San Francisco Performances presents Lev Sivkov and János Palojtay
2016-01-20
Herbst Theatre
401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102-4522
8:00 PM, Wednesday, January 20, 2016

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• Beethoven: Sonata in G minor, Opus 5, No. 2
• Brahms: Sonata in E minor, Opus 38, No. 1
• Kodály: Sontina
• Khachaturian: Sonata-Fantash in C major
• Britten: Sonata in C Major, Opus 65

[7:33 PM lights down, announcements by Ruth Felt]

Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonata in G minor, Opus 5, No. 2

1. [7:36 PM] Adagio sostenuto ed espressivo – Allegro molto più tosto presto
2. [7:52 PM] Rondo. Allegro
   [work ends 8:00 PM]

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): Sonata in E minor, Opus 38, No. 1 (1865)

1. [8:00 PM] Allegro non troppo
2. [8:14 PM] Allegretto quasi Menuetto
3. [8:19 PM] Allegro
   [set ends 8:25 PM set ends, off after a minute of applause]

[8:48 PM lights down, announcements]

1. [8:48 PM] Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967): Sonatina (1921-22)
   [set ends 8:57 PM; work ends, applause for a minute or so]

1. [8:58 PM] Aram Khachaturian: Sonata-Fantash in C major (1974)
   [set ends 9:09 PM; work ends, applause for a minute or so]

Benjamin Britten: Sonata in C Major, Opus 65 (1961)

1. [9:10 PM] Dialogo
2. [9:17 PM] Scherzo-pizzicato
3. [9:19 PM] Elegia
4. [9:26 PM] Marcia
5. [9:28 PM] Moto Perpetuo
   [set ends 9:30 PM; work ends, applause for a minute or so]

1. [9:32 PM] Nikolai Myaskovsky (1881-1950): Andante cantabile – second movement from Cello Sonata No. 2 in A minor, Op. 81 (1949)
   [show ends 9:38 PM; work ends, applause for a minute or so]

• János Palojtay: piano;
• Lev Sivkov: cello.

Pretty good show tonight, especially given that the price was measured in time – simply to show up. Sivkov played the entire program from memory, looking at Palojtay for cues now and then, or voicing his head as if waiting for the right moment to jump back in. Fun to watch! Sivkov also seemed to be a bit of a heavy breather – not a grunter like Glen Gould or a moaner like Keith Jarrett, but slightly distracting none the less. Both of the performers appeared to be boyishly young, perhaps as fits the nature of the Naumburg contest?

I would certainly see either one of both in a future performance, hopefully San Francisco Performances will bring them back for another gig.

Program Notes

Stephen Smoliar posted both a promo article and a review at the Examiner.

Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2016 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2016 event list! ☸ On to the next event!