Pianist, composer, scholar of performance practice, and former Haverford professor Matthew Bengtson visited Jaharis Recital Hall on March 24th for a recital as part of the Haverford College music department’s Music & Conversation series. Bengston’s program was primarily inspired by his own Youtube series “Exploring Repertoire” which focuses on introducing individuals to the vast and often overwhelming piano repertoire, specifically lesser known pieces. The program was a mix of rare old pieces and rare newer pieces. The newer pieces on the program include Bengtson’s own work along with works of Temple professor Jan Krzywicki’s and Haverford college music professor Ingrid Arauco.
The program commenced with Amy Marcy Cheney Beach’s “The Hermit Thrust at Eve,” a piece transcribed during her stay at the MacDowell colony in New Hampshire, depicting a connection to nature. The piece highlights impressive pianistic textures and its calm nature sets the mood for the following repertoire. It was followed with Jan Krzywicki’s “Evening Song”, a jazzier yet equally beautiful and calm piece. For the third piece, Edward MacDowell’s “Of Salamanders”, Bengston tasked the audience with using their imagination to pretend they were in idyllic, tropical weather as the piano’s texture illustrates salamanders moving throughout the grass.
Later in the program, Bengston performed his own piece, “A la maniere de Ravel” meaning “In the Manner of Ravel”. Ravel, a classical pianist and composer known most for his harmonic richness and Jazz influences, was channeled in this piece specifically through the piano richness executed through piano texture and the jazz chords throughout. A few pieces later, Bengston performed Arauco’s “Resonances”, another piece playing and experimenting with piano textures. Following the program’s theme of piano textures, Bengston proceeded “Resonances” with “June” from twelve characteristics studies Op 95, No. 4 in A major.
The program concluded with the most known piece of the concert, Transcendental Etude No. 8 in C minor “Wilde Jagd” by Liszt. This piece is additionally significantly more dramatic and summative. The piece, “Wild Chase” depicts a ghostly, supernatural chase. The piece is concluded with rapid piano leaving the audience on an intense and energetic conclusion.
Bengston’s recital bridged the gap between lesser known works and more popular pieces with the common theme and focus on piano texture. Still, the pieces performed were of wildly different narratives, time periods, and styles showcasing Bengston’s technical virtuosity. While there are no more Music & Conversation recitals for the remainder of the school year, the Haverford music department has numerous upcoming concerts through finals period. These concerts can be found on the music department’s calendar.
