Discover Évocations
Piano Solo: Partitura Editions
Composition Year: 1992
Évocations — A Hommage to the Piano
“Évocations are written for pianists who are in love with their instrument and its expressive and coloristic possibilities.”
With these words, composer Avi Schönfeld, based in the Netherlands, describes his three-part composition recently published in an elegant printed edition by Partitura Editions in Utrecht.
The work speaks the language of modern expressionism, yet remains deeply rooted in the traditions of pianistic writing. From the very first reading, it becomes clear that Schönfeld has a profound sensitivity for color, nuance, and sound beauty. Every phrase reflects his fascination with the piano’s tone palette — its contrasts, its layers, its endless shades of touch. In that sense, Évocations truly lives up to its name: it is a tribute to the instrument itself.
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The Music
- The first movement is the most sound-inspired of the three. Its rhythm flows flexibly, breathing with subtle fluctuations of tempo and texture. The piece feels like light and shadow in motion — where timing, touch, and color are everything.
- The second movement shifts character entirely. It unfolds as a solemn procession, its middle section marked by a triple-meter flow that challenges the pianist’s control and concentration. Particularly demanding is the sempre pianissimo passage work — an exercise in restraint and sensitivity that reveals the depth of Schönfeld’s musical thought.
- The final movement, titled Enigma, lives up to its name. Here, shimmering arabesques and richly voiced chords create a mysterious, color-drenched atmosphere. The pianist must balance clarity with imagination, structure with freedom.
Although few performances have yet brought Évocations to the concert stage, even a first encounter with the score leaves a strong impression. It is a rewarding challenge for pianists drawn to modern music, offering a rare opportunity to refine one’s ear for sound, nuance, and touch. For advanced students and professionals alike, Schönfeld’s work stands as a poetic study in pianistic color — and a reminder of how alive and inexhaustible the piano remains in the hands of those who truly love it.
Source: Piano Bulletin EPTA
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What do people say
Testimonials
Arthur Rubinstein
"A very promising and talented artist!"
“I was sincerely impressed with Mr. Schönfeld’s musical personality, the maturity and freshness of his conception, the clarity of his technique and sense of form and sonority.”
Alexandre Tansman
Vlado Perlemuter
"Dons exceptionnels!"
"A remarkable musician, composer and educator, his potential is particularly vast and diversified."
Henryk Szeryng
Ilona Vincze-Kraus