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Amit Yahav returns to the 1901 Arts Club with a recital of music by Medtner, Mozart and Chopin.
Turmoil and tension are at the heart of this music. Medtner’s Sonata Minacciosa – the menacing sonata – was composed in 1930, and is very much inspired by the political turbulence of the time. This rarely performed work is one of the finest examples of the capabilities of this slightly less known composer. Mozart’s Sonata in A minor occupies a special place in his oeuvre, written around the time of his mother’s sudden illness and death in Paris. Its themes presage the music he will go on to write at some of the most difficult moments in his life. Finally, the work that brought Chopin to fame and inspired Schumann to exclaim: “Hats off, gentlemen, a genius!”. Chopin took one of the best music from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and turned it into a virtuosic feast of variations, imbuing it with emotions ranging from utter despair, to boundless joy. Come and experience this special programme under the hands of a Chopin specialist. |
ProgrammeN. Medtner
Sonata “Minacciosa,” Op.53 No.2 W. A. Mozart Piano Sonata in A minor, K.310 F. Chopin Variations on “Là ci darem la mano,” Op.2 “A musician’s musician of considerable charm…” – Janina Fialkowska |
Amit Yahav |
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Multi-award-winning pianist Amit Yahav is much in demand as a recitalist, chamber musician and concerto soloist, having earned his reputation for interpretations that grip and move audiences with passion and intellectual insight. His interpretations of the music of Chopin and Schumann, in particular, have received high praise. Amit’s performing career has taken him to over a dozen countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa. Alongside his performing career, Amit has also conducted research into Chopin with the generous support of the Royal College of Music’s Polonsky Award.
In performance, Amit’s interpretations are historically informed, and often made accessible to the audience by spoken introductions which place the works in a historical, social and cultural context. Amit is keen to programme well-known and loved repertoire along lesser-known works.
Amongst Amit’s success are the Anthony Lindsay Piano Prize, the Special Jury Prize at the Northwood-Ruislip Concerto Competition, the György Solti Award for Professional Development, and the Brooks-van der Pump Pianist Prize at the Royal College of Music. Amit also won the 1st International Israeli Music Competition in London and consequently performed Zvi Avni’s On the Verge of Time in London’s Southbank Centre in the presence of the composer.
Amit’s debut CD “Amit Yahav Plays Chopin“, containing the four Ballades alongside the 2 Polonaises op.26 and the C# Minor Scherzo op.39 attracted much positive attention upon release. This followed Amit’s tour showcasing the four Ballades in an explained recital, which was selected by the Royal College of Music as part of their Insight Series of soirees offered to their donors. In 2018, he earned a Doctor of Music degree for his thesis investigating interpretation in the music of Chopin. In 2020, his latest CD “Fantasies” showcasing works by Chopin, Mendelssohn and Schumann appeared on the GENUIN label.
In performance, Amit’s interpretations are historically informed, and often made accessible to the audience by spoken introductions which place the works in a historical, social and cultural context. Amit is keen to programme well-known and loved repertoire along lesser-known works.
Amongst Amit’s success are the Anthony Lindsay Piano Prize, the Special Jury Prize at the Northwood-Ruislip Concerto Competition, the György Solti Award for Professional Development, and the Brooks-van der Pump Pianist Prize at the Royal College of Music. Amit also won the 1st International Israeli Music Competition in London and consequently performed Zvi Avni’s On the Verge of Time in London’s Southbank Centre in the presence of the composer.
Amit’s debut CD “Amit Yahav Plays Chopin“, containing the four Ballades alongside the 2 Polonaises op.26 and the C# Minor Scherzo op.39 attracted much positive attention upon release. This followed Amit’s tour showcasing the four Ballades in an explained recital, which was selected by the Royal College of Music as part of their Insight Series of soirees offered to their donors. In 2018, he earned a Doctor of Music degree for his thesis investigating interpretation in the music of Chopin. In 2020, his latest CD “Fantasies” showcasing works by Chopin, Mendelssohn and Schumann appeared on the GENUIN label.