Dimitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)

PIANO TRIO IN E MINOR, OP. 67 (1944)

I. Andante — Moderato

II. Allegro con brio

III. Largo

IV. Allegretto — Adagio

— Intermission —

Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957)

STRING SEXTET, OP. 10 (1916)

for 2 violins, 2 violas & 2 cellos

I. Moderato - Allegro

II. Adagio. Langsam

III. Intermezzo. In gemäßigtem Zeitmaß, mit Grazie

IV. Finale. So rasch als möglich (Presto). Mit Feuer und Humor.

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Linda Kline, Viola; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Stephen Miahky, violin; David Requiro, cello; Ronaldo Rolim, piano; Maria Sampen, violin; Meta Weiss, cello

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.

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Mark Brucks and Susan Monahan.

Robert Hutchinson (b. 1970)

PAS DE QUATRE (2010) FOR STRING QUARTET

Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival Commission

Dimitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)

TWO PIECES, OP. 11 FOR STRING OCTET

I. Prelude: Adagio

II. Scherzo: Allegro molto

INTERMISSION

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

CLARINET QUINTET IN A, K. 581

I. Allegro

II. Larghetto

III. Menuetto

IV. Allegretto con variazioni

Artists: Doyle Armbrust, viola; Timothy Christie, viola; Maeve Feinberg, violin; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Clara Lyon, violin; Anna Maberry, Violin; Philip Payton, violin; Russel Rolen, cello; Maria Sampen, violin; Kevin Schempf, clarinet; and Spektral Quartet.

The 2016 Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival comes to a close with a program any Hollywood producer would admire.

• Shostakovich, String Quartet in A flat, Op. 118

• Schumann, Violin Sonata in A minor, Op. 105

• Dvorak, Piano Quartet in E flat, Op. 87

What makes a good blockbuster? Worthy protagonists, an implacable villain, equal measures of suspense, uncertainty and volatility, and, eventually, a happy ending. WWCMF brings these plot devices together in a program of music by Shostakovich, Schumann and Dvorak.

Our protagonists are Dmitri Shostakovich, a lonely artist in Soviet Era Russia; Robert Schumann, a passionate but unstable romantic; and Antonin Dvorak, a folk hero who gave a voice to the Czech people. The villains are the Soviet machine and crises of identity in the face of overwhelming odds. The music is in turns scenic, terrifying, resolute and, ultimately, heroically triumphant. When the final credits roll, you will already be able to taste the sequel…

2017: The 10-year Anniversary of WWCMF… This time, it’s personal!

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Christina McGann, violin; Philip Payton, violin; Maria Sampen, violin; Sally Singer Tuttle, cello; and Wei-Han Wu, piano.

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)
String Quartet in A Flat, Op. 118
I.   Andante
II.  Allegretto furioso
III. Adagio
IV. Allegretto — Andante

The fifteen string quartets of Dmitri Shostakovich offer the listener a more intimate window into the life of the greatest Russian composer of the Soviet Era. While many of his symphonies were composed to appease the Kremlin’s censors and serve as Soviet propaganda, the quartets express more personal sentiments.

The Tenth Quartet, composed some eleven years after the death of Stalin, is by Shostakovich standards more at ease than some of his other works. There is, of course, a terrifying march episode, the second movement, but somehow, the effects are less calamitous than in works such as his Eighth Quartet, heard during the first season of WWCMF back in 2008. This profoundly beautiful work of hymns and dances will bring the 2016 Tasting Music Series to a close, set against the backdrop of the spectacular vineyards of TERO Estates Winery.

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Stephen Miahky, violin; and Philip Payton, violin.

The Schumann Piano Quartet in E flat plus music by Janacek and Shostakovich

The Janacek Sonata for Violin and Piano calls to mind vibrant colors discreetly hidden amid the ancient shadowy cobbled streets of Prague. The Shostakovich Prelude and Scherzo for String Octet stands as a work of virtuosity from this giant of the 20th Century. The lyricism of the Schumann Piano Quartet in E Flat is unmatched. In its slow movement we find one of the most glorious melodies in all of music. Triumphant in its outlook the Piano Quartet is one of Schumann’s best-loved compositions. The performance will feature the Icicle Creek Piano Trio’s Oksana Ezhokina at the keyboard, violinist Maria Sampen, violist and Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival Founder and Artistic Director Timothy Christie, and cellist Norbert Lewandowski.

Pierce: "Lord of June: Dragonfly Music for String Trio"

—Composed for the 2008 WWCMF. World premiere performance.

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8 Op. 110

Brahms: Piano Quintet in f minor Op. 34

Wine, like classical music, can be an intimidating and complex subject: structure, acidity, balance, tannin, and every fruit imaginable (besides grapes!) seems to assert itself in a glass of good wine.

In music, form, structure, harmony, development, motive, and counterpoint are some of the building blocks that remain a mystery for the well-intentioned listener. Tasting Music addresses both, providing sips and sounds that will enhance the experience of listening to classical music, all in an informal tasting room setting. Guests are invited to sample wines, enjoy a snack, and participate in a discussion/performance of chamber music by Festival musicians. Each Tasting Music event will explore one musical work from the Festival Series in an informal but informative hour-long format. Guests can ask questions and interact with the musicians in a relaxed and fun environment. To learn about wine, one must taste. To learn about music, one must listen. Multitasking never felt so good.

Tonight: Shostakovich 8th String Quartet