “four-movement” standard scheme of his earlier sonatas. It was not Beethoven who gave this sonata the title “Pastoral”, but the publisher. There are debates about if the title ‘Pastoral’ refers to the sense of countryside and nature (like Beethoven’s later 6th symphony, where Beethoven annotated country scenery and nature themes in some of the symphony’s movements) or to its sense of calm, simplicity and lightness. In the early 1800s, right before the sonata was written, Beethoven composed an orchestral movement titled Pastorale within the ballet music to The Creatures of Prometheus op. 43. This composition may have consciously drawn upon the character of this sonata (Pastoral) op. 28. The first movement begins with repeated notes in the bass, providing a constant heartbeat, almost like a musette-like drone tone, as with bagpipes- a truly serene “pastoral” scene. The second movement (in D minor) also has a heartbeatlike bass, though not initially with repeated notes, but more of a walking motif. This movement has a lot of imitations of the string quartet in its articulation, which keep a steady, yet balanced non-legato accompaniment for a somber stretchedout melody, with an unexpectedly cheerful middle section. The third, Scherzo movement is not too complicated; it creates variances of the same simple chord progression in different keys and includes a little bit more dramatic Trio section.

The fourth movement of the sonata gets its inspiration from established nature painting elements of primitive pastoral and Christmas-tide music in their dance-like triple meter, simple key, harmonies that revolve solely around tonic, dominant and subdominant, pedal notes reminiscent of bagpipes, and drone-like intervals of a fifth in the bass. Carl Czerny in his book Die Kunst des Vortrags der älteren und neueren Klavierkompositionen identifies the fourth movement in particular as a “cheerful Pastorale, playful and good-humored”.

program notes Humoreske, op 20 I’ve been at the piano all week, composing and writing and laughing and crying, all at the same time,” Schumann wrote from Vienna to his beloved Clara Schumann in March 1839. “You will find this state of affairs nicely revealed in my Opus 20, the grand Humoreske.” The Humoreske is one of Schumann’s most inspired creations.

As an elusive masterpiece, it is not one of his easiest works to follow, which may have contributed to neglect that is undeserved. Clara refrained from playing it in public, fearing it might be too inaccessible to audiences. In order to understand it, Schumann stressed that one must first have a feeling for Humor. The nineteenthcentury German ideal of humor differs largely from our current English definition of funny or comedic. Alluding to his literary idol, Jean-Paul, the German Romantic novelist from whom he “learned more counterpoint than from [his] music teacher,” Schumann described Humor as “a felicitous combination of gemütlich (genial) and witzig (witty).” We see this dichotomy reflected in Schumann’s famous alter egos: the sensitive and dewy-eyed Eusebius and the astute and often bitingly ironic Florestan. In his Vorschule der Ästhetik, Jean-Paul dedicates half a dozen chapters to this concept of Humor, which he defines as “an infinity of contrast,” “a setting of the small world besides the great,” and were “a kind of laughter results which contains pain and greatness.” “Infinity of contrast” is certainly an apt description of the Humoreske, a work in which a mosaic-like array of constantly shifting moods and characters is contained within its many capricious episodes, ranging from inward-looking poetry to manic exuberance in an endless stream of unpredictability.

Schumann needed some happy diversion in his life at that phase of his life: he was unhappy about his separation from Clara. She had ignored Robert’s plea for her to join him in Vienna. His major reason for being in Vienna was to establish in the Austrian capital, his journal, Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, which he had founded in Leipzig in 1833. But the city fathers gave a resounding “No.” He had no other choice than to compose a new keyboard masterwork. In fact, Schumann in 1839 was close to the end of the line of works for the keyboard, master or otherwise. His creative life had centered exclusively on music for the piano, the instrument on which he envisioned becoming a virtuoso. This dream, however, was shattered when he injured his fingers by way of a contraption he used to strengthen those digits that might have been his means of attaining fame. But thanks to the musical gods for his catalog of magnificent keyboard pieces. After his marriage to Clara in 1840, he turned to songs and then symphonies, then chamber music; all contributing to his immortality. The Humoreske may be one of the most difficult of Schumann’s piano works to love unreservedly. The lengthy piece is episodic in a way that doesn’t provide a characterful centrality. The lovely simplicity of the opening section (which is repeated only once, after the playfully brilliant ensuing pages) sets a mood that recurs intermittently. There is typical Schumannesque rhythmic verve, harmonic ingenuity, and tender songfulness throughout the work, all of which have a strong appeal.

Apparently, the main theme at the beginning of the concluding section had a strong appeal to Schumann, who recalled it ten years later when writing incidental music for Byron’s Manfred. “Of whimsy”, one of the meanings of the word humoresque; there is far more that is implied than real playfulness in the humoresque, according to Schumann. This is a large-scale work without conscious formalism, musical thoughts streaming without inhibition: “laughing and crying.”

biography Seyi Ajibade is a pianist, trombonist and orchestra conductor from Lagos, Nigeria.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the prestigious University of Lagos, Nigeria, and a Diploma in Music (Piano) from the Musical Society of Nigeria, as well as ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal School of Music, Scotland). As an advocate for music education and performance in Nigeria, he co-founded the Chamber Music Society Nigeria, with other community development such as becoming a part of Akojopo Music Foundation which operates from the USA with the aim to advance the scene of music education and performance in Nigeria. Seyi’s full commitment to music was inspired by his first visit to the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival, Capetown, South Africa in 2013. And since then he has been shaped by different musical tastes and searching for intellectual and creative minds. He has won in major piano competitions in Nigeria such as the Mountain Top Maestro Competition, 1st runner Music-quest competition 2011, and winner of the Klazic Entertainment Competition (Piano). Seyi Ajibade is currently a graduate student at Carthage College, studying piano performance with Dr. Deborah Masloski and Education in a self-designed program. He aspires to continue his musical journey as an African Musicologist (Ethnomusicologist), research, and perform more music from Africa, especially Nigeria. His goal is to advance African Musicology through performance, applied musicology, and Education.

dedication This recital is dedicated to the Almighty God, Schwaber Family, Dr. Deborah Masloski, Dr. Wael Farouk, Prof Fumi Nakayama, The Ajibade’s, Oreoluwa Lydia, Herman and Kerigann, Sulayman Human, Megan Geoffrey Prins, MFM family, Chamber Music Nigeria Family, Dr. James Ripley, Corinne Ness, Dr. Kawakami, Pastor Joshua Adewale, Adejayan Olusola, Dr. Dimitri Shapovalov, Piano seminar class, and the Black Student Union. Thank you all for believing in me.

Fine Arts at Carthage acknowledges that the land on which our building stands is part of the traditional Potawatomi, Sioux, Peoria, Kickapoo, and Miami peoples past, present, and future. These homelands reside along the southwest shores of Michigami, North America’s largest system of freshwater lakes. We honor with gratitude the land itself, and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations. Many Indigenous peoples thrive in this place—alive and strong, and this calls us to commit to continuing to learn how to be better stewards of the land we inhabit as well.

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