Ledra Music Soloists invites you to a unique evening of chamber music for clarinet and piano with the internationally renowned clarinettist Gábor Varga and pianist Nicolas Costantinou. The two artists will present a captivating programme, including Brahms’ two masterful sonatas for clarinet and piano and the world premiere of the Clarinet Sonata by Constantinos Y. Stylianou.
In 1891, a year after he had decided to retire from composing, Brahms had first heard the renowned clarinettist Richard Mülfeld. Fascinated by the warmth and subtlety of his sound, he decided to return to composition, writing four wonderful works of chamber music for him. Incidentally, the two sonatas, op. 120, are the last works he composed. The two sonatas convey an ‘autumnal aura’ attributable to the circumstances of Brahms’ career, the mood of the music, and the lush sound of the clarinet.
Stylianou’s Sonata, which is dedicated to the guest clarinettist, is characterised by a deep lyricism, the scope of which ranges from moments of tenderness to moments of tragedy. In this work, the composer explores the instrument’s wide spectrum of sonic possibilities.
Programme
- Brahms: Sonata in F minor for clarinet and piano, Op. 120, No. 1 (1894)
- Brahms: Sonata in E-flat major for clarinet and piano, Op. 120, No. 2 (1894)
- Y. Stylianou: Sonata for clarinet and piano (2022)
Gábor Varga has performed in more than twenty-five countries worldwide (including USA, Canada, Peru, Japan, China, Taiwan, Singapore, UK, France, Spain & Italy) in concert halls such as the Musikverein in Vienna and the Gewandhaus in Lepzig, participating in various music festivals and appearing at the most prestigious clarinet festivals. His recordings include several chamber works and Concertos by Weber and Mozart for Hungarian Radio and CD recordings of the Nielsen Concerto, Dreamdances by Kovàcs, chamber music by Drusetzky and Vajda’s clarinet works. Since 2017 he is holding the position of International Chair of Clarinet at the RNCM, Manchester, UK, and since 2022 he is an Associate Professor of Clarinet at The Jacob School of Music, Bloomington, Indiana, USA.
Steinway Artist Nicolas Costantinou is renowned for impressing audiences with his daring selection of repertoire, old and new, and his ability to collaborate with extraordinary instrumental ensembles. He has been hailed by critics as “… an artist of deep emotions, who is capable of performing music with his whole being and soul…” (Kaleva, 2003) while his interpretations have been described as “colossal” and “dramatic” (Dimitri Nicolau, 2002). In 2023, Nicolas released three albums under the Odradek label. The first one, titled metavasis, was released in January 2023 and features C. Y. Stylianou’s 12 Préludes, Series I. The second one, with the title Past Forward, was released in June and contains Stylianou’s first two viola sonatas with violist Máté Szűcs. The third one, Hedra, was released on September 28, and it features sonatas for cello and piano with cellist Péter Somodari.
Sound INspirations
Clarinet and piano recital | Gábor Varga, Nicolas Costantinou
Strovolos Municipal Theatre | Wednesday, 6 December 2023 | 20:00
TICKETS Full-price €15 | Concessions* €10 (LMS members, pensioners, full-time students, soldiers)
Stephanis Stores | Sound INspirations (soldoutticketbox.com)
INFO | 99744227 | info@ledramusic.org | www.ledramusic.org
