Özge Ileri

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Publication Date

3-1-2006

Year of Release

2006

Note(s)

Özge Ileri, cello

Yeşim Dikener, piano

This program is presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Master of Arts degree in Performance. She is a student in the cello studio of Dr. Solen Dikener.

Notes

Johann Sebastian Bach: Six Suites for Violoncello Solo, BWV 1007-1012

The Baroque suite, mainly an instrumental music genre, was used as the basis for compositions featuring unaccompanied solo instruments such as violin, cello, flute and harpsichord. The genre also was applied to works for orchestra. Every suite had a specific dance format, usually introduced by a prelude and followed by the allemande, courante, sarabande, either the bourrè, minuet or gavotte (all in two parts) and ending with gigue. The Allemande was a German dance, which had a specified rhythmic shape, usually in fast tempo and with more than one melody appearing at the same time. The Courante originated in France; however, the style also existed in Germany. Also fast, the courante also shared more than one melody throughout its elegant and graceful style. The Sarabande, performed at a slower tempo, provides a more relaxed feeling while retaining elements of its Spanish heritage. The final Gigue was an English dance that always moved at a fast, running tempo. Bach's suites represent some of the best examples of these movements; however, he mostly favored the German style for his dances.

J.S. Bach composed most of his solo works while living in and working for the Prince of Cöthen in 1720. These works included the sonatas and partitas for solo violin, six unaccompanied cello suites, a sonata for flute and violin and 3 sonatas for harpsichord. The solo cello suites were written for Christian Ferdinand Abel, a viola da gamba and cello player who also worked for the Prince. There are no autograph copies of these solo cello suites, and subsequent printed editions are based upon a handwritten edition created by Anna Magdalena Bach. To the modern listener, each of the six cello suites represents a different musical era. The first suite resembles the "early ages", the second suite – “Renaissance," the third - "Baroque," fourth - "Classical," fifth ''Romantic," and the sixth relates to "Modem" modes within the Baroque Era.

The Suite No.2 in D minor, BWV 1008 has the noblest character of all the six suites. Like so many of Bach's works, it implies the feeling of the relationship between humans and God. This suite perhaps is the most religious of all the suits. The Prelude is a beautiful example of a prayer to God, conveyed especially through a noble character. Another link with theology appears in the Sarabande. The concluding Gigue provides contrast through embellished phrasing and an upbeat tempo.

Robert Schumann: Five Folk Songs for Cello and Piano, Op.102

German composer Robert Schumann was born in 1810 in Zwickau and died in 1856 in Bonn. One of the most remarkable composers of the Romantic Period, his works mostly related to literature; reflecting his passion for that medium. Schumann was in love with literature, particularly with the Bildungsroman, a genre that had developed during the same era in Germany. The Bildungsroman was a novel that presents the psychological growth of one particular character. Therefore, Schumann's compositions had a main recurring theme that could be referred as an idée fixe, a practice adopted by Berlioz earlier in the century. This practice appears in the Five Folk Songs and the Cello Concerto. These two instrumental works by Schumann both used motives as musical themes, a result of characters that had inspired Schumann. The Five Folk Songs were composed in 1849 and first published in 1850 the Cello Concerto was written in 1850. As a young adult Schumann bad some mental problems that reappeared throughout his life. After a severe breakdown in 1848 he was in one of his more peaceful years while writing the folk songs. During 1850, he experienced only a few minor mood changes. Comparing these two works, the Cello Concerto has the heavier character and the Folk Songs have a simpler one.

Each of the Folk Songs has a main theme and several repetitions of that theme are presented. The first and second movements are in binary form. The first movement is marked "With humor" by Schumann. Following a short B section, the main theme of the A section returns in a new key. This same format is used in the second and third movements; however, the character of these movements is more relaxed and lyrical, and showcases the full tone of the cello. The fourth movement is in the key of D major without any modulation. This is a faster movement, reminiscence of a march with added contrasting lyrical themes. To give the final movement the character of a finale, Schumann added a final coda that blends themes from the entire movement.

Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich: Cello Sonata in D minor, Op. 40

Dmitri Shostakovich, one of the most well known composers of the twentieth century was born in 1906 in St. Petersburg, Russia and died in 1975 in Moscow. His compositions include a wide variety of instrumental combinations. However, the ideological restrictions of the Soviet Union did not allow him to write music that truly expressed his ideas. Opinions about Shostakovich's music were affected by political events, and the critiques and the pressure of the social environments that appeared after Lady Macbeth, affected his later positions, starting with the Cello Sonata Lady Macbeth of the Mtsenk District, his first opera, is a landmark of Shostakovich's early musical career, perhaps all the more because of the negative reaction from critics, media and politicians. The opera was deemed unacceptable, and Shostakovich was accused of disregarding the concept of Socialism.

Right after this scandal, he composed the Cello Sonata, Op. 40 in order to change his compositional style to meet the requirements of the Socialist Republic. According to the tenets of "Social Realism," works of art should reflect that which is required from the social community. Despite that it was considered a revolutionary work, it also marked the beginning of the infertile musical period.

The Cello Sonata is dedicated to Shostakovich's friend Victor Kubatsky, the principal cellist at the Bolshoi Theater. Kubatsky had been an inspiration to Shostakovich during the writing of this sonata, which Shostakovich later arranged for viola. Shostakovich completed the work in 1934 and the premiere was performed by Kubatsky and Shostakovich. The Sonata contains lyrical and charming melodies and the music is simpler and traditionally written. The first movement is in sonata form with a coda. Although it mostly uses diatonic materials, there are points where the cello and piano parts overlap in an atonal fashion. Throughout the second movement, elements of Russian folk melodies and rhythms appear. This movement has a unique structural format. The third movement, in B minor, starts with a quiet and long solo phrase. This long phrase is varied by different rhythmical figures and accidentals. Even though there is no modulation that divides the sections in the movement, accidental and dissonance appear in each section. The final movement, in D minor, starts with a main theme played by the piano and repeated by the cello. It is in rondo form concluding with a coda.

Note

Jomie Jazz Forum

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities | Fine Arts | Music | Music Performance

Marshall University Music Department Presents a Graduate Recital, Özge Ileri, cello

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