Robert Bridge on piano at All Saints' Church, Putney Common
Sonata in D minor (The Tempest), Op.31/2 - Beethoven
Five Little Piano Pieces - Liszt
Sonata No.7, Op.83 - Prokofiev
This programme positions two turbulent sonatas by Beethoven and Prokofiev around a group of beautiful and heartfelt miniatures which reveal a surprisingly intimate side of Liszt. Beethoven composed the Tempest sonata in 1801 and flaunted most of the unwritten rules of sonata composition in this one piece with its slow introduction, wide-ranging modulations and wistfully elusive last movement. Its nickname is supposedly a reference to Beethoven's fascination with Shakespeare's play but was given to the sonata some years after Beethoven's death. Liszt's Five Little Piano Pieces were composed for a patroness and pupil over a period of 15 years: haunting, sometimes very brief, they presage the strange harmonic language of Liszt's late years. Prokofiev's 7th Sonata, was completed in 1942, and is an angry and furious outburst thought to have been prompted by Stalin's brutal murder of one of Prokofiev's close friends and his wife in 1940. The touching nostalgia of the second movement offers a brief lull before the driving relentless momentum of the final movement, arguably one of the most spectacular pieces of piano writing in the 20th century.
As ever the concert is free with complimentary wine and soft drinks and you are invited to bring something (not too noisy!) to do whilst you listen if you want to. The retiring collection will be for the work of Amazing Children Uganda, a small charity run by a local trustee, Cynthia Haddock, which supports the education of street children in Uganda. The concerts have supported ACU in previous years and I am delighted to do so again.
Meanwhile those of you who came to the concert in June might like to know that Rieke Melvin and family and friends raised a fantastic £1072.20 for Starlight.
This is the last concert for this year. There are some very exciting plans in the pipeline for next year so please keep me updated with any changes of contact details.
Robert Bridge
July 20, 2012