Celebrated violinist Benjamin Beilman and pianist Gloria Chien present an intimate, artist-curated recital exploring violin folklore.
“We kick off this journey with a solo violin sonata composed by the namesake of the violin I now play, the Belgian virtuoso Eugène Ysaÿe. The Devil’s Trill Sonata is the virtuosic consequence of a Faustian pact between Tartini and his violin teacher—the devil himself. Franz Schubert gushed “I have heard an angel sing” after attending a sold-out performance in Vienna by Niccolò Paganini on his famed “Cannone” Guarneri del Gesù. The second half of the concert features more earthly pursuits in the form of two wedding gifts. César Franck dedicated his famed sonata to his longtime collaborator and friend Eugène Ysaÿe on his wedding day (you can’t miss the church bells in the finale). For my own nuptials last summer, my groomsman and musical best friend, composer Chris Rogerson, presented me with this Arietta.”—Benjamin Beilman