Note that Viv will play the first three Mazurkas, not all five.
i No. 1 in E♭ major, Andante moderato, ii No. 2 in B♭ minor, Andante non troppo e con molta espressione, iii No. 3. in C♯ minor, Andante con moto
The Three Intermezzi for piano, Op. 117, are a set of solo piano pieces composed by Johannes Brahms in 1892. They show Brahms’ interest in lullaby; in particular, Brahms told a friend that they were “three lullabies of my grief”.
The Waltz in C♯ minor is a piano waltz composed by Frédéric Chopin in 1847, the second work of his opus 64 and the companion to the “Minute Waltz” (Op. 64, No. 1). Chopin dedicated this Waltz to Madame Nathaniel de Rothschild.
No. 1 in B-flat major
No. 2 in A minor
No. 3 in F minor
No. 4 in A-flat major
No. 5 in C major
The Mazurkas, Op. 7 are a set of five mazurkas by Frédéric Chopin. The mazurkas were mostly written in 1830–1831 and were published in 1832.
The Polonaise in C-sharp minor, Op. 26 No. 1 was composed by Frédéric Chopin in 1836.The Polonaise opens with a fiery Allegro appassionato in C-sharp minor, the primary theme preceded by descending octaves. The section climaxes with a series of virtuosic arpeggio figures which give way to a tender melody. This is then followed by a repetition of the theme. After this opening section, there is a new theme introduced in the enharmonic D-flat major. This new theme is then developed and followed by a new left hand melody, which increases the tension until a repeat of the meno mosso. The piece ends in abrupt quietness.
i Agitato, ii Molto passionato, ma non troppo allegro
The Rhapsodies, Op. 79, for piano were written by Johannes Brahms in 1879 during his summer stay in Pörtschach, when he had reached the maturity of his career. They were inscribed to his friend, the musician and composer Elisabeth von Herzogenberg. At the suggestion of the dedicatee, Brahms reluctantly renamed the sophisticated compositions from “Klavierstücke” (piano pieces) to “rhapsodies”.
Viv McLean - Piano
Described by Le Monde as “possessing the genius one finds in those who know how to forget themselves“, since winning First Prize at the Maria Canals Piano Competition in Barcelona, British pianist Viv McLean has performed in all the major venues in the UK as well as throughout Europe, Japan, Australia and the USA. Viv’s concerto work includes appearances with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Sinfonia Viva, Orchestra of the Swan, Orchestra of St John’s, Northern Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Concert Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of such conductors as Daniel Harding, John Wilson, Wayne Marshall, John Lubbock, Christopher Warren-Green, Anthony Inglis, Owain Arwell Hughes, Philip Hesketh, David Charles Abell, Stephen Bell, Carl Davis, Rebecca Miller, Chloe Van Soederstede and Marvin Hamlisch. Recent concerto highlights include Mozart K467 with the ECO at the Royal Festival Hall, Grieg with the LPO at the Barbican, Rachmaninov’s 3rd Concerto with the RPO in Cambridge, Gershwin, Bernstein, de Falla and Ravel with the Hallé at the Bridgewater Hall, The Sage Gateshead and other venues in the North of England, and Beethoven’s 5th Concerto with the Philharmonia at the Royal Festival Hall.
Violin/Piano Duo
23 January 2025
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