Sonata for Bassoon and Piano by Glenn Gould (Canada) *English Version.

mayo 04, 2022

Sonata for Bassoon and Piano by Glenn Gould (Canada) *English Version.

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Hi everyone! Today our trip will be a sensory space,

in which we will be immersed in a colorful and magic world that we can only find in the mind of the great composer and pianist Glenn Gould, and in the great interpretation of the bassoonist

Catherine Marchese.

The Sonata for Bassoon and Piano is an enigmatic work, inspired by the composition style of Arnold Schönberg, its first movement is Moderato, which begins with an introduction of the solo bassoon, and the piano quickly develops this theme with a great counterpoint complexity that bears the personal stamp of the composer.

The second movement is surprisingly a Vivace - Fugue, in this time the piano begins with the introduction of a complex fugue that will be developed and intertwined with a gentle bassoon melody; in the first theme of the fugue, the piano is the soloist and virtuoso voice of the work, taking a melodic and contrapuntal turn in the second part of the movement the bassoon being the solo voice until the end, with a cadence developed by the piano, that through the movement we notice small contrasts and changes of character.

Ending the sonata, and with a contrast to the other movements, the composer decides to end the work with a Largo; the bassoon begins with an introductory theme without the company of the piano, and with a duration of one minute, continuing with the same musical character of the others. But on this occasion, the piano is a subtle accompaniment to the melody of the bassoon, the Largo at the end of the work is a clear message from the composer that it is not written in the conventional sonata form, but that its free and the twelve-tone technique is part of the new treatments of contemporary music that were being experienced at the time the sonata was written.

(Sonata premiere playbill, June 4, 1951)

In conclusion to the Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, it is a work with notable musical influences from Bach for its contrapuntal treatment, and from Schönberg for the use of the twelve-tone technique throughout the work; the sonata was written in 1950 in a cycle of contemporary music works. It was premiered in 1951 at the Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto. It was performed by the famous Canadian bassoonist Nicholas Kilburn and on the piano the composer of the sonata Glenn Gould.

Bassoonist Catherine Marchese was invited to play Glenn Gould's Sonata for bassoon and piano on French Radio and be part of the album "Glenn Gould The Composer" under the Sony Music Record, its release was in the year 1992.

Glenn Gould

Composer

Maestro Glenn Gould was born in 1932 in Toronto, Canada; At a very early age he was cataloged as a child prodigy and is currently known as one of the musical geniuses of the 20th century, being a visionary of musical technology, 1964 he stopped performing in recitals and dedicated himself to digital recordings of his music on CBS Records now Sony Classical.

His passion for technology and media led him to work with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, where he developed new projects such as radio documentaries, essays, and television presentations, his untimely death at the age of 50 in 1982, shocked the musical world that lamented his premature departure; Mr. Gould left us a great musical legacy and traced a path for us in the digital music era that is still in development.

Catherine Marchese

Bassoonist

Maestra Catherine Marchese was born in New York City, United States, in 1961; she studied bachelor's and master's degrees in bassoon at the Juilliard School of Music, and an advanced degree at the École Normale de Paris; As also she studied with the acclaimed bassoonist Milan Turkovic in Salzburg.

The Bassoonist Catherine Marchese has participated in numerous concerts worldwide with renowned orchestras and has recorded live with some of them, such as Jean Françaix's Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra with the Prague Symphony Orchestra, and she has been invited to important festivals in Switzerland, the United States, among others; In the same way, she dedicates a large part of her time to musical education, especially to children.

Without a doubt, Mrs. Marchese is one of the most important musical bassoonists, being one of the pioneering female bassoonists with great relevance thanks to her recordings and concerts around the world.

Thank you very much for joining me on this new musical journey through one of the most interesting works in the bassoon musical repertoire, written by the great pianist and composer Glenn Goud, and performed by the virtuous

and acclaimed bassoonist of all time

Catherine Marchese!

See you soon Fagoteando por América!

Jonaira Rosero