Proms: Pauline Viardot & her Circle

8.00 Proms: Pauline Viardot & her Circle

Pauline Viardot by Carl Timoleon von Neff, 1842 Photo: Public Domain

A household name across Europe during the late 19th century, Pauline Viardot was an international opera star by 18, studied the piano with Liszt, played duets with Chopin, charmed Saint-Saëns, Berlioz, Gounod and the writer Turgenev, and hosted the greatest musical salon of her day. She was also a fine composer, though one still heard too rarely today.

To celebrate the bicentenary of her birth, BBC New Generation Artist Ema Nikolovska and pianist Malcolm Martineau invite you to step into Viardot’s drawing room for a lunchtime recital of music by Viardot, her friends and her contemporaries – including Gounod, Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Chopin.

Programme:

VIARDOT-GARCÍA: Canzonetta de concert; BRAHMS: Sapphische Ode Op 94 No 4; BRAHMS: Der Gang sum Liebchen; C SCHUMANN: Volkslied; C SCHUMANN: Lorely; LISZT: Vergiftet sind meine Lieder; LISZT: Comment disaient-ils; VIARDOT-GARCÍA: Aimez-moi, from Six chansons du XVe siècle; MALIBRÁN: La voix qui dit: Je t'aime; GARCÍA arr Viardot: Es Corredor; MEYERBEER: Donnez, donnez from Le prophète; VIARDOT-GARCÍA: Chanson de la pluie, from Le dernier sorcier'; FAURÉ: Chanson du Pêcheur; VIARDOT-GARCÍA: The Tit VWV 1042; TCHAIKOVSKY: My genius, my angel, my friend; VIARDOT-GARCÍA: On Georgian Hills VWV 1037; TCHAIKOVSKY: In the shadow outside the window Op 60 No 10; VIARDOT-GARCÍA after Chopin: La Coquette

Ema Nikolovska (mezzo), Malcolm Martineau (piano)

Recorded at Cadogan Hall, London by the BBC (EBU)