Visiting concerts of classical music is always something unbelievable and captivating. People suppose to find themselves in some other world, but are not sure in what exactly. Classical music provides people with an opportunity to dream, think, love, and even exist. For those, who cannot differentiate what major or minor is, it may be rather troublesome to analyze the works by such great composers as Gabriel Faure, Martin Bresnick, Astor Piazzolla, and Johannes Brahms.
Ballade for cello and piano, created by Martin Bresnick in 2004, was firstly introduced by Andre Emelianoff at Merkin Hall in New York. In spite of the fact that this work presents dark colors and trembling melody, it captivates from the very first seconds. This masterpiece proves once again Bresnick’s unbelievable style, his formal characteristics, and rigor.
This Ballade was created as an homage to Johannes Brahms. Bresnick puts this work in minor, a bit cantabile. He provides the listeners with an attempt to imagine gloomy surroundings and be taken up by rather dolce style.
Cello Sonata No. 2 Op. 117 is another work that deserves our attention. It is created by a French composer, Gabriel Faure, in 1921, however, the date of its first publication is around 1922. It is a work of 3 movements in G minor: allegro, andante, and allegro vivo. In spite of the previous work, this sonata is characterized by more romantic style.
To my mind, it is a story of lost love, when people are in confusion of what to do further. It seems like the world does not change, but everything around is different. Cello Sonata No.2 is one of the most remarkable stories in the world of classical music. Piano and cello find each other and create a magnificent story that may be inherent to any person.
Astor Piazzolla is one more composer, who tried to present life emotions, losses, and happiness through classical music. He was a kind of tango boy, who observed the world through “tango” glasses. Le Grand Tango for violin and piano is one of the most beautiful masterpieces in classical music.
It is episodic in structure: energy, passion, calmness, and languor. The end of this composition is fascinating and in a real Italian style – glissando, a kind of sliding from one pitch to another, like a person, who is looking for something in order to find the only his/her place under in this world. This chamber work was created in far 1921; however, it still excites so many people and will be never forgotten.
The last but not the least classical work under consideration is The Piano Sonata No. 3 by Johannes Brahms presented in 1853 for the first time. It is created in F minor and consists of five different movements: allegro maestoso, andante, allegro energetic, andante molto, and allegro moderato.
This sonata is quite large for musical pieces of work. It is a combination of romantic nature of the composer with the strict classical requirements, which were so crucially important for classical works of those times. The Sonata No.2 is rather dynamic and invigorative piece of work that allows to pay attention to each detail that is so important in music.
These five works of different composers came from different centuries and countries. With the help of cello and piano, the composers present a new world, full of emotions and dreams, to their listeners. It is really great to comprehend their purposes and other things, which evoke to create such unforgettable masterpieces.
Works Cited
Astor Piazzolla. Le Grand Tango for Cello and Piano. 1982. New Orleans, 1990.
Brahms, Johannes. The Piano Sonata No.3 in F Minor, Op. 5. 1853. Leipzig: Barthold Senff, 1854.
Bresnick, Martin. Ballade for Cello and Piano. 2004. New York: Merkin Hall, 2004.
Faure, Gabriel. Cello Sonata Op. 117 in G Minor. 1921.