HCMC – Night of Romantic Music

Sat 29 Jul 2017, 8 pm
HCMC Opera House

From the organizer:

19th century’s European Romantic music has offered an invaluable musical legacy to the world over. In tandem with the massive boom in schools of thought, language, artistic styles, musical talents mushroomed across Europe with remarkable sense of newness in their works, breaking away from the establishments of Classical period. A Night of Romantic Music held at the Opera House on 29 July, 2016 will be a showcase of works by two of the Period’s greatest, Felix Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann.

Felix Mendelssohn is a very special figure in Romantic period classical music of XIX century. He was fully immersed and devoted to music free from the daily worries. His life was as peaceful as his music, while his works bear many similarities with Mozart’s, outstandingly being the gentleness and brightness in musical expression.

The piece was composed when Felix was only 14, in the late summer and early autumn of 1823. The work is a young Felix trying to find his own voice, and among his lesser known works, however the smoothness and serenity typical in his works is already evident. Moreover, as people know more about Felix and his genius ability that allowed the young composer to compose works of even greater complexity than Mozart’s at his age, few people seem to notice another talented, if not greater, family member: Fanny Mendelssohn, Felix’s sister. Like her brother, Fanny exhibited very early a musical prowess and character. Even Felix himself admitted that of the two, she outperformed him on the piano.

The piece will be delivered by two hugely potential young talents in HCMC’s classical music circle, Nguyen Thuy Yen and Nguyen Anh Vu, pianist. They belong to a league of new talents under academic training and extensive experience with international composers and players. Both are currently teachers at HCMC Conservatory of Music, who also achieve a great chemistry when performing together.

The year 1840 is the happiest year in Schumann’s life. He and the famed pianist Clara Wieck had finally overcome all barriers to reach a happy marriage. To Schuman, it was a whole new life with whole new dreams. Schumann used imagination to compose, and it must have been an over-surge of imagination upon the incident that helped him compose with such extraordinary speed. In 4 days and nights towards the end of 1841, Schumann finished the drafts of his very first symphonic work, in B-flat Major, Op 38. A month later, he finished the complete structure and named it Spring.

In Clara’s diary, Spring gained its inspiration from Spring poems by Adolph Boettger, but Schumann insisted his inspiration came from Clara’s acts of encouragement to compose a symphony about spring filled with his love for her. The piece was very well received in its premier on 31 March, 1841 in Leipzig, batoned by Felix Mendelssohn himself. However, Schumann decided to modify the work in August, which initiated his approach for longer compositions, that is quick draft for ideas upon the idea explosion, then modify after its first performance.

Spring in B-flat Major, Op 38 is written for pair of flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, 3 timpanis, triange and string orchestra.

The concert will be under the baton of young conductor Tran Nhat Minh, who has established his own signature by winning prestigious international awards very early into his short career. He also solidifies his position at HBSO while orchestrating our productions of highest calibre such as Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Bizet’s Carmen, and Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ballet. The program packed with young talents and immense devotion will unquestionably deliver a rounded enjoying experience to everyone.

Conductor: Trần Nhật Minh
Piano: Nguyễn Thùy Yên, Phạm Nguyễn Anh Vũ

PROGRAM

FELIXMENDELSSOHN – Concerto for 2 pianos in E Major, MWV O 5 [34’]
I. Allegrovivace
II. Adagio nontroppo
III. Allegro
Piano I &II: Nguyễn Thùy Yên, Phạm Nguyễn Anh Vũ

Listen to the concerto as performed by the Varshavsli-Shapiro piano duo here:

Intermission

ROBERT SCHUMANN – Symphony No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 38, “Spring”
I. Andante unpoco maestoso. Allegro molto vivace
II. Larghetto
III. Scherzo.Molto vivace
IV. Allegroanimato e grazioso
Performing: HBSO Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Trần Nhật Minh

Tickets

Ticket price: 550,000 – 400,000 – 350,000 – 200,000 – 80,000 VND (for students only)

Booking and delivery: 028 3823 7295, Ms. Hương 098 987 4517, Ms. Mai My: 090 360 4539
Online Booking: www.ticketbox.vn

Follow updates on event page.