Adrian Oldland

Performers

Notes on the performers

Adrian began his musical studies at the age of seven when he joined his local church choir. His love for the piano began shortly after joining, where he received his first piano lessons. Adrian’s talent was immediately spotted and remarkable progress led to early successes in competitions and music festivals.
His love in particular for music of the Romantic Period, brought Adrian his first victory where he was awarded first place at the Chelmsford Competitive Festival of Music for the ‘Roots trophy’ (2007) playing works by Chopin.

In 2008, Adrian was successful in gaining a place to study at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, where he completed his BMus (Hons) and Master’s (MMus) degrees studying under Alexander Ardakov. During his studies, Adrian was active in performing in concerts, master classes and competitions. Whilst only in his second year, Adrian was winner of the much sought after Alfred Kitchin Piano Competition (2010), the youngest ever winner, playing works by Schumann.

Since completing his studies, Adrian has embarked on an international career, performing in numerous countries such as Russia, Germany, Austria, Madeira and Italy.
Amongst the many awards achieved by him, the following stand out:

• 2nd prize, “XXI Century Art” Competition, Madeira. (2013)
• 3rd prize, “XXI Century Art” Competition, Austria. (2013)
• 4th prize in the 23rd Dmitri Kabalevsky International Piano Competition, Russia. (2012)

Adrian has participated in many master classes with distinguished pianists such as Peter Donohoe, Melvyn Tan and William Howard, and currently enjoys a busy career, performing regularly across the UK and throughout Europe. His repertoire stretches from Bach to the Twentieth Century with a particular interest in the life and works of Robert Schumann.

Adrian is looking forward to an exciting year ahead as he embarks on ‘The Schumann Project’. A lifetime ambition to record the complete solo piano works of Robert Schumann with the first recording due for release later this year.

Programme

Programme notes

Brahms

Three Intermezzi Op. 117

1. No. 1 in E♭ major, Andante moderato
2. No. 2 in B♭ minor, Andante non troppo e con molta espressione
3. 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”.

Brahms composed these pieces in the summer of 1892 while staying in Bad Ischl. In June he asked his friend, the musicologist Eusebius Mandyczewski, to send him manuscript paper so he could “properly sketch” the three pieces. In September 1892 Clara Schumann learned of the existence of the pieces and wrote to Brahms requesting he send them to her. He obliged her request, sending her the completed pieces in October 1892

Source: Wikipedia

Robert Schumann

Three Fantasiestücke Op. 111

1. Sehr rasch, mit leidenschaftlichem Vortrag
2. Ziemlich langsam
3. Kräftig und sehr markirt

The title was inspired by the collection of letters and writings about music published in 1814–1815, Fantasiestücke in Callots Manier by E. T. A. Hoffmann, one of Schumann’s favourite authors. The composer greatly appreciated the 17th-century engraver’s sense of fantasy.

Schumann composed the Op. 111 in 1851, a few months after his appointment as Generalmusikdirektor of the Düsseldorf Orchestra. In September, Clara Schumann wrote in her diary: “Robert has composed three piano pieces of a grave and passionate character which I like very much.”

Source: Wikipedia

Schumann

Drei Romanzen Op.28

1. Sehr markiert
2. Einfach
3. Sehr markiert

Robert Schumann completed work on his Drei Romanzen Op.28 in December 1839, and presented them to his beloved Clara for Christmas that year, although sketches date back possibly as far as 1838.

In correspondence (dated 1843) Schumann listed the Romanzen among the four solo piano works which he personally considered his greatest (interestingly, the other three are Kreisleriana Op.16, the Phantasiestücke Op.12 and Noveletten Op.21).

Clara was a fan of the pieces too (and although she appears never to have performed them as a complete set, she included the second and third regularly in her recitals), writing to Robert in 1840,

“I lay claim to the Romances; as your bride you still have to dedicate something to me, and I know of nothing more tender than these three Romances, especially the middle one, which is the most beautiful love duet.”

Source: Pianodao