Debussy wrote twenty-four preludes for piano in two books,

each book containing twelve. According to the French music critic

EmileVuillermoz (1878-1960), “In emulation ofChopin, Debussy

desired to condense into twenty-four preludes the most precious

developments in pianistic technique ofhis age. These short pieces

are condensed ‘pure’ music, and do not set out to treat any precise subject. Theirraison d’etre rests in the discovery ofa rhythm,

a color, an atmosphere....”

Debussy was inspired to compose Lislejoyeuse (The JoyfulIsland) by Watteau’s famous painting, Pelerinage a Cythere (The

Pilgrimage to Cythera) (1717). Commencing with a brilliantly

conceived cadenza, Lislejoyeuse is not for the faint-hearted pianist. With his customary self-deprecation, Debussy wrote of

the work: “This piece seems to embrace every possible manner of treating the piano, combining strength with grace, if I

may presume to say so.”

- Program notes by Elmer Booze

Concerts at the National Gallery ofArt

Under the Direction of George Manos

October 1998

25 The Alcan String Quartet

November

Debussy:

Kelly-Marie

Murphy:

Grieg:

String Quartet

This Is My

Voice

String Quartet

1 National Gallery Orchestra Beethoven:

George Manos, conductor

Kathryn Hearden, soprano

Coriolanus

Overture

Scene: “Ah,

perfido!”

Symphony No. 7

The use ofcameras orrecording equipment

during theperformance is not allowed.

Forthe convenience ofconcertgoers

the Garden Cafe remains open until 6:30p.m.

The Fifty-seventh Season of

THE WILLIAM NELSON CROMWELL and

E LAMMOT BELIN CONCERTS

National Gallery of Art

2281st Concert

FRANCINE KAY, pianist

Sunday Evening, October 18, 1998

at Seven O’Clock

West Building, West Garden Court

Admission Free

■ L
PROGRAM

Robert Schumann

(1810-1856)

Novellette in F-sharp Minor,

Opus 21, No. 8 (1838)

Schumann Fantasiestiicke, Opus 12

(1832-1837)

Des Abends

Aufschwung

Warum

Grillen

In der Nacht

Fabel

Traumes Wirren

Ende vom Lied

INTERMISSION

Erik Satie

(1866-1925)

Les 3 valses distinguees

du precieux degoute (1914)

Claude Debussy Seven Preludes from Books 1 and 2

(1862-1918) (1910-1913)

Ondine

La Puerta del Vino

“Les fees sont d’exquises danseuses”

Bruyeres

La danse de Puck

La serenade interrompue

Minstrels

Debussy Lisle joyeuse

(1904)

Fraricine Kay s appearance at the National Gallery

has been assisted by agrantfrom the Embassy ofCanada.

Canadian pianist Francine Kay, who made her debut at Toronto’s

St. Lawrence Centre in 1987, has performed to public and critical

acclaim throughout Canada, the United States, and Europe. She

received her early musical training at TEcoledeMusique VincentIFIndy

in Montreal, where she studied with Yvonne Hubert. A French

government scholarship provided her a stay in Paris to study with

Yvonne Lefebure. Ms. Kay went on to obtain her master of music

degree at the Juilliard School in New York as a scholarship student

ofAdele Marcus. She pursued post-graduate studies under Marek

Jablonski and Leon Fleisher at the Royal Conservatory of Music in

Toronto. Francine Kay was the first recipient ofthe Women’s Musical Club of Toronto Career Development Award in 1989 and has

received the Canada Council Career award. Her 1996 recording,

The Complete Debussy Preludes, was praised by the MontrealGazette for

its “extraordinary range of color, faithfully captured by a recording

that marries close perspective and wide dynamic range.” Appearing both as soloist with major orchestras throughout Canada and as

recitalist, Ms. Kay is frequently heard on radio and television.

The Novellette, Opus 21, No. 8 is the last of Schumann’s Novelletten

(LittleStories). Schumann characterized these eight musical vignettes

as “connected tales of adventure.” Clearly composed for his beloved Clara Wieck, the pieces are referred to in a letter Schumann

wrote to her shortly after they were written: “I have composed a

frightful amount for you during the last few weeks.... I have called

the whole thing Novelletten... [as] Wiecketten would not sound well,... 

[and] in the Novelletten you appear in every possible attitude and

situation....” Opening in F-sharp minor, the Novelette No. 8 is episodic, presenting an opening statement that is repeated, with each

repetition having a different trio section. The sections are linked

together by an amorous melody conspicuously marked “A voice from 

the distance.”

Fantasiestiicke, Opus 12 features one of Schumann’s distinctive romantic traits: an attachment to fantasy. The eight pieces are loosely 

connected and colorfully contrast each other in form and content.

The emotional range extends from the serene and self-possessed

DesAbends (OfanEvening) to the spirited and vociferous Warum (Why).

The French music critic Tomas Marco, in reviewing music of

Erik Satie, commented: “With [Les] 3 valses distinguees du precieux

degoute, which have, at times, a marked bitonal character, Satie cleverly laughs at the current artistic dandyism and at the pace of the

Valses noblesetsentimentales ofMaurice Ravel, which appeared before.”

The Satie waltzes are intended to describe an old dandy’s figure,

his binoculars, and his legs.