The Cleveland Orchestra Bronfman Recital

Severance Music Center

Presents

Yefim Bronfman in Recital

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Severance Music Center

Presents

Yefim Bronfman, piano

Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Concert Hall at Severance Music Center

Sunday, March 10, 2024, at 3 PM

FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797–1828)

Piano Sonata No. 14 in A minor, D. 784, Op. posth. 143

I. Allegro giusto

II. Andante

III. Allegro vivace

ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810–1856)

Faschingsschwank aus Wien (Carnival Scenes from Vienna), Op. 26

I. Allegro

II. Romanze

III. Scherzino

IV. Intermezzo

V. Finale

INTERMISSION

FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN (1810–1849)

FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN

Nocturne No. 8 in D-flat major, Op. 27, No. 2

Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58

I. Allegro maestoso

II. Scherzo: Molto vivace

III. Largo

IV. Finale: Presto non tanto

Yefim Bronfman’s performance is sponsored by Michael Frank and Patricia A.* Snyder.

*deceased

PIANO SONATA NO. 14 IN A MINOR, D. 784, OP. POSTH. 143

By Franz Schubert (1797–1828)

Composed: 1823

Duration: about 20 minutes

“Schubert was not an elegant pianist, but he was a safe and very fluent one,” wrote his friend Anselm Hüttenbrenner. Not a virtuoso, perhaps, but then he would never have played this sometimes very difficult music in public. (In Schubert’s time, piano sonatas were typically intended for domestic use, not for public display.) Very little of it was published in his lifetime, even though there was a lively market for piano music and songs. It was thus hidden from the next generation of pianists, such as Chopin and Liszt, and, unlike Beethoven’s sonatas, contributed little to the historical development of the piano.

But since there is a wayward, private character in Schubert’s music, when he seems to be following the thread of his inventiveness down new, secret paths, perhaps this does not matter. We follow the composer’s lead and accept the leisurely pace, with unexpected twists and turns at every corner.

The Sonata in A minor, D. 784, was composed early in 1823, shortly after the “Unfinished” Symphony. It was a difficult time for Schubert. His health was troubling, and his publishers were constantly shortchanging him, if they accepted his compositions at all. Having offered this work to the Viennese publisher Diabelli, he withdrew it in a fit of pique. Ironically, it was Diabelli who eventually published the work some 10 years after the composer’s death.

Schubert had been writing piano sonatas since 1815, when he was 18. The early ones are far from negligible, but the final nine are recognized as the core of his great achievement in this sphere. This A-minor sonata is the first of the nine, and it is a work of somewhat stark character, free of the “heavenly lengths” (Robert Schumann’s term) in which Schubert often indulges. His normal model was the four-movement sonata established by Beethoven, but here there are only three movements, and the central Andante is unexpectedly concise.

The first movement is a splendid illustration of a pervasive characteristic of Schubert’s music — the driving pulse, which has been likened to a pendulum, with the strong and weak beats of the bar in constant alternation. It applies to themes of widely different types, and presents the player with the dilemma of feeling the demand for rubato — the lingering over lyrical phrases — while the pulse seems to forbid any

departure from the metronomic march of the music. Interpreters of his music vary widely in their approach to this mysterious contradiction.

In both first and second movements, noisy passages spring from nowhere in the central sections, like suppressed rage, only to be quietened by the composer’s magical sleight of hand with key changes.

The scurrying finale makes more serious demands on the player’s technique, especially in the burst of double octaves at the end. But with Schubert you never lose sight of the enchanting lilt of his melodies and the soft heart behind the frown.

FASCHINGSSCHWANK AUS WIEN (CARNIVAL SCENES FROM VIENNA), OP. 26

By Robert Schumann (1810–1856)

Composed: 1839

Duration: about 20 minutes

Carnival Scenes from Vienna (sometimes translated as Carnival Joke from Vienna) is one of the most fanciful titles Robert Schumann gave to the stream of piano pieces he composed in the 1830s. His devotion to songs, symphonies, and chamber music was still in the future, for he was absorbed by his own aspirations to be a pianist (already virtually abandoned) and by his total infatuation with Clara Wieck, a prodigy pianist nine years his junior, destined to be his wife and the leading piano pedagogue of the century.

In the winter of 1837–38, Clara went to Vienna with her father to give a series of recitals which were a triumphant success. This encouraged Schumann to move to the city, taking with him the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik , the music journal he had founded in Leipzig four years earlier. The winter he spent there, a year later than Clara, was not a success since prospects of publishing were poor under heavy Austrian censorship. Schumann also discovered that Vienna was far from the musical mecca it had been in the time of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, instead caring only for Rossini and Strauss waltzes. “Vienna,” he reported, “is the city where Beethoven lived; and there is perhaps no place in the world where Beethoven is so little played and mentioned as Vienna. There they fear everything new, every departure from the lazy old rut.”

Still, he composed a great deal there, including the Carnival Scenes from Vienna , a fanciful series of pieces whose title suggests the noisy exuberance of Vienna’s carnival at Mardi Gras, which he witnessed in 1838 just before his return to Leipzig. Several years earlier, in 1835, he had composed Carnaval , in which the traditional characters of the Commedia dell’arte are individually illustrated, but here the music paints no literal picture of high jinks in the streets. It merely explores the wonderful musical poetry that poured out of his pen at this time of his life. The “joke” in the alternate translation of the work’s title resides in a brief quotation of “La Marseillaise” in the first movement, a tune then forbidden in Vienna from a characteristically outdated resentment of Napoleon.

In Schumann’s mind, this was to be a “great romantic sonata,” and its five movements may be seen as a kind of sonata, with three character pieces framed by two more substantial movements. He preferred to build movements out of separate and distinct episodes rather than by thematic development, so the first movement is a rondo, with its main episode recurring several times and a coda recalling some of the intervening material.

The Romanze is brief, uncomplicated, and deeply romantic; Schumann at his most heartfelt. The Scherzino is built on a single repetitive idea, allowing only meager space for a contrasting theme before dissolving. In the Intermezzo, a passionate melody sails gloriously above a flurry of notes in the middle voice. The melody descends comfortably to the bass at the end.

If Schumann thought of this music as a sonata, it is the Finale which matches the description. It moves at great speed, calling for virtuosity and some crafty crossing of the hands, and its satisfying conclusion demonstrates that the composer enjoyed pouring out his soul in this fashion, whether the Viennese carnival impressed him or not.

NOCTURNE NO. 8 IN D-FLAT

MAJOR, OP. 27, NO. 2

By Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)

Composed: 1836

Duration: about 5 minutes

Two composers are usually credited with providing models for Chopin’s mature style: the Irishman John Field and the Italian Vincenzo Bellini. The two features that all three composers prominently shared were a gift for languorous melody and a fondness for triple time. Of Chopin’s 21 nocturnes, 16 of them are built on a triplet pulse. The D-flat nocturne is perhaps the best known and exploits both stylistic features to the full.

The drooping melody effortlessly convinces the listener that the piano is a singing voice, not a machine full of percussive hammers, and in Chopin’s hands this melody blossoms sublimely with ornaments and decorative fancy. The triplet pulse is heard throughout in the flowing six-note figure to which the left hand is committed in every bar, leaving the right hand free to extemporize, as if they were separate instruments.

The design of the piece rests on the main melody being heard three times, always in the home key of D-flat major, but with delicate variations introduced. The second part of the theme always follows, but in three different keys. To affirm the romantic warmth of this key, one of Chopin’s favorites, the nocturne ends with the key note, D flat, repeatedly in the bass over the last dozen bars, in perfect tranquility.

PIANO SONATA NO. 3 IN B MINOR, OP. 58

By Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)

Composed: 1844

Duration: about 30 minutes

This sonata is a serious and complex work, composed at the apex of Chopin’s maturity in 1844. In most of his music he was clearly drawn to shorter forms in one movement — études, nocturnes, mazurkas — instead of the Beethovenian symphonic model. He never attempted a symphony, much less an opera, but the three piano sonatas are substantial works, all in four movements.

The B-minor sonata was written at a difficult time in his life. His health, never good, was a source of worry; his father had died the year before; he had given up performing in public for good (almost); and his relationship with George Sand, which had taken off so joyously in 1837, was under strain, soon to come to an end. It is clear that composing was a perfect solace, and that he gave his full attention to the form and detail of a work such as this, with its abundance of notes, its furious management of modulation from key to key, and its prodigal inventiveness.

There are melodies that stand out by being played in the right hand as single notes against a smoothly flowing left hand, similar to the mood of the nocturnes, but these are surrounded by active music full of flowing counterpoint and chromatic inner detail. This is music for powerful pianists, not afraid of scales and passagework in both hands spread across the keyboard. It has been said of the first movement that it “is packed with material sufficient for 25 sonatas by a composer 25 years previously.”

The Scherzo gives the right hand an unbroken flow of notes at top speed. Contrast is provided by the longer, calmer middle section, but the return of the whirlwind is inevitable. The Largo provides the profound core of the work, as slow movements should. Rich in melody and harmonic color, this movement has a breadth and serenity that recall the mood of Beethoven’s later piano sonatas.

The Finale has a driving pulse throughout, even when the right hand is once again cascading up and down the upper octaves of the piano. It makes a solid and satisfying capstone for a mighty structure built by a master hand.

— Program notes by

Hugh Macdonald

YEFIM BRONFMAN

Internationally recognized as one of today’s most acclaimed and admired pianists, Yefim Bronfman stands among a handful of artists regularly sought by festivals, orchestras, conductors, and recital series. His commanding technique, power, and exceptional lyrical gifts are consistently acknowledged by the press and audiences alike.

Following summer festival appearances in Verbier, Israel, Aspen, the Grand Tetons, and Sun Valley, Bronfman’s 2023–24 season began with a European tour celebrating the auspicious 500th anniversary of the Munich Opera and Orchestra with concerts in Lucerne, Bucharest, London, Paris, Linz, Vienna, and Munich. In partnership with Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, he toured Japan and Korea followed by return engagements in the US throughout the season with the New York Philharmonic, the Boston, Kansas City, National, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco symphonies, and the Minnesota Orchestra. An extensive winter/spring recital tour began in Ljubljana and includes Milan, Berlin, Cleveland, Chicago, Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, La Jolla, and culminates in Carnegie Hall in early May.

Born in Tashkent in the Soviet Union, Bronfman immigrated to Israel with his family in 1973, where he studied with pianist Arie Vardi, head of the Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University. In the United States, he studied at The Juilliard School, Marlboro School of Music, and the Curtis Institute of Music, under Rudolf Firkusny, Leon Fleisher, and Rudolf Serkin. A recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize, one of the highest honors given to American instrumentalists, in 2010 he was further honored as the recipient of the Jean Gimbel Lane Prize in Piano Performance from Northwestern University, and in 2015 he received an honorary doctorate from the Manhattan School of Music.

Now in its second century, The Cleveland Orchestra, under the leadership of Music Director Franz Welser-Möst since 2002, is one of the most sought-after performing ensembles in the world. Year after year, the ensemble exemplifies extraordinary artistic excellence, creative programming, and community engagement. The New York Times has called Cleveland “the best in America” for its virtuosity, elegance of sound, variety of color, and chamber-like musical cohesion.

Founded by Adella Prentiss Hughes, the Orchestra performed its inaugural concert in December 1918. By the middle of the century, decades of growth and sustained support had turned it into one of the most admired globally.

The past decade has seen an increasing number of young people attending concerts, bringing fresh attention to The Cleveland Orchestra’s legendary sound and committed programming. More recently, the Orchestra launched several bold digital projects, including the streaming broadcast platform Adella, the podcast On a Personal Note, and its own recording label, a new chapter in the Orchestra’s long and distinguished recording and broadcast history. Together, they have captured the Orchestra’s unique artistry and the musical achievements of the Welser-Möst and Cleveland Orchestra partnership.

The 2023–24 season marks Franz Welser-Möst’s 22nd year as music director, a period in which The Cleveland Orchestra earned unprecedented acclaim around the world, including a series of residencies at the Musikverein in Vienna, the first of its kind by an American orchestra, and a number of acclaimed opera presentations.

Since 1918, seven music directors — Nikolai Sokoloff, Artur Rodziński, Erich Leinsdorf, George Szell, Lorin Maazel, Christoph von Dohnányi, and Franz WelserMöst — have guided and shaped the ensemble’s growth and sound. Through concerts at home and on tour, broadcasts, and a catalog of acclaimed recordings, The Cleveland Orchestra is heard today by a growing group of fans around the world.

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SEVERANCE IN RECITAL

Evgeny Kissin & Matthias Goerne

Perform Brahms and Schumann

APR 14 l SUN 3 PM

Evgeny Kissin, piano Matthias Goerne, baritone Mandel Concert Hall

Program to include: R. SCHUMANN Dichterliebe

BRAHMS Selected Songs

LATE SEATING

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Contact an usher or a member of house staff if you require medical assistance. Emergency exits are clearly marked throughout the building. Ushers and house staff will provide instructions in the event of an emergency.

HEARING AIDS AND OTHER HEALTH-ASSISTIVE DEVICES

For the comfort of those around you, please reduce the volume on hearing aids and other devices that may produce a noise that would detract from the program. Infrared Assistive-Listening Devices are available. Please see the House Manager or Head Usher for more details.

AGE RESTRICTIONS

Regardless of age, each person must have a ticket and be able to sit quietly in a seat throughout the performance. Classical Season subscription concerts are not recommended for children under the age of 8. However, there are several age-appropriate series designed specifically for children and youth, including Music Explorers (recommended for children 3 to 6 years old) and Family Concerts (for ages 7 and older).

Copyright © 2024 by The Cleveland Orchestra and Musical Arts Association

Kevin McBrien, Editorial Assistant (kmcbrien@clevelandorchestra.com)

Program books for Cleveland Orchestra concerts are produced by The Cleveland Orchestra and are distributed free to attending audience members.

The Cleveland Orchestra is proud to have its home, Severance Music Center, located on the campus of Case Western Reserve University, with whom it has a long history of collaboration and partnership.

THE 2023/2024 SEASON CALENDAR

Pre-concert lectures are held in Reinberger Chamber Hall one hour prior to the performance.

WINTER

MAR 14, 16 & 17

LEVIT PLAYS MOZART

Franz Welser-Möst, conductor

Igor Levit, piano

MOZART Piano Concerto No. 27

BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4, “Romantic”

Pre-concert lecture by Cicilia Yudha

SPRING

MAR 21 – 23

SIBELIUS’S SECOND SYMPHONY

Dalia Stasevska, conductor

Josefina Maldonado, mezzo-soprano

RAUTAVAARA Cantus Arcticus

PERRY Stabat Mater

SIBELIUS Symphony No. 2

Pre-concert lecture by Kevin McBrien

APR 4 & 6

CITY NOIR

John Adams, conductor

James McVinnie, organ

Timothy McAllister, saxophone

GABRIELLA SMITH Breathing Forests

DEBUSSY Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun

JOHN ADAMS City Noir

Pre-concert lecture by Eric Charnofsky

APR 11 – 13

ELGAR’S CELLO CONCERTO

Klaus Mäkelä, conductor

Sol Gabetta, cello

Thomas Hampson, baritone *

The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus *

JIMMY LÓPEZ BELLIDO Perú negro

ELGAR Cello Concerto

WALTON Belshazzar’s Feast *

Pre-concert lecture by James Wilding

APR 14

RECITAL Schumann & Brahms

Evgeny Kissin, piano

Matthias Goerne, baritone R. SCHUMANN Dichterliebe

BRAHMS Four Ballades, Op. 10

BRAHMS Selected Songs

APR 18 – 20

YUJA WANG PLAYS

RAVEL & STRAVINSKY

Klaus Mäkelä, conductor

Yuja Wang, piano

RAVEL Concerto for the Left Hand STRAVINSKY Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments

STRAVINSKY The Rite of Spring

Pre-concert lecture by Caroline Oltmanns

*

APR 26 – 28

RACHMANINOFF’S SECOND PIANO CONCERTO

Lahav Shani, conductor

Beatrice Rana, piano

UNSUK CHIN subito con forza

RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 2

BARTÓK Concerto for Orchestra

Pre-concert lecture by James O’Leary

MAY 2 – 4

LANG LANG PLAYS SAINT-SAËNS

Franz Welser-Möst, conductor

Lang Lang, piano *

SAINT-SAËNS Piano Concerto No. 2 *

BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique

Pre-concert lecture by Caroline Oltmanns

MAY 16, 18, 24 & 26

MOZART’S MAGIC FLUTE

Franz Welser-Möst, conductor

Nikolaus Habjan, director

Julian Prégardien, tenor

Ludwig Mittelhammer, baritone

Christina Landshamer, soprano

The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus

MOZART The Magic Flute

Staged production sung in German with projected supertitles

MAY 23 & 25

MOZART’S GRAN PARTITA

Franz Welser-Möst, conductor

Leila Josefowicz, violin

Trina Struble, harp

WAGNER Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde

JÜRI REINVERE Concerto for Violin and Harp

MOZART Serenade No. 10, “Gran Partita”

Pre-concert lecture by Michael Strasser