Music on Thursdays
|
|
Thursday 2nd November 2023
12.30 lunchtime
Elena Toponogova
piano
Programme
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
from The Well-Tempered Clavier (1722)
No 4 Prelude and Fugue in C# minor BWV 849
from Ten Chorale Preludes for Organ BV B 27
transcribed for piano by Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924)
Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ I call to you, Lord Jesus Christ BWV 639
Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)
Sonata in A major D 664 (1819 or 1825)
1 Allegro moderato
Nikolai Karlovich Medtner (1880-1951)
from 4 Fairy Tales for piano (Szazki) (Четыре сказки), Op. 26 (1910–12)
Szazka No 3 in f minor Op 26 Narrante a piacere Freely narrated
Anatoly Konstantinovich Lyadov (1855-1914)
from Three pieces for piano Op 11 (1885)
1 Prelude in b minor
Clara Josephine Schumann (1819-1896)
from Three Preludes and Fugues (publ 1845)
2 Prelude and Fugue in B flat major Op 16
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Selected pieces from Kinderszenen Scenes from Childhood Op 15 (1838)
Sergei Bortkiewicz (1877-1952)
from Aus Andersens Märchen From Andersen's Fairy Tales, 12 pieces, Op 30
2 Die Glocke The Bell Andante in B
4 Der Engel The Angel Andantino in C
5 Little Ida’s Flowers Tempo di Valzer in G
Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov (1873-1943)
Étude-tableaux Op 39 in E flat minor
1 Allegro agitato in C minor
2 Lento assai in A minor The Sea and the Seagulls
3 Allegro molto in F♯ minor
4 Allegro assai in B minor Gavotte
5 Appassionato in E♭ minor
6 Allegro in A minor Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf
7 Lento lugubre in C minor
8 Allegro moderato in D minor
9 Allegro moderato. Tempo di marcia in D major
Concert duration approx: 50 minutes
Please donate to help fund these concerts at: cafdonate.cafonline.org/14455
Elena Toponogova
Elena Toponogova is a concert pianist and chamber musician based in London. Her main interest is Russian repertoire with an especial focus on the music of Nikolai Medtner.
In 2017, Elena received a Master of Performance degree from the Royal College of Music, studying under Norma Fisher. Her studies were generously supported by the Norah Seary Trust, Altrusa Careers Trust, the Future of Russia Foundation and Tsukanov Family Foundation.
She was selected to study at the Academie de Musique Riviera in Switzerland with Pavel Gililov and was supported by Help Musicians UK Transmission Fund grant.
Elena has taken part in many international festivals including Chichester Festival, Bloomsbury Festival, and Timani Music Festival in Oslo. She has been performing as a soloist and chamber musician in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Russia and appeared at the prestigious Rachmaninov Hall of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatoire, Salzburg Wiener Saal, Amaryllis Fleming Hall, V&A Museum, St-Martin-in-the-Fields, among many others.
In 2017, with the support of the Oleg Prokofiev Trust she performed Prokofiev’s Five Poems of Anna Akhmatova at the Regent Hall together with soprano Eleanor Penfold. The concert was described as “an inspiring performance” by Musical Opinion Magazine.
Elena is proud to be a part of Live Music Now initiative that brings live music to care settings and hospitals across the UK.
“Her performance was mesmerising!” — Musical Opinion Magazine
www.elenatoponogova.com
Instagram: @lenkinn
In 2017, Elena received a Master of Performance degree from the Royal College of Music, studying under Norma Fisher. Her studies were generously supported by the Norah Seary Trust, Altrusa Careers Trust, the Future of Russia Foundation and Tsukanov Family Foundation.
She was selected to study at the Academie de Musique Riviera in Switzerland with Pavel Gililov and was supported by Help Musicians UK Transmission Fund grant.
Elena has taken part in many international festivals including Chichester Festival, Bloomsbury Festival, and Timani Music Festival in Oslo. She has been performing as a soloist and chamber musician in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Russia and appeared at the prestigious Rachmaninov Hall of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatoire, Salzburg Wiener Saal, Amaryllis Fleming Hall, V&A Museum, St-Martin-in-the-Fields, among many others.
In 2017, with the support of the Oleg Prokofiev Trust she performed Prokofiev’s Five Poems of Anna Akhmatova at the Regent Hall together with soprano Eleanor Penfold. The concert was described as “an inspiring performance” by Musical Opinion Magazine.
Elena is proud to be a part of Live Music Now initiative that brings live music to care settings and hospitals across the UK.
“Her performance was mesmerising!” — Musical Opinion Magazine
www.elenatoponogova.com
Instagram: @lenkinn
Recordings of the works in today's concert
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
from The Well-Tempered Clavier (1722)
No 4 Prelude and Fugue in C# minor BWV 849 [7:00]
Our recording comes from the Netherlands Bach Society's All of Bach project. Bertrand Cuiller is the harpsichordist. He plays a harpsichord by Philippe Humeau, Lot-et-Garonne, France, 2002, in Bois le Roi, south-east of Paris.
from The Well-Tempered Clavier (1722)
No 4 Prelude and Fugue in C# minor BWV 849 [7:00]
Our recording comes from the Netherlands Bach Society's All of Bach project. Bertrand Cuiller is the harpsichordist. He plays a harpsichord by Philippe Humeau, Lot-et-Garonne, France, 2002, in Bois le Roi, south-east of Paris.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
from Ten Chorale Preludes for Organ BV B 27
transcribed for piano by Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924) [3:15]
Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ I call to you, Lord Jesus Christ BWV 639
This is Valentina Lisitsa playing the Busoni transcription of this Bach organ work:
Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)
Sonata in A major D 664 (1819 or 1825)
1 Allegro moderato [5:40]
This recording for the Chopin Gesellschaft's XXIV Internationaler Meisterkursus für Pianisten in September 2018 comes from the Literaturhaus in Darmstadt, Germany. If you have ever wondered how stressful these international events can be, this recording of Antonius Stockinger gives a feel for that.
If you have the time, the second recording last some 53 minutes and is of the pianist Tamas Ungar giving Antonius a masterclass on the piece. Fascinating!
Nikolai Karlovich Medtner (1880-1951)
from 4 Fairy Tales for piano (Skazki) (Четыре сказки), Op. 26 (1910–12)
Szazka No 3 in f minor Op 26 Narrante a piacere Freely narrated [3:05]
The pianist here is Veronika Kuzmina Raibaut:
Anatoly Konstantinovich Lyadov (1855-1914)
from Three pieces for piano Op 11 (1885)
1 Prelude in b minor [6.35]
We believe this is the first time Lyadov has had a place in our concerts. The pianist in this recording is Konstantin Scherbakov:
Clara Josephine Schumann (1819-1896)
from Three Preludes and Fugues (publ 1845)
2 Prelude and Fugue in B flat major Op 16 [4:45]
"Prelude and Fugue" is often associated with the organ, so here is a performance on organ, by Chambi Lo:
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Selected pieces from Kinderszenen Scenes from Childhood Op 15 (1838) [18:45]
This is the adjustable section of our concert! Here is a complete performance by Martha Agerich, recorded in Barcelona's Palau de la Música Catalana. Which 'scenes' will Elena play for us?
Sergei Bortkiewicz (1877-1952)
from Aus Andersens Märchen From Andersen's Fairy Tales, 12 pieces, Op 30
2 Die Glocke The Bell Andante in B [2:25]
4 Der Engel The Angel Andantino in C [2:20]
5 Little Ida’s Flowers Tempo di Valzer in G [2:00]
This week, Ukranian composer Sergei Bortkiewicz also makes his first appearance on our concert programmes.
The pianist for each of the three individual pieces is Stephen Fierros.
The recording below is a complete cycle of the 12 pieces, titled A musical picture-book. This was recorded as a fund-raiser for charities working in Ukraine. The players are all students of the Hudson Conservatory. Natalia Hudson is a well-travelled pianist who teaches in English and Spanish and is based in Los Angeles, California. [Duration: 45 minutes]
Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov (1873-1943)
Étude-tableaux Op 39 in E flat minor [24:20]
1 Allegro agitato in C minor
2 Lento assai in A minor The Sea and the Seagulls
3 Allegro molto in F♯ minor
4 Allegro assai in B minor Gavotte
5 Appassionato in E♭ minor
6 Allegro in A minor Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf
7 Lento lugubre in C minor
8 Allegro moderato in D minor
9 Allegro moderato. Tempo di marcia in D major
For the complete performance we have chosen Evgeny Kissin:
Previous concert
part of the Mole Valley Arts Alive Festival
with The Westminster Society (London & Oxford)
26 October 2023 - Phil Hopkins, classical harmonica, Lesley Bridgwater, piano - click here
with The Westminster Society (London & Oxford)
26 October 2023 - Phil Hopkins, classical harmonica, Lesley Bridgwater, piano - click here
Next concert
9 November 2023 - Catriona Bourne, flute, & Fabio Fernandes, theorbo
