Saturday Salon: Piano Heroic Masterworks

The Saturday Salon series continues at Tuggeranong Arts Centre with a piano recital by Edward Neeman, showcasing the heroic masterworks of this much-loved instrument, including Ludwig van Beethoven – “Eroica” Variations, Op. 35, Edvard Grieg – Ballade, Op. 24, and Frederic Chopin – “Heroic” Polonaise, Op. 53

Neeman’s program is built around Beethoven’s variations. Relatively rarely played among Beethoven’s piano works, the theme for these variations is based on the last movement of his Symphony No. 3. Known as the “Eroica” Symphony, one of his catchiest tunes.

Written before the symphony, these variations demonstrate Beethoven’s incredible creative genius, in the way they can be transformed into such a wide range of styles and characters. Interestingly, Beethoven dedicated his “Eroica” Symphony to Napoleon Bonaparte and his anti-monarchic government, only to cross out the dedication in a rage when Napoleon declared himself emperor.

Another “heroic” piece on the program is Chopin’s famous “Heroic” Polonaise. A work that is also linked with revolution, Chopin’s polonaise earned the “heroic” moniker when his lover, the French novelist George Sand, declared that she felt a deep symbolic connection between this polonaise and the 1848 French Revolution.

The Grieg Ballade in the middle of the program also has “heroic” flavour, but a more subdued and melancholic one. This ballade feels deeply autobiographical, torn between two nationalities – G Grieg’s Norwegian homeland and his German music education, each section feels like a portrait of a different person in Grieg’s life. At the end, it builds to an ecstatic climax before collapsing in tragedy.

About Edward Neeman

Australian-American pianist Edward Neeman has performed across five continents appearing as soloist with the Prague Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, Kentucky Symphony, Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, and the American West Symphony among others. His debut album, Rachmaninoff & Sitsky, was released to critical acclaim in 2016. Currently a piano lecturer at ANU School of Music, Edward Neeman holds a Doctorate from the Juilliard School, as well as degrees from the Australian National University (ANU), the Manhattan School of Music, and the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati.