CHRISTA COOK
VIOLIN

JEREMY PETERMAN
PIANO

SENIOR REC IT AL
REC IT AL HALL
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2014 • 7:30 PM

ARIZONA

STATE

UNIVERSITY

School of Music

Tempo di Minuetto

Fritz Kreisler
(1875-1962)

Fritz Kreisler is widely regarded as one of the greatest
violinists of the 201h century. He is also well known for his vast body
of works for violin and piano, which includes many transcriptions,
arrangements, and original compositions inspired by the style of
other master composers. His Tempo di Minuetto, first published in
1911, was written in the style of Gaetano Pugnani, an Italian
violinist and composer who lived during the Classical period.
As its name implies, Kreisler wrote this piece in minuet and
trio form, a three-part form where the third part is a repeat of the
first part. In working on this piece, I have come to find that it can be
extremely rewarding to play and hear when conceived in terms of a
story. As you listen, imagine that you are in attendance at the royal
court in early l 81h-century France. The king has just returned from a
holiday and as he enters the room, a majestic processional march
begins to play. The march reaches a climax as the king makes his
way to the front of the room and greets the court. The mood relaxes
into a light and carefree atmosphere as the partygoers begin to
celebrate the return of the king. A graceful theme replete with trills
and ornamentation brings dancers to their feet as they sweep across
the room in powdered wigs and hoop skirts. If you listen carefully,
you may just be able to hear a conversation between a pair of
dancers! The dancing subsides and the stately processional theme
returns as the king makes his grand exit and the evening comes to an
end.
Molly on the Shore

Percy Grainger
(1882-1961)
A master of British folk music settings, Percy Grainger
wrote Molly on the Shore as a birthday gift to his mother in 1907.
The piece was originally written for string quartet or string
orchestra. In 1911, Grainger transcribed the work for violinist Maud
Powell, who then made her own revisions to the piece. This lively
piece is an Irish reel, a type of dance tune in duple meter in which
four or eight bar phrases are repeated throughout and the first and
third beats are emphasized. In the accompanying dance, also known
as a reel, the dancers perform a series of foot movements, leg

movements, and leaps in patterns of eight beats. Molly on the Shore
combines two different reel tunes, "Molly on the Shore" and
"Temple Hill." The first tune, introduced by muted violin, is light
and playful. The second tune reflects Irish fiddling traditions, with
many double stops and string crossings. Both tunes are interwoven
throughout the piece in a variety of timbres, keys, and dynamic
levels.
My personal connection to this piece goes back a long time nine years to be exact! I first played an arrangement of it in my
youth orchestra in the 7th grade, and it quickly became one of my
favorite pieces. I largely forgot about it until last spring, when I
stumbled across the violin transcription while searching for other
pieces to perform on my recital. I could not believe my incredible
good luck at having found one of my favorite pieces from my youth.
I knew immediately that I had to play it on my recital. I am very
glad to have the opportunity to play Molly once again and to share
this fantastic tune with you.
Roumanian Folk Dances

Bela Bart6k
(1881-1945)

Celebrated as one of the finest composers of his country,
Hungarian composer Bela Bart6k was a champion of folk music.
Bart6k felt that the Hungarian folk music of his day was not
genuine, and he saw a need to document the authentic music of his
people. He spent the years from 1909 to 1914 traveling through the
Transylvanian regions of eastern Hungary (now part of Romania)
collecting and recording folk music of those regions on a
phonograph. Roumanian Folk Dances is a collection of six short
dances, the melodies of which Bart6k first heard played by some of
the musicians he met on his travels. Bart6k composed the work for
piano in 1915 and transcribed it for small orchestra two years later.
Zoltan Szekely transcribed the piece for violin and piano in 1925.
The first dance, "Stick Dance," is a men's dance whose tune
Bart6k collected from two Gypsy violinists. Powerful and energetic,
the syncopated melodies in the violin remain anchored by the steady
rhythmic pulse set up by the piano in the opening chords. The
second dance, "Waistband Dance," is so named because the dancers
must keep their arms closely wrapped around each other's waists.

The quick and playful melody presents great stylistic contrast to the
first movement. In the third dance, "Stamping Dance," the dancers
remain very still, staying in one place and stamping their feet
throughout. The use of the augmented second interval suggests a
Middle Eastern influence and lends a sense of eerie placidity to the
movement. In the violin transcription, this dance employs artificial
harmonics, an effect that produces a haunting sound. The fourth
dance, "Dance from Buscum," is a Gypsy violin tune that originates
from the Buscum region. While the original tune moves rather
quickly, Bart6k set this dance at a considerably slower and calmer
tempo. Two graceful yet poignant melodies are introduced in the
violin and later restated in a soaring passage on the E string. The
emotional depth and tender lyricism of this dance make it a favorite
of mine. The fifth dance, "Roumanian Polka," is a lively and
boisterous children's dance. The use of grace notes and alternation
between duple and triple meters adds to the playful tune's sense of
childlike whimsy. This dance leads directly into the sixth and final
dance of the piece. Known simply as "Fast Dance," this movement
introduces two joyous melodies that are supported by playful
syncopated figures in the piano. Excitement builds as the material of
the second theme is restated in an energetic frolic to the finish line.
Sonatina in G Major, Op. 100

Antonin Dvorak
(1841-1904)
"It is meant.for young people, but also for adults, let them enjoy it,
too, they'll have fun playing it as well."
These are the words Dvorak chose to describe his Sonatina
for violin and piano. Indeed, the piece has an energetic and
authentically youthful feel to it. He dedicated the work to his
children, who premiered the work at a private performance before its
public debut two years later. Composed in late 1893, this was the
last chamber piece that Dvorak wrote while he was living in the
United States. All of the movements exhibit the influence of folk
music traditions and contain elements that are typical of works
written during Dvofak's American period, such as the use of the
pentatonic scale and syncopation.
The first movement is written in sonata form, a three-part
form where the opening material returns in the third section. It opens
with a bright and jubilant theme based on the G Major triad which

sets the mood for much of the movement and provides material for
the second section, the development. The cheerful nature of this
movement reflects the carefree joys of childhood. The second
movement can be heard as a story of unrequited love with three
themes. The h~unting opeRfog melody, with its sense oflonging for
the unattainable, gives way to a dreamier theme with undulating
sextuplet figures in the piano. The third theme, introduced in the
piano, is optimistic and upbeat, with a forward motion that suggests
pursuit of the beloved. In the end, though, the pursuit is
•
unsuccessful, and the opening theme returns to close the movement
in a quiet lament. The third movement is a lively and exuberant
scherzo, a celebration of life and youth. It combines a short leaping
figure with a longer lyrical line to evoke a playful mood. The
contrasting trio section is slower and features a tranquil pentatonic
melody alongside a powerful accented line. The fourth movement
opens with a triumphant theme characterized by syncopation and
dynamic contrast. This is followed by a solemn, rhythmic melody
that resembles the beating of a drum and a beautiful, lyrical section.
All three of the main themes are later restated, some in new keys.
The ending section, which is based on material from the first theme,
propels the movement forward with a compelling energy that brings
the Sonatina to an exhilarating close.

Program
Tempo di Minuetto

Fritz Kreisler
(1875-1962)

Molly on the Shore

Percy Grainger
(1882-1961)

Roumanian Folk Dances
I. Jocul cu bata -Allegro moderato
II. Brau! - Allegro
III. Pe lac - Andante
IV. Buciumeana - Molto moderato
V. Poarga romaneasca - Allegro
VI. Marunfel - Allegro

Bela Bart6k
(1881-1945)

**There will be a JO-minute intermission**

Sonatina in G Major, Op. 100
I. Allegro risoluto
II. Larghetto
III. Scherzo
IV. Finale

Antonin Dvorak
(1841-1904)

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Out ofrespect for the performers and those audience members around you, please
tum all beepers, cell phones and watches to their silent mode. Thank you.