Schumann/Chopin Bicentennial Concerts 5/20/10

May 20, 2010

my husband and I have performed 3 concerts with a bicentennial celebration program of Chopin and Schumann this spring. Chopin wrote “An Introduction and Polonaise” and “Sonata” for cello and piano. Polonaise was written when he was about 20 years old, before he arrived in Paris. Sonata was written in 1846. They show different aspects of Chopin’s life. I enjoy both pieces. Both pieces are idiomatic to pianists, but are demanding technically. The cello was Chopin’s favorite instrument after the piano. The cello sonata was the last of Chopin’s works to be published in this lifetime.

“Adagio and Allegro”, “Fantasy Pieces”, and “5 Folk Pieces”, are a typical of Schumann’s music, romantic, poetic, character pieces, and visual. Cello and piano carry wonderful musical conversations. It has been so special for me to practice both Chopin and Schumann. Through their music, I polish my phrasing, timbre and voicing.