Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 03/09/2016, uploaded on 12/28/2016

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Among all the great composers, I always find myself drawn back to Schubert. To me, his music is always mysteriously intertwined with my memory. This strangely intimate quality in his music has to do with the range and character of his harmonic language. His music can creep past our defenses and insinuate itself into our inner lives. One of the most intriguing characteristics of Schubert’s music is his ability to take the simplest of tunes and, merely by clothing it in a variety of harmonies, evoke a world of emotions. For Schubert, happiness and sadness are never mutually exclusive. The major key can sound even more poignant and melancholic than the same tune in the minor key. The music often seems to be smiling through tears (a typical Viennese notion). This sentiment is prevalent in the Moments musicaux.

Moments musicaux “Musical Moments” encompasses six poetic pieces that were composed during the last five years of Schubert’s life. The set commences with a short, yet friendly melodic idea that invites the listener to a pastoral setting, where the music portrays scenes of nature. The serene character continues through to the second piece; however, this piece carries more emotional weight as it features the juxtaposition of two sharply contrasting sections (one in major and another in minor key) that alternate in the narrative process. The third piece, originally published as “Air Russe,” is one of the recognizable pieces by Schubert. Its folksy, Hungarian character foreshadows the final piece on this afternoon’s program. In the fourth number, Schubert pays tribute to his predecessors. The texture and the monorhythmic feature of the outer section resemble a few of the preludes from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier. After the long wandering lines of the first section is punctuated by a moment of silence, the scene shifts to an innocent musette in the parallel major key. The ending succinctly encapsulates the theme of duality by briefly juxtaposing the two contrasting sections side by side. Schubert’s favorite rhythmic motif, the dactylic rhythm – ubiquitously found in his oeuvre – serves as the engine of the fifth piece. This rhythm obsessively drives through the piece in a rigorous manner. The mood then calms down with the final piece of the set, which was originally titled “The Troubadour’s Lament.” Here the music truly smiles through tears. The trio section of this piece reminisces time past.      Wayne Weng

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.