Dimaras, Charis

The Studio of Charis Dimaras

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Ithaca College

Ithaca CollegeDigital Commons @ ICAll Concert & Recital Programs Concert & Recital Programs9-13-2013Concert: Richard Wagner & Franz Liszt: BrotherSouls - Alter Egos?Charis DimarasThe Studio of Charis DimarasFollow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.ithaca.edu/music_programsPart of the Music CommonsThis Program is brought to you for free and open access by the Concert & Recital Programs at Digital Commons @ IC. It has been accepted forinclusion in All Concert & Recital Programs by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ IC.Recommended CitationDimaras, Charis and The Studio of Charis Dimaras, "Concert: Richard Wagner & Franz Liszt: Brother Souls - Alter Egos?" (2013). AllConcert & Recital Programs. 3320.https://digitalcommons.ithaca.edu/music_programs/3320Richard Wagner & Franz Liszt: Brother Souls – Alter Egos?Concert II: Love, Death, Transfiguration,                  and various group scenesA two-concert series featuringthe complete piano transcriptionsfrom Richard Wagner’s operas by Franz Liszt (and others)performed by Charis Dimaras and his studentsHockett Family Recital HallFriday September 13th, 20137:00 pmProgramPilgrims' Chorus: Franz Liszt(1811-1886)from Wagner's Tannhäuser, S443 (1861)Marci Rose, pianoLohengrin's Admonition Franz Liszt from Wagner's Lohengrin, S446/3 (1854)Alison Cherrington, pianoFestive March to the Holy Grail Franz Lisztfrom Wagner’s Parsifal, S450 (1882) Jiyue Ma, pianoPreludio funebre (1885) Franz LisztRichard Wagner. Venezia, S201 (1883)Binghao Li, pianoIsoldes Liebestod Franz Lisztfrom Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, S447 (1867)Charis Dimaras, pianoIntermissionFestival and Bridal Song Franz Lisztfrom Wagner's Lohengrin, S446/1 (1854)John McQuaig, pianoSpinning Chorus Franz Lisztfrom Wagner's Der fliegende Holländer, S440 (1860)Mengfei Xu, pianoThe Ride of the Valkyries Carl Tausig(1841-1871)from Wagner's Die WalküreBinghao Li, pianoProgram NotesThe Pilgrim’s Chorus is originally from Wagner’s opera Tannhäuser, which was writtenbetween 1843 and 1845. This opera focuses on the journey of the main character,Tannhäuser, from being under the power of Venus, the goddess of worldly love, tobeing at peace with God.  During the Pilgrim’s Chorus, Elisabeth, who Tannhäuserloves, is desperately searching among a group of entering pilgrims for Tannhäuser,while the pilgrims sing about finding hope and joy in God.  Tannhäuser eventuallyreturns, despondent because the pope told him that he would only be forgiven for hissins when the pope’s staff sprouted leaves. Later in the opera, more pilgrims entersinging about a miracle: the pope’s staff has indeed sprouted leaves, signifyingforgiveness for Tannhäuser.  Franz Liszt composed his transcription in 1861, basing itnot so much on the Pilgrims' Chorus from Act III, but closer to a simplified version of theopening section of the Overture of Act I, which features the same melody, but differsconsiderably in both structure and key. Liszt transcribed Lohengrin’s Admonition from Lohengrin’s aria “Athmest du nichtmit mir die süssen Dufte”.  Lohengrin sings these few sentences to Elsa in the bridalchamber on their wedding night, in response to Elsa’s wish to know his identity.  At thispoint in the opera, this has not yet been revealed. Lohengrin tries to reassure Elsa,comparing his passion to the fragrance of flowers drifting through the air from amysterious source.  He recalls how, from the moment he first saw Elsa, even though heknew nothing about her and she was an accused murderer, he felt drawn to her.  Thesesweet words are not enough to reassure Elsa, however, and later in the scene shebreaks her oath and demands to know his secret.  It is then that Lohengrin’s boatreappears and he is forced to return to the land of the Holy Grail.  Festive March to the Holy Grail, written in 1882, is Franz Liszt’s transcription of asection from the 3-act opera Parsifal.  Though Parsifal (WWV 111) was initiallyconceived by Richard Wagner as early as 1857, it was not produced till much later, atthe second Bayreuth Festival in 1882.  It is loosely based on Parzival by Wolfram vonEschenbach, a 13th-century epic poem of the Arthurian knight Parzival (Percival) andhis quest for the Holy Grail, and on Perceval, the Story of the Grail, by Chrétien deTroyes' (12 с.). Wagner died of a heart attack at the age of 69 on February 13, 1883 at Ca' VendraminCalergi, a 16thcentury palazzo on the Grand Canal of Venice/Italy.  In his 1883 piece Richard Wagner. Venezia for piano solo, Franz Liszt evokes the passing of ablack-shrouded, funerary gondola bearing Richard Wagner's remains over the GrandCanal.  Another dark, nebulous piece from Liszt’s late, experimental period is theone-page Preludio funebre, which stems from 1885 and bares no catalogue number. Indeed, due to the fact that it shares the identical augmented, chordal basis with theprevious selection, it may well be related to it, perhaps an unfinished sketch or anincomplete version thereof. Shortly after his hasty and unceremonious departure from Dresden (and his position asconductor of its Opera), due to an actual arrest warrant that was issued in his name forhis alleged participation in the 1849 May Revolution, Richard Wagner arrived inZürich/Switzerland, where he took refuge in the home of the wealthy Wesendonckfamily.  There, through a combination of personal unrest and the study ofSchopenhauer’s philosophy, he increasingly became so obsessed with the legend of Tristan und Isolde that he abandoned his ongoing work on the Ring to devote himselfcompletely to a new opera based on that subject.  Its composition took 5 years(1854-1859) and its premiere took place at the Munich Opera on June 10, 1865.  In1867 Franz Liszt transcribed Isolde’s Liebestod for the piano: The piece consists ofIsolde’s closing excerpt from the final Act III (her famous aria “Mild und leise” – actuallycalled transfiguration by Wagner) and a short (4-bar) preface from her Act II Love Duetwith Tristan. Lohengrin is a three-act opera, which was first performed in 1850 and conducted atthe premiere by Wagner's father-in-law, Franz Liszt.  The opera, which is based on themedieval German poem Wartburtkrieg takes place in 10th century Antwerp, Germany. Elsa, the duke’s sister is accused of murder.  She requests that her innocence bejudged in battle, so she prays for a champion.  Her knight appears for the battle on onecondition: that Elsa never asks his name.  The mysterious knight wins the battle andasks her hand in marriage. She joyfully agrees, but the story continues. Elsa’sopposition seeks revenge and seeks to make Elsa break her promise to her knight.  Thebridal chorus in this excerpt is one of the most recognizable musical themes in all ofopera. Der fliegende Holländer (1842) is a 3-act romantic opera of Wagner based ofHeinrich Heine’s work Aus den Memoiren des Herrn von Schnabelewopski:  The insolentVanderdecken, the Flying Dutchman, is condemned by the powers of darkness to strivethe seas forever, unless he meets a woman willing to die to save him.  Senta, theyoung daughter of Daland, promises to be faithful to him unto death and, upon castingherself into the sea, releases him from his curse.  Liszt’s arrangement of the spinningsong from Act II stems from 1860.  In this excerpt, the women are singing andfrolicking, while spinning at their wheels.  As regards the character of the arrangement,this is neither a strict transcription nor a completely free arrangement. The Ride of the Valkyries is the popular name for the beginning of Act III of Die Walküre, the second of Richard Wagner’s four operas that constitute Der Ring desNibelungen.  The main theme (leitmotiv) of the Ride, was first written down by thecomposer on July 23, 1851.  The preliminary draft for the Ride was finished in 1854 aspart of the composition of the entire opera, which was fully orchestrated by the end ofthe first quarter of 1856.  Together with the Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin, the Ride ofthe Valkyries is one of Wagner's best-known pieces.  As the curtain rises for Act III, weare confronted by an arid mountain peak, upon which Brünnhilde and her eight Valkyriesisters progressively gather (in preparation for the transportation of fallen heroes toValhalla) to the accompaniment of ever-increasing layers of orchestral sonority andcounterpuntal complexity, eventually leading to an emotional and dynamic climax ofnigh-unimaginable power and energy.  This pianistic transcription was composed byCarl (or Karl) Tausig (1841 – 1871), a Polish virtuoso pianist, arranger and composerand one of Liszt’s favorite students.  Tausig met Wagner at age 16 and immediatelybecame a devoted follower, making several piano arrangements of many of his operas. Wagner also enjoyed patronizing him despite Tausig’s Jewish background. Program Notes contributed by tonight’s performers

Concert: Richard Wagner & Franz Liszt: Brother Souls - Alter Egos?

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Concert: Richard Wagner & Franz Liszt: Brother Souls - Alter Egos?

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