Order # 9573

Vivi(Ziwei) Liu

July 27, 2016

Music 21

Professor Bjorkedal

Musics for Everyone

Fine music is something everyone loves. Attending a classical music concert will be a wise choice to escape from all the worries. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, also known as LACMA, is the biggest museum on the west coast, it features an free one-hour concerts named Sunday Live each Sunday at 6 pm. July 10th 2016, a violin sonata concerts was held in the Leo S. Bing Theater in Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

After the host’s introduction, the audiences applaud as they are anticipating the violinist Roberto Cani and the pianist Mitsuko Morikawa’s performance. Violin Sonata in D minor, Opus 108 by Johannes Brahms, followed by Violin Sonata in E-flat major, Opus 18 by Richard Strauss are the pieces that were performed, these two pieces are both from the romantic era and the instruments being performed were the piano and the violin.

  Violin Sonata in D minor, Opus 108 starts with a fast tempo, the piano which is harmonizing with the violin plays staccato notes, it gives a sense of hurry and haste. The violinist accelerando and ritardando the melody, which gives a sense of water flowing down the stream, it is graceful when it passes the forest, and hastily and chaotic when it flows through rocks. The piano then gives a series of staccato notes in a loud dynamic, then both of the piano and the violin starts to accelerando. The tempo becomes very fast as the violin sounds furious and passionate, and the piano sounds aggressive. The violin stops suddenly as the piano starts to play a slower, mellow, joyful melody. Then the violin joins in and plays the theme of this piece, which is a series of accented notes from low to high range, it gives a feeling of desolation and loneliness. Both instruments accelerando and crescendo towards the end of the movement and gives a loud and strong end.

Different from Violin Sonata in D minor, Opus 108’s dark and dreariness, Violin Sonata in E-flat major, Opus 18 is more on the light hearted side. The piano gives a mellow and rich timbre, the conjunct melody is elegant and leisure. The articulation of the violin is legato, it is sweet and affable. The melody gives a sense of a gorgeous middle age lady recalling her fascinating memories from the past on a balcony. The melody then becomes more smooth, softened and relaxing as the speed of the beat slows down. This flowy feelings continues to the end of this piece.

The concert was very interesting and inspiring as this is my first time attending a classical music concert. I am very grateful to be able to attend a professional concert like this for free. Audiences from all ages have the opportunity to enjoy the music and experience the atmosphere in a live concert. Nothing would happened without business, foundations, and people’s donations and support. I appreciate every person who made this concert possible, it has benefited the community by giving people equal chances to go to a classical music concert and amazed by music.