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Kwetzinsky/Skinner duo: "Shchedrinfected"

In February 2009 pianists Joachim Kjelsaas Kwetzinsky and David Arthur Skinner visit five universities in Norway, with a project based on the music of Rodion Shchedrin.

 
23/02/09University of Stavanger - workshop 
24/02/09University of Stavanger info
25/02/09Grieg Academy, Bergeninfo
27/02/09University of Tromsø - workshopinfo
27/02/09University of Tromsøinfo
03/03/09University of Agderinfo
05/03/09Norwegian Academy of Music (NMH), Osloinfo
   

We worked with Rodion Shchedrin's preludes and fugues, which, although complex, through-composed pieces, lend themselves to interpretation for several reasons. Several of the preludes have an open, improvised flavour, due to their loose tonality and phrasing. The fugues are strongly rhythmic lattices of sound to be treated firmly. I myself, as an improviser, work with many of the same concepts as these pieces explore, such as free counterpoint, unusual accentuation and polyrhythms. And of course I love playing the piano, and the joy of pianistry often comes through in Shchedrin's compositions.

The music included various approaches:

  • Joachim playing alone
  • David playing alone
  • Joachim playing "as written" while David improvises
  • Both musicians play from the score
  • Both musicians improvise

Here’s the program:

From "24 preludes and fugues" (1964/70):

Nr. 1 in C major (Allegretto - L’istesso tempo)
Nr. 2 in A minor (Vivace - Moderato)
Nr. 3 in G major (Larghetto, ma rubato - Allegro assai)
Nr. 4 in E minor (Preludium) (Allegretto)
Nr. 7 in A major (Allegro - L’istesso tempo)
Nr. 8 in F sharp minor (Adagio - Moderato)

From "25 polyphonic preludes" (1972):

Nr. 12: Toccatina-Collage

From "24 preludes and fugues" (1964/70):

Nr. 9 in E major (Preludium) (Quasi improvisato, ma sostenuto assai) 		David Skinner: Bulldozers (2005)

From "24 preludes and fugues" (1964/70):

Nr. 14 in E flat minor (Presto - Allegro - Tempo precedente)
Nr. 15 in D flat major (Preludium) (Lento improvisato)
Nr. 19 in E flat major (Allegro capriccioso - L’istesso tempo)

David Skinner: Improvisation in "Rhythmic Circles"

From "24 preludes and fugues" (1964/70):
Nr. 21 i B-major (Preludium, arrangert for to klaver) (Allegro, ma non troppo, rubato parlando)

From "Two polyphonic pieces" (1961): Nr. 2: Basso ostinato


 

Joachim Kjelsaas Kwetzinsky is active on the stage in Norway and abroad, performing as a soloist, chamber musician and accompanist. In 2004 he was selected, as one of two, for Rikskonsertene’s three-year INTRO Classical programme. The selection committee praised in particular his "well-profiled programme, his impressive overview and shaping of the musical material, and his virtuoso, unsentimental yet sensitive performance".

In 2004 Kwetzinsky completed his diploma course (the highest level of postgraduate performance study) at the Norwegian Academy of Music where his primary teacher was the noted pianist Einar Steen-Nøkleberg. Kwetzinsky’s previous teachers include Liv Glaser and Jiri Hlinka.

Kwetzinsky was a prizewinner in the Concours Grieg 2002. He has performed in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Austria, Germany, France, Spain, Greece, Czech Republic, Lithuania, USA, Oman, China, Bangladesh, Jordan, Sudan and Russia.

He has appeared as a soloist at several festivals in Norway and abroad, including Bergen International Festival, Festival of North Norway, Ultima, Christmas at the Kremlin and Woerthersee Classics Festival.


Information about David Skinner