Grammy-nominated former Metropolitan Opera concertmaster Elmira Darvarova, violin; Vassily Lobanov, piano. Program: Schumann (1819-1896) Three Romances for Violin and Piano, Op. 22 (1853) Brahms (1833-1897) Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108 (1886) Franck (1822-1890) Violin Sonata in A Major (1886) About the Performers Grammy-nominated recording artist, a concert violinist since the age of 4, violinist Elmira Darvarova caused a sensation, becoming the first ever female concertmaster in the history of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fischer/ David Geffen Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Symphony Hall in Chicago, Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, Musikverein in Vienna, Cadogan Hall in London, Victoria Hall in Geneva among others. Composer and pianist Vassily Lobanovon conducted masterclasses for piano, chamber music and composition in Russia, Germany, Austria, Poland, Japan, Chile, Finland. Since 1997 Lobanov is professor for piano at the Musikhochschule Köln in Germany. About the Program Composer Clara Schumann (Robert Schumann's wife) considered one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era. She exerted her influence over a 61-year concert career, changing the format and repertoire of the piano recital and the tastes of the listening public. She was the first to perform publicly any work by Brahms. Brahms's Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108 is the last of his violin sonatas. The piece is dedicated to Brahms' friend and colleague Hans von Bülow, and was premiered in Budapest in 1888 with Jenő Hubay on violin and the composer at the piano. The Sonata in A major for Violin and Piano by César Franck is one of his best-known compositions, and is considered one of the finest sonatas for violin and piano ever written. It is an amalgam of his rich native harmonic language with the Classical traditions he valued highly, held together in a cyclic framework.
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