Martina Consonni, piano
I. Hommage à Haydn
Joseph Haydn (1732–1809)
Sonata in G major, Hob. XVI:G1
Three English Sonatas:
Sonata in C major, Hob. XVI:50
Sonata in D major, Hob. XVI:51
Sonata in E-flat major, Hob. XVI:52
This all-Haydn recital celebrates the wit, elegance, and imagination of a composer often called the “father of the sonata.” From his early courtly works to the grand “English Sonatas” of his later years, the program traces Haydn’s evolution from graceful charm to visionary sophistication. The bright G-major Sonata opens the evening with youthful freshness, while the three late sonatas reveal the mature master—bold, humorous, and endlessly inventive. A tribute to Haydn’s boundless creativity and to the classical ideals that shaped the piano age.
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II. Haydn & Schumann: Order and Dream
Option 1
Joseph Haydn (1732–1809): Sonata in C major, Hob. XVI:50
Robert Schumann (1810–1856): Fantasiestücke, Op. 12
Joseph Haydn: Sonata in E-flat major, Hob. XVI:52
Option 2
Joseph Haydn: Sonata in C major, Hob. XVI:50
Robert Schumann: Arabeske in C major, Op. 18
Joseph Haydn: Sonata in D major, Hob. XVI:51
Robert Schumann: Papillons, Op. 2
Joseph Haydn: Sonata in E-flat major, Hob. XVI:52
Robert Schumann: Ghost Variations (WoO 24)
A program conceived as a dialogue between time and style: Haydn’s luminous sonatas frame Schumann’s world of fantasy and inner poetry. From Haydn’s crystalline clarity and subtle wit to Schumann’s dreamlike imagination in the Fantasiestücke and Papillons, this sequence unfolds as a fascinating interplay between structure and emotion—a musical conversation between Classicism and Romanticism.
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III. Mozart: The Poetics of Clarity
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Sonata in C major, K. 330
Sonata in A major, K. 331 “Alla Turca”
Sonata in F major, K. 332
Sonata in B-flat major, K. 333
Four sonatas reveal Mozart’s limitless imagination within the purest classical form. From the radiant lyricism of K. 330 to the beloved “Alla Turca” Sonata, K. 331, and from the serene nobility of K. 332 to the expansive brilliance of K. 333, the program offers a complete portrait of Mozart’s pianistic voice—tender, playful, and sublime. Each sonata forms a world of its own; together they sing as one continuous hymn to light, balance, and humanity.
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IV. Beyond Romanticism
Alexander Scriabin (1872–1915): Sonata No. 2 in G-sharp minor, Op. 19 “Sonate-Fantaisie”
Franz Schubert (1797–1828): Four Impromptus, Op. 90 (D 899)
Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849): Four Ballades, Nos. 1–4
This musical journey spans the full spectrum of Romantic expression. Scriabin’s Second Sonata shimmers between twilight and tempest; Schubert’s Impromptus sing with inward reflection and tender melancholy; and Chopin’s four Ballades crown the evening with passion and drama—musical narratives uniting virtuosity and emotional depth. Together, they transform the piano into an instrument of infinite color, feeling, and imagination.
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V. Bach & Beethoven: Form and Vision
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): Partita in B-flat major, BWV 825
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827): Sonata in E major, Op. 109
Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonata in A-flat major, Op. 110
Johann Sebastian Bach: Italian Concerto in F major, BWV 971
Bach and Beethoven—two pillars of musical history, architects of clarity and prophets of expression. In Bach’s Partita and Italian Concerto, intellect and dance meet in perfect balance; Beethoven’s late sonatas carry that inheritance into realms of introspection and transcendence. This program unfolds as a dialogue across generations—a journey from Baroque perfection of form to Romantic vision.
