Martin Sturfält – St John’s Smith Square Concert Series

Martin Sturfält’s programme celebrates the legacy of Johann Sebastian Bach and particularly his influence on composers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The romantic era’s preference for lush textures is reflected in two transcriptions of Bach works whereas Carl Nielsen’s highly individual Chaconne and Debussy’s first mature piano work Pour le piano are examples of works directly inspired by such transcriptions. 2018 is the centenary year of the death of not only Debussy, but also of Swedish composer Emil Sjögren, whose darkly atmospheric Prelude and Fugue op.39 was composed in Paris in 1903.

The second half of the programme includes another two Chaconnes: Anders Nilsson’s, which was written for Martin Sturfält and which is very much influenced by Liszt’s late style, along with Liszt’s “Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen”, a remarkable symphonic fantasy based on basso ostinatos from various sacred Bach works. Sandwiched between these large works, Brahms’ rarely heard Gigues, written in response to his first contact with Bach’s French Suites in his early twenties. Their uncompromising contrapunctual style generates some of the most daring sounds ever to come from Brahms’ pen.

Program

Johann Sebastian Bach / Wilhelm Kempff
Sinfonia from “Wir danken dir Gott wir danken dir” BWV29

Emil Sjögren
Prelude & Fugue in D Minor Op 39

Carl Nielsen
Chaconne Op 32

Johann Sebastian Bach / Franz Liszt
Prelude in A Minor BWV543

Claude Debussy
Pour le piano (1901)

Interval

Anders Nilsson
Chaconne (2014)

Johannes Brahms
Two Gigues Wo04

Franz Liszt
Variations on Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen S180