Pianist Emanuel Ax Concludes His La Phil Residency At Walt Disney 4/20

Pianist Emanuel Ax returns to the Walt Disney Concert Hall stage in a recital featuring piano works by Frédéric Chopin and Robert Schumann, Tuesday, April 20, at 8 p.m. The program also presents the West coast premiere of an LA Phil-co-commissioned new work from composer Thomas Adès, Three Mazurkas. The Colburn Celebrity Series event is the final of the three recitals featured in the On Location: Emanuel Ax residency, which explores the dual bicentennials of Schumann and Chopin.

Chopin's love of his native Poland remained strong throughout his life and he kept that love alive by writing music intrinsic to his national identity. Of his larger works, none were closer to his heart than the polonaises, and his involvement with the genre covered nearly his entire creative life. The program opens with the composer's Polonaise-Fantasie, Op. 61, written from 1845 to 1846. Chopin also found solace in the character and rhythms of the mazurka, and the program continues with Three Mazurkas - Op. 41, No. 1 in C-sharp minor; Op. 24, No. 2 in C major; and Op. 56, No. 3 in C minor.

The two works by Schumann on the program - Fantasie, Op. 17 and Fantasiestücke, Op. 12 - were influenced by his tempestuous courtship with his wife, Clara Wieck, a virtuoso pianist. Both pieces were written during enforced separations orchestrated by Wieck's father. Clara often performed Fantasiestücke, even though Schumann had perversely dedicated it to another woman, in her recitals.

Next on the program is Adès' Three Mazurkas, which were premiered by Ax in February of this year at Carnegie Hall, one of the co-commissioners of the pieces along with the LA Phil, the San Francisco Symphony, the Barbican Centre and Het Concertgebouw NV. Adès, described as a "composer, pianist, conductor," considers composing his primary musical strength and has said, "When you come to see me play the piano, you're seeing a composer who is a pianist." He has done an On Location residency with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and in the 2010/11 season will be the subject of the festival Aspects of Adès.

The program closes with Chopin's Andante spianato and Grand Polonaise, Op. 22. Before moving to Paris, Chopin wrote a Grand Polonaise in E-flat for Piano and Orchestra, though it's not known why the orchestra part was added. Several years later, the composer decided the piece needed an introduction and wrote the Andante spianato, leaving out any orchestral accompaniment.

The 2009/10 Colburn Celebrity recitals present virtuoso performances by world-renowned artists. Featured are two four-concert series, which includes three recitals anchoring the On Location: Emanuel Ax residency. The final recital for the season features soprano Christine Brewer and pianist Craig Rutenberg (June 1, 2010).

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under the vibrant leadership of Gustavo Dudamel, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable locations anywhere to experience music - Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to a 30-week winter subscription season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the LA Phil presents a 12-week summer festival at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and home of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the Association's involvement with Los Angeles extends to educational concerts, children's programming and community concerts, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience.