Episode 46: Fantasies and Fairy Tales

Now who doesn’t like a good fairy tale…filled with maidens, monsters, magicians, and let’s not forget evil stepmothers and murderous fathers in law?  Composers certainly do, as we’ll hear on today’s episode, “Fantasies & Fairy Tales.”   On this episode, cellist Zlatomir Fung brings the King of the UnDead to vivid life in a Czech fairy tale, some magical Mozart, fantastical Schumann, and more.

This Episode’s Playlist

Traditional, arr. Nigel Armstrong: Fantasy on “Oh Shenandoah”
Nigel Armstrong, violin
South Market Stage, Grace Christian School, Staunton, VA
Heifetz Institute Recording | 04.22.2022

Pablo de Sarasate: Fantasy on Mozart’s Magic Flute, Op. 54
Ji-Won Song, violin | Jun Cho, piano
Francis Auditorium, Mary Baldwin University, Stuanton, VA
Heifetz Institute Recording | 07.05.2017

Beethoven: “Archduke” Trio in B-flat, Op. 97
III. Andante Cantabile [excerpt]
Madison Vest, violin | Kevin Mills, cello | Carlos Avila, piano
Francis Auditorium, Mary Baldwin University, Staunton, VA
Heifetz Institute Recording | 10.15.2015

Robert Schumann: Märchenbilder (Fairy Tale Pictures), Op.113
I. Nicht schnell. Moderato
II. Lebhaft, vivo
Steven Baloue, viola | Lynne Mackey, piano
South Market Stage, Grace Christian School, Staunton, VA
Heifetz Institute Recording | 04.22.2022

Max Bruch: Scottish Fantasy, op. 46
III. Andante Sostenuto (“I’m a’doun for lack o’ Johnnie.”)
Julia Schilz, violin | Beilin Han, piano
Francis Auditorium, Mary Baldwin University, Staunton, VA
Heifetz Institute Recording | 08.07.2018

Schumann: Fantasy Pieces, Op. 73
I. Zart und mit Ausdruck (Tender and with expression)
Mo Mo, cello | Carlos Avila, piano
Francis Auditorium, Mary Baldwin University, Staunton, VA
Heifetz Institute Recording | 07.05.2015

Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel:
Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 11
III. Lied [excerpt]
Yezu Woo, violin | Noémie Raymond-Friset, cello | Michel-Alexandre Broekaert, piano
South Market Stage, Grace Christian School
Heifetz Institute Recording | 03.25.2022

Leoš Janáček: Pohádka (Fairy Tale)
Zlatomir Fung, cello | Jessica X. Osborne, piano
Francis Auditorium, Mary Baldwin University, Stuanton, VA
Heifetz Institute Recording | 11.05.2023

Go Deeper

• Set against the backdrop of the Soviet invasion and subsequent suppression of the “Prague Spring” uprising in 1968 Czechoslovakia, the 1998 film The Unbearable Lightness of Being is “an ambitious, even reverential adaptation of Milan Kundera’s brilliant novel of love and ideas,” according to Vogue. It was also a bit of a “star turn” for the Czech composer Leos Janáček, (the author Kundera’s favorite composer), whose Pohádka (Fairy Tale) is featured throughout.  See the complete list of Janáček’s music in the film here.
• “There have been speculations, based in his journal entries, that movements of Märchenbilder were inspired by the stories of Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, and Sleeping Beauty, but we cannot claim to know for sure. However, it’s very likely that Schumann was familiar with Grimm’s Fairy Tales, first published in Germany in 1812 and 1814, and the more Gothic works of E.T.AHoffmann, both of which could have influenced his composing. Take a deep dive into the discussion of Schumann’s Fairy Tale Pictures, featured in this episode.
• Schumann was fond of both Fairy Tales and Fantasies: Mozart wrote no fewer than 41 “free fantasies.” Pianist  Piotr Anderszewski noticed: “Anderszewski is drawn to both composers because they seemed to have a short, direct line from brainstorm to finished masterpiece.”  Check out this NPR review of the Polish virtuoso’s 2017 album Fantasies.