The next event in the Welgemeend Concert Series features the outstanding young South African pianist and Jan-van-Riebeeck alumnus Gerhard Joubert. Just before leaving for an extended European study trip, Gerhard is presenting a choice of what is currently some of his favourite keyboard music (from 3 centuries and 3 countries), commenting on the programme as follows:
“I have decided to compile this programme consisting of true gems in the piano literature – some well-known and others less often performed. There is a clear emphasis on Fauré, the French master, whose solo piano music I only discovered recently but am completely in awe of. I hope this will be a discovery for some others too. Many of the titles are picturesque and can stimulate the imagination. The opening Rameau pieces are in dialogue with the other French works on the programme (even the Chopin can be considered French despite the composer’s Polish heritage, as he settled in France in his early twenties).
By way of an Austrian sojourn a rarely performed classical sonata by Haydn creates the stylistic link and perfect transition into the romantic realm of one of Schubert’s Impromptus, Chopin’s Barcarolle in F# and a selection of Fauré’s Nocturnes. The final work on the programme (by Debussy) refers back to the French Baroque in that it was inspired by a contemporary of Rameau’s in the visual arts, Jean-Antoine Watteau (they were both born in 1684, a year before Handel, D. Scarlatti and J. S. Bach!). The work in question is Watteau’s The Embarkation for Cythera (“L’embarquement pour Cythère”).
The inclusion of a work by South African composer Arnold Van Wyk lies close to my heart as I often heard my mother practicing his works when I was little (especially his monumental “Nagmusiek” [Night Music] for solo piano). Both the Fauré and Van Wyk are in turn inspired by Chopin as the titles (Nocturne and Berceuse) suggest the most famous contributions to the genre by Chopin.”
Tickets (R 200 / R 100) are available at Quicket via this link. The concert starts at 19h but do come a little earlier to enjoy the ambience of the magnificent Welgemeend Manor house, the company of fellow music lovers and a glass of wine sponsored by Jakob’s Vinyards. The Welgemeend Concert Series would not be possible without the generous support of the Bright Foundation, which is hereby gratefully acknowledged.
