Program Notes
SONATA NO. 2 IN A MAJOR, OP. IOO
Brahms wrote this lovely, lyrical Workduring the summer of 1886 while he was
ZhicalfLmmgiiiSwitzerItmdon the lake of Tlιιm. Tliesiimmerwasa happy, Creativeonb
difriιig which ire also composed the second cello sonata and the C minor trio. The
present work is far more placid than the Dih er two, its suιcet and tender, first movemen t ⅜t
indicated tn. the tempo marking amabile. Thesecond theme may well be у citation from
one of Brahms' own songs; he refers to ⅛ιjι> others in the course of Ihesoiiahi.
The farm in each movement is simple and SiiccincL He compresses the Imditioiinl ι
slow and fast movements into a single centrai movement.- miracuïousiybalancing the
Slihri andante sections with the longer but faster- moving vivace. Each return of the
slow portion is writ'd, first expanded then contracted, and the movement concludes
with a brief final statement of the fast motive.
The third, mfapeinent is a rondo, Ihoiigli not in the fast tempo and character of a
hiιditiontiι rondo. Rather, it is broarf.mιd richly expansive in its Iyriciswffimd at the
same time, heπιttlfiιlly concise in its form.
SONATl 192tn
EniestBfach. born in SwiizerkindofJtrtiNh parents^ mostofi-en iclenHfiedivith his
great Hebrew rfisysoty far Vfatnncelfa mid orchestra-, ScheJomoz or with works like
the three HebrewPoems far orchestra L However, the composer’s'own words give an
Htsighhmfalhetfangprpf tooctescrin Indentifiaition of.ιdlhis works with Jewish music
per set "f ⅛ not propose or desire to attempt a reconstruction of the mμsicof tlκjew≤i i
and fa base my works otφmefadies mote far less authentic'... l` believe thlrf ^ilre most
important thing is fa -write good and sincere music - my own music. Jf ⅛ rather the
Hebrew sμ⅛⅛ that interests me,. which I seek fa feel within me and fa translate in my
music. "
This distillation of the Helinrw spirit is amply demonstrated in the sonata of 7 920,
written shortly after Block's appointment as director of the Cleveland Institute of
Mttsfc..Certain rhythmic and melodic motives Iurv a mid-eastern sound, but they are
an essential part of BlochN personal musical profile.
Thf OfVtiing three-note motive bus a Savage vitality which twtfb≠<,* Ihrottgk.
nearly all Ihemovement. A motive based ста rNmg fourth and fatting third appears nk
various guises throughout the sonata, providing a logic, to this seemingly rhapsodic
work. Typicfa is the reverse dotted rhythm (short-fang) which appears in the second
and third movements. The central movement, eerie tιtai impressionistic, CalNfarvtefin
ImrHionics Hnda twiiptc, strummingpi∑ziaιfo. Hs calm beginningaκ<lending balance
the passion of the two outer moi`em^rts. The last mcxvιnent is Charsctertzfd by
τejιeeied figtires in the piano, shifting meters, and a fierce intensity of expression.
SONATA IN Л MAJOR, OP 47 ("KREUTZER")
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One of t∣ e ltest-kdown of Beethoven's ensemble works today, this sonata was
can^tesed ш ld(B and bnτrs the Significout title, SonaU for the pianoforte and an
obligato violin, written in a very brilliant concertante style, almost like a
concerto. It whs nriginatty Jierfertnedby George Bridgetefwer, a London vtelbtisi who
>-■ hi V,,'l∕ ? (ti th^> time, ieɪtti Beethoren himself al thepumol However, 'd.<eenιs that
the two men ev'etthudhf guarrtfiledfatera girl and Beethtmeii dedicated IhfiWtirk fa the
great Erench Violmist and composer, RAfidybe Kreutzer. l
The work was Aonsidered im'∣nHprehensihte lγ its first reviewer. Berlioz later tvrites
that Kι,eu-izet ''coutd uei,rr bring himself to fa∣ιy this outrageously Uniniettigiblt
; <i