This recital offers a journey through the sonata form, not as a fixed monument, but as a space for freedom, exploration, and risk-taking. Through four works composed between the late 18th century and the early 20th, this program highlights sonatas that are still rarely performed and whose expressive richness deserves to be fully rediscovered.
Anniversary cycle – Spotlight on the residents. This recital offers a journey through the sonata form, not as a fixed monument, but as a space for freedom, exploration, and risk-taking. Through four works composed between the late 18th century and the early 20th, this program highlights sonatas that are still rarely performed and whose expressive richness deserves to be fully rediscovered. ♪ The Sonata in E minor, HOB XVI:34 by Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) opens the concert. Too often seen as a composer who is above all witty or decorative, Haydn reveals a striking dramatic depth here. This work bears witness to the boldness of his pianistic language and to his fundamental role in shaping the modern sonata. Restoring it to its rightful place is a reminder that emotional intensity and modernity did not begin with Romanticism. ♪ With the Sonata in E minor, Op. 7 by Edvard Grieg (1843–1907), the program shifts toward an ardent Romanticism, deeply imbued with lyricism and contrasts. This work, both structured and passionate, acts as a bridge between tradition and personal expression, already pointing toward a freer style of writing. It is the only sonata this composer wrote for piano. ♪ The Sonatina in G minor by Carlos Guastavino (1912–2000) holds a very special place in this program. As an Argentine pianist, it is essential for me to share the music of this composer, who remains far too little known on European stages. Guastavino develops a profoundly lyrical language, nourished by South American popular tradition, where apparent simplicity conceals great expressive subtlety. ♪ The recital concludes with the Sonata in F-sharp major, Op. 30 by Alexander Scriabine (1872–1915), a visionary and condensed work in which the music breaks almost completely free from traditional reference points. After composing this sonata, the composer decided to write a poem to inspire the performer. This sonata goes beyond instrumental form to become a poetic and sensory experience, culminating in a dazzling final surge, suspended between ecstasy and vertigo. Scriabine described this work as: “Man’s flight toward the star, symbol of happiness” Through this program, the piano becomes a place of transmission, memory, and artistic conviction: bringing rare works to life, restoring essential composers to their rightful value, and sharing music deeply tied to identity and poetry.— Matias Olivieri
Price: €7 (full price) / €4 (student rate)
Source: paris.fr — photo: © Matias Olivieri