Sunday, June 12, 2022 at 8 pm
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Not Only Muses
Patricia García Gil, piano
Program
Marianne von Martinez (1744–1812)
Sonata in A major
Allegro
Rondo: Adagio
Tempo di minuetto
Sonata in E major
Allegro
Andante
Presto
Sonata in G major
Allegro brillante
Andante
Allegro assai
Pauline Garcia Viardot (1821–1910)
Mazurka
Deux Airs de Ballet
Moderato
Malicieuse
Deux pieces pour piano
Gavotte
Sérénade
Rosa Garcia Ascot (1902–2002)
Petite Suite
Allegro
Poco adagio, molto espressivo
Allegretto
Allegro
About the music
Marianne von Martinez (1744–1812) was a woman composer in the Vienna of Haydn and Mozart; her harpsichord playing was compared to that of C.P.E. Bach. The works of Pauline Garcia Viardot (1821–1910) were of professional quality; Franz Liszt declared that with her the world had finally found a woman composer of genius. Rosa García Ascot (1902–2002) was an exponent of Manuel de Falla’s music as a concert pianist and his last disciple; she was also a student of Granados and Pedrell.
Women’s music has often been presented only in association with that of more famous men, discounting the independent merit of their work. We cannot undo the past, but we can work towards building a richer picture of art history, celebrating the enrichment that emerges from mutual influences. These three women had great influence on the careers of many well-known European composers through the role they played as Salonnières, inspiring hosts of heterogeneous gatherings where the attendees discussed literature, philosophy, music, science, and politics. They were not only muses, but also leading figures in the musical life of their time, active and highly accomplished performers, and composers.
Marianne made her way as freelance musician, became a member of the Accademia Filarmonica of Bologna and established an eminent reputation throughout Europe. Pauline was an eclectic artist who pursued an international successful career; most of her music was published during her lifetime. Rosa, a student of Nadia Boulanger, was a member of the Group of Eight, a group of musicologists and composers similar to Les Six in France, fighting against conservativism in music.
Women changed the course of musical history; their fearlessness, perseverance, commitment to compositional craft, and courage to speak up for themselves have produced music that is increasingly garnering the respect it deserves.
About the musician
Patricia García Gil is one of the most versatile pianists of her generation. Winner of international piano and fortepiano competitions, her brilliant career has already given rise to a considerable amount of concert tours throughout the world, having performed recitals and concerts as a soloist with different orchestras in Europe, China, and the USA. Her concerts have been recorded and showcased by the Spanish National Radio, Radio Catalunya, and Radio Television Hong Kong, attracting the interest of the press, that has described her performances as “set apart by consummate musicianship, confident technique and elegant interpretation that manifested itself across the wide range of repertoire on her program”, “tremendous energy and precision”, “clean, sensitive playing”, “originality, genius, mastery, virtuosity, interaction with the listeners”.
Patricia participates in a large number of projects of instrumental and vocal music, having a particular interest in Spanish and underrepresented female composers’ music. She has received funding from the European Union to produce a documentary on French women composers, which was premiered in August in Hunter, New York, as part of a fellowship. Her proposals regarding women composers on period instruments have been selected and showcased by the American Musical Instrument Society, the Historical Keyboard Society of North America, the Academy of Fortepiano Performance Salon, the Westfield Center for Historical Keyboard Studies, and the University of Michigan.
Patricia believes complete musicians must extend themselves in many forms of art. She holds degrees from Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom in piano, fortepiano, and theater. From Fall 2021, she is a Teaching Assistant and DMA student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she has been named Minerva Scholar, the highest recognition a doctoral student can receive at UNC Greensboro.