UMS Concert Program, March 10, 1985: International Presentations Of Music & Dance --

Season: 106th
Concert: Fifty-ninth
Rackham Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

I"HE UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Paul Badura-Skoda
Pianist
Sunday Afternoon, March 10, 1985, at 4:00 Rackham Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
PROGRAM
Partita No. 1 in B-flat major, B.W.V. 825
Pracludium Allcmandc Corrente
Sarabande Mcnucts I and II Giga
. J. S. Bach
(1685-1750)
Eight Preludes
Grave
Allegretto tranquillo
Tranquillo ma con moto
Allegro
Vivace
Andantino grazioso
Lento
Vivace
Frank Martin (1890-1974)
INTERMISSION
Sonata in B minor, Op. 1.....................................Alban Berg
(1885-1935) In one movement: Massig bewegt
Partita No. 6 in E minor, B.W.V. 830............................J. S. Bach
Toccata Sarabande
Allemande Tempo di Gavotta
Corrente Gigue
Air
Musical Heritage, Unicorn, Saphir, BASF, DeccaLondon, Supraphon, Ariola-Eurodisc, RCA Red Seal, Harmonia Mtmdi, Vox, and CBSSony Records.
With this program, Paul Badura-Skoda pays homage to Bach, born 300 years ago; to Berg, born 100 years ago; and to the late Swiss composer Frank Martin.
Fifty-ninth Concert of the 106th Season
Ninth Annual Debut & Encore Series
About the Artist
Paul Badura-Skoda, born in Vienna, received his preliminary music education in his native city. After winning the Austrian Music Competition in 1947, he was granted a scholarship for Edwin Fischer's master class in Lucerne, Switzerland. The teaching and spiritual guidance of this eminent musician proved to be a decisive influence on the young artist. He became Fischer's assistant in Lucerne during the ailing maestro's last summers and later continued the tradition of these special master classes. To this day, the development of young musicians is a matter of deep concern to Mr. Badura-Skoda; in addition to conducting master classes throughout the world, he currently holds a distinguished teaching position at the Hochschule fur Musik in Vienna.
By 1949 the pianist's talent had been discovered, and conductors such as Herbert von Karajan and Wilhelni Furtwangler invited him to appear with them as guest soloist. His name became known practically overnight through numerous long-playing recordings, resulting in an immediately sold-out New York premiere in 1953, an event repeated three years later at his debut in Tokyo. Today he has well over 1(X) recordings in his discography and has made numerous television appearances. He has concertized on all continents, including two visits to China in 1979 and 1982 where, in addition to his performances, he gave classes and lectures to students at Beijing's Central Conservatory of Music. He has played in the world's most prestigious festivals: in Europe, those of Salzburg, Vienna, Edinburgh, Barcelona, Granada, Prague, Flanders, Lucerne, and Athens; and in the United States, at the Hollywood Bowl, Caramoor, Ravinia, Marlboro, and Mostly Mozart Festivals in San Francisco and New York, to name a few.
Though first and foremost a pianist, Mr. Badura-Skoda also composes and conducts, having revived the Classic tradition of conducting piano conccrti from the keyboard. As a collector of early keyboard instruments, he is recognized as a pioneer of performing on original instruments. He has also written essays and books on music and engaged in musicological research for the purpose of expanding his knowledge of compositional styles and fully understanding the composers' intentions. Renowned for mastering the non-legato touch in Mozart's works to such an extent that clarity is maintained even in the most rapid passages, he wrote a book with his wife, musicologist Dr. Eva Badura-Skoda, on the interpretation of Mozart's piano music; "Interpreting Mozart on the Key?board" has been translated into six languages. The pianist's vast repertoire includes over thirty concerti and hundreds of solo and chamber works representing every style of piano composition.
Among the works specially composed for Mr. Badura-Skoda is the second piano concerto of Frank Martin. After its world premiere at the Holland Festival in 1970, the 80-ycar-old composer wrote into the pianist's score: "You made this first performance of my concerto an event in my life as a composer: you convinced me personally. Let us hope that you will also succeed in convincing others." This afternoon Mr. Badura-Skoda brings eight piano preludes of Frank Martin to our Ann Arbor audience.
Paul Badura-Skoda made his Ann Arbor debut in the Choral Union Series in 1954, just one year after his New York debut. He returned to 1979 for a second recital and this afternoon gives the concluding concert of the Debut & Encore Series.
Coming Concerts
Academy of Ancient Music..............................Thurs. Mar. 14
Christopher Hocwood, Conductor; Emma Kirkby, Soprano; David Thomas, Bass Handel: Water Music, and Cantata, Apollo and Daphne
National Symphony Mstislav Rostropovich.............Wed. Mar. 20
Beethoven: Symphony No. 4; Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
Faculty Artists Concert (free admission).................. Sun. Mar. 24
Ruggiero Ricci, Violinist; Harry Sargous, Oboist, and School of Music String Ensemble, performing Bach Concertos
Sherrill Milnes, Baritone.................................... Fri. Mar. 29
Polish Chamber Orchestra..............................Thurs. Apr. 18
Lutoslawski: Musique Funcbrc (1958); Haydn: Cello Concerto in C major; Reger: Intermezzo; Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony, Op. 110
May Festival, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra........Wed.-Sat. May 1-4
Ann Arbor Summer Festival 1985
June 29 July 23 inclusive To be announced this month.
New 1985-86 Concert Season
Choral Union, Chamber Arts, Choice, and
Debut & Encore Scries, plus special concerts
To be announced April 15.
UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY
Burton Memorial Tower, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1270 Phones: (313) 665-3717, 764-2538