From Barber to Barber

A memorable melody is the main “take away” from listening to a piece of music, whether it’s a catchy, humorous set of tunes such as Gioachino Rossini’s The Barber of Seville Overture or the sorrowful, intense melodic unfolding heard in the Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber. Extended compositions are often unified by recalling significant melodies heard in the beginning at the work’s conclusion, as in Brahms’ Symphony No. 3, while the manipulation of a melody into a series of Variations, as heard in the Piano Concerto No. 3 by Sergei Prokofiev, (featuring pianist Ko-Eun Yi) is a favorite compositional tool to create melodic unity and variety. You’re guaranteed to leave this concert humming!