Chamber Music San Francisco: April, 2024

Regular readers probably know by now that Chamber Music San Francisco performances alternate between two or three times a month during the first half of the year. This month will see only two, but both will feature high-profile soloists. Both offerings will be duo recitals with the featured artist accompanied at the piano. Specifics are as follows:

Sunday, April 14, 3 p.m.: The first recitalist will be cellist Steven Isserlis, who was a frequent visitor in San Francisco (including offering master classes at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music) prior to the pandemic. As during his past visits, he will be accompanied by Canadian pianist Connie Shih. The program they have prepared will cover a wide spectrum of familiarity. The least familiar offering will begin the program, a set of ten short variations in the Finnish folk song “Kultaselle,” composed for piano and cello (in that order in the composer’s catalog) by Ferruccio Busoni. This will be followed by Franz Schubert’s D. 821 sonata, which begins in A minor and concludes in A major, for pianoforte and arpeggione (as identified in the catalog compiled by Otto Erich Deutsch). This was originally published with parts for both cello and violin with later arrangements for viola and guitar. The next selection will be From Jewish Life, a three-movement suite by Ernest Bloch, which he composed in 1924 during his tenure as the first Musical Director of the Cleveland Institute of Music. The second half of the program will present two sonatas. The first of these will be Gabriel Fauré’s Opus 109 in D minor, followed by Francis Poulenc’s only cello sonata.

Tuesday, April 30, 8 p.m.: Violinist Daniel Hope, who will probably be known to many readers for his association with the New Century Chamber Orchestra, will give his San Francisco recital debut. His accompanist at the piano will be Simon Crawford-Phillips. Each half of the program will present a sonata preceded by an “introduction.” The sonata for the first half will be the Ravel composition that was published only after the composer’s death. It will be preceded by the “Impromptu Concertante” by George Enescu. The program will conclude with the same A major violin sonata by César Frank that Yo-Yo Ma played on his cello earlier this week. It will be preceded by the United States premiere of Jake Heggie’s Fantasy Suite 1803.

Since five concerts remain in the season, it is still possible to purchase a mini-series at a discounted rate. The single ticket prices for both of this month’s recitals will be $75, $60, and $50. A single Web page has been created for both purchasing options. Sales may also be processed over the telephone by calling 415-392-4400.