YCAT presents… Schubert & Chopin with Ignas
Maknickas
International Concert Series 2024-25
Thursday,16th January2025 PictureGallery, Founder’sBuilding with Ignas Maknickas Piano
EVENT PROGRAMME
Franz Schubert (1797 – 1828) Sonata in A major, D. 664
Carl Vine (b. 1954) Five Bagatelles
Sergei Bortkiewicz (1877 – 1952) Preludes, Op. 33 No. 1
Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849) Polonaise-Fantasie, Op. 61
Estimatedfinishtime:9.15pm
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NOTES
Franz Schubert (1797 – 1828)
Sonata in A major, D. 664
1. Allegromoderato
2. Andante
3. Allegro
When certain concert works are labelled, there is danger that truth in advertising is not entirely present. For example, Schubert’s Symphony in C, the one formerly known as No. 9, always carries with it the subtitle “The Great.” Similarly, the composer’s Piano Sonata in A of 1828 is dubbed a “grand” sonata. These designations, if they are usedto describethelength andscopeoftheworks in question, are perfectly valid. But unfortunately they tend to undermine, in the first case, Schubert’s delightful Sixth Symphony, also in C, and in the second case, his equally delightful but earlier PianoSonata in A.
Nomatter.ThepleasuresoftheA-majorSonataon this program are both great and grand. Probably written in 1819, this work, with but three concise movements, is the most direct and economical of the Schubert sonatas; it surely is one of the most endearing. The first movement’s main theme, although tailor-made for the keyboard, is another ofthosecountlessSchubertmelodiesthatcouldbe set to words. Cannily, however, the composer endowed the melody with a distinctive dottednote figure that is highly developable, sonataallegrostyle.Inhischaracteristicmanner,Schubert turns the second sentence of the theme to the minor, a procedure that occurs frequently throughout the movement. A triplet figure distinguishestheairysecondtheme,andinfactthe ascending triplet scale in single notes that leads to the second theme generates the only brilliant passage in the movement, by way of a series of scales in octaves at the beginning of the development. In contrast to this slight virtuosic indulgence, Schubert ends the movement with a
six-measure coda that reflects on the main theme with simple, sighing poignance.
The slow movement is a model of concentrated expressiveness. Built on but a single melodic idea appearing at times in uneven phrase lengths, the music unfolds with the miraculous variety of the changes of harmony, rhythm, and accompaniment. At mid-point, a transition phrase hasaquasi-ominousringasrepeateddrumbeatsin the low bass remind us of the composer’s keen orchestral consciousness.
The last movement is something of a whirlwind, but a charming whirlwind. There’s a lot of dance here,especiallyinthesecondtheme’srhythmiclilt. (Remember that Schubert composed dozens of dances for the piano, many ineffably lovely, some unbelievably banal.) There is also plenty of finely tuned bravura that is neither unmotivated nor excessive. The Sonata’s balances are, in fact, so wonderfully gauged and the materials so appealing, one (certainly this one) is tempted to label this Sonata “The Perfect.”
Programme Note by Orrin Howard
Carl Vine (b.1954) Five Bagatelles
AustraliancomposerCarlVineinvitestheaudience to experience a fascinating 10-minute journey. Vine has written many types of music including symphonies and chamber works. In these pieces, he explores the bagatelle. A bagatelle is a short piece of music, typically for the piano, that usually haslightandmellowcharacter.Bagatellesconsists of two halves, the second being an embellished restatement of the first. Each part consists of a sentence-like structure which is loosened by various extensions and repetitions. These five bagatelles use Vine’s very unique voice. Using motoric jazz influences, sonorous harmonies, and brief, heart-stopping moments oflyricism.
Programme Note by Amalia Kravtsova
Sergei Bortkiewicz (1877 – 1952)
Preludes, Op. 33 No. 1
3. No1inCsharpminor
4. No2inFsharpmajor
4. No3inDmajor
6. No6inCsharpminor
7. No7inFsharpmajor
Sergei Bortkiewicz was a Russian/UkrainianAustrian composer, pianist and conductor. He referred to himself as a romantic and a melodist. His style is inspired by Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, early Scriabin and Russian folklore. His style is very recognizable. He uses beautiful lyricism that creates an atmosphere of deep nostalgia. The Ten Preludes, Op 33, were written in 1926. The same year Bortkiewicz becameanAustriancitizen.Severalofthepreludes were modelled on Chopin’s piano music, although numbers 6 and 7 are unmistakably in Bortkiewicz’s own musical language.
Programme Note by Amalia Kravtsova
Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849)
Polonaise-Fantasie, Op. 61
One of Chopin’s most enthralling compositions for the piano, the Polonaise-Fantasie in A-flat major, op.41isperhaps more fantasythanpolonaise. The polonaise lends to the piece its characteristic rhythm and, in some respects, a tripartite structure. However, the elaborate presentation of melodic material and its subsequent variation and treatment are unique to the fantasy alone.
The fantasy-like character of the piece is established from the outset with chords a minor third apart followed by ad libitum arpeggios welling up from the low register of the piano. Though beginning with a triad based on A-flat, the tonality of the piece remains undecided throughout the introduction, even venturing brieflyawayintothe keyofB major.Thisharmonic turmoil, however, eventually comes to rest of a quiet dominant triad in A-flat major followed at once by the polonaise’s characteristic rhythm in resonant octaves. Over an active harmonic accompaniment, the fantasy’s first melody sings forth from the middle register. Unlike the typical polonaise with its repeated melodic sections, the melody here undergoes a continue process of embellishment and variation and its simple utterance is soon overpowered by the elaborating process ofthe fantasy.
Closing in the distant key of B minor, the fantasy’s first section is followed by a Più lento in B major, serving the function of the “Trio,” though in this caseitisdifficulttospeakoftheparticularsections of the dance. Beginning with simple chords and then adopting a smooth arpeggiated bass, the music of this section slowly unfolds into a melody all its own. The reflective character of the middle section is briefly interrupted, first by trills in both hands, and then by a return of the introductory measures. The latter serves the purpose of the preparing the return of the tonic key by moving fromthekeyofBmajortothemorecloselyrelated keyofFminor.Amidthunderousoctaves,virtuosic writing and fragments of the original polonaise melody, the climax of the fantasy is reached. Over a resolute dominant pedal, the vigorous music of the final section slowly ebbs away once again into a section of harmonic uncertainty, wavering deceptively between the key of A-flat and its subdominant. This, however, lasts only a few bars and the tonic returns triumphantly in the final chords.
Programme Note by Joseph DuBose
OUR PERFORMER
Born in California and raised in Lithuania, pianist Ignas Maknickas is now based in London and was a winner at the 2023 Young Classical Artists Trust international auditions. In 2024 January, Ignas had his debut at BBC Radio 3 "In Tune" with Sean Raferty.
Oftendecoratedincompetition,Ignaswas winner ofthe 2024Award forKeyboard at the Royal Overseas League Annual Music Competition. He also previously won First Prize at the XIX Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition for Youth in Szafarnia, First Prize at theXXPianoCompetition‘Young Virtuoso’ in Zagreb, Third Prize at the Aarhus Piano Competition, andwas a semi-finalistofthe2021 VendomePrize.
Ignashasappearedinconcertowithmany orchestras including the Aarhus Symphony, Bloomington Symphony in Indiana, Lithuanian National Symphony and London Mozart Players. In recital he has appeared at prestigious concert halls including the Wigmore Hall and Steinway Hall in London, Auditorium du Louvre in Paris, Charlottenborg Festival Hall in Copenhagen and Lithuanian National PhilharmonicinVilnius.
The forthcoming season sees Ignas performingextensivelythroughouttheUK and mainland Europe, including performances at Wigmore Hall, St. George’s Bristol, Brunton Theatre concerts in Scotland, and his debut at the Konzerthaus Berlin. Further afield Ignas will make his Australian debut with
performances at the Bendigo Chamber MusicFestivalnearMelbourne.
Ignas completed his Bachelor, Master of Arts programmes and Advanced Diploma Programme at the Royal Academy of Music on full scholarship under Professor Joanna MacGregor CBE, and is currently holder of the Aud Jebsen Piano Fellowship. In 2021 he received ‘The Queen’s Award for Excellence’ as the highest-scoring graduate of the Royal Academy of Music. He is a Leverhulme Arts Scholar, and recipient of the ABRSM Scholarship Award, Imogen Cooper Music Trust Scholarship, Munster Trust Mark James Award, Robert Turnbull Piano Foundation Award, Tillett Trust and Colin Keer Trust Award and Hattori Foundation Award. Ignas is also a current member of the Munster Trust Recital Scheme, and Philip and Dorothy Green Young Artists Scheme.
In2017,graduatingfromtheNationalM.K. Čiurlionis School of Art in Vilnius, he was honoured by the President of Lithuania, H.E. Dalia Grybauskaitė. With his sister andthreebrothersthetalentedMaknickas Family Ensemble has represented Lithuania on National Television and at StateOccasions.
Ignas is extremely grateful to Dasha Shenkman for her support during his time withYCAT.
Founded in 1984, the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) supports the early careers of musicians so they can go on to move generations of audiences around theworldwiththeirtalent.
