October 18th, 2020

1400-1515 EDT - online event

(Note revised date)

Beethoven –The Deaf Genius The Cassandr Of Classical Music

Hosted by Blue House Live and Tanya Anisimova

See Facebook Event Page for details of how to donate/tickets.

Join Cellist Tanya Anisimova and Pianist Lydia Frumkin as they will re-visit one of their favorite works, Ludwig van Beethoven’ tempestuous Kreutzer Sonata for Violin and Piano, in Anisimova’s cello transcription.

The following quote from Aleksandr Pushkin’s Boris Godunov seems to answer the anticipated question, why transcribe: “I hear not the voice of a boy, but of a grown man”.

There are certain moments in the original score of the Kreutzer, where the violin climbs up to its extremely high register and the sound becomes shrilling, almost painful to the ear. On the other hand, the cello is able to reach the utmost heights of emotional intensity while maintaining its naturally ennobled sound.
Summer of 2003, Reston, Virginia, an entirely packed music room at the home of Irene and Leonid Kelner, the 1st performance of the Kreutzer, as well as the first-ever joint concert of Anisimova and Frumkin. The audience is scandalized. The only calm soul in the room is the 3-month old dachshund Hassan, who is relaxing on the lap of Anisimova’s father.

2005, Sala De Los Niños Cantores, Morelia, Mexico, yet another of the duo’s many performances of the Kreutzer. The opinions of the audience and of the music critic are divided.

Beethoven’s last Piano and Cello Sonata in D Major, this time in its entirety, is also on the program.

The closing fugue of this work might pose a question: what is music’s purpose?

We would like to know what you all think!

The audience will have an opportunity to express their opinion and share thoughts.

The closing part of the concert will feature a couple of delightful miniatures by Alexander Scriabin, Jules Massenet, and Karl Davydov.