Certificate Recital: Yuqi Liang, Violin

By Yuqi Liang

Johann Sebastian Bach’s Partita No. 2 in D minor for Solo Violin belongs to
his set of six solo violin sonatas and partitas, which are some of the most
challenging and cherished pieces in the violin repertoire. Partita No. 2 begins
with the Allemande, a solemn and introspective dance of royal character, and is
followed by the Corrente, from the French word “to run,” a lively dance that
blends athletic energy with moments of tenderness. The Sarabande is slow and
contemplative, and the Gigue is a high-spirited dance that showcases the
virtuosity of the performer.

The final Chaconne, lasting almost 15 minutes by itself, is a monumental and
deeply moving piece that is often considered one of the greatest pieces of
music ever written. It is a set of variations on a repeating harmonic progression
(which has been foreshadowed in the Sarabande). The piece starts with a
simple and mournful melody and then gradually grows in expressive intensity
and textual complexity, reaching climaxes of immense power and grandeur.

Ysaÿe’s 6 Sonatas for Solo Violin is often seen as the 20th-century and late-
Romantic counterpart to Bach’s solo masterpieces for the instrument. Sonata
No. 5 in G Major is not played as often as the other pieces from the set–
especially the brooding No. 3 in D Minor “Ballade.” The two sonatas actually
form a good pair: while No. 3 is a psychological journey filled with dark, violent,
and at times melancholic emotions, No. 5 is an ode to nature and the
countryside that takes the listeners through scenes of utter serenity, innocence,
majesty, intimacy, and ecstasy. The first movement L’Aurore is an
impressionistic portrayal of a stunning sunrise from the very first beam of light to
full-blown daylight. The second movement Danse rustique is a friendly country
dance that subtly builds on motifs taken from the first, transforms itself through
a series of variations, and culminates in an exuberant ending that stretches the
limits of excitement and virtuosity.

An influential view in the interpretation of music (and artworks in general) is that
music and life should be treated separately, meaning that one should try to
understand music “by itself” and not let whatever is going on in the composer’s
life influence or determine one’s interpretation of the work. In the case of Robert
Schumann’s Violin Sonata No. 1 in A Minor, however, it is hard to maintain this
purist position. Written at a time of deteriorating mental health, the sonata
exhibits Schumann’s unique ability to juxtapose episodes of turbulent,
passionate, and gloomy emotions with passages filled with tender, playful, and
almost naive gestures. The first movement opens with a melody that sets a dark
tone for the entire piece and is remarkable in its momentum and continuity. The
second movement alters between contrasting scenes and moods, reminiscent
of Schumann’s character pieces for the piano. The final movement combines
intricate counterpoint and extremities of emotion and is at the same time a
testament to Schumann’s mastery of the expressive power of the two
instruments. Careful listeners may also discern subtle motivic connections
among the three movements that further demonstrate the unity and
cohesiveness of Schumann’s musical thinking.

Yuqi Liang is a senior in the Philosophy department and pursuing Certificates in
Music Performance and Composition. He started playing the violin at age four-
and-a-half and studied at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China
when he was in elementary and middle school. At Princeton, he is an active
member of the Princeton University Orchestra and the Princeton
Undergraduate Composers Collective, and he studies violin performance with
Anna Lim, orchestral conducting with Michael Pratt, and piano with Francine
Kay. After Princeton, Yuqi is planning to pursue postgraduate work in
philosophy and hopes to draw connections between his two main areas of
interest.