Student Recital: Colton Slaven, Viola

YORK BOWEN: Sonata No. 2 Op. 22
I. Allegro assai e semplice

Colton Slaven (B.M. '23), viola
Haram Kim, piano

JOHANNES BRAHMS: Sonata No. 1, Op. 120 Nr. 1
I. Allegro appassionata
II. Andante un poco Adagio
III. Allegretto grazioso
IIII. Vivace

Colton Slaven (B.M. '23), viola
Haram Kim, piano

BEDŘICH SMETANA: String Quartet No. 2, JB 1:124
I. Allegro

Skye Darling (M.M. ‘24), violin
Briana Ingber (B.M. ‘24), violin
Colton Slaven (B.M. '23), viola
Jayne Wong (M.M. ‘24), cello

COLTON SLAVEN: Théâtre de L'étrange et Fantastique
I. Overture

Skye Darling (M.M. ‘24), violin
Briana Ingber (B.M. ‘24), violin
Colton Slaven (B.M. '23), viola
Jayne Wong (M.M. ‘24), cello

BOWEN: Sonata No. 2 Op. 22 (1906)
This work is one of two sonatas composed for viola and piano while pianist York Bowen and violist Lionel Tertis were on tour together in the early 20th century. Both sonatas were composed with Tertis in mind, and he insisted that Bowen compose for the viola in a fashion no less demanding than the violin.

BRAHMS: Sonata No. 1, Op. 120 Nr. 1 (1894)
After a hiatus from composition in the latter years of Brahms’ life, he became fascinated with the works of composer Carl Maria von Weber and clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld. Brahms composed two clarinet sonatas—F minor and E♭ major—and their keys correspond to the keys of the two clarinet concertos composed by Carl Maria von Weber nearly eighty years earlier. Both sonatas later received transcriptions for the viola by Brahms himself.

SMETANA: String Quartet No. 2, JB 1:124 (1883)
Composed in 1882, this work is the last quartet that Smetana composed. At that time in his life, Smetana struggled with deafness. The work is meant to directly follow Smetana’s first string quartet, and Smetana describes his vision: “...after the catastrophe, it represents the turbulence of music in a person who had lost his hearing".

SLAVEN: Théâtre de L'étrange et Fantastique (2023)
Théâtre de L'étrange et Fantastique is a suite for string quartet. Each movement is a different scene, with themes that represent the stories taking place. The Overture includes the main hero’s theme, as well as the themes of each of the other movements. Many thanks to Skye Darling, Briana Ingber, and Jayne Wong for helping me to premier this work!

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