At 6:00 p.m, on Thursday, March 23, 2017, I attended the graduate recital of violinist Hannah Howland, A graduate student at the University of Northern Iowa. The recital took place in Graham Hall at, an intimately sized performance space housed in Russel Hall. Hannah Howland is a graduate student perusing a Master’s degree in Violin Performance. Hannah performed the first two pieces of her recital solo, and was then accompanied by Polina Khatsko, an instructor of Piano at the University of Northern Iowa, on her third and final piece. The pieces performed were all four movements of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Sonata No. 3 in C major, BWV 1005; the first movement, “Ballade”, of Eugene Ysayë’s Sonata No. 3 Opus 27; and all four movements of Gabrielle
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She took her position in the front of the hall and then began to play her second and only piece from the Modern Era, Eugene Ysayë’s Sonata No. 3 Opus 27, “Ballade.” The piece began in the tempo of lento molto, but the tempo sped up significantly by the end of the movement Ballade. The movement open with an ascending chromatic run, with a close harmony being played that ended up creating dissonance, and thus tension. A change in tempo follows soon after, with the melody modulating to a higher key, creating even more tension. The tempo again slows after this and continues to play a brash and often harsh- sounding melody. This soon leads into quick chromatic rises and falls, building even more tension, the tempo only slowing briefly to release some of it. This dissonant melody continues on, growing extremely fast near the end of the movement, the notes going higher and higher, and finally the composition is …show more content…
1 in A major, Opus 13. She was accompanied by Polina Khatsko on piano. The first movement, Allegro molto, began quickly as Polina Khatsko took off quickly, playing forte at an Allegro molto tempo. Soon after Hannah came in on the violin and soon began imitating the melody being played by the piano. The tempo then slowed a bit and Hannah took lead on the violin, with Polina playing an accompanying harmony on the piano. This section was extremely calming and elegant, and I began to invasion a grand ballroom filled with royalty mingling and dancing. This lead into the violin playing a rising chromatic scale, while the piano moved downward chromatically. The song continued in this manner before transitioning into movement two, Andante. The second movement was played in the tempo of andante and began rather solemnly with slow and sad cord progressions played in a minor key. The violin sounded like someone crying, mourning the loss of some held dear; it made me feel very sad. This then transitioned into a brief section with an upbeat tempo, with both the violin and piano increasing in intensity. This waned and the movement became calm again as the piano slowed in a ritardando, thus ending the second movement. After a short silence, Hannah and Polina both began to play the third movement Allegro vivo. This movement was extremely fast-paced and
She took her position in the front of the hall and then began to play her second and only piece from the Modern Era, Eugene Ysayë’s Sonata No. 3 Opus 27, “Ballade.” The piece began in the tempo of lento molto, but the tempo sped up significantly by the end of the movement Ballade. The movement open with an ascending chromatic run, with a close harmony being played that ended up creating dissonance, and thus tension. A change in tempo follows soon after, with the melody modulating to a higher key, creating even more tension. The tempo again slows after this and continues to play a brash and often harsh- sounding melody. This soon leads into quick chromatic rises and falls, building even more tension, the tempo only slowing briefly to release some of it. This dissonant melody continues on, growing extremely fast near the end of the movement, the notes going higher and higher, and finally the composition is …show more content…
1 in A major, Opus 13. She was accompanied by Polina Khatsko on piano. The first movement, Allegro molto, began quickly as Polina Khatsko took off quickly, playing forte at an Allegro molto tempo. Soon after Hannah came in on the violin and soon began imitating the melody being played by the piano. The tempo then slowed a bit and Hannah took lead on the violin, with Polina playing an accompanying harmony on the piano. This section was extremely calming and elegant, and I began to invasion a grand ballroom filled with royalty mingling and dancing. This lead into the violin playing a rising chromatic scale, while the piano moved downward chromatically. The song continued in this manner before transitioning into movement two, Andante. The second movement was played in the tempo of andante and began rather solemnly with slow and sad cord progressions played in a minor key. The violin sounded like someone crying, mourning the loss of some held dear; it made me feel very sad. This then transitioned into a brief section with an upbeat tempo, with both the violin and piano increasing in intensity. This waned and the movement became calm again as the piano slowed in a ritardando, thus ending the second movement. After a short silence, Hannah and Polina both began to play the third movement Allegro vivo. This movement was extremely fast-paced and