— Quote Source

Rang de Basant by Reena Esmail

n my exploration of Hindustani music, Raag Basant has emerged as a particularly captivating raag. The term 'Basant' translates to 'spring' in Hindi, yet its essence is distinct from the typical Western interpretation of the season. Basant evokes an atmosphere that contrasts sharply with the conventional imagery of chirping birds and soft pastel hues. It is characterized by a darker, more exotic feel, marked by rich, vibrant colors and intricate chromatic progressions.

The composition begins with thick, resonant chords that gradually shift, one note at a time, steering gently into the realm of Basant. This progression leads to a segment from a brief Hindustani piece, known as a bandish, which is adapted for the piano. This adaptation respects the unique sonic capabilities of the instrument. The bandish intensifies, eventually dissipating back into the dense chordal texture, but not without leaving traces of Basant lingering in the finale.

The title of this piece draws inspiration from the famous Hindi movie “Rang De Basanti,” a phrase that means “Color it Saffron.” However, my intention was to infuse the piece not with the color of saffron, but with the rich aesthetic tones of Raag Basant.

Piano Sonata No.1, Op.1 (Brahms, Johannes)

Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 by Robert Schumann.

Yelin Wng (clarinet) & Jinyi Liu

Fantasiestücke for clarinet and piano, Op. 73, were written in 1849 by Robert Schumann. Though they were originally intended for clarinet and piano, Schumann indicated that the clarinet part could also be performed on violin or cello.


Fauré: Dolly Suite for piano four hands -Berceuse

Jinyi Liu & Ice Wang

The Dolly Suite, Op. 56 is a collection of pieces for piano duets by Gabriel Fauré. It consists of six short pieces written or revised between 1893 and 1896 to mark the birthdays and other events in the life of the daughter of the composer's mistress, Emma Bardac.

The suite, consisting of six short pieces, each with its own title: Berceuse, Mi-a-ou, Le jardin de Dolly, Kitty-valse, Tendresse, and Le pas espagnol. The complete suite takes about fifteen minutes to perform.

Repertoire

Bach The Well-Tempered Clavier

Book 1

No. 1: Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 846

No. 2: Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 847

No. 5: Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 850

BOOK 2

No. 5: Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 874

No. 12: Prelude and Fugue in F minor, BWV 881

No. 19: Prelude and Fugue in A major, BWV 888

French Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816

Ludwig van Beethoven

Piano Sonata no.8 in C minor, op.13 Pathetique

Piano Sonata no.14 in C sharp minor, op.27 no.2 Moonlight

Piano Sonata No. 23 ("Appassionata"), f

Piano Sonata No. 26 ("Les Adieux"), E♭

Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28

Piano Sonata No. 30,

Thirty-two variations on an original theme, c minor  WoO 80

Piano Concerto no. 4 in G major op. 58


Franz Liszt

Transcendental Étude No. 10 (Liszt)

Grandes études de Paganini

Hungarian Rhapsody No.6, S.244/6

Paraphrase on Verdi's Rigoletto

Schubert, Franz

3 Klavierstücke, D.946

Johannes Brahms

Rhapsody Op. 79 No. 1

Piano Sonata Op.1 No.1

Joseph Maurice Ravel

Piano Concerto in G major

Chopin

Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op. 60

Ballade No. 1 in G minor , Op.23

Ballade No. 3 in A♭ major, Op. 47

Étude in C major, Waterfall (1830)

Étude in C♯ minor, Torrent (1832)

Étude in G♭ major, Black Keys (1830)

Étude in C minor, Revolutionary (1831)

Étude in E minor, Wrong Note (1832–1834)

Étude in C♯ minor, Cello (1836)

Op. 48, Two Nocturnes (1840–41):

Nocturne in C minor

Op. 40, Two Polonaises (1838–40)

Polonaise in A major, Military

Op. 28, 24 Preludes:

Prelude in C major (composed 1839)

Op. 31: Scherzo No. 2 in B♭ minor (1836–37)

Op. 39: Scherzo No. 3 in C♯ minor (1839–40)

Aleksandr Scriabin 

Etudes, Op.8 no.5

Etudes, Op.8 no.6

Etudes, Op.8 no.7

 Claude Debussy

The Petite Suite, L 65

Osvaldo Golijov ZZ's Dream

Reena Esmail  Rang de Basant