PianoArts 2014, Solo Recital 6 - Tristan Teo

Bach is just a good composer with whom to open a program. All of the contestants are required to bring a work by Bach, thus his appearance on every recital. Tristan is performing the Prelude and Fugue No. 16 in G minor, BWV 861. The prelude and fugue are a contrast in style. The prelude is thoughtful, slow-paced and chordal, while the fugue firmly establishes itself with an energetic theme. Tristan's contemporary selection is  the fourth movement of Rzewski's North American Ballads, Winnsboro Cottonmill Blues. I wasn't familiar with this piece until last year when (here comes a bit of PianoArts trivia) I met Jacob Ertl, second place winner in the 2002 competition, at Dakota Sky International Piano Festival in Sioux Falls, SD. This particular piece was one he used in his doctoral work and has become a staple in his rep. Fun to hear our 6th contestant playing this movement today. Paraphrasing Tristan's comments on it...the pieces in this set are depicting slavery in the American South. Rzewski uses thick chords in the bass registers of the piano to portray the sound of hundreds of cotton mills  running. To facilitate these thick textures, the forearms and elbows are used with the melody placed where the elbow hits the keys. The inspiration for this piece is two-fold: a 1979 drama movie (missed the title. Will get it!) and an American folk tune called...you guessed it - Winnsboro Cottonmill Blues. Following this programmatic piece is Chopin's Nocturne No. 13 in C minor, Op. 48, No. 1. It is a gorgeous nocturne. Teo is controlling and pacing the intensity of this piece well. Closing Teo's program is Ravel's La Valse. As I said earlier, these young artists have some fantastic programs. Tristan made good selections for his solo program; the pieces fit his musical personality and temperament and show his skill set nicely. Back to La Valse; such a fun piece. It's warm, lyrical, colorful, and I wish I could get up and dance to it. :)