Chopin at the Piano
A course in six sessions exploring Chopin's compositions, pianos, and method of playing
January 28 – March 4, 2010
Trevor Stephenson, instructor
This Winter I will give a six-part course on Chopin’s piano music. We will meet at my home in Madison (5729 Forsythia Place) on Thursday evenings--7-8:30 pm--from January 28 through March 4.
Chopin was an astonishingly fastidious composer--careful and finicky to the nth degree. But he was also an inveterate improviser, frequently playing extempore for hours for gatherings of friends. His glorious published music is the offspring of this fluid, improvisatory freedom and the icy rigor of his approach to written compositional commitment. He composed almost exclusively at the piano, often re-working even the most seemingly straightforward measures through a staggering number of altered repetitions--each incorporating a subtle though important change in voicing, melodic shape, or harmonic shift--before arriving at a satisfactory final version. According to his contemporaries, Chopin's playing was commensurate with the beauty of his composition. His touch, articulation, and pedaling at the piano were unsurpassed in cultivation and refined effectiveness; Liszt described Chopin's playing as "perfect in the extreme."
The class will integrate discussion of Chopin's compositions with approaches to performing them. Since a fair amount of information about Chopin’s playing and his method of teaching piano is currently available, we will go through this in some detail. We will discuss various aspects of touch (including comportment of the hand and arm), phrasing, articulation, tempo, pedaling, and dynamics. We will also discuss Chopin’s compositional role models—particularly Bach and Mozart (as well as the more sublimated influence of Schubert)—and how their music is present in both letter and spirit throughout Chopin’s work. I will also sprinkle into the lectures anecdotes about Chopin’s life and personality, and we'll discuss the social and artistic circles in which he moved.
The curriculum will be organized by genre, starting with the Preludes on January 28 and ending with the Barcarolle on March 4 (March 1 is the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth!). Each week we will have an overview of all Chopin’s works in that genre and then I will do a more in-depth performer’s analysis of one or two specific works. Students are encouraged to bring their own copies of Chopin scores to the class.
For the class, I will have on hand three historical pianos:
Late 18th-century fortepiano - piano of Chopin's youth
c. 1840 English upright Cottage piano - type of instrument Chopin used
for demonstration during lessons.
c. 1850 double-strung English parlor grand -instrument typically used for performance in mid 19th-century salons.
Enrollment in the course is $200. Since some registrants may not be able to attend all six scheduled class, a fee of $180 for attending five of the classes is also available. Enrollment is limited to 20 students. To enroll please notify me by email or phone: trevor@trevorstephenson.com or (608) 238-6092.
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Dear Friends
Since the upcoming January 24 Inaugural house concert sold out over a week ago, we’ve decided to have another house concert soon. Valentine’s Day seems good, festive, and thematic! I’ll play music on four different keyboard instruments: Bach and Handel on the 17th-century Flemish harpsichord; Frescobaldi on the 17th-century Italian harpsichord; Mozart, Schubert, and Haydn on the 18th-century fortepiano; Chopin and some American favorites on the 19th-century parlor grand piano. Then we’ll have treats and refreshments in our new kitchen.
The date is Sunday, February 14, from 3-5 pm. Our address is 5729 Forsythia Place in Madison WI 53705. Seating is limited to 35. Admission is $30. Reservations are required. To hold seats, please reply email or call (608) 238-6092.
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Madison Bach Musicians
2009-10 Season
PROGRAM
1
Vivaldi
Autumn & Winter from
The Four Seasons
Bach
Cantata 78, Jesu, der du
meine Seele
October 16, Friday 8 pm, 7:15 pre-concert lecture
First Congregational Church, 1609 University Ave.
October 18, Sunday, 3 pm, 2:15 pre-concert lecture
Trinity Lutheran Church, 1904 Winnebago Ave.
PROGRAM
2
Keyboard Music by Bach, Handel & Scarlatti
Trevor Stephenson, harpsichord
Dedication Concert of a two-manual, 18th-century German style instrument
recently completed by Norman Sheppard of Middleton, WI
March 12, Friday, 7:30 pm
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
5701 Raymond Rd.
PROGRAM
3
Bach
Brandenburg Concertos
#4 in G major
#5 in D major
# 6 in B-flat major
April 10, Sat., 8 pm concert, 7:15 pre-concert
lecture
Trinity Lutheran Church, 1904 Winnebago Ave.
April 24, Sat., 8 pm, 7:15 pre-concert lecture
1st Unitarian Soc., Atrium Auditorium, 900 Univ. Bay Dr.
ticket information
at www.madisonbachmusicians.org
or call (608) 238-6092
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Also -- A new CD is out. Harpsichord Music from Italy and Spain sounds really beautiful and I am so glad it is out of my hands and ready for yours! The selections come from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries and are by Frescobaldi, Scarlatti, Mudarra, Cabezon, Santa Maria, and others. Check it out on our Recordings page.