Ruth Roshan – Mandolin
Elizabeth Anderson – Harpsichord
Beethoven dedicated his Sonata for Mandolin and Harpsichord (WoO43/2) to mandolinist, Josephine Clary Countess Clam-Gallas in 1795, inscribing the manuscript “pour la belle Josephine”. The Countess probably played the work with Beethoven at the harpsichord. Beethoven is associated with the harpsichord as early as 1783, when at the age of 12, he was appointed Cembalist (Harpsichordist) of the Theatre Orchestra in Bonn. The child prodigy had published his first work a year earlier, Variations for Harpsichord on a March by Mr Dresler. It is not known what keyboard instruments Beethoven’s family owned at the time, or whether his childhood lessons took place on harpsichord or fortepiano. Because the harpsichord was still very much in use during this period, Beethoven’s works published before 1802 were designated for “either harpsichord or fortepiano”.
Many works composed for friends, such as the mandolin sonatas were not published during the composer’s lifetime. The sketch books and manuscript fragments in which these works appear are interspersed with the music of other composers, which Beethoven copied for study purposes. They contain excerpts of music by Handel and Mozart. But Beethoven’s favourite subject by far was the keyboard music of Johann Sebastian Bach.
Program
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) Adagio for Mandolin and Harpsichord
in Eb Major, WoO 43/2
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) Two-Part Invention in G Minor, BWV 782
transcribed by Beethoven c.1817
Beethoven Sonatina for Mandolin and Harpsichord in C minor, WoO 43/1
Beethoven
Für Elise (1810)
Allegro in C for Mandolin and Harpsichord, WoO 44/1
Bach Praeludium in F Major, BWV 880
Beethoven Praeludium, WoO 55, modelled on the Bach Praeludium above
Bach Fuga a 3 Voci, BWV 880
Bach
Fuga a 4 Voci in B Minor, BWV 869 transcribed by Beethoven in 1817
Sinfonie in D Major, BWV 789, transcribed by Beethoven c.1817
Fuga a 3-Voci in D Minor, BWV 875,
Beethoven Andante for Mandolin and Harpsichord WoO 44/2
with
Ruth Roshan – Mandolin
www.ruthroshan.com
Ruth Roshan began learning the mandolin at the age of five, and has played professionally since she was a teenager. Whatever the style or tempo, Ruth plays her mandolin with a great deal of musicality and style.
Her love of tango began when she heard this style of music as a child and when Ruth was introduced to live Argentinean tango in Paris at the age of 23, she was hooked. She has written and recorded 3 albums of tango inspired songs and instrumentals with her quintet, Ruth Roshan & Tango Noir. The most recent of these, Stories of Love & Regret achieved CD of the week or equivalent on 8 Australian radio stations.
Ruth is also known as one half of the duo Nougat, and along with guitarist Tania Ravbar she has toured regularly for Musica Viva, playing originals and arrangements from around the world, particularly from Spanish and South American traditions.
Ruth has performed as principle mandolinist at Orchestra Victoria with the Australian Opera and Australian Ballet. She played The Godfather with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and has performed and recorded as a guest musician with the ANAM Orchestra.
Ruth was invited to St Petersburg to perform her compositions with Russia’s Remolino Ensemble. In June 2013, she played in Switzerland with guitarist Antonio Malinconico and created several radio recordings in England with local instrumentalists. Tango Noir toured Italy as a trio, with Amir Farid and Phil Carroll.