I have scheduled my 2024 Lake George Concert for Saturday, August 17th. I’m thrilled to say that Patrick Fink, my new pianist is psyched for it and I am psyched to play with him. Patrick teaches at the Pennington school and at the Lawrenceville school. He is also a PhD candidate but I’m not sure where exactly.
We are playing the Cesar Frank Sonata in A, originally written for violin. I did a little Wikipedia dive and found this about the sonata.
Jean-Pierre Rampal made a transcription for flute and piano that is still performed frequently.[11] The Violin Sonata in A also exists in versions for cello; viola; double bass; oboe; clarinet; alto saxophone; tuba; organ with choir; violin and strings; and violin and orchestra most famously recorded by Leonid Kogan. A version for piano duet by the pianist and composer Alfred Cortot has been recorded several times, who also made a version for solo piano.
The setting for cello and piano was the only alternative version sanctioned by Franck.[12] This was created by the renowned cellist Jules Delsart. After thorough historical study based on reliable documents, Delsart’s transcription for cello where the piano part remains the same as in the violin sonata was published by G. Henle Verlag as an Urtext edition.[13] Based on oral history by Pablo Casals[14] and a letter written by Antoine Ysaye, Eugène Ysaÿe’s son,[14] it has often been speculated that the work was first conceived as a sonata for cello and piano, and only later reset for violin and piano when the commission from Eugène Ysaÿe arrived.[4]
I knew none of this before I started working on the sonata. I remember my mother working on it when I was in high school (she played the violin) and fell in love with it as I listened to her practice. Jeff, my previous pianist (who died in November) never liked it so I haven’t had a chance to play it. Now that I am playing it, I’m loving it! It is tough, both technically and musically, but it is very satisfying!
We are also playing the Lukas Foss Capriccio, written in 1948. This is a truly an athletic piece. You are jumping all over the cello and there is a lot of spiccato. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDQAe0TJUwY. Its only about 7 minutes long and its a lot of fun. Have a listen.
It’s possible I will be also playing the Brahms e minor sonata. More about that later.
Should be FUN!