Romantic Portraits

Ludwig van Beethoven's Romance No. 2 in F major, Op. 50
I. Adagio cantabile

Claude Debussy's Violin Sonata in G minor
I. Allegro vivo
II. Intermède. Fantasque et léger
III. Finale. Très animé

                   Intermission

César Franck's Violin Sonata in A major
I. Allegretto ben moderato
II. Allegro molto
III. Recitativo-Fantasia: Ben moderato
IV. Allegretto poco mosso

Through this concert, we explore the many forms of “Romance”.

As a composer who bridged the Classical and Romantic eras, Beethoven helped usher in a musical language that placed greater emphasis on individual expression, drama, and lyricism. His Romance in F major op.50, composed in 1798, belongs to his early period. Through Classical forms and harmonic structures, Beethoven presents a lyrical, song-like melody—one that expresses romance without relying on exaggerated theatricality or dramatic tension. In this sense, the work invites us to discover the origins of Romantic expression and to recognize the essential role of the singing melody within the Romantic style.

Debussy’s music often evokes a world of picturesque colors and ambiguous tonalities, where freely unfolding phrases awaken the imagination. In his Violin Sonata, we discover that romance does not necessarily mean passionate affection or intense emotional struggle. Instead, it can emerge through ever-changing colors and the subtle expansion and contraction of musical phrases, as though painting a vivid landscape across the staff. This deeply personal mode of expression embodies another side of romance: its freedom, dreamlike quality, and refusal to be confined.

Romance is not only something shared between lovers. It can also be found in a moment of care, a gesture of friendship, or a beautiful blessing. Composed by César Franck as a wedding gift for his dear friend Eugène Ysaÿe, his Violin Sonata is filled with powerful emotional expression while displaying many characteristic features of the late French Romantic style. Its harmonic language is marked by surprising modulations and an expansive use of register. Franck was also masterful in employing recurring motifs to create connections among the movements, allowing these musical ideas to return and resonate with the emotional atmosphere of each moment.

In our busy modern lives, we often forget the simplest and purest forms of romance. We hope that this concert will not only invite you to rediscover your truest self, but also serve as a beautiful blessing for you this evening.