Rachmaninov & Prokofiev
23.08.26 > 17:00

Camerata Chișinău

Vents de l’Orchestre du Festival 

Valentin Uryupin, clarinet & direction

Simon Trpčeski, piano

Composed in 1909, Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3 is among the most formidable works in the piano repertoire. The composer wrote it while preparing for his first American tour, leaving his native Russia for the first time. The vast Russian landscapes are said to have inspired some of the concerto’s most lyrical passages. Rachmaninov, an outstanding pianist, premiered the work himself a few weeks later in New York before an enthusiastic audience.

In classical three-movement form, the concerto opens with a melody of great simplicity, featuring a nostalgic and deeply moving theme. A famous cadenza, renowned for its exceptional technical demands, closes the movement. The second movement, an Intermezzo, unfolds with great poetry in a theme-and-variations form. Finally, without real interruption, the Finale begins with dazzling energy, driven by a galloping rhythm: both intensely rhythmic and brilliantly virtuosic.

Like Rachmaninov, Prokofiev also left Russia shortly after the Revolution to settle in the United States, where he attempted to pursue a career as a pianist and composer. He eventually returned to the USSR in 1935, and during the Second World War he composed his only Sonata for flute and piano, which he later adapted for violin. The work adopts an organization inherited from the Baroque sonata, alternating slow and fast movements, and is adapted here for clarinet and orchestra.

The first movement, Moderato, in sonata form, presents two lyrical and singing themes of great elegance. The second movement, Allegro scherzando, is a true scherzo: lively and dance-like, it plays on a rhythmic opposition between tertiary and binary patterns. The third movement, Andante, takes the form of a highly expressive romance, whose intimate atmosphere sometimes evokes the world of Robert Schumann. Finally, the concluding Allegro con brio ends the sonata brilliantly, blending energy, humor, and virtuosity in great exuberance.

A concert highlighting all the contrasts and richness of the Russian repertoire!

Romane’s Preludes (1 hour before the concert)*

Are you passionate about classical music, intrigued by it, or does it feel like a foreign language? Sharpen your ears, awaken your curiosity, and join one of the Preludes led by our specialist. Enjoy 30 to 40 minutes of guided listening, context, discussion, and presentation in French. Six of our concerts are preceded by a free introductory talk. These engaging and welcoming sessions, open to all audiences, will take you to the heart of the music. One guiding principle: enjoyment!

*Romane Carbonnel, pianist, graduate of the Haute École de Musique Vaud-Valais-Fribourg (HEMU)

Programme

S. Rachmaninov, Piano Concerto Nr. 3, Op. 30

I. Allegro ma non tanto

II. Intermezzo: Adagio

III. Finale: Alla breve

S. Prokofiev, Flute Sonata, Op. 94 (arranged by E. Kiprsky)

I. Moderato

II. Scherzo

III. Andante

IV. Allegro con brio