Chamber livens up short days

As the days get shorter and the nights longer, the St. Albert Chamber Music Recital Series is adding a little extra zip to our musical landscape.

On Saturday, Nov. 19, it hosts the second concert of the season with The Great Romantics for Piano and Cello at Don’s Piano Showroom.

Edmonton pianist Magda Adamek and cellist Tanya Prochazka combine their virtuosic talents to celebrate the best of the romantic repertoire. Opening for them is former St. Albert resident Spencer Kryzanowski, 18.

Of the classical repertoire spanning from the 11th century to modern times, the romantic period of the 19th century was the most passionate and expressive. Composers challenged themselves to express deep truths and feelings while retaining a formal structure – no small feat.

From that period rose some great giants – Johannes Brahms, Franz Liszt, Jules de Swert and FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin.

Adamek and Prochazka play two works by Brahms, Sonata in E minor, Opus 38 and Sonata in F major, Opus 99. E minor, one of his early works, is composed in a minuet style and builds to a dramatic core whereas F major was a later work with a stormy texture.

“Life leaves its mark on artistic expression,” says Prochazka. “In F Major, Brahms has a greater depth of existentialism and wisdom. E minor instead is more formal. He took the forms from Bach and Beethoven. In fact, Beethoven was his compositional god.”

The duo has also included Liszt’s Consolation No. 3, a beautiful contrast to the stormy Brahms sonata.

“It puts everyone in a calm, pensive frame of mind.”

Another composition known to sway listeners is Chopin and August Franchomme’s Grand Duo Concertant.

“This is an example of a huge virtuosic piano work where the cello comes in.”

Kryzanowski, who was awarded the Rose Bowl Award for Best of Festival at the St. Albert Rotary Music festival, fills in the evening with a Schubert impromptu and a Schuman intermezzo.

“He started his training late – at about 10 or 12 – as a student of St. Albert music teacher Joan Ritchie, but he progressed very quickly. He’s a very sensitive young man and sensitive player and he loves to play,” says Nancy Watt, founder of the chamber music series.

The repertoire extends through a full range of emotion, musical poetry and song.

As Prochazka says, “It’s a very listenable program. You don’t have to know anything about the music to enjoy it.”