This Sunday cellist Tim Posner and pianist Ljubica Stojanovickick off our jam packed 2019 Sunday Music programme with some of the greatest music in the classical repertoire, from Bach’s wonderfully dark C minor suite to Shostakovich’s dramatic, lyrical sonata, with Bach To Shostakovich.
If you need to keep busy until then though, check out Tim’s top 5 movements→
Ludwig van Beethoven
Sonata No. 5 in D, Op. 102 No. 2, 2nd Movement: Adagio con molto sentimental d’affetto
This uplifting and dramatic ending to the Messiah always leaves us feeling positive at the end of the evening. It has become a very recognisable and well known piece of music today – can you imagine how one of our electroacoustic composers may have recreated it!?
(07:04 – 15:12)
Felix Mendelssohn
Sonata No. 2 in D Major, Op. 58, 1st Movement: Allegro assai vivace
Mendelssohn’s D major sonata is one of my favourite works to perform. The reason I’ve opted for the 1st movement is because of its sheer joy. I can’t think of another movement in the history of music which is more exuberant and I find this feeling of euphoria both incredibly satisfying and addictive.
Robert Schumann
Romances, Op. 94: No. 1, Nicht schnell
Although not strictly a cello work, I adore the transcription of Schumann’s Romances (originally for oboe and piano). Deciding between the 3 is very difficult but because of the following recording, possibly my favourite video of cello playing ever, I chose the 1st romance. It is very vocal, searching and full of love.
Francis Poulenc
Sonata, FP 143
Poulenc’s sonata is an extremely characterful, virtuosic and animated work, almost schizophrenic in its nature. The 2nd movement is very beautiful and the climaxes are wonderful. He explores so many sound worlds and colours, showing a huge understanding of the cello’s possibilities, both technically and tonally.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Suite No. 4 in E-flat major, BWV 1010: Bourrées
It would have felt wrong if Bach hadn’t featured on this list. The 6 suites are probably the most important works in the cello repertoire. The minuets/gavottes/bourrées are always particularly characterful movements and I’m especially fond of the bourrées from the 4th suite. The first of the two dances is both elegant and lively and the second more lyrical. There’s so much freedom to explore, characterise and vary these dances and this is always a lot of fun.
Bach To Shostakovich will be at Omnibus Theatre 6 Jan as part of our Sunday Music programme – get your tickets HERE→
