JULY 21, 2020 @ 7:00 PM

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra

This concert has been canceled, but we can share one of the ensemble’s final performances before the Covid-19 crisis: our posted concert in a slightly changed order.

‘The Well-Caffeinated Clavier’ —
an all-Bach program featuring Richard Egarr, harpsichord soloist —
FIRST PERFORMANCE OF RICHARD EGARR AS MUSIC DIRECTOR OF ENSEMBLE —
Nola Richardson – soprano, James Reese – tenor, Cody Quattlebaum – bass-baritone

J. S. Bach, (1685-1750), Harpsichord Concerto No. 7 in G minor, BWV 1058 —

1. [no tempo marking]

2. Andante

3. Allegro assai

J. S. Bach, Cantata No. 211, Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht, BWV 211, Coffee Cantata —
Nola Richardson – soprano, James Reese – tenor, Cody Quattlebaum – bass-baritone

INTERMISSION

J. S. Bach, Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D minor, BWV 1052 —

1. Allegro

2. Adagio

3. Allegro

J. S. Bach, Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068 —

1. Ouverture

2. Air

3. Gavotte

4. Bourrée

5. Gigue

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra

Under the musical direction of Richard Egarr in his inaugural season as Music Director, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale is recognized as “America’s leading historically informed ensemble” (The New York Times). Using authentic instruments and stylistic conventions from early Baroque to late Romantic periods as well as new commissioned works, the orchestra engages audiences through its signature Bay Area series, national tours, recordings, commissions, and education projects of the highest standard. Founded 40 years ago by Laurette Goldberg and led by Nicholas McGegan for the past 35 years, the ensemble is the largest of its kind in the United States.

PBO’s musicians are leaders in historical performance and serve on the faculties of The Juilliard School, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Harvard, and Stanford. It welcomes eminent guest artists including mezzo-sopranos Susan Graham and Anne Sofie von Otter, countertenors Anthony Roth Costanzo and Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, violoncellist Steven Isserlis, and maestros Jonathan Cohen and Jeannette Sorrell. PBO enjoys strong relationships with preeminent artistic collaborators including Mark Morris Dance Group, The Juilliard School, and the American Modern Opera Company (AMO). In collaboration with Cal Performances in 2017, PBO produced its first fully-staged opera, Rameau’s Le Temple de la Gloire, and since then have produced fully-staged productions of Handel’s Aci, Galatea e Polifemo with stage director Christopher Alden and Leclair’s Scylla et Glaucus with Centre de musique baroque de Versailles.

Among the most recorded orchestras in the world, PBO boasts a discography of nearly 50 recordings, including a coveted archival performance of mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson in Berlioz’s Les Nuits D’été, and a GRAMMY®-nominated recording of Haydn symphonies. The orchestra released the world premiere recording of the original version of Rameau’s Le Temple de la Gloire with the unedited libretto by Voltaire in 2018. In April 2020, PBO will release two groundbreaking recordings: a full collection of commissioned works by Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw, and a selection of arias sung by rising star contralto Avery Amereau.

Under the superb direction of Bruce Lamott, the award-winning Philharmonia Chorale is critically acclaimed for its brilliant sound, robust energy, and sensitive delivery of the text. Formed in 1995, the Chorale provides a vocal complement whose fluency in the stylistic language of the baroque period matched that of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. Founded by John Butt, a baroque keyboardist and one of the world’s leading Bach scholars, the Chorale has been led by Lamott since 1997.

Bruce Lamott has been Director of the Philharmonia Chorale since 1997 and also serves as Philharmonia’s Scholar-in-Residence. He first performed with the Orchestra in 1989 as continuo harpsichordist for Handel’s Giustino. Bruce plays a leading role in the organization’s many educational programs for youth and adults. In addition to his lively pre-concert talks, Bruce writes PBO’s program notes and blogs, and gives lectures and demonstrations to groups throughout the Bay Area and beyond.

SOLOIST BIOS

Richard Egarr brings a joyful sense of adventure and a keen, inquiring mind to all his music-making—whether conducting, directing from the keyboard, giving recitals, playing chamber music, or indeed talking about music at every opportunity. After a successful career as Music Director of the Academy of Ancient Music for 14 years, where he succeeded founding director Christopher Hogwood, he joins Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale as Music Director. Richard also holds responsibilities as Principal Guest Conductor of Residentie Orkest The Hague and Artistic Partner at The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra in Minnesota, after having served as Associate Artist with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.  As a conductor, Richard straddles the worlds of historically-informed and modern symphonic performance, making him an ideal fit for PBO’s parallel commitments to early and new music. Richard is already well-known to the musicians and patrons of PBO, having guest conducted the orchestra four times since 2012 in both regular season offerings and the PBO SESSIONS series. In addition to his conducting genius, he is a brilliant harpsichordist, and equally skilled on the organ and fortepiano.

Richard is a beloved teacher and has been on faculty of The Juilliard School for eight years in their Historical Performance division, has conducted major symphonic orchestras such as London Symphony Orchestra, Lincoln Center Festival Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, and The Philadelphia Orchestra, and regularly gives solo harpsichord recitals at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the Smithsonian, and elsewhere.

Born in Lincoln, England, Richard trained as a choirboy at York Minster, was organ scholar at Clare College Cambridge, and later studied with Gustav and Marie Leonhardt in Amsterdam, where he makes his home.

American bass-baritone Cody Quattlebaum is quickly establishing himself as one of the most exciting new vocal talents of his generation; equally in demand for both opera and concert in repertoire ranging from the Baroque to contemporary.

Highlights in the 2019/20 season include his debut for Opéra national du Rhin in the world premiere of Until the lions : Echoes from the Mahabharata by Thierry Pécou, Zuniga Carmen for Dutch National Opera, Beethoven Missa Solemnis with BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Berlioz Roméo et Juliette with the RTVE Symphony Orchestra, and a concert tour of Bach Coffee Cantata with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Choraleand Richard Egarr. In future seasons, Quattlebaum will make his debut at the Teatro Real, Madrid, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Recent highlights include his debut at the BBC Proms in Handel Jeptha with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Don Fernando Fidelio with Marc Minkowski at the Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, and Handel Brockes Passion and Bach St John Passion, both at the Barbican with Richard Egarr and the Academy of Ancient Music, Segeste Arminio and Dettingen Te Deum at the Händel-Festspiele in Göttingen where he also performed under the baton of Laurence Cummings. A member of the Dutch National Opera studio for the 2018/19 season, roles here included Geronimo Il matrimonio segreto and Bruno Zirato in the world premiere of Micha Hamel Caruso a Cuba. Prior to this, Quattlebaum was a member of the Opera Studio at the Opernhaus Zürich, performing roles such as Schriftsteller in the world premiere of Der Traum von Dir, Larkens La Fanciulla del West and Zuniga in Barrie Kosky’s acclaimed production.

Quattlebaum was a finalist at the Glyndebourne Cup in 2018 and at the Metropolitan Opera National Council competition in 2017, and the recipient of a Sara Tucker grant from the Richard Tucker Foundation. He studied at the Julliard School where roles included Claudio Agrippina and prior to this studied voice at the University of Cincinnati – College Conservatory of Music.

James Reese is a frequently sought soloist and collaborative musician. His 2019-20 season sees solo debuts with American Bach Soloists, the Gamut Bach Ensemble, Tempesta di Mare, the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, Piffaro, and the Master Chorale of South Florida. He also makes return appearances with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, TENET Vocal Artists, Lyric Fest, Philadelphia’s Bach @ 7 series, and Bach Vespers @ Holy Trinity Lutheran NYC.

Previously, James has appeared in concerts with Nicholas McGegan and Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra; the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra; Bourbon Baroque Orchestra; Masaaki Suzuki and Juilliard415; the American Classical Orchestra; and at the Ad Astra Music Festival. In May 2018, he made his Carnegie Hall solo debut in Bach’s B Minor Mass with the New York Choral Society, directed by David Hayes. Of that performance, the New York Classical Review wrote, “the high, easy tenor of James Reese…floated beautifully on its own over the long, gentle lines of the Benedictus.“ In June 2018, he made his European debut with ensemble Seconda Prat!ca.

An advocate for new music, James is a founding member of Philadelphia vocal sextet Variant 6 (variantsix.com). He has premiered works by Caroline Shaw, Ted Hearne, John Luther Adams, Joanne Metcalf, Judd Greenstein, Joel Puckett, and others. James sings frequently with leading American choruses, including The Crossing, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Seraphic Fire, True Concord, and The Thirteen. He has recorded on the ECM, Innova, and Albany labels; including The Crossing’s release of Gavin Bryars’ The Fifth Century, which won a Grammy award for Best Choral Performance in 2018. He also sang on 2016 Grammy-Nominated Bonhoeffer, released by the Crossing.

James is the 2018 winner of the Margot Fassler Award for the Performance of Music at Yale University, and the 2019 winner of the Career Advancement Grant from the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia. He is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, where he studied with Kurt R. Hansen, Alan Darling, and Donald Nally. He completed his masters degree at Yale University’s Institute of Sacred Music, where he studied with James Taylor as part of the Yale Voxtet.

Soprano Nola Richardson is rapidly making her mark as an “especially impressive” (The New York Times) young soloist and has been praised by the Washington Post for her “astonishing balance and accuracy,” “crystalline diction” and “natural-sounding ease.” Her wide repertoire spans from music of the medieval period to several world premieres, and she performs frequently throughout the United States. Some highlights of her current and past seasons include her major symphony debut as the featured soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Philharmonia Baroque, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony and an appearance with the Boston Pops under Keith Lockhart in Simply Sondheim. She also made her debut with Opera Lafayette, The English Concert, The Baroque Chamber Orchestra f Colorado, Musica Sacra, and as the First Lady in Clarion Music Society’s production of Die Zauberflöte. Her recent performance with the American Classical Orchestra was described as a revelation by ConcertoNet.com: “Her single song from the carols, Or nous dites Marie, became a ray of resplendent light, a voice of virginal purity for those very pure songs.”

Previous seasons included her debuts with Seraphic Fire (St. Matthew Passion), the Bethlehem Bach Choir (BWV 68), American Classical Orchestra (C.P.E. Bach’s Magnificat), the Madison Bach Musicians (Dido and Aeneas), and the National Cathedral (in concert with trumpeter Josh Cohen). Other recent appearances include Handel’s Messiah with the Colorado Bach Ensemble; the St. Matthew Passion with the Messiah Festival of the Arts; works of Charpentier and Couperin with Les Délices of Cleveland,OH; Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Oratorio Chorale of Portland, ME; Bach’s Mass in B Minor with the Master Chorale of South Florida and the Baltimore Choral Arts Society; the St. John Passion with Bach in Baltimore; Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Chorus Pro Musica of Boston, MA; Bach’s Coffee Cantata with Mountainside Baroque and Bach’s Magnificat with the New Dominion Chorale.

Particularly noted for her interpretive skills in the Baroque repertoire, Nola was a 2016 First Prize winner in the Bethlehem Bach Competition and took home the Third Prize and Audience Favorite award in the 2016 Handel Aria Competition in Madison, WI. A dedicated ensemble and chamber singer, Nola has enjoyed joining the rosters of GRAMMY® nominated Seraphic Fire of Miami, GRAMMY® nominated Clarion Music Society in NYC, and the GRAMMY® nominated Choir of Trinity Wall Street in Manhattan. She also appears regularly with Yale Choral Artists, and Musica Sacra.

PROGRAM NOTES – BACH

Harpsichord Concerto in G Minor, BWV 1058

Bach had a lifelong affair with the concerto, dating back to his days as court organist for the ducal court in Weimar from 1708 to 1714, where he encountered the concertos by famous Italian composers, most notably Antonio Vivaldi, found in the music library of young Duke Ernst August. Bach not only learned by copying them, he transcribed them so that he could play them on the harpsichord and the organ. Vivaldi’s concertos in particular changed Bach’s approach to musical form, and playing these transcriptions likely planted in him the novel idea of liberating the utilitarian continuo harpsichord from its accompanimental role of improvising harmonies over the bass part to instead become a soloist on a par with Vivaldi’s virtuoso violinists.

Bach also realized the versatility of the concerto form, transcribing and transposing his own violin concertos for the harpsichord, as was the case of this concerto, originally written for violin in A minor and transposed to G minor for the harpsichord. The first is the most “violinistic” of its three movements, with leaping melodic figures that suggest string crossings. Just as the solo violin joins in unison with the first violins at times, the right hand of the harpsichordist disappears into the string ensemble only to resurface in solo episodes.

In the slow movement, the gently pulsing and heaving repeated bass pattern (ostinato) undergirds the plaintive solo with an almost Sisyphean affect of striving and resignation. Above the descending half-steps (chromaticism) in the bass, the solo ventures into almost “bluesy” harmonies.

The rollicking gigue of the third movement begins and ends with a complete ritornello, and in place of the idiomatic violin writing for open and rapidly repeating stopped strings (bariolage), the harpsichord downshifts into a flurry of sixteenth notes scales and oscillating figures, twice the speed of the prevailing eighths in the orchestra.
Bruce Lamott

GLOSSARY : BACH

BWV Not to be confused with “the ultimate German driving machine,” it’s a composition’s listing in the Bach Werke Verzeichnis, the catalog of Bach’s complete works. The works are grouped by genre, not the chronological order in which they were written, as in the Köchel catalog of Mozart’s works. The church cantatas begin with BWV 1, secular cantatas with BWV 200, concertos of all types with BWV 1041, and the orchestral suites with BWV 1066.

cantata An unstaged vocal work (as opposed to the instrumental “sonata”) in several movements with accompaniments ranging from orchestra to continuo alone. Though Bach’s more than two hundred extant sacred and secular “cantatas” are the best-known examples of the genre, the label was applied indiscriminately by nineteenth century editors of his works. Bach titled vocal music for the church simply Musik, Stück (piece), or even “concerto.” However, the word “cantata” appears on the autograph manuscript of Cantata BWV 211, the “Coffee Cantata.”

concerto A piece for orchestra that features a solo instrument in a prominent role, usually written in three movements (fast-slow-fast). Bach also transcribed orchestral concertos for organ or harpsichord alone, using two keyboards (manuals) to differentiate the solo and tutti parts.

continuo The foundation of the Baroque orchestra, consisting of bowed bass instruments (cello, violone) plus chordal instruments (harpsichord, organ, therobo or guitar) who improvise the harmonies corresponding to numerical symbols (figures) above the bass line, called the “figured bass.” The term itself indicates that this group plays, well, continually throughout the composition unless specifically indicated. Passages without continuo are rare and quite evident for their change in the orchestral sound.

obbligato A solo instrument (flute, violin, oboe, etc.) written to be played as a co-equal to a vocal soloist. The choice of that instrument often reflects the content of the text, e.g. a trumpet obbligato for a military text or recorder for text pertaining to birds. In harpsichord concertos, the designation “obbligato” indicates that the “obligatory” right hand part must be played as written and not improvised over the bass line, as it would when playing a continuo part.

ritornello Literally “the little thing that returns,” it is the musical frame that begins and ends a concerto movement played by the entire ensemble (also known as tutti). Portions of the ritornello usually reappear throughout the movement, either as accompaniment or as interludes that signal changes of key.

transcription The process of adapting a composition written for one instrument or group of instruments so that it can be played on another. In transcribing a concerto of Vivaldi, Bach takes works written for soloist(s) and orchestra and merges the parts together until they are playable on the harpsichord by two hands or on the organ, with two hands and feet.

transposition Moving a piece of music from one key to another, usually to accommodate range or a change of instrument. In the case of the first work on this program, the transposition is the change of key from the original A minor to G minor and the transcription is from the original instrumentation of solo violin and string orchestra to that of harpsichord and orchestra.
– Bruce Lamott

JULY 14, 2020 @ 3:00 PM

A Tribute to France
Marc André Hamelin, piano,
Lara St. John, violin &
Ulysses String Quartet

Claude Debussy, Sonata for violin and piano, L. 140, (1917) —
Allegro vivo
Intermède: Fantasque et léger
Finale: Très animé

Maurice Ravel, String Quartet in F major, (1903) —
Allegro moderato – très doux
Assez vif – très rythmé
Très lent
Vif et agité

INTERMISSION

Amédée-Ernest Chausson, Concert in D for violin, piano and string quartet, Op 21, (1889-91) —
Décidé
Sicilienne
Grave
Très animé

THIS CONCERT WAS LIVE STREAMED

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

“A performer of near-superhuman technical prowess” (The New York Times), pianist Marc André Hamelin is known worldwide for his unrivaled blend of consummate musicianship and brilliant technique in the great works of the established repertoire, as well as for his intrepid exploration of the rarities of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries – in concert and on disc – earning him legendary status as a true icon of the piano.

Mr. Hamelin begins the 19/20 season performing the Brahms Piano concerti with the Orchestre Métropolitain and Yannick Nézet-Séguin at Le Festival de Lanaudière, and the world premiere of Ryan Wigglesworth’s piano concerto at the BBC Proms, led by the composer. Other summer appearances include recitals at the Schubertiade, Helsingborg Piano Festival, Mänttä Music Festival, Domaine Forget, Orford Music Festival, the Newport Music Festival, and at the Rosendal Chamber Music Festival with friend and regular collaborator, Leif Ove Andsnes.

“A performer of near-superhuman technical prowess.” — The New York Times

Recital appearances this season include a return to Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage on the Great Artists Series. He also performs at Wigmore Hall, the George Enescu Festival, Ascona (Switzerland), Prague, Munich, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Moscow State Philharmonic, at the Elbphilharmonie for the Husum Rarities of Piano Music Festival, Monte Carlo, and the Heidelberg Festival, among other dates.

Mr. Hamelin is the inaugural guest curator for Portland Piano International, where he opens the season with two solo recitals. He returns to San Francisco Performances – a series with whom he has a long and deeply supportive artistic relationship – as a Perspectives Artist for their 40th Anniversary Season, performing a solo recital; Die Winterreise with tenor Mark Padmore; and the world premiere of his own Piano Quintet, commissioned by SFP and performed by himself and the Alexander String Quartet.

An exclusive recording artist for Hyperion Records, in 19/20, Hyperion releases two albums by Mr. Hamelin – one a solo disc and the other with the Takács Quartet. He recently released a disc of Schubert’s Piano Sonata in B-Flat Major and Four Impromptus; a landmark disc of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and Concerto for Two Pianos with Leif Ove Andsnes; Morton Feldman’s For Bunita Marcus; and Medtner’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Vladimir Jurowski. His impressive Hyperion discography of more than 60 recordings includes concertos and works for solo piano by such composers as Alkan, Godowsky, and Medtner, as well as brilliantly received performances of Brahms, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, and Shostakovich.

He was honored with the 2014 ECHO Klassik Instrumentalist of Year (Piano) and Disc of the Year by Diapason Magazine and Classica Magazine for his three-disc set
of Busoni: Late Piano Music and an album of his own compositions, Hamelin: Études, which received a 2010 Grammy nomination and a first prize from the German Record Critics’ Association.

Mr. Hamelin was a distinguished member of the jury of the 15 th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2017 where each of the 30 competitors in the preliminary round performed Hamelin’s Toccata on L’Homme armé; this was the first time the composer of the commissioned work was also a member of the jury. Mr. Hamelin has composed music throughout his career, with nearly 30 compositions to his name. The majority of those works – including the Études and Toccata on L’Homme armé – are published by Edition Peters.

Mr. Hamelin makes his home in the Boston area with his wife, Cathy Fuller. Born in Montreal, Marc-André Hamelin is the recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the German Record Critics’ Association and has received seven Juno Awards and eleven GRAMMY nominations. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Chevalier de l’Ordre du Québec, and a member of the Royal Society of Canada.

Canadian-born violinist Lara St. John has been described as “something of a phenomenon” by The Strad and a “high-powered soloist” by The New York Times.

She has performed as soloist with the orchestras of Cleveland, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Belgrade, Amsterdam, the Royal Philharmonic, NDR Symphony, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Camerata Ireland, Queensland, Adelaide, Auckland, Tokyo, Kyoto, the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony, the China Philharmonic, Shanghai, Hong Kong, São Paulo, Orquestra Sinfonica Brasileira and Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México, among many others.

Recitals in major concert halls have included New York, Boston, San Francisco, Washington, Prague, Berlin, Toronto, Montreal, Bogotá, Lima and the Forbidden City.

Lara manages her own label, Ancalagon, which she founded in 1999. Her Mozart recording won a Juno Award in 2011. In 2014, her Schubert album, with harpist Marie-Pierre Langlamet, cellist Ludwig Quandt and soprano Anna Prohaska, was chosen as one of the “Best CDs of Spring” by Der Tagesspiegel. Her 2016 release of re-imagined folk music, with pianist Matt Herskowitz, earned a five-star review from All About Jazz.

She has been featured in People, US News and World Report, NPR’s All Things Considered, the CBC, BBC, a Bravo! special and on the cover of Strings.

Lara began playing the violin when she was two, made her first appearance as soloist with orchestra at four, and her European debut at 10. She entered the Curtis Institute at 13. Her teachers have included Felix Galimir and Joey Corpus.

She performs on the 1779 “Salabue” Guadagnini.

The Ulysses String Quartet has been praised for their “textural versatility,” “grave beauty,” “the kind of chemistry many quartets long for, but rarely achieve” (The Strad) as well as “avid enthusiasm … [with] chops to back up their passion” (San Diego Story), “delivered with a blend of exuberance and polished artistry” (Buffalo News).

Founded in the summer of 2015, the group won first prize in the 2018 Schoenfeld International String Competition and the grand prize and gold medal in the senior string division of the 2016 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Ulysses also finished first in the American Prize and won second prize at the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition in 2017. The quartet were most recently grand prize winners of the Vietnam International Music Competition in August 2019.

Consisting of Christina Bouey and Rhiannon Banerdt on violin, Colin Brookes on viola and Grace Ho on cello, the Ulysses Quartet were appointed Lisa Arnhold Fellows of the Juilliard School.

Hailing from Canada, the United States and Taiwan, the Ulysses String Quartet has performed in such prestigious halls such as the Harbin Grand Theatre, Jordan Hall, and the Taiwan National Recital Hall. Recent performance highlights have included their debut at Alice Tully Hall, along with appearances at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and La Jolla Music Society Summerfest.  Other notable recent engagements include Buffalo Chamber Music Society, Jordan Hall, South Orange Performing Arts Center, Sprague Hall at Yale University, Mostly Music, Rhode Island Chamber Music Concerts, Chamber Music Society of Bethlehem, Premiere Performances Hong Kong, the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Bargemusic, Eastman School of Music and the Vietnam Connection Music Festival.

For the last three years, Ulysses was in residence at the Louis Moreau Institute in New Orleans, working with the composer Morris Rosenzweig. As a special project, the group will record the quartets of composer Joseph Summer at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts, over the next several years. In 2020 Ulysses will embark on recording projects for five albums involving three quartet albums, and collaborations with artists flutist Ransom Wilson and guitarist Ben Verdery.

Upcoming performances include a Carnegie Hall debut, Cecilia Concerts in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Montreal Chamber Music Festival, Naumburg Orchestral Concerts Summer Series, Carnegie Hall’s Beethoven Festival at YIVO, the Idyllwild Festival in California, Quogue Chamber Music in Long Island, New York, Geneva Music Festival, Music Mountain, Emory University in Atlanta, and Dumbarton Concerts in Washington, DC.

The group’s name pays homage to Homer’s hero Odysseus and his 10-year voyage home. Additionally, the quartet’s members live in close proximity to the resting place of former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant in Upper Manhattan. The Ulysses String Quartet believes intensely in the power of music to inspire, enlighten and bring people together. The quartet is committed to sharing this passion by increasing access to and appreciation for classical music while enhancing audience engagement. To this end, the quartet offers interactive programs and workshops for all ages that serve to demystify the traditional repertoire while introducing audiences to exciting new works. Their programs frequently enable participants to learn about the inner workings of a string quartet, and to explore the connections between classical music and our world today.

The members of Ulysses hold degrees from the Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory and Yale University. The musicians perform on instruments and bows graciously on loan from the Juilliard School, Canada Council of the Arts Instrument Bank and the Maestro Foundation. Ulysses is grateful for the support of Shar and Connolly Music.

JULY 7, 2020 @ 7:00 PM

A Far Cry
Kinan Azmeh, clarinet soloist

Kareem Roustom, (b. 1971), Dabke —

Kinan Azmeh, (b. 1976), Ibn Arabi Postlude —

Dinuk Wijeratne, (b. 1978), Clarinet Concerto, (2018) —
              Kinan Azmeh – clarinet soloist

INTERMISSION

Antonín Dvořák, (1841-1904), ‘American’ Quartet’, (String Quartet No.12, Op.96, 1893),  arr. by AFC —

1. Allegro ma non troppo

2. Lento

3. Molto vivace

4. Finale, Vivace ma non troppo

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A FAR CRY

Called a “world-wide phenomenon” by Boston’s WBUR, A Far Cry has nurtured a distinct approach to music-making since its founding in 2007. The self-conducted orchestra is a democracy in which decisions are made collectively and leadership rotates among the players (“Criers”). This structure has led to consistently thoughtful, innovative, and unpredictable programming — and impactful collaborations with celebrated performers and composers. Over the past year, A Far Cry has risen to the top of Billboard’s Traditional Classical Chart, been named Boston’s best classical ensemble by The Improper Bostonian, and celebrated two Grammy nominations for its Visions and Variations. Boston Musical Intelligencer sums up the group: “In its first decade, this conductor-free ensemble has earned and sustained a reputation for top-drawer playing, engrossing programming, and outstanding guest artists.”

A Far Cry’s omnivorous approach has led to collaborations with artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Simone Dinnerstein, Roomful of Teeth, the Silk Road Ensemble, Vijay Iyer, and David Krakauer. A Far Cry’s 13th season in 2019-20 includes nine Boston-area concerts as part of the group’s own series, and a celebration of the conclusion of a 10-year residency at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum with three concerts—the last a blowout/collaboration with Boston hip-hop luminary Moe Pope. The orchestra also tours its “Memory” program, with concerts at University of Colorado, Wake Forest University, and a debut performance at the Kennedy Center in March.

Recent tour highlights include two new commissioning projects: Philip Glass’ third piano concerto with soloist Simone Dinnerstein, and The Blue Hour, “a gorgeous and remarkably unified work” (Washington Post) written by a collaborative of five leading female composers – Rachel Grimes, Angélica Negrón, Shara Nova, Caroline Shaw, and Sarah Kirkland Snider; and featuring Grammy-winning singer Luciana Souza.

A Far Cry’s Crier Records launched auspiciously in 2014 with the Grammy-nominated album Dreams and Prayers. The label’s second release, Law of Mosaics, was included on many 2014 Top 10 lists, notably from New Yorker music critic Alex Ross and WQXR’s Q2 Music, which named A Far Cry as one of the “Imagination-Grabbing, Trailblazing Artists of 2014.” In 2018, Crier Records released A Far Cry’s Visions and Variations, featuring variations by Britten and Prokofiev, and Ethan Wood’s re-imagining of Mozart’s “Ah vous-dirai-je Maman.” The album received two Grammy nominations, including one for Best Chamber Music Performance.

The 18 Criers are proud to call Boston home, and maintain strong roots in the city, rehearsing at their storefront music center in Jamaica Plain and fulfilling the role of Chamber-Orchestra-in-Residence at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Collaborating with local students through educational partnerships with the New England Conservatory and Project STEP, A Far Cry aims to pass on the spirit of collaboratively-empowered music to the next generation.

Photo Credit – A Far Cry, photographed in South Boston, MA, USA on Tuesday, September 29, 2015. (Photo by Yoon S. Byun)

JUNE 24, 2020 @ 7:00 PM

The Knights
Colin Jacobsen, violin soloist

Colin Jacobsen, (b. 1978), Kreutzings, (New York Premiere) —

Ludwig van Beethoven, (1770-1827), Kreutzer Concerto, (Violin Sonata No.9, Op.47, 1803), Colin Jacobsen, violin soloist –
[arrangement: Colin Jacobsen] —

1. Adagio sostenuto – Presto

2. Andante con variazioni

3. Finale. Presto

INTERMISSION

Leoš Janáček, (1854-1928), Kreutzer Sonata, (1923), [original concept & arrangement: Eric Jacobsen, orchestration: Michael P. Atkinson] —

1. Adagio – Con moto

2. Con moto

3. Con moto – Vivo – Andante

4. Con moto – (Adagio) – Più mosso

Johannes Brahms, (1833-97), Hungarian Dances, (1879), [arranged: Paul Brantley] —

1. No. 1 in G minor

2. No. 19 B minor

3. No. 5 F-sharp minor

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PROGRAM NOTES

What exactly is it? I don’t understand. What is music? What does it do? And why does it do what it does?”
(Leo Tolstoy, responding to Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata)

What is it about Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata that has made this work so endlessly influential and inspiring? Written at the beginning of the 19th century, the massive violin sonata inspired a novella by Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy about jealousy, obsession, lust and insanity. The novella in turn inspired Czech composer Leoš Janáček to write his romantic and manic tone-poem of a string quartet.

Through our Kreutzer Project, we explore the obsessive, emotional and intellectual worlds probed by both Beethoven and Janáček. New arrangements by members of The Knights reimagine these masterpieces for chamber orchestra and bring the groundbreaking identity of these works into the 21st century. The full title of Beethoven’s sonata includes an inscription “…quasi come d’un concerto” – “…like a concerto.” This gave us the inspiration to go further in that direction, in a new arrangement by Colin Jacobsen of the piece for solo violin and orchestra that fleshes out the concerto-like qualities of this piece, while retaining the intimate interplay between parts characteristic of chamber music. Janáček’s String Quartet No. 1, entitled “Kreutzer Sonata,” has also been expanded to a chamber orchestra version by Michael Atkinson and Eric Jacobsen. While the original string quartet is rich in color and texture already, the new arrangement allows listeners the opportunity to experience Janacek’s vivid fantasy world in the expanded color palette of winds, brass and percussion, in addition to the original string writing.

The Kreutzer Project is one way The Knights are honoring Beethoven’s enduring legacy on the occasion of his 250th birth year, and it was developed in partnership with The Knights’ Innovation Fund, a new initiative that facilitates, leverages, and extends the artistic endeavors of the group. Thanks for being here and supporting the very living tradition in which Beethoven so brightly lit the way.

The Knights

THE KNIGHTS

THE KNIGHTS are a Grammy-nominated collection of adventurous musicians, dedicated to transforming the orchestral experience and eliminating barriers between audiences and music. Having performed and recorded with such renowned soloists as Yo-Yo Ma, Dawn Upshaw, Béla Fleck, and Gil Shaham, and appeared in venues including Vienna’s Musikverein and New York’s Carnegie Hall, recent highlights include a thrilling performance as part of the opening season of the new Hamburg Elbphilharmonie and an appearance as the first American orchestra-in- residence at the Festival du Paques in Aix-en-Provence, performing multiple concerts throughout the city, including programs with pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and violinist Renaud Capucon. The Knights recently presented a fully-staged version of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide in honor of his 100th birthday at both the Tanglewood Music Festival and the Ravinia Festival, and premiered The Head and the Load with international artist William Kentridge at London’s Tate Modern and New York’s Park Avenue Armory. The Knights evolved out of friendly late- night chamber music sessions at the home of violinist Colin Jacobsen and cellist Eric Jacobsen. Since the orchestra’s incorporation in 2007, the brothers have served as its artistic directors.

Conductor and cellist Eric Jacobsen has built a reputation for engaging audiences with innovative and collaborative projects. As conductor of The Knights, Jacobsen has led the “consistently inventive, infectiously engaged indie ensemble” (New York Times) at New York venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to Central Park, and at such renowned international halls as the Vienna Musikverein, Cologne Philharmonie, and Hamburg Elbphilharmonie. Now in his fourth season as Music Director of the Orlando Philharmonic, Jacobsen is also much in demand as a guest-conductor, and has recently led the Camerata Bern, Detroit Symphony, Alabama Symphony, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, Deutsche Philharmonie Merck, and Yo-Yo Ma’s Silkroad Ensemble.

Violinist and composer Colin Jacobsen is “one of the most interesting figures on the classical music scene” (The Washington Post). An eclectic composer who draws on a range of influences, he was named one of the top 100 composers under 40 by NPR listeners. He is also active as an Avery Fisher Career Grant-winning soloist and a touring member of Yo-Yo Ma’s famed Silk Road Ensemble. For his work as a founding member of two game-changing, audience-expanding ensembles – the string quartet Brooklyn Rider and orchestra The Knights – Jacobsen was selected from among the nation’s top visual, performing, media, and literary artists to receive a prestigious and substantial United States Artists Fellowsh

The Knights – Photo Credit – Shervin Lainez

JUNE 17, 2020 @ 7:00 PM

ECCO
Shai Wosner, piano soloist

Maureen Nelson, A Renaissance Suite —

Clara Schumann, (1819-96),  A Love Suite, (arranged by Michi Wiancko) —

J.S. Bach, (1685-1750), Chaconne – from Partita No.2 in D minor, BWV 1004, (by Michi Wiancko) —

INTERMISSION

Valentin Silvestrov, (b. 1996),  “The Messenger” for Piano and Strings, Shai Wosner – piano soloist —

W.A. Mozart, (1756-91) Piano Concerto No.12, K. 414 in A major, Shai Wosner – piano soloist —
Allegro in A major
Andante in D major
Allegretto in A major

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The critically acclaimed East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO) is a collective of dynamic like-minded artists who convene for select periods each year to explore musical works and perform concerts of the highest artistic quality. Drawing from some of the world’s finest orchestras, chamber groups, and young soloists, ECCO strives for vitality and musical integrity; a self-governing organization, each member is equal and has a voice in every step of the artistic process, from programming to performance. ECCO believes that the best musical experience can speak to all audiences regardless of age or socioeconomic background and performs accordingly across a wide range of venues.

ECCO is also firmly committed to sharing educational experiences with the communities it visits. Through interactive children’s concerts, small group master classes, and one-on-one lessons, ECCO continually seeks out opportunities to connect with young people. Doing so creates a much more engaging concert experience, illustrating through living example the ways in which classical music can be accessible to the modern listener. Performance opportunities also allow the members of ECCO to share the musical knowledge gained during their individual and unique lifetimes of music. The same energy that is contagious in ECCO’s performances is presented and shared without the boundaries of the stage to those interested in learning.

Pianist Shai Wosner has attracted international recognition for his exceptional artistry, musical integrity, and creative insight. His performances of a broad range of repertoire—from Beethoven and Schubert to Ligeti and the music of today—reflect a degree of virtuosity and intellectual curiosity that has made him a favorite among audiences and critics, who note his “keen musical mind and deep musical soul” (NPR’s All Things Considered).

Mr. Wosner’s penchant for eclectic pairings of diverse repertoire is on full display this October, when he performs Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 14 in E-flat major alongside the world premiere of Christopher Cerrone’s new piano concerto Dissolving Margins on tour with ECCO (East Coast Chamber Orchestra) in Memphis, Philadelphia, and New York. This new concerto for piano and strings was inspired by the writings of Elena Ferrante and takes its title from her Neapolitan novels, wherein one of the central characters experiences a recurring sense of existential malaise that she describes as a feeling of “dissolving margins.” The work was co-commissioned for Mr. Wosner by the 92nd Street Y—which presents the New York premiere—and the Albany and Phoenix Symphonies, with which Mr. Wosner performs the concerto in March. On the program in Phoenix, he also performs Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, and additional orchestral highlights of his season include performances of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major with the Sarasota Orchestra and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 14 in E-flat major and Szymanowski’s Symphony No. 4 for piano and orchestra with the Hamburg Symphony.

FOR MORE INFO go to his website —

Photo Credit Jonas Powell –