Christian Hartman, cello
Marika Bournaki, piano
Sunday, April 28, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.
Armstrong Concert Hall
Shenandoah Conservatory
The French Connection
Sonata for Cello and Piano, L. 135 (1915)
I. Prologue: Lent, sostenuto e molto risoluto
II. Sérénade: Modérément anime
III. Final: Animé, léger, et nerveux
Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
Sonatine for Clarinet and Piano, H. 42 (1922)
I. Modérè
II. Lent et et soutenu
III. Vif et rythmique
Arthur Honegger (1892–1955)
Arranged for cello and piano by the composer
Trois Pièces for Cello and Piano (1914)
I. Moderato
II. Sans vitesse et à l’aise
III. Vite et nerveusement rythmé
Nadia Boulanger (1887–1979)
- brief pause -
Sonata for Cello and Piano, FP 143 (1948, rev. 1953)
I. Allegro – Tempo di marcia
II. Cavatine
III. Ballabile
IV. Finale
Francis Poulenc (1899–1963)
It has been a dream of mine for a while to play an all-French cello recital. The music that French composers wrote for cello is incredibly unique, and offers a wonderful glimpse into the rich French cello tradition that included such legendary performers as Paul Bazelaire, Pierre Fournier, Maurice Maréchal, Paul Tortelier, and Maurice Gendron. I recently began playing a lovely French cello made in 1922 in Mirecourt (the French capital of violin-making), and I thought there would be no better program to debut it with than a selection of music from its time and home country.
The works on this program represent the diverse musical aesthetics and traditions that were prominent in twentieth-century Paris. Nadia Boulanger was a devoted pedagogue, having taught many noted composers of the twentieth century: Aaron Copland, Philip Glass, Astor Piazzolla, and many others. Claude Debussy, although he rejected the term, was a key figure in the impressionist movement in music. And on the other side, Arthur Honegger and Francis Poulenc were members of Les Six, who challenged the prevailing musical trends of the time — such as the impressionism of Debussy and Ravel. And while the four composers on the program represent a vast network of compositional influences, their compositional careers all began in the same place — the Conservatoire de Paris.
Based in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C., area, Christian Hartman is a cellist, percussionist, composer, and educator known for his energetic, passionate performances and his ability to bridge a wide variety of musical styles.
As an orchestral musician, he can be heard prominently as principal cellist in the soundtrack of the 2021 film Cordelia, by Nigerian director Tunde Kelani. Hartman is also an avid performer of early music, and is adept at solo and continuo playing on both Baroque cello and viola da gamba. He is most enthusiastic, however, about contemporary music and free improvisation, and his work has led to collaborations with composers and the premieres of several new compositions written for him.
A composer and arranger himself, Hartman has written music for a variety of ensembles, including works premiered by high schools, collegiate ensembles, and dance companies. His piece The Next Phrase, co-composed with Jeremy Keaton for Em Godfrey’s dance terminal, was presented at the American College Dance Association’s Mid-Atlantic North Conference at the University of Maryland in March 2020.
Hartman holds degrees in music performance from the University of Delaware (M.M.) and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (B.A.), and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Shenandoah Conservatory, where he serves as teaching assistant to Julian Schwarz. Christian Hartman’s past teachers include Lawrence Stomberg, Gita Ladd, and Maxim Kozlov. He currently plays on a Mirecurtien cello made in 1922 by François Delprato.
Christian Hartman is from the studio of Julian Schwarz. This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance (Cello).
