Happy Birthday to You!

Tonight, we blow out the candles on the 2019 Festival Series, literally. The program will end with a kaleidoscopic version of Happy Birthday To You. Did you know the iconic tune was composed by two American women, Patty and Mildred J. Hill? Yup. It happened in 1893, round about the time Sibelius composed the string trio that opened the very first Festival Series performance of 2019 back in January. Talk about coming full-circle. In this case, however, the famous tune has been given the “Winston Choi” treatment… That means lots of musical Easter Eggs for you to identify. It’s a mashup worthy of the 300+ birthdays we will celebrate in honor of those who attend.

There’s more. Submerged for flute, harp and viola by Uruguayan-American composer, Miguel del Águila, Compline for string quartet, flute, clarinet and harp by Christopher Rouse, plus the Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57, by Dimitri Shostakovich round out the program. Excellent music, all, but I suggest you come to toast the anniversary of your own birth. It’ll be quite the celebration, and you deserve it!

Miguel del Águila (b. 1957)

Submerged (2013) For Flute, Harp And Violin

Christopher Rouse (b. 1949)

Compline (1996) For String Quartet, Flute, Clarinet And Harp

INTERMISSION

Dimitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)

Piano Quintet In G Minor, Op. 57 (1940)

I. Prelude: Lento

II. Fugue: Adagio

III. Scherzo: Allegretto

IV. Intermezzo: Lento

V. Finale: Allegretto

Winston Choi (b. 1977)

Happy Birthday Medley: A Violinist's Journey

Artists: Sarah Brady, flute; Winston Choi, piano; Timothy Christie, viola; Katri Ervamaa, cello; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Amy Ley, harp; Christina McGann, violin; Stephen Miahky, violin; Philip Payton, violin; Maria Sampen, violin; Kevin Schempf, clarinet; and MingHuan Xu, violin.

Compline by Christopher Rouse

Composer Christopher Rouse composed Compline for the eclectic group of string quartet, harp, flute and clarinet as an ode to his first visit to the Eternal City of Rome, Italy.

Rouse positions the listener in the city with a device noting the omnipresence of church bells in Rome. The bell sounds take the form of a busy and unrelenting ostinato, fragmented and shared by the seven players in turn. Every corner of the seven-sided ensemble erupts and overlaps in joyous tintinnabulation. Contrasting this mood is the sense of antiquity, and a more sober musical idiom.

Come delve into this miraculous travelogue at Pepper Bridge winery, and close out the 2019 Tasting Music Series in ultimate style.

Artists: Sarah Brady, flute; Timothy Christie, viola; Katri Ervamaa, cello; Amy Ley, harp; Stephen Miahky, violin; Maria Sampen, violin; and Kevin Schempf, clarinet.