WINGATE: PIANO SONATA NO. 2
‘LA GARZONIANA’
Cinque nature morte di Giovanna Garzoni per pianoforte solo
(Five Still Lifes by Giovanna Garzoni for Piano Solo)

(THIS PROJECT IS A WORK IN PROGRESS)
 

Movements:

I. Uva (Grapes)

II. Carciofi (Artichokes)

III. Cedri (Citrons)

IV. Asparagi (Asparagus)

V. Fichi (Figs)

Notes:
Wingate’s Second Piano Sonata ‘La Garzoniana’ was inspired by both the masterful watercolor still life works of Renaissance miniaturist Giovanna Garzoni (1600-1670), as well as the many brilliant keyboard Praeludia of the composer Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707). The Second Sonata has five movements, each responding to a painting by Garzoni (rather like the 27 Paul Klee-inspired tone paintings in the composer’s Second Symphony ‘Kleetüden’). Here the piano attempts to conjure a dream of the eighteenth century through reference to the keyboard flourishes reminiscent of Buxtehude’s characteristic contrasts between free improvisation and strict counterpoint, while simultaneously exuding a more peevish post-tonal character. The elegant, pietra-dura-like fruits and vegetables of the paintings are given musical life via pianistic evocations of a (perhaps slightly demented) pedal harpsichord, with the work’s overall complexion similar in the spirit to works like Giannini’s Frescobaldiana (1948), Malipiero’s Vivaldiana (1952), or Henze’s Telemanniana (1967). A marked contrast in style and purpose to the composer’s mathematically-based Piano Sonata No. 1 ‘The Transcendental’, (a.’k.a. The First 3000 Digits of Euler’s Number for Piano Solo’), Wingate’s Piano Sonata No. 2 was created with a notable and uncharacteristic lack of serialist procedure, and a fresh ear toward the of keyboard delights of ages past.