The doctrine of affects, also known as the German Affektenlehre, was a theory of aesthetics widely accepted during the Baroque whereby composers proposed the idea that music can evoke a variety of emotions in the listener. Join pianist, Waldo Weyer, in his exploration of all that music represents. The piano can bring forth both light-heartedness and seriousness in a prelude and fugue by Dmitri Shostakovich. We will find humour, sadness and an expression of loneliness, as well as a graceful dance in a sonata by Haydn. There is touching tenderness and romance in two character pieces by Schumann – a Berceuse, Op. 124 no. 16 and the Romanze, Op. 28 no. 2. The second half of the programme begins with dreamy nostalgia and longing in two Nocturnes by Chopin. This in turn, is starkly juxtaposed with the haunting and atmospheric soundscape depicted by Liszt’s Nuages Gris (Grey Clouds). The notion of sadness is continued with Oiseaux Tristes from Miroirs by Ravel and the etude Op. 10 no. 3 “Tristesse” by Chopin. The Piano Expressions will be rounded off with the concert etude Un Sospiro (A Sigh) by Franz Liszt. The piano repertoire by Ravel commemorates his 150th birthday and that of Shostakovich, 50 years since his death in 1975.
