Recital Mūza’s Dedication to Godowsky and Chopin

June 16, 19:00 | Lithuanian National Philharmonic Hall, Vilnius

To mark the 150th anniversary of Leopold Godowsky and the 210th anniversary of Fryderyk Chopin

Performers

MŪZA RUBACKYTĖ (piano, Lithuania, France, Switzerland)

Programme

LEOPOLD GODOWSKY (1870–1938)
Sonata e-moll (1910–1911)
I – Allegro non troppo, ma appassionato
II – Andante cantabile
IV – Allegretto grazioso e dolce
V – Retrospect: Lento mesto. Larghetto lamentoso. Maestoso, lugubre: Dies irae. Molto più lento

FRYDERYK CHOPIN (1810–1849)
Sonata Nr. 2 b-moll, op. 35 („Marche funèbre“, 1837–1839)
Grave. Doppio movimento
Scherzo. Più lento
Marche funèbre. Lento
Finale. Presto

The Lithuanian parliament has designated 2020 as the Year of the Vilnius Gaon and the History of the Jews of Lithuania. Responding to this theme, Rubackytė presents the work of the legendary pianist, composer and educator Leopold Godowsky (1870–1938), known as the “undiscovered gem of Lithuania”, marking the 150th birth anniversary of this outstanding musician. To date Godowsky is mentioned as a Russian, American or Polish pianist. Few people know that this famous Jewish pianist was born in Žąsliai, since the age of three has lived in Vilnius, where he gave his first solo concert at the age of nine, and later performed in Kaunas, Grodno, Minsk, Pinsk, Bialystok, Königsberg and many other cities. He soon left for the United States, where he gave concerts and taught, and was in close contact with the most prominent personalities of the time. Godowsky’s creative legacy consists mainly of piano works, including a monumental five-movement Piano sonata. Rubackytė will originally present it in her CD (French label Ligia Digital) and also in her recital where the excerpts from Godowsky’s Piano sonata will be sided by Chopin’s Fantasy, No. 49, and the famous Sonata No. 2 Funébre to commemorate the composer’s 210th birth anniversary.