SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2013, 3PM

Segerstrom Center for the ArtsRenée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall

Donna L. Kendall Classical Series

ITZHAK PERLMAN, VIOLINROHAN dE sILVA, PIANO

Sonata for Piano and Violin Ludwig van BEETHOVENNo. 1 in D major, Op. 12, No. 1 (1770-1827)

Allegro con brioTema con variazioni: Andante con motoRondo: Allegro

Sonata for Violin and Piano César FRANCKin A major (1822-1890)

Allegretto ben moderatoAllegroRecitativo-Fantasia Allegretto poco mosso

- INTERMISS ION -

Sonata in G Minor for Violin Giuseppe TARTINIand Continuo “Devil's Trill” (1692-1770)(arr. Fritz Kreisler)

Allegretto ben moderatoAllegroRecitativo-Fantasia

- Additional works to be announced from the stage -

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The Philharmonic Society gratefully acknowledges Donna L. Kendall Foundation

for the generous sponsorship of tonight’s performance.

BEETHOVEN: SONATA IN D MAJOR FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO, OP. 12, NO. 1Torture and torment, often so prominent in the popu-lar image of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), arenowhere to be found in this sonata for violin andpiano. It is the late 1790s, and the composer, not yetthirty, has escaped from the backwaters of Bonn tobecome the toast of the town in imperial Vienna.Better yet, his hearing is still intact and a golden futureseems to lie before him. In his early opus numbers—often of chamber music; the symphonies and concertiwere yet to come—one finds music of youthful delight.They are at times a bit heartier in mood than was cus-tomary with Beethoven’s predecessors, but not yet sointense as the Beethoven works of the future.

Early in his catalog, one finds the three violin sonatasthat together make up his opus 12. They were pub-lished in 1799 by the Artaria firm, were dedicated toAntonio Salieri, then Imperial Kapellmeister and aman whose good will would have been well worth cul-tivating. At the time, Beethoven himself did not playthe violin exceptionally well, preferring instead thepiano. Yet he understood its characteristics and capaci-ties to make the most of them.

The first of the three opus 12 sonatas opens with bothbold and song-like melodies appearing in turn. Boththe violin and the piano have an equal share of thespotlight, so it would be better to describe it as asonata for both instruments, than as a violin sonata perse. The second movement allows the pianist to intro-duce a gently winsome theme upon which both playerswill proceed to offer new interpretations, some bolderthan others. For the closing rondo, bright and buoyantmoods return as the sonata dances into its final pages;occasional minor key interludes bring no more thanpassing shadows. Although Beethoven’s style wouldevolve in the years ahead, there was little in terms oftechnique that he did not already understand thor-oughly.

FRANCK: SONATA FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO IN A MAJORPermit no one to tell you that César Franck (1822-1890) was French. He did indeed spend much of hiscareer in Paris, but in his youth he was refused admis-sion to the Paris Conservatoire because he was a for-eigner, a Belgian born in Liège in 1822. It was inBelgium that Franck received most of his education.His style and character were firmly established longbefore he settled abroad, and music-loving Belgianstake pride in their native son. As for non-Belgians,they find delight in the graceful balance and melodicvariety of Franck's works, nowhere better demonstrat-

Mr. Perlman records for EMI/Angel, Sony Classical/Sony BMG Masterworks,Deutsche Grammophon, London/Decca, Erato/Elektra International Classics

and Telarc.

www.itzhakperlman.comMr. Perlman appears by arrangement with IMG Artists.

Carnegie Hall Tower | 152 W 57 St., 5th Floor | New York, NY 10019

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that support, the solo part would be like a house with-out a foundation: not particularly able to stand utterlyon its own. Even continuo parts must be deftly ren-dered.

This arrangement was crafted by virtuoso violinistFritz Kreisler (1875-1962) for use on his own recitals.It is substantially similar to the original, thoughKreisler chose to block it out in separate movements,rather than having the tempo changes occur in the flowof a single broader movement.

All program notes © Betsy Schwarm, author of “Classical MusicInsights” and “Operatic Insights”

ITZHAK PERLMAN, VIOLINUndeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, ItzhakPerlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a clas-sical musician. Beloved for his charm and humanity aswell as his talent, he is treasured by audiences through-out the world, who respond not only to his remarkableartistry, but also to the irrepressible joy of makingmusic which he communicates. In January 2009, Mr.Perlman was honored to take part in the Inaugurationof President Barack Obama, premiering a piece writtenfor the occasion by John Williams and performing withclarinetist Anthony McGill, pianist Gabriela Montero,and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. In December 2003 the John F.Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts granted Mr.Perlman a Kennedy Center Honor celebrating his dis-tinguished achievements and contributions to the cul-tural and educational life of our nation. In May 2007,he performed at the State Dinner for Her Majesty TheQueen and His Royal Highness The Duke ofEdinburgh, hosted by President George W. Bush andMrs. Bush at the White House.

ed than in his best-known composition, the ViolinSonata.

His Violin Sonata has earned a place as a concertfavorite, thanks to a proliferation of singing melodiesthat prove endearing to performers and listeners alike.The piece was written in 1886 as a wedding present forthe great Belgian violinist Eugène Ysaÿe (1858-1931),who also gave the sonata's premiere later that year.The premiere itself was an extraordinary occasion.Ysaÿe arranged for the performance to be given on awinter afternoon in a Brussels art museum. In fear ofdamaging the paintings, authorities forbade the use ofartificial light, and due to the late hour, all natural lightfaded with the setting sun. Before the sonata was halfover, the room was in darkness. Ysaÿe and his pianistcontinued the performance from memory, invisible totheir listeners, who were themselves concealed in shad-ows. To hear music of such exquisite lyricism in anutterly darkened room must have been an unforget-table experience.

TARTINI: SONATA IN G MINOR FOR VIOLINAND CONTINUO “DEVIL'S TRILL” (ARR. FRITZKREISLERAsk most lovers of fine music to name an ItalianBaroque composer/violinist and the answer will likelybe Antonio Vivaldi. However, a worthy addition tothat list—one no less famed than Vivaldi in their owntime—is Giuseppe Tartini (1692-1770). About adozen years younger than Vivaldi, he was no less giftedin terms of musical skills. Like Vivaldi, Tartini wrotehundreds of violin works for his own concert perform-ances, both concertos for violin with orchestra andchamber pieces for violin with smaller scale accompani-ment. Tartini’s most famous piece falls in this lattercategory.

This sonata’s nickname is not a fanciful addition bysome imaginative publisher. The composer himselflabeled it “Devil’s Trill,” and even explained why. Ashe told it, in 1713, he had awoken from a particularlyvivid dream of the Devil himself playing a violin withferocious virtuosity. Tartini’s impression of that play-ing was so strong that, immediately upon awaking, heseized pen and paper and began quickly copying itdown from memory. This so-called “Devil’s Trill”sonata was the result of that frenzied burst of activity.

The “continuo” (originally “basso continuo”) referencein the title refers to the instruments accompanying thesoloist. Basso continuo literally means “continuousbass” and describes the steady repetition of accompa-nying chords upon which the musicians might chooseto elaborate. It is largely a supporting role, but without

Itzhak Perlman (credit: Akira Kinoshita)

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Born in Israel in 1945, Mr. Perlman completed his ini-tial training at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv. Hecame to New York and soon was propelled into theinternational arena with an appearance on the EdSullivan Show in 1958. Following his studies at theJuilliard School with Ivan Galamian and DorothyDeLay, Mr. Perlman won the prestigious LeventrittCompetition in 1964, which led to a burgeoning world-wide career. Since then, Itzhak Perlman has appearedwith every major orchestra and in recitals and festivalsaround the world.

Mr. Perlman’s 2012-13 season will take his perform-ances as soloist to both new and familiar major centersthroughout the world. In the fall of 2012, he appearswith the Boston Symphony Orchestra on a play/con-duct program for the Orchestra’s opening night; imme-diately thereafter, he joins the New York Philharmonicat Avery Fisher Hall under Music Director AlanGilbert in its season opening concert, to be televised onPBS’s Live From Lincoln Center. In October 2012, Mr.Perlman will travel to South America for recitals inPeru, Brazil, and Argentina with pianist and frequentcollaborator, Rohan De Silva. Other highlights of his2012-13 season include the release of his new albumEternal Echoes on the SONY Classical label and vari-ous performances in support of the album, includingBoston and New York. He will make an extensive tourof recitals and orchestral appearances in cities acrossNorth America including Los Angeles, San Francisco,Montreal, Kansas City, Sarasota, Houston, Las Vegas,and Seattle.

A major presence in the performing arts on television,Itzhak Perlman has been honored with four EmmyAwards, most recently for the PBS documentaryFiddling for the Future, a film about the PerlmanMusic Program and his work as a teacher and conduc-tor there. In July of 2004, PBS aired a special entitledPerlman in Shanghai which chronicled a historic andunforgettable visit of the Perlman Music Program toChina, featuring interaction between American andChinese students and culminating in a concert at theShanghai Grand Theater and a performance with onethousand young violinists, led by Mr. Perlman andbroadcast throughout China. Mr. Perlman’s thirdEmmy Award recognized his dedication to Klezmermusic, as profiled in the 1995 PBS television special Inthe Fiddler's House, which was filmed in Poland andfeatured him performing with four of the world’s finestKlezmer bands.

In February 2008, Itzhak Perlman was honored with aGrammy Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence

in the recording arts. His recordings regularly appearon the best-seller charts and have garnered fifteenGrammy Awards. His most recent releases include anall-Mozart recording with the Berlin Philharmonic(EMI) with Mr. Perlman performing as both soloistand conductor and a recording for DeutscheGrammophon with Mr. Perlman conducting the IsraelPhilharmonic. Other recordings reveal Mr. Perlman’sdevotion to education, including Concertos from myChildhood with the Juilliard Orchestra underLawrence Foster (EMI) and Marita and her Heart’sDesire, composed and conducted by Bruce Adolphe(Telarc). Other recordings over the past decade haveincluded a Grammy-nominated live recording withpianist Martha Argerich performing Beethoven andFranck Sonatas (EMI); Cinema Serenade featuringpopular hits from movies with John Williams conduct-ing (Sony); A la Carte, a recording of short violinpieces with orchestra (EMI) and In the Fiddler’sHouse, a celebration of Klezmer music (EMI) thatformed the basis of the PBS television special. In2004, EMI released The Perlman Edition, a limited-edition 15-CD box set featuring many of his finestEMI recordings as well as newly compiled material andRCA Red Seal released a CD titled PerlmanreDISCOVERED which includes material recorded in1965 by a young Itzhak Perlman.

Mr. Perlman has a long association with the IsraelPhilharmonic, and he has participated in many ground-breaking tours with this orchestra from his homeland.In November of 1987 he joined the IPO for history-making concerts in Warsaw and Budapest, represent-ing the first performances by this orchestra and soloistin Eastern bloc countries. He again made history as hejoined the orchestra for its first visit to the SovietUnion in April/May of 1990, and was cheered by audi-ences in Moscow and Leningrad who thronged to hearhis recital and orchestral performances. This visit wascaptured on a PBS documentary, which won an Emmy,entitled Perlman in Russia. In December of 1994 Mr.Perlman joined the Israel Philharmonic for their firstvisits to China and India.

Over the past decade Mr. Perlman has become moreactively involved in educational activities. He hastaught full time at the Perlman Music Program eachsummer since it was founded and currently holds theDorothy Richard Starling Foundation Chair at theJuilliard School.

Numerous publications and institutions have paid trib-ute to Itzhak Perlman for the unique place he occupiesin the artistic and humanitarian fabric of our times.

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Harvard, Yale, Brandeis, Roosevelt, Yeshiva andHebrew universities are among the institutions whichhave awarded him honorary degrees. He was awardedan honorary doctorate and a centennial medal on theoccasion of Juilliard’s 100th commencement ceremonyin May 2005. President Reagan honored Mr. Perlmanwith a Medal of Liberty in 1986, and in December 2000,President Clinton awarded Mr. Perlman the NationalMedal of Arts. His presence on stage, on camera and inpersonal appearances of all kinds speaks eloquently onbehalf of the disabled, and his devotion to their cause isan integral part of Mr. Perlman’s life. Mr. Perlman is therecipient of the Philharmonic Society’s 2013 GoldenBaton Award.

ROHAN DE SILVA, PIANORohan De Silva’s partnerships with violin virtuososItzhak Perlman, Cho-Liang Lin, Midori, Joshua Bell,Benny Kim, Kyoko Takezawa, Vadim Repin, GilShaham, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, and Julian Rachlinhave led to highly acclaimed performances at recital ven-ues all over the world. With these and other artists, hehas performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center’s AveryFisher Hall and Alice Tully Hall, the Kennedy Center,Library of Congress, Philadelphia Academy of Music,Ambassador Theater in Los Angeles, Concertgebouw inAmsterdam, Wigmore Hall in London, Suntory Hall inTokyo, the Mozarteum in Salzburg, La Scala in Milan,and Tel-Aviv, Israel. He performs frequently withItzhak Perlman and was seen with Mr. Perlman on PBS’Live from Lincoln Center broadcast in early January2000. Mr. De Silva regularly tours the Far East withMr. Perlman, and in October 2011, they traveled toAsia for performances in China, Hong Kong and

Taiwan. At the invitation of President and Mrs.Barack Obama, Mr. De Silva and Mr. Perlmanreturned to the White House in June 2012, where theyperformed at an official dinner for Israeli President andPresidential Medal of Freedom honoree Shimon Peres.In 2012-13, Mr. De Silva performs with Mr. Perlmanin a recital tour of South America, with stops in Brazil,Peru and Argentina. They will also appear in Ottawa,Montreal, and in cities across the United States.

Mr. De Silva, a native of Sri Lanka, began his pianostudies with his mother, the late Primrose De Silva,and with the late Mary Billimoria. He spent six yearsat the Royal Academy of Music in London as a studentof Hamish Milne, Sydney Griller, and Wilfred Parry.While in London, he received many awards, includingthe Grover Bennett Scholarship, the ChristianCarpenter Prize, the Martin Music Scholarship, theHarold Craxton Award for advanced study in England,and, upon his graduation, the Chappell Gold Medal forbest overall performance at the Royal Academy. Mr.De Silva was the first recipient of a special scholarshipin the arts from the Presidents Fund of Sri Lanka.This enabled him to enter the Juilliard School, wherehe received both his Bachelor and Master of Musicdegrees, studying piano with Martin Canin, chambermusic with Felix Galimir, and working closely with vio-lin pedagogue Dorothy DeLay. He was awarded a spe-cial prize as Best Accompanist at the 1990 NinthInternational Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.He received the Samuel Sanders Collaborative ArtistAward presented to him by Itzhak Perlman at the2005 Classical Recording Foundation AwardsCeremony at Carnegie Hall.

Mr. De Silva joined the collaborative arts and chambermusic faculty of the Juilliard School in 1991, and in1992 was awarded honorary Associate of the RoyalAcademy of Music. In 2001, he joined the faculty atthe Ishikawa Music Academy in Japan, where he givesmasterclasses in collaborative piano. Mr. De Silva wasadditionally on the faculty of the Perlman MusicProgram from 2000-2007. Radio and television creditsinclude The Tonight Show with Midori, CNN’sShowbiz Today, NHK Television in Japan, NationalPublic Radio, WQXR and WNYC in New York, andBerlin Radio. He has recorded for DeutscheGrammophon, CBS/SONY Classical, Collins Classicsin London, and RCA Victor.

Rohan De Silva (credit: John Beebe)