Readers may recall that Chamber Music San Francisco (CMSF) was only able to present the first concert in its 2020 season in Herbst Theatre. For 2021 it presented an “online season” consisting of videos made by five of the soloists and chamber ensembles that have been favorite CMSF performers. This coming February, CMSF will return to Herbst with a full schedule of ten recitals. Most readers probably know by now that Herbst is located in the Veterans Building on the southwest corner of Van Ness Avenue and McAllister Street. Concerts will alternate between evenings at 8 p.m. and weekend matinees at 3 p.m. Specifics are as follows:
Sunday, February 13, 3 p.m., Notos Piano Quartet: The repertoire for piano quartet (piano, violin, viola, and cello) is not as extensive as those for either piano trio (piano, violin, and cello) or string quartet (two violins, viola, and cello). However, there are many gems to be encountered, even if the scope is somewhat limited. Johannes Brahms composed three works in this genre; and Notos will play the first of them, Opus 25 in G minor, which is particularly noted for the broad variety of its emotional dispositions. The Brahms selection will be preceded by Robert Schumann only piano quartet, his Opus 47 in E-flat major. Composed in 1842 Schumann’s quartet may have inspired Brahms to write for the same combination of instruments. The remaining work on the program has not yet been announced. This concert will be part of the quartet’s debut tour of North America.
Thursday, February 17, 8 p.m., Zivian-Tomkins Duo: This is the husband-and-wife partnership of forte-pianist Eric Zivian and cellist Tanya Tomkins. They have prepared a program of music from the early nineteenth century. Zivian will give a solo account of Schumann’s Opus 17 Fantasie in C major. This will be preceded by Frédéric Chopin’s Opus 65 cello sonata in G minor. The program will conclude with Felix Mendelssohn’s Opus 58 (second) cello sonata in D major. [updated 2/11, 8:40 a.m.: Due to an injury, Eric Zivian will be unable to play. Pianist Jeffrey LaDeur will perform in his place. He will play only the first movement of the Schumann selection. However, Zivian will be present in spirit, since he will be providing the 1841 Rausch piano that LaDeur will be playing.]
Saturday, February 26, 3 p.m., Bennewitz Quartet: This ensemble was founded in Prague in 1998, and this program will mark its Bay Area debut. The second half of the program will be devoted to Prague’s best-known composer, Antonín Dvořák. The ensemble will perform his Opus 61 quartet in C major. The program will begin with Joseph Haydn’s Hoboken III/38 quartet in E-flat major, the second of the six Opus 33 quartet, given the name “The Joke.” Hayden’s sense of humor will be followed by the third of Schumann’s three Opus 41 quartets, composed in the key of A major.
Saturday, March 5, 8 p.m., Nikolay Khozyainov: This young Russian pianist has not yet announced his program; however, following several competition successes, he has already given debut performances in both New York (Carnegie Hall) and London (Wigmore Hall).
Saturday, March 19, 8 p.m., Midori: Violinist Midori had originally planned to return to San Francisco this past February as part of the San Francisco Performances Great Artists Series. Instead, her return will be hosted by CMSF. She will perform with pianist Özgür Aydin. Readers may recall the discussion of a revived interest in Greek composer Nikos Skalkottas on this site, and Midori’s program will include his second Little Suite. Her selection of music by Johann Sebastian Bach will be the BWV 1023 sonata in E minor for violin and continuo, which tends to receive less attention than the solo violin sonatas and partitas. She will begin her program with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s K. 304 sonata in E-flat major. Once again, both Schumann and Brahms will be included in the program. The Schumann selection will be his Opus 121 (second) sonata in D minor. The program will conclude with Brahms’ Opus 108 sonata, also in D minor.
Wednesday, March 23, 8 p.m., Maisky family: Cellist Mischa Maisky will return to CMSF joined by both his daughter Lily and his son Sascha. In the second half of the program, the trio will play Franz Schubert’s D. 897 Notturno in E-flat major, followed by Mendelssohn’s Opus 49 piano trio in D minor. [updated 1/22, 9:15 a.m.: In the first half of the program Lily will accompany her father in a performance of Brahms’ Opus 78 sonata, originally composed in G major for violin but transposed into D major for cello. She will then accompany her violist brother in a performance of the three romances in Clara Schumann’s Opus 22.]
Sunday, April 3, 3 p.m., Rafał Blechacz: Pianist Blechacz has been a frequent CMSF visitor. He has been distinguished for his interpretations of Chopin, and he will conclude his program with the Opus 58 (third) sonata in B minor. This will be coupled with an equally ambitious composition by César Franck, his Opus 18 suite of a prelude, a fugue, and a set of variations. The program will begin with Bach’s BWV 826 partita in C minor. This will be followed by two compositions by Ludwig van Beethoven, making his first appearance in this season’s series of programs. The first of his Opus 10 sonatas, written in the key of C minor, will be followed by the WoO 80 set of 32 variations on a very short theme, also in C minor.
Tuesday, April 12, 8 p.m., Alexander Gavrylyuk: Beethoven will then lead off Gavrylyuk’s program with his Opus 27 piano sonata in C-sharp minor, best known by its “Moonlight” nickname. This will be followed by two Chopin selections: the second of his Opus 27 nocturnes in the key of D-flat major and the first of the two Opus 40 polonaises in the key of A major, generally known as the “Military” polonaise. There will also be two “first appearance” composers. Gavrylyuk will play Franz Liszt’s third “Consolation” composition, followed by his Tarantella. These will be followed by the two Arabesques composed by Claude Debussy. The program will then conclude with Rachmaninoff’s Opus 36 (second) piano sonata in B-flat major.
Sunday, April 24, 3 p.m., Emanuel Ax: Ax has planned an all-Chopin program. The program will include the Opus 55 nocturnes, the Opus 61 Polonaise-Fantasie, the three Opus 56 mazurkas, the Opus 60 barcarolle, and the Opus 57 berceuse. Other selections will include the second of the Opus 62 nocturnes in the key of E major, the Opus 54 (fourth) scherzo in E major, the Opus 51 (third) impromptu in G-flat major, and the Opus 58 (third) sonata in B minor.
Sunday, May 8, 3 p.m., Sarah Chang: Violinist Chang will be accompanied at the piano by Julio Elizade. Her program will begin with Béla Bartók’s arrangements of six Romanian dances. There will then be two sonata selections on either side of the intermission. This first of these will be Brahms’ Opus 108 (third) sonata in D minor. The intermission will then be followed by Franck’s A major sonata.
A Web page has been created for several options for purchasing tickets. The price of the full series is $360. However, one can also create a miniseries of four or more concerts. Single ticket prices vary according to the performing artist(s). Prices are $48, $65, or $70. One may also purchase both subscriptions and single tickets by calling 415-392-4400, rather than ordering online.
In addition, videos will be made of five of the performances. They will be available for viewing at 7 p.m. on the Thursday following the concert performance as follows:
- Notos Piano Quartet: February 17
- Bennewitz Quartet: March 3
- Midori: March 24
- Gavrylyuk: April 14
- Ax: April 28
All five of these videos will be available for viewing by a single person for $100 and for a single household for $150. They will also be available at no charge to those who subscribe the attend the performances in Herbst. A Web page has been created with details about this service.
No comments:
Post a Comment