Previous Chopin & Friends Recital Repertoire

 

Piano, Voice and Pipe Organ with Maria Welna (Chopin & Friends recital 2008)

 

M. Welna	Sonata in G minor, Op. 1 Nocturne in E minor
J. S. Bach	English Suite in A minor, BWV 807
S. Rachmaninov	Etude-Tableaux in E flat minor, Op. 39 No. 5
F. Chopin	Piano Sonata in B flat minor, Op. 35 No. 2 (1st &  2nd mvt)
H. Purcell	When I am laid in earth from ‘Dido and Aeneas’
D. Sarri	Sen corre l’agnelletta
F. Schubert	An Die Musik Ave Maria
W.A. Mozart	Agnus Dei from the ‘Coronation Mass in C major’ L’ho perduta from the 'Marriage of Figaro’ Voi che sapete from the 'Marriage of Figaro’ Non so piu from the 'Marriage of Figaro’
S. Rachmaninov	ПРОХОДИМ ВСЁ, Op. 26 No. 15
J. Pachelbel	Toccata in F major
J.S. Bach	Chorales: Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, BWV 604 O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig, BWV 61 Prelude and Fugue in G major, BWV 541 Fantasy and Fugue in A minor, BWV 561
C. Franck	Prelude, Fugue and Variation in B minor

 

Chopin & Friends piano and organ recital 2007

 

M. Welna	Sonata in G minor, Op. 1 Nocturne in E minor
J. S. Bach	Prelude and Fugue in A minor, No. 20 WTC Book 1
L. van Beethoven	‘ Appassionata’ Sonata in F minor, Op. 57
S. Rachmaninov	Etude-Tableaux in E flat minor, Op. 33 No. 6
F. Chopin	‘Black Keys’ Etude in G flat major, Op. 10 No. 5 Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20 No. 1 Ballade in G minor, Op. 23 No. 1
M. Welna	Passacaglia in F minor
F. Liszt	Prelude and Fugue on BACH

 

Chopin & Friends piano and organ recital 2005

 

M. Welna	Sonata in G minor, Op. 1 Nocturne in E minor
J. S. Bach	Toccata in C minor, BWV 911
L. van Beethoven	‘ Waldstein’ Sonata in C major, Op. 53 No.21
F. Chopin	Etude in C sharp minor, Op. 10 No. 4 Scherzo in C sharp minor, Op. 39 No. 3 Concerto no. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 (1st mvt)
M. Welna	Passacaglia in F minor
J.S. Bach	Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565

 

Chopin & Friends piano recital 2003 (inaugural)

 

J. S. Bach	Prelude and Fugue in G minor, No. 16 WTC Book 1
F. Schubert	Sonata in A minor, Op. 164
F. Liszt	Bagatelle without tonality (4th Mephisto waltz)
M. Welna	Sonata in G minor, Op. 1
F. Chopin	Etude in C sharp minor, Op. 25 No. 7 Etude in G flat major, Op. 25 No. 9 (‘Butterfly’) Etude in C minor, Op. 10 No. 12 (‘Revolutionary’) Fantaisie-Impromptu in C sharp minor, Op. 66 Ballade in A flat major, Op. 47

 

Some examples of Chopin and Friends programs (from the series which Maria established in 2003) have been included above to illustrate sample repertoire. These are not an exhaustive list.

 

In fact, Maria’s solo repertoire is extensive; spanning three instruments, several musical eras as well as a number of her original compositions. As a concert pianist, Maria is characterised by a preoccupation with larger forms, demanding ‘virtuoso’ fare and great stylistic insight. She maintains a particular affinity for the works of the nineteenth-century virtuosos, the ‘Golden Age’ of pianism and historically informed performance. Her solo repertoire includes the major virtuoso works (even entire sets) of Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninov, Paderewski, Szymanowski, Prokofiev, Bach-Busoni, Rimsky-Korsakov, Stravinsky and many others. Since 2012, the major works of Liszt, transcriptions and virtuosic literature occupy a central part of her performance output, enriched by her expertise in the field of performance practice. Chopin has also been a crucial influence ever since she can remember. Maria’s concerto repertoire includes the major pianistic staples, with a perhaps predictable affinity for Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninov.

 

Maria’s solo repertoire as a concert organist equals this depth and is enriched by her keyboard virtuosity and musical insight. She is active in the realm of performance practice, with a particular affinity for historically informed performance and the ‘Golden Age’. Examples of organ repertoire include significant works (and sets) by J.S Bach, Buxtehude, Bruhns, Bohm, Mozart, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Franck, Saint-Saens, Guilmant, Boellmann, Widor, Gigout, as well as transcriptions. Maria’s involvement in the performance and analysis of Liszt’s organ works (disseminated nationally and internationally) has been noteworthy.

 

As outlined above, Maria is passionate about repertoire choice, and her recital programs comprise some of the world’s most stunning virtuoso works ranging from that of the North German, Baroque, through to late Romantic and contemporary periods. ‘Canonic’ programming is often employed, culminating in a bravura finish. Each recital also includes a selection of Maria’s critically acclaimed compositions and transcriptions. Depending on the venue, the recital format may range from a solo piano or organ recital only through to multiple instrument structures or even a lecture-recital. The most common multiple-instrument structure that Maria employs is the one-performer piano and organ recital but that is not the only possible combination. A number of Maria’s artistic projects (her series of Chopin and Friends concerts, as well as the ‘Bach’ series and ‘Organ Recitativo in the style of Liszt and Moscheles’) played on the unique concept of merging the aforementioned programming qualities into a one-performer, multiple-instrument setting.

 

Maria’s compositions have been performed nationally (Perth, Brisbane, Sydney) and internationally (Europe, the U.S.A). Most recently, the Cadenza in the style of Liszt was premiered in Sydney and then presented in Europe as part of a research project. The ‘Introit’ from the Requiem for pipe organ and soprano (a non-liturgical, concert work) was also premiered (concert organ part only) in Sydney venues.

 

Although primarily a soloist, Maria is widely involved in chamber music. Notable performances have included significant works by Rachmaninov, Lutoslawski, Dupre, Peeters, Gardner, Mozart, Haydn, Bach, Faure as well as collaborations/recording projects (including but not limited to works by Liszt, Ravel, Bartok, Schoenberg).