Adams' Hallelujah Junction and music of Enescu, Mozart and Haydn

Festival Series III brings three centuries of chamber music to the WWCMF stage. From the outer ends of the 20th century are John Adams’ Hallelujah Junction (1998) and George Enescu’s First Rumanian Rhapsody (1901). For the Adams, will pianists Winston Choi and Xak Bjerken rouse the combined 176 hammers of the black and white keys of two pianos into a celebratory chorus of Americana Minimalism? I think not… The Enescu First Rumanian Rhapsody, full of both sentiment and dizzying virtuosity, brings to mind the antics of classic Bugs Bunny.

Balancing these works from the poles of the 20th century are works by Mozart and Haydn. The Mozart Grande Sestetto Concertante is an artful reworking of his famous Sinfonia Concertante K. 364, for violin, viola and orchestra. So deft is the transcription that the jobs of two soloists and full orchestra are carried out by just six musicians, providing an intimacy and accessibility unmatched by the large scale original. Finally, Festival Series III pays homage to the Father of the String Quartet, Franz Joseph Haydn. His Op. 71, No. 2 is a compelling example of both his unmatched elegance and his legendary wit.

Artists: Xak Bjerken, Kevin Casseday, Winston Choi, Timothy Christie, Kevin Krentz, Norbert Lewandowski, Christina McGann, Stephen Miahky, Philip Payton ,Julia Salerno, Maria Sampen and MingHuan Xu.