Solo Violin Recital - St Peter's Church Wherwell

Solo Violin Recital - St Peter’s Church Wherwell

7:30pm, 28th June 2023

Join me for a musical journey through some of the most technically challenging and artistically profound works ever written. Taking place in the wonderful venue that is St Peter’s Church Wherwell, this concert’s programme has been carefully designed to explore fascinating connections between the works presented and to illuminate them in a new light. The aim is to build real context around these pieces as the recital progresses, both through performance and readings. This will result in an experience which I hope to be both more accessible and more informative than a traditional classical music concert.

Programme:

J.S Bach B Minor Solo Violin Sonata BWV 1002:

Allemande

Double

Corrente

Double - Presto

Sarabande

Double

Tempo Di Borea

Double

Interval

Nicolo Paganini Caprices for Solo Violin Op1:

4 - Maestoso

14 - Moderato

24 - Quasi Presto

Nathan Milstein Paganiniana Variations

The recital will be starting with J.S Bach’s B Minor Partita for Solo Violin. This piece acts as the gripping sequel to the juxtaposing Sonata No1 in G Minor played in the previous concert. Thus forming the second part of six in Bach’s groundbreaking cycle, a set which is considered to be one of the most extraordinary works of art ever produced. In striking contrast to the previous sonata, this entire Partita pulls heavily from the world of the baroque dancer, incorporating forms from all classes of society. The result is music that goes from resembling an earthy peasantry romp to being abruptly thrown into the elegant steps found about the courts of the highest nobility. Resultantly this work is without a doubt the most rhythmically sharp in the set, all strung together by a highly complex, yet cohesive structure that is one of the most radical Bach ever penned.

The second half will start with three Caprices by Nicolo Paganini, works which have become infamous for their extreme technical demands. These pieces are far from clinical exercises in speed and dexterity however as they are imbued with a wealth of references, imitations, and stories. Being an Italian Romantic, Paganini wrote them in the highly operatic style that became enduringly popular during that period for its distinctive emotional colour and charm. This often overlooked factor has significance that cannot be overstated and is a link which we will explore further throughout this second half. The programme will then close with the spectacular Paganiniana, a virtuosic showpiece written by arguably the ultimate virtuoso of the mid to late 20th century, Nathan Milstein. This work reinvents elements from both the previously programmed Caprices and other Paganini compositions to produce a potent cocktail of musical fireworks and bravura.

The concert begins at 7:30pm and will last approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Attendees of the previous concert will have free entry to this event, though we request you please book these in advance so we can anticipate numbers (see the emails at the bottom of the text for this). For newcomers, Adult tickets are £17 each, whilst under 18’s have free entry. These can be booked on Ticketsource via the link below. Refreshments in the form of both wine and soft drinks will be available for purchase in the interval.

For queries or tickets for previous attendees, do please get in contact by sending an email to either zackstephens@live.co.uk , or ac.whiteside@googlemail.com. Tickets for newcomers can be found at this link: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/andover/st-peter-and-holy-cross-church-wherwell/solo-violin-recital-st-peters-church-wherwell/2023-06-28/19:30/t-jzjkkok