Rodrigo de Freitas
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My graduation project consists of a portfolio that summarizes some of the best work that I have done. The program includes works of Robert Schumann, William Walton, and Alban Berg.
The first pieces that we will listen will be the Märchenbilder by Robert Schumann in 1851, a 4-character piece with the characteristics of the Romantic Era featuring the Viola. Robert Schumann was not only a pianist and composer, but also a writer who was very much interested in the literature of his time.
The pieces were prepared with my great pianist, colleague, and friend Duco Burgers, which brought his insight and virtuoso playing to great evenings of rehearsals and discussions. The movements are:
1. Nicht Schnell – (Not fast) This has a dark feeling, like an opening night. The reflection through imitation, and the rhetoric elements are present and recurring motive, developed by a romantic approach.
2. Lebhaft – (Lively) This is a joyful movement contrasting with the opening piece. The recurring festive motif that opens comes back as literary structure. The ideas in between show the humour and virtuosity that both players interact in chamber music. It ends with a hint of goodbye.
3. Rasch – (Quick) This picture shows a dramatic approach to virtuosity. The idea of fast unsettling notes creates a tense atmosphere, having a relaxed and a caricature feature to the Romantic ideas of the times.
4. Langsam, mit melancholischem Ausdruck – (Slow with melancholic expression) This last piece contrasts again with the previous one as while the other was harsh and unforgiving, this piece is soft as remembering something. With the background knowledge of the writer the poem structure fits with the feeling described before.
The second piece that follows is Concerto for Viola and Orchestra by Sir William Walton. This concerto was written in 1929 and was written to be performed in London Philharmonic and for the violist Lionel Tertis, a great violist and forefather of the British viola schools. This work shows the lyrical characteristics of the late romantic era with new elements present in future generations of composers. The work was greeted with success. And even was compared with other great concertos from other British composers at the time.
The performance was prepared with my co-repetiteur Leon Bak who throughout all my bachelor supported me and gave me his best to perform music at the hight level.
1. Andante comodo
2. Vivo, con molto preciso
The last part of my portfolio involves on the performance of the String quartet op.3 from Alban Berg. The piece was written in 1910 for Arnold Schoenberg and is showed the border of the contemporary of the time. The piece is atonal and categorized as “organized chaos” where it is based on symmetrical pitch relations.
The performance was prepared with Alban kwartet, a group that we look forward to expanding in the future. The amount of time and dedication of every party was more than crucial for this piece to come true, and for that I am very thankful to all.
The first pieces that we will listen will be the Märchenbilder by Robert Schumann in 1851, a 4-character piece with the characteristics of the Romantic Era featuring the Viola. Robert Schumann was not only a pianist and composer, but also a writer who was very much interested in the literature of his time.
The pieces were prepared with my great pianist, colleague, and friend Duco Burgers, which brought his insight and virtuoso playing to great evenings of rehearsals and discussions. The movements are:
1. Nicht Schnell – (Not fast) This has a dark feeling, like an opening night. The reflection through imitation, and the rhetoric elements are present and recurring motive, developed by a romantic approach.
2. Lebhaft – (Lively) This is a joyful movement contrasting with the opening piece. The recurring festive motif that opens comes back as literary structure. The ideas in between show the humour and virtuosity that both players interact in chamber music. It ends with a hint of goodbye.
3. Rasch – (Quick) This picture shows a dramatic approach to virtuosity. The idea of fast unsettling notes creates a tense atmosphere, having a relaxed and a caricature feature to the Romantic ideas of the times.
4. Langsam, mit melancholischem Ausdruck – (Slow with melancholic expression) This last piece contrasts again with the previous one as while the other was harsh and unforgiving, this piece is soft as remembering something. With the background knowledge of the writer the poem structure fits with the feeling described before.
The second piece that follows is Concerto for Viola and Orchestra by Sir William Walton. This concerto was written in 1929 and was written to be performed in London Philharmonic and for the violist Lionel Tertis, a great violist and forefather of the British viola schools. This work shows the lyrical characteristics of the late romantic era with new elements present in future generations of composers. The work was greeted with success. And even was compared with other great concertos from other British composers at the time.
The performance was prepared with my co-repetiteur Leon Bak who throughout all my bachelor supported me and gave me his best to perform music at the hight level.
1. Andante comodo
2. Vivo, con molto preciso
The last part of my portfolio involves on the performance of the String quartet op.3 from Alban Berg. The piece was written in 1910 for Arnold Schoenberg and is showed the border of the contemporary of the time. The piece is atonal and categorized as “organized chaos” where it is based on symmetrical pitch relations.
The performance was prepared with Alban kwartet, a group that we look forward to expanding in the future. The amount of time and dedication of every party was more than crucial for this piece to come true, and for that I am very thankful to all.
Rodrigo de Freitas
