Photo Credit: Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players
Performance by
 |
Michael Stephen Brown piano |
Nazeeh Shahid viola Sara Scanlon cello Vadim Lando clarinet |
HAYDN String Duo in F Major Hob.VI:1
~ graceful Classical melodies for the violin and viola to engage in an intimate pleasant conversation—the first in a set of 6 sonatas
The sonatas were written to entertain his employer, Prince Nikolaus Esterházy, or for daily court events. Court musicians generally lived in Eisenstadt as they were not permitted to live at the Esterházy Palace. However, as Kapellmeister, Haydn’s special privileges included a house on the grounds of the country estate, where he was isolated but very productive.
BEETHOVEN Gassenhauer Trio Op. 11
~ brashness to relish, especially the variations movement of the raucous “Street Song” trio—for clarinet, cello, and piano
Mozart had a big, lasting influence on Beethoven. Although his aspirations to study with him were never realized, Beethoven admired Mozart throughout his life, composing variations on several of his melodies.
Max BRUCH String Quintet in Eb Major
~ blissfully melodic, its rich harmonic language and exuberance rooted in late Romanticism
Tovey on Bruch
Sir Donald Francis Tovey enthused, “it is not easy to write as beautifully as Max Bruch…it is really easy for Bruch to write beautifully, it is in fact instinctive for him.… Further, it is impossible to find in Max Bruch any lapses from the standard of beauty which he thus instinctively sets himself.”
Felix MENDELSSOHN Piano Quartet No. 3 in B minor Op. 3
~ brilliant and passionate early Romantic treasure, with a dazzling piano part
Mendelssohn was greatly influenced by Mozart. He studied Mozart’s scores and integrated Mozart’s elegant form and graceful melodies with the expressive depth and emotional colors of Romanticism. Schumann called him the “Mozart of the 19th century.”
