Schubert Trios

Schubert Piano Trios chamber music society at yale November 2, 2010

david shifrin artistic director

with Martin Beaver, violin Claude Greensmith, cello Peter Frankl, piano

Robert Blocker, Dean

november 2, 2010 ¡ 8 pm Morse Recital Hall in Sprague Memorial Hall

Schubert Piano Trios martin beaver, violin clive greensmith, cello peter frankl, piano

Franz Schubert 1797-1828

Trio No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 100, D. 929, “Notturno�

Allegro Andante con moto Scherzando. Allegro moderato Allegro moderato intermission Trio No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 99, D. 898 Allegro moderato Andante un poco mosso Scherzando. Allegro Rondo. Allegro vivace

As a courtesy to the performers and audience members, turn off cell phones and pagers. Please do not leave the theater during selections. Photography or recording of any kind is not permitted.

artist profiles

Pianist Peter Frankl made his London debut in 1962 and his New York debut with the Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell in 1967. Since that time he has performed with many of the world’s finest orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Concertgebouw, Israel Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, all the London orchestras, and the major American orchestras.

He has collaborated with such conductors as Abbado, Boulez, Haitink, Maazel, Masur, Muti, Salonen, and Solti. His world tours have taken him to Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, and he frequently appears at European and American festivals. His chamber music partners have included Kyung Wha Chung, Ralph Kirshbaum, and the Tokyo, Takacs, Guarneri, Bartók, and Fine Arts quartets. Among his recordings are the complete works for piano by Schumann and Debussy, Bartók and Chopin solo albums, concertos and four-hand works by Mozart, the Brahms piano concertos, Bartók pieces for violin and piano, and the piano quintets by Brahms, Schumann, Dvorák, Martinu, and both Dohnányis. In recognition of his artistic achievements, Mr. Frankl was awarded the Officer’s Cross by the Hungarian Republic. This year he celebrates his 75th birthday with four performances at Yale, where he has been on the faculty since 1987.

Martin Beaver is the newest member of the Tokyo String Quartet, having joined the ensemble as first violinist in 2002. A prominent chamber musician, he was a founding member of two Canadian ensembles: the Toronto String Quartet and Triskelion. He has appeared with the Boston Chamber Music Society and Bargemusic, as well as at Ravinia, the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, and Reizend Muziekgezelschap in Amsterdam. As a soloist, Mr. Beaver has appeared with the San Francisco Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Montreal Symphony, Toronto Symphony, National Orchestra of Belgium, and the Portuguese Radio Orchestra, among others. He was a top prize-winner at the international violin competitions in Indianapolis and Montreal, and won a silver medal at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium. A former pupil of Victor Danchenko, Josef Gingold, and Henryk Szeryng, he has served on the faculties of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, the University of British Columbia, and the Peabody Conservatory of Music and has presented masterclasses in North America, Europe, and Asia. He is currently on the faculty at the Steinhardt School at New York University. Mr. Beaver has recorded for the René Gailly, Naim Audio, Naxos, SM5000, and Musica Viva labels.

artist profiles

Cellist Clive Greensmith joined the Tokyo String Quartet in June 1999. A graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music and the Musikhochschule in Cologne, his principal teachers were Donald McCall and Boris Pergamenschikow. He has held the position of principal cellist of London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. As a soloist, he has appeared with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, English Chamber Orchestra, Mostly Mozart Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic, and the RAI Orchestra of Rome. He has collaborated with distinguished musicians such as András Schiff, Midori, Claude Frank, and Steven Isserlis, and has won several prizes including second place in the inaugural Premio Stradivari held in Cremona, Italy. Mr. Greensmith has served on the faculties of the Royal Northern College of Music, Yehudi Menuhin School, and San Francisco Conservatory of Music and is currently on the faculty of Manhattan School of Music. Mr. Greensmith’s recording of Brahms Sonatas with Boris Berman was recently released on the Biddulph label.

franz schubert Trio No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 99, D. 898

Franz Schubert began work on his trio for violin, cello and piano at the age of thirty, one year before the end of his life. By this time, his health was ever decreasing. However, it barely hindered his ability to compose. While composing the trio, he was also hard at work on the famous song cycle, Die Winterreise. Though the cycle’s mood was bleak and gloomy, it did not affect his work on the trio. In contrast, one could say that the trio resembles more closely Die schöne Müllerin, with its long overarching melodies and expansive ranges.

The second movement is a slow, introverted song. The expressive melodies are constantly accompanied by a steady pulse. The hushed movement only relinquishes its calm for occasional fortes, as if hidden passion can no longer be subdued.

The first movement is in sonata form, and contains two distinct themes. The first is a stately yet lyrical march, marked by dottedeighth sixteenth note figures. The second theme is sentimental and expressive, accompanied by flowing triplets. The movement does not follow all the conventions of the form. Instead, at the end of the exposition, Schubert melodically introduces the note G-flat in the cello. Locally it is seemingly insignificant. However, it becomes a structural tone in the development. Instead of reintroducing the first theme in the home key, Schubert composes a false recapitulation in G-flat, slowly modulating back to B-flat.

The finale is a rondo, but it also contains traits of theme and variation, which can also be prominently seen in his “Trout” Quintet. As each new theme is introduced, it is immediately molded and transformed into something new.

Each succeeding phrase is different from the one before. Even the returning theme is subjected to Schubert’s innovations.

The third movement is marked scherzo. Though it sounds like a typical scherzo, it also has the flair of a simple folk dance. The trio clearly refers to a waltz, with the violin and cello portrayed as a dancing pair.

– Scott Switzer

franz schubert Trio No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 100, D. 929, “Notturno”

Raised on the music of Haydn, Mozart, and other Viennese composers, Schubert developed a style that in small gestures sounded classical but in structure expanded with broad freedom.

This piano trio dates from 1827, the year of Beethoven’s death. Schubert continued to compose at his characteristically prolific pace despite suffering the effects of syphilis, and had written his first piano trio – a relatively new genre then – earlier that year.

of the warm second theme. These moods alternate in a modified rondo structure (A B A' B' A") over which Schubert builds a wrenching emotional arc. A respite arrives in the third movement, with its dancing themes, clear textures, and melodic interplay.

In the extensive finale, the graceful first theme gains strength as it develops. The second theme, with its hallmark repeated notes, has been compared to the delicate sound of the cimbalom, a Hungarian hammered dulcimer. Schubert brings back the melody of the second movement, a technique unusual at the time but that became a common method for Romantic composers to create unity across long works.

The expansive first movement is introduced by a stately unison melody. The first theme, presented first by the cello, dips downward and then up; the second theme appears with a quietly focused series of repeated minor chords.

Schubert expands on this material before leading to a triumphant cadence on B-flat. From – Dana Astmann its quiet beginning, the development section modulates through far-ranging keys, winding up as far away as B minor. The recapituation brings us back to the opening unison statement, though here too Schubert continues to play with his melodic material.

Schubert’s heartrending theme for the Andante appears first in the cello, then in the piano, over the steady beat of a funeral march. The gloom lifts temporarily with the violin’s introduction

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November 4 new music new haven Sprague Hall | Thu | 8 pm Featuring guest composer David Felder, plus music by Justin Tierney, Jordan Kuspa, Adrian Knight, Garth Neustadter, and Loren Loiacono.

November 7 wendy sharp, violin

piano curators Brian Daley William Harold

Sprague Hall | Sun | 4 pm With Joel Wizansky, piano. Violin sonatas by Mozart and Schumann; transcriptions of Chopin nocturnes; and music by Aaron Jay Kernis, Chris Rogerson, and Christopher Theofanidis.

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November 8 yale guitar music today Sprague Hall | Thu | 8 pm Yale in New York preview concert. Benjamin Verdery, director. Premieres of music by Ezra Laderman, Jack Vees, Kathryn Alexander, and Samuel Adams, plus works by Verdery, Martin Bresnick, Ingram Marshall, and David Lang.

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