# A Classical Music Concert


(Translated from the Chinese version with the help of ChatGPT.)

I was delighted to hear from an old friend on WeChat last week. We went to elementary and middle school together for seven years. After that, she pursued a career in music at full speed, while I followed the conventional path of further education and then a job. Since graduating from college, we've met only a handful of times—literally, I could count them on one hand. I was studying in Chicago when she came to perform at a music festival; I was working in Los Angeles when she came through with her orchestra.

This time, we met in New York for a very intimate concert: six or seven audience members, two musicians, viola and piano. Daily life tends to repeat itself, day after day, so when an opportunity comes along to break out of the routine and get up close and personal with classical music, you have to seize it.

We chatted briefly before the performance.

"Oh, you're a software engineer now? Weren't you a chemistry major?"

"Yep. It's really been ages since we last saw each other." 😂

As the saying goes, even three days apart can make someone worth looking at with fresh eyes. Now that we're middle-aged, I've started dabbling in classical music to cultivate a little sophistication. And since I already know a thing or two about [Bach](../../../../tags/%E5%B7%B4%E8%B5%AB/), how hard could it be?

I got the program in advance, and with a little help from ChatGPT, preparing for the concert wasn't too difficult. Afterwards, I could even say a thing or two about what I'd heard. I felt pretty good about myself.

After the concert, we took the subway, grabbed dinner, chatted while waiting for the transportation, and talked about all sorts of things. Then it was time to say goodbye, until next time!

Initially I intended to just preserve my ChatGPT-assisted study notes and listening impressions here. But after learning about Pergolesi and feeling deeply moved by his story, I decided to move this post out of my notes and into the blog proper.

## Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 94

Schumann's *Three Romances*, written in 1849 as a Christmas gift for his wife Clara. Schumann would eventually be committed to a mental institution. The music is intensely emotional. Are these two sides of the same coin?

The original instrumentation is oboe and piano. I found recordings of all three movements on YouTube: [1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okpT1BjtFgc), [2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2bdn2RIsVY), and [3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjEYV_-7FbM).

{{< admonition type=info title="ChatGPT's Guide to the Three Movements" open=false >}}
### I. Nicht schnell

*Not fast* | A minor | Approx. 3 minutes

This is the most introspective of the three. The piano establishes a quiet, slightly melancholy atmosphere before the oboe enters with the main melody. There is something narrative about it, as if recalling an event that happened long ago but still lingers in the mind.

The music gathers momentum in the middle section, with shifts in harmony and mood, but never quite escapes the shadow cast by the opening. When the opening theme returns, it is still recognizably the same melody, yet after that brief emotional disturbance, it sounds more like a quiet sigh.

### II. Einfach, innig

*Simple, heartfelt* | A major | Approx. 4 minutes

This is the emotional center of the set. *Einfach* means simple or unadorned, while *innig* suggests something inward, intimate, and deeply felt. Together, these words capture something essential about Schumann's aesthetic: profound emotion does not require grand gestures.

The opening melody is calm, almost like a wordless art song. The relationship between oboe and piano is especially intimate. Rather than one instrument singing while the other merely accompanies, the two together create a complete emotional world.

The middle section grows more tense, with a stronger sense of forward motion disturbing the original tranquility. Then the opening melody returns, restoring a sense of familiarity and warmth.

### III. Nicht schnell

*Not fast* | Approx. 4 minutes

Although the third romance shares the first movement's tempo marking, it does not simply repeat its melancholy. The music is more animated, with a recurring, almost calling gesture, while the piano's arpeggios give it a stronger sense of movement.

The piece has a character somewhere between song and storytelling. The melody alternates between urgency and restraint, and the contrasting middle section adds further shades of color.

In its notes on the work, the German publisher Henle relates the final movement's calling motif and piano arpeggios to the Nordic folk poetry popular at the time.
{{< /admonition >}}

## Prokofiev: Selections from the Suite *Romeo and Juliet*

The word "selections" in the program left me at a loss. Oh well, I thought, let's just wing it. No preparation this time.

After hearing the performance, my reaction was: yep, I really should have prepared after all. 😅

The pieces performed were *Introduction*, *The Young Juliet*, *Dance of the Knights*, *Mercutio*, and *Death of Juliet*. I listened to them again at home, and the last one, *Death of Juliet*, still felt the most devastating.

One amusing incident: the pianist was moving her head so vigorously while playing that one of her earrings flew off. 😅

## Britten: Solo Cello Suite No. 3

Britten's *Third Cello Suite* consists of nine movements played continuously. I found a recording on YouTube and tried to follow along with a movement-by-movement guide, but I still couldn't figure out when one movement ended and the next began. I really have a long way to go.

I'm also unfamiliar with Russian folk songs and Orthodox chants, but at least I got a glimpse into twentieth-century music. Perhaps the goal shouldn't always be to seek out music that sounds beautiful or immediately pleasing. That seems too limited a conception of listening. We should also try to understand what the composer was feeling.

(And to my surprise, I even found a recording of my friend's performance on YouTube! I'll leave it out here.)

{{<youtube Cd6y95OXUtk>}}

{{< admonition type=info title="ChatGPT's Guide to the Nine Movements" open=false >}}
The work lasts approximately 22–25 minutes and consists of nine movements played without a break. One key to understanding it is to recognize four Russian melodies: three folk songs and an Orthodox funeral hymn.

### 1. Three folk songs

The songs are *Under the Little Apple Tree*, *Autumn*, and *The Grey Eagle*. Britten drew on a collection of Russian folk songs arranged by Tchaikovsky.

### 2. The Funeral Hymn (*Kontakion*)

This is a Russian Orthodox funeral hymn praying for the repose of the departed. It forms the work's spiritual core, recurring throughout the suite in fragments, rhythms, and bass lines.

One of Britten's most ingenious decisions is not to present these melodies in their entirety at the beginning. Instead, fragments are scattered throughout the first eight movements, and only in the final movement do the melodies gradually emerge in their complete form.

### I. Introduzione — Lento

*Introduction — Slowly*

The music begins around the cello's lowest C. Pizzicato notes sound like the dull tolling of distant bells, while the bowed passages resemble broken, intermittent proclamations. The atmosphere is solemn and hesitant, as if an ancient ritual were just beginning.

**Listen for:** The dialogue between pizzicato and bowed notes, and the way the musical phrases seem to stop halfway through a sentence.

### II. Marcia — Allegro

*March — Lively and fast*

The music suddenly becomes rhythmic and angular, even carrying a sense of menace and irony. This is not a traditional celebratory march so much as an unsettling collective force.

**Listen for:** Repeated rhythms, accents, and almost percussive effects. The quiet monologue of the opening is interrupted by something external and overpowering.

### III. Canto — Con moto

*Song — With motion*

At last, the cello truly begins to sing. The melody becomes more continuous, with the rise and fall of human breath and speech, though it is far from simple, sweet lyricism.

**Listen for:** How the cello creates the illusion of singing despite the limitations of a single instrument. Here, you can begin to sense the folk melodies that have not yet fully revealed themselves.

### IV. Barcarola — Lento

*Barcarolle — Slowly*

The Italian word *barcarola* usually refers to a boat song, often imitating the rocking rhythm of a boatman's oars. Here, flowing broken chords create a swaying sensation, as if a small boat were moving slowly across the water.

**Listen for:** Not just the melody, but how the chords propel the music. There is a fluidity like rippling water, but also a shadow that refuses to disappear.

### V. Dialogo — Allegretto

*Dialogue — Moderately brisk*

The cello seems to play two or even several characters at once. Sometimes one voice asks a question and another responds; at other times, they clash. A single instrument somehow creates the effect of chamber music.

**Listen for:** Imagine different personalities or voices arguing inside the same person.

### VI. Fuga — Andante espressivo

*Fugue — Expressive and at a walking pace*

A fugue is an important form of contrapuntal music: a theme is introduced and then taken up by different voices in turn, chasing and intertwining with one another. Here, every voice is performed by a single cello.

**Listen for:** After the theme appears, notice how another voice takes it up and how different musical lines proceed simultaneously.

If you've been listening to Bach recently, this movement is particularly worth your attention. Britten's contrapuntal language, however, is more modern, and its tension is less stable.

### VII. Recitativo — Fantastico

*Recitative — Fantastical*

Recitative is traditionally associated with opera and resembles speech shaped by melody. Here, the cello seems to tell a fragmented story through different bowing techniques, timbres, and irregular phrases.

**Listen for:** The freedom, instability, and theatricality of the music. Rather than striving for the flow of a conventional song, it feels like memories suddenly flashing into consciousness.

### VIII. Moto perpetuo — Presto

*Perpetual Motion — Very fast*

*Moto perpetuo* means continuous, unceasing motion. The notes rush past as if the music, once set in motion, cannot stop.

**Listen for:** Beyond the excitement of speed, pay attention to the underlying anxiety. It feels more like being driven forward by some force than simply showing off technical virtuosity.

### IX. Passacaglia — Lento solenne

*Passacaglia — Slowly and solemnly*

This is the spiritual climax of the entire work. A passacaglia typically develops variations over a recurring bass theme. Britten incorporates musical material from the funeral hymn into this structure while bringing back themes heard earlier in the suite.

**Listen for:** How the music gradually builds a sense of solemn grandeur from its weighty bass line, and why the ending settles into quiet contemplation rather than a dramatic triumph.
{{< /admonition >}}

## Stravinsky: Suite Italienne

Stravinsky's *Suite Italienne*: a modern composer reworking Italian Baroque melodies. The Baroque is still a relatively accessible entry point for me, so I'll leave the technicalities aside. Just tell me: does it sound good or not?

A little historical background. The eighteenth-century Neapolitan composer Pergolesi wrote operas, arias, and instrumental works. In 1920, Stravinsky composed the ballet *Pulcinella*, using a large amount of music then believed to have been written by Pergolesi. It was later discovered that many of these pieces had been misattributed to him. Having a famous name on the label sells, apparently—even in classical music!

Stravinsky later selected and rearranged portions of the music from *Pulcinella*, creating *Suite Italienne* for violin and piano.

Listen to the originals alongside the modern arrangements, and you get twice the pleasure!

### 1. Introduzione

The original composer was Domenico Gallo. This is the first movement of his *Trio Sonata No. 1 in G major*.

{{<youtube id=dRcMXgDcEOs end=124 >}}

The arrangement largely preserves the spirit of the original.

{{<youtube FfsWm_XqGJo>}}

### 2. Serenata

This time, the original composer really was Pergolesi. The piece comes from the tenor aria "Mentre l'erbetta pasce l'agnella" ("While the little lamb grazes on the grass") in his opera *Il Flaminio*.

The Baroque period produced plenty of lively, exuberant music, so a melody this graceful and tender is a rare treat!

{{<youtube id=z_rooCe2GSg start=374 end=594 >}}

{{<youtube qO4A0ebe_-A >}}

### 3. Tarantella

The original composer was Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer. This is the fourth movement of his *Concerti Armonici No. 2*.

Lively!

{{<youtube eeLfvoRTidU>}}

The modern arrangement is a little less "harmonious," but still full of energy.

{{<youtube 9s-8753hl-c>}}

### 4. Gavotte con due variazioni

The original composer was Carlo Monza, and the piece is a gavotte from his *Modern Keyboard Pieces*, Suite No. 3. The original has a theme and five (!) variations. The description accompanying the video is particularly informative:

> When Stravinsky compiled the music that he turned into the ballet "Pulcinella" everything that he used was attributed to Giovanni Battista Pergolesi. In fact, while almost all of the vocal music is by Pergolesi, almost all of the instrumental music is not. An enormous amount of music was attributed to Pergolesi in the 19th century, likely because he was a known name and publishing a piece with his name would probably sell better; the same thing happens in art all the time. Carlo Ignazio Monza (1680-1739) was a Milanese composer, and this gavotte with variations is used by Stravinsky, recast entirely for winds. Stravinsky uses the theme, the first and fourth variations and truncates the form from AABB to AAB, but what is striking to me is how little Stravinsky changed while making his orchestration.

{{<youtube jl5aLsJftRY>}}

As with the *Introduzione*, the arrangement largely preserves the spirit of the original. The first and fourth variations used by Stravinsky begin at 2:15 and 5:40 in the video above.

{{<youtube 4Vud4szSBqw>}}

### 5. Scherzino

The original comes from the aria "Chi disse che la femina," in Act II, Scene 7 of Pergolesi's opera *Lo frate 'nnamorato*.

Doesn't the opening sound a little like "Mentre l'erbetta pasce l'agnella" from the *Serenata* above? Borrowing a little from one's own work, perhaps?

The arrangement begins partway through the aria, at the line "Una te fa la nzemprece."

One thing that amazes me is that an entire opera is available for free on YouTube. ChatGPT was helpful for background information, though perhaps this opera is a little too obscure for it to know all the details. Even without understanding Italian, I managed to find the aria using [this website](https://www.variantiallopera.it/public/titoli/concordanzaarie/titolo/FRATE) and manually working my way through the list. 😅

Another interesting thing: the audience applauds after every aria. This is quite different from the convention I'm familiar with at classical concerts, where you're generally not supposed to applaud between movements. Even more amusingly, the singers remain completely unfazed. As the staging requires, they simply turn their backs to the audience and exit while the applause continues.

{{<youtube id=I7CHklJMhto start=5964 end=6216 >}}

{{<youtube 9Avd5_39y6k>}}

### 6. Minuetto e Finale

The original consists of two separate pieces.

The first is the aria "Pupillette, fiammette d'amore," from Act I, Scene 2 of the same Pergolesi opera, *Lo frate 'nnamorato*.

{{<youtube id=I7CHklJMhto start=553 end=680 >}}

The second is the third movement of Gallo's *Trio Sonata No. 12 in E major*.

{{<youtube id=BJ3BFaibeF4 start=221 >}}

At around the three-minute mark, Stravinsky stitches the two pieces together.

{{<youtube MadJPISGsF8>}}

{{< admonition type=info title="ChatGPT's Guide to the Movements" open=false >}}
### 1. Introduzione — Introduction

*Allegro moderato — Moderately fast*

The opening is stately and bright, with an almost comical sense of ceremony. Imagine a group of actors in classical costumes stepping onto a stage, looking utterly serious while quietly hinting at mischief.

**Listen for:** How the music retains the poise of classical form while acquiring Stravinsky's slightly stiff, angular rhythms.

### 2. Serenata — Serenade

*Larghetto — Rather slow*

One of the most lyrical passages in the suite, and one best enjoyed by simply sitting back and listening. The melody is long and graceful, with the character of an Italian operatic aria.

**Listen for:** The violin breathing and singing like a vocalist, while the accompaniment and harmony resist the intense emotional indulgence of Romantic music. Its beauty is restrained.

### 3. Tarantella

*Vivace — Lively*

The tarantella is a traditional Italian fast dance, usually characterized by a strong rhythmic pulse and a persistent sense of forward motion.

**Listen for:** Don't focus on speed alone. Notice the rhythmic flexibility, sudden accents, and the slightly mischievous chase between violin and piano.

### 4. Gavotta con due variazioni — Gavotte with Two Variations

The gavotte is a dance originating in the French court tradition and is also common in Baroque suites.

Stravinsky presents the theme and then changes its character through two variations.

**Listen for:** What remains unchanged in the theme, and what changes in the rhythm, ornamentation, and texture. This is an excellent opportunity to hear how he transforms old music into something new.

### 5. Scherzino — Little Scherzo

Lighthearted and playful.

*Scherzino* is the diminutive form of *scherzo*, literally suggesting a "little scherzo."

**Listen for:** The music behaves like a quick-witted theatrical character, nimble and a little mischievous. It fits perfectly with the comic spirit of *Pulcinella*.

### 6. Minuetto e Finale — Minuet and Finale

The ending consists of two sections.

The *Minuetto* is elegant and measured, with the grace of a courtly dance. The *Finale* then shifts to a bright, energetic conclusion.

**Listen for:** The transition from elegant dance steps to a lively finale, and how Stravinsky uses the outward forms of classical dance to create a sense of humor with distinctly modern edges.
{{< /admonition >}}

I looked up the plots of some of Pergolesi's operas. They all seem to be lighthearted, witty comedies, usually revolving around romantic entanglements. Not much depth there, I thought.

ChatGPT protested: not so fast! Pergolesi also wrote serious operas and sacred music, including *Stabat Mater*.

Wait, why does that sound familiar?

Oh, right! Bach arranged it!

I actually prefer Bach's version, but any piece that [Bach considered worth adapting](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=cnZuDRz18U0) deserves to be taken seriously.

*Stabat Mater* was among Pergolesi's last works. He died at just 26, in 1736 (1710–1736)!

What a loss. How cruel the twists of fate; how indifferent the universe!

The premature death of a genius is so heartbreaking precisely because we can imagine all the things that might have happened, but never will. If he had lived a little longer, how many more beautiful works might he have written?

I'll leave you with my favorite passage from Bach's arrangement, BWV 1083.

Rest in peace, Pergolesi!

{{<youtube R0RzBT8mL0A>}}