Chance to check differences

CLASSIC: Jun Bouterey-Ishido will play a selection of works by Beethoven, Brahms and Bartok in the second of the Tiromoana Summer Music concerts on Wednesday, January 18. Picture supplied

Beethoven and his “sons” will come out to play at the second concert in the Tiromoana Summer Music series on Wednesday.

Award-winning Christchurch-born pianist Jun Bouterey-Ishido will play a selection of works by European composers Beethoven, Brahms and Bartok.

“I have been studying Beethoven’s works from various periods and diverse genres, something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” says Bouterey-Ishido, who completed a master’s degree in Stuttgart, Germany.

“To a lesser extent the same is true of Brahms, and incidentally Bartok. I see them as close relatives, ‘sons’ of Beethoven perhaps — as it seems they saw themselves.”

While Bouterey-Ishido intended to play a Beethoven-heavy programme, after studying the three composers, playing works by each in a comparative performance made sense.

“Aside from the feeling that it would be a pity not to play the Eight Piano Pieces by Brahms (op.76), it occurred to me that it might be rather interesting to place these composers together in the same programme,” says Bouterey-Ishido.

The pianist hopes playing the compositions alongside each other will help audiences note the similarities and differences in their work.

“Works by Brahms are, when seen in this light, of a different world to works by Beethoven,” says Bouterey-Ishido.

“I have in mind a programme of less-often-played works by the two masters which will also represent something of the great richness and diversity of their output.”

This programme includes Beethoven’s Bagatelles op.126, the Eroica Variations op.25 (15 variations, followed by a fugue)and the E flat Sonata op.31 no.3.

“The latter two are very humorous and brilliant works,” says Bouterey-Ishido.

“The six short Bagatelles share this sense of humour while being tempered with the greater depth and complexity of Beethoven’s later works.”

This will not be the first time in Gisborne for Bouterey-Ishido, who played at Tiromoana as part of a Chamber Music New Zealand regional solo in 2011 and at St Andrew’s Church last year with the Calvino Trio.

Tickets for the concert on January 18 at 7.30pm, costing $25 for adults and $10 for children (cash only), can be bought at the door but reservations are recommended.

All funds raised will be donated to the Gisborne International Music Competition. Bookings can be made by phone on 868 6443 or email: gillco@gisborne.net.nz.