Eric Huang, piano
Osher, San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92 II. Allegretto Grandes études de Paganini, S. 141 I. G minor, “Tremolo” II. E-flat major, “Capriccio” III. G-sharp minor, “La campanella”
Notes
5:30 p.m., January 12, 2014
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770 - 1827 trans. by Franz Liszt Franz Liszt 1811 - 1886
Le cygne, “The Swan”
Symphonic Metamorphoses on Themes by J. Strauss II III. “Wine, Women and Song”
Franz Liszt was a 19th-century composer and piano virtuoso. Not only did he write many solo piano works in the Romantic era, but he also transcribed the works of hundreds others. In his transcription of Beethoven’s symphony, Liszt tries to capture the full orchestration, and thus it is interesting to hear how the strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion are differentiated on the piano, along with their melodic interplay. Beethoven had composed the symphony during Napoleon’s occupation of Vienna, undoubtedly influenced by the trauma due to French artillery bent on conquest. Liszt’s arrangements on the works of Paganini form a collection of etudes that demonstrate an affinity for virtuosity. Niccolò Paganini, himself a virtuoso of the violin, was so astonishing that his success was thought to be owed to the devil. The etudes each have distinct characters such as La campanella (The Little Bell), and La chasse (The Hunt), as well as various violinist inflections to listen for.
Intermission
Grandes études de Paganini, S. 141 IV. E major, “Arpeggio” V. E major, “La chasse” VI. A minor, theme and variations
The focus of my study in 2013 was a repertoire selection comprised of reinterpretations of one composer by another composer. The main challenge to mastering these pieces might be likened to that of successfully integrating two different personalities seamlessly and harmoniously.
Franz Liszt 1811 - 1886
Camille Saint-Saëns 1835 - 1921 arr. by Leopold Godowsky Leopold Godowsky 1870 - 1938
This event may be found online at http://bit.ly/eric2014. This program may be found online at http://bit.ly/eric2014program.
Leopold Godowsky was a late 19th-century composer and virtuoso, who also transcribed many works. His arrangement of Saint-Saëns’s Le cygne is challenging in that the original work for strings imparts a lush and warm texture, and this must be emulated with the piano's mechanism of hammers striking strings. Godowsky is even more creative with his version of Wine, Women, and Song, a waltz by Johann Strauss II. Whereas the original waltz presents themes in sequence, Godowsky combines them with one another, while incorporating some late-Romantic harmonies in the style of a fantasia. • • •
Eric Huang received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from UCLA and studied Music and Computer Science at Harvey Mudd College. He has been performing for over 25 years, receiving awards from the Polk and Southeast Symphony scholarships, AVSOMC Bach competition, and MTAC regional competitions. Eric currently studies with Richard Rogers at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
