Friday, June 28 – 7:30 pm – “War & Romance”

Enjoy two contrasting powers, hate and love all in one night

Igor Stravinsky: Soldier’s Tale for Violin, Clarinet and Piano

Dmitri Shostakovich: Quartet No.8

Wolf Ferrari: Sinfonia da camara String Quintet, Piano, Flute) 

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
The Soldier’s Tale (version for clarinet, violin & piano) (1918 arr. 1919)

I. Marche du Soldat
II. Le Violon du Soldat
III. Un Petit Concert
IV. Tango – Valse – Ragtime
V. Dance du Diable

    Violin – Aurica Duca   Clarinet – Patrick Graham   Piano – Yukino Miyake

Igor Stravinsky was a Russian composer who changed the course of classical music in the 20th century. His ground-breaking works are seen by many as the first examples of the modernist style of music, and they often employ bright angular rhythms and dissonant harmonies in juxtaposition with more conventional sounds. He is most well known for his three groundbreaking ballet scores: The Firebird (1910), Petrushka (1911) and the infamous Rite of Spring (1913) which famously inspired a riot at its controversial premier in Paris.

The Soldier’s Tale was composed in 1918, originally for septet and narrator, though later adapted by the composer for a trio of clarinet, violin and piano. The piece tells the story of a soldier on leave from duty, who on his long march home happens upon a mysterious stranger who offers to trade a magical book that tells the future for the soldiers’ old violin. The soldier soon realizes that he has made a deal with the devil himself, and learns some hard lessons.

The music makes use of many overlapping and interlocking rhythms and harmonies, giving the piece an unsteady abstract feel. The solo violin is highly prominent throughout and often plays in a rough and highly rhythmic folk style, its ominous presence throughout the piece represents the devil in the story.

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)
String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op.110 (1960)

I. Largo
II. Allegro molto
III. Allegretto
IV. Largo
V. Largo

    Violin – Gabriela Pena, Aurica Duca   Viola – Jorge Pena   Cello – Jin Kim

Dmitri Shostakovich was a Russian composer working in the 20th century. He was highly prolific, composing major scores in every conceivable style, but he is most well remembered today for his 15 symphonies, huge output of chamber music and theatrical works and operas. During his lifetime Shostakovich was a controversial figure in Soviet Russia, his music was seen as too contemporary and was temporarily censored by the regime before being rescinded.

String Quartet No.8 was written in 1960 just after the composer reluctantly joined the communist party. He famously composed the work at break-neck speed, start to finish in just 3 days and dedicated the score ‘to the victims of fascism and the war’. The piece runs in 5 continuous movements by turns mournful and fearsome, making prolific use of a distinctive four note motif (D, Eb, C, B) that is a cipher of the composers’ name. This four note motif opens the work and permeates the structure throughout. It is thought that the piece represents the composer’s own experience in soviet Russia, the second movement even attempts to musically represent the sound of an ominous knock at the door from the KGB.

Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (1876 – 1948)
Sinfonia da camara, Op. 8 (1901)

I. Allegro moderato
II. Adagio
III. Vivace con spirito – Allegretto
IV. Adagio – Allegro molto

    Flute – Les Roettges   Oboe – Daniel Rios   Clarinet – Patrick Graham 

    Bassoon – Anthony Anurca   Horn – Thomas Park   Piano – Yukino Miyake

    Violin I – Gabriela Pena   Violin II – Aurica Duca   Viola – Jorge Pena   Cello – Jin Kim

Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari was an Italian composer and teacher, best known for his work in comic opera. He was inspired to compose during his art studies in Munich where he first heard the music of J.S Bach, but later returned to Venice to immerse himself in his Italian musical heritage. The Sinfonia da Camera (Chamber Symphony) was composed in 1901 directly following the disastrous premier of his opera Cenerentola. Despite the less-than-happy circumstances of its composition, the piece abounds with warm, nostalgic harmonies and long flowing, lyrical melodies reminiscent of the bel canto opera style. Throughout, Ferrari makes inventive and colorful use of his ensemble with playful interaction between the parts and frequent solos allowing individual players to shine.