Bach to BlackNotes

Winchester Gardens Solo Recital January 3, 2026 PROGRAM Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) Prelude and Fugue No. 17 in A-flat major, BWV 862 Prelude and Fugue No. 18 in G-sharp minor, BWV 863 Franz Liszt (1811–1886) Valse oubliée No. 1 Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904) Largo from Symphony No. 9, “From the New World” Transcription by Charles Sapanik Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875–1912) Five Selected Negro Melodies from 24 Negro Melodies, Op. 59 Nabandi Angels Changed My Name Bamboula Let Us Cheer the Weary Traveler Wade in the Water George Gershwin (1898–1937) Embraceable You PROGRAM NOTE This program traces a wide expressive arc across centuries, styles, and musical traditions. It begins with the architectural clarity and contrapuntal mastery of Bach’s late preludes and fugues from The Well-Tempered Clavier, followed by the refined elegance of Liszt’s Valse oubliée. Dvořák’s Largo from “From the New World,” presented in a piano transcription by Charles Sapanik, evokes the work’s enduring lyricism and its deep connection to the American musical landscape. At the center of the program are five selected movements from Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s 24 Negro Melodies, works that elevate spirituals through a deeply personal and sophisticated classical voice. The recital concludes with Gershwin’s Embraceable You, offering a moment of warmth, intimacy, and timeless melodic beauty.