Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

String Sextet, Op. 85, TrV 279a, From Capriccio (1941)

Andante con moto

Jessie Montgomery (b. 1980)

Voodoo Dolls (2008)

for String Quartet

Jessie Montgomery (b. 1980)

Strum (2006)

for String Quartet

Carlos Simon (b. 1986)

Loop (2021)

for String Trio

— Intermission —

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 66 (1845)

I. Allegro energico e con fuoco

II. Andante espressivo

III. Scherzo: Molto allegro quasi presto

IV. Finale: Allegro appassionato

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Puget Sound Piano Trio: Alistair MacRae, cello; Ronaldo Rolim, piano; Maria Sampen, violin; Vital Quartet: William Frampton, viola; Alberto Parrini, cello; Philip Payton, violin; Orlando Wells, violin

It’s Friday the 13th. And you’ll feel it in the roiling, anxiety-ridden opening bars of this extraordinary work by Felix Mendelssohn at the height of his powers. But you’ll be reassured and uplifted by the song without words, duet really, of the second movement; tickled by the impishly scurrying third; and ultimately transformed by the triumphant Finale. WWCMF Founder and Artistic Director leads an exploration of the music along with the Puget Sound Piano Trio, making their long overdue Walla Walla debut.

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 66 (1845)

I. Allegro energico e con fuoco

II. Andante espressivo

III. Scherzo: Molto allegro quasi presto

IV. Finale: Allegro appassionato

Artists: Timothy Christie, moderator; Puget Sound Piano Trio: Alistair MacRae, cello; Ronaldo Rolim, piano; Maria Sampen, violin

You’ve met the artists in pianist, Thomas Rosenkranz, and The Westerlies. You’ve explored the music in Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 49, and original compositions by the Westerlies. Now it’s time to bring it all together with a collaboration that ties all the seemingly disparate sources into one original piece of music.

With the Gloria of Stravinsky’s Mass as inspiration, Andy Clausen of The Westerlies has arranged a new piece to be premiered by the combined forces of all of the Winter Festival Artists. The new work is a fitting way to welcome Stravinsky to this season’s poster. Also featured on the performance is the Mendelssohn D minor Piano Trio, and selections by The Westerlies.

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

PIANO TRIO IN D MINOR, OP. 49

I. Molto allegro ed agitato
II. Andante con moto tranquillo
III. Scherzo: Leggiero e vivace
IV. Finale: Allegro assai appassionato

— INTERMISSION —

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), arr. Andy Clausen

MASS (1948)

II. Gloria

ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS BY THE WESTERLIES

Selections will be announced from the stage.

WWCMF acknowledges the generous support of the Walla Walla Piano Group in providing the Steinway Model B piano for this performance. Bravo, and thank you!

Artists: Timothy Christie, Viola; Andy Clausen, trombone; Zubin Hensler, trumpet; Willem de Koch, trombone; Riley Mulherkar, trumpet; Thomas Rosenkranz, piano; Maria Sampen, violin; and Sally Singer Tuttle, cello.

Mendelssohn composed the first of his two piano trios in 1839 at the age of 20. In our first season, WWCMF presented the second piano trio in C minor, Op.66. Now that we are celebrating our tenth season, it’s high time we played the first piano trio in D minor, Op. 49.

At risk of getting lost in all these numbers is the simple truth that young Mendelssohn conceived music of astonishing originality and beauty. Possessed of sharp wit and by contrast, ardent tenderness, Mendelssohn’s Op. 49 has been a staple of the chamber music repertoire since its initial performance. The work showcases both a virtuoso’s command of the piano and the kind of spacious lyricism that would ultimately manifest itself in Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words.

Founder and Artistic Director, Timothy Christie, will lead a detailed exploration and performance with three world-class festival artists: Maria Sampen, violin; Sally Singer, cello; and Thomas Rosenkranz, piano.

Please note that this performance is at the production facility of A. Morell Wines at 1489 West Rose Street. 

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

PIANO TRIO IN D MINOR, OP. 49

I. Molto allegro ed agitato
II. Andante con moto tranquillo
III. Scherzo: Leggiero e vivace
IV. Finale: Allegro assai appassionato

WWCMF acknowledges the generous support of the Walla Walla Piano Group in providing the Steinway Model B piano for this performance. Bravo, and thank you!

Artists: Thomas Rosenkranz, piano; Maria Sampen, violin; and Sally Singer Tuttle, cello.

For the second performance on the Festival Series, the piano goes silent. In its place are intimate works for strings, clarinet and voice.

The six “Brentano” songs of Richard Strauss, Op. 68, represent a return from the opera house to the concert stage. Each song expresses an aspect of Strauss’ undying love for his wife, Pauline, who was a soprano. Tonight’s vocalist, Jennifer Goltz, has supplied a lovingly arranged setting of three of the six songs for soprano and string quartet.

Next up is the Adagio for clarinet and strings by Heinrich Baermann, a tender expression of affection in which the clarinet sings like the human voice.

The program concludes with the bracing and affecting String Quartet in F minor, Op. 80 by Felix Mendelssohn. If the first half of the program concentrates on love, the second half explores loss. In this case, Mendelssohn, inconsolable at the loss of his beloved sister, Fanny, expresses his grief through music. No lament, this quartet shakes its fists at God, and the result is a virtuosic masterpiece you won’t want to miss.

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Jennifer Goltz, soprano; Andrew Jennings, violin; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Christina McGann, violin; Stephen Miahky, violin; Maria Sampen, violin; Kevin Schempf, clarinet; and Sally Singer Tuttle, cello.

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
String Quartet in F minor, Op. 80
1   Allegro vivace assai
2   Allegro assai
3   Adagio
4   Finale: Allegro molto

Felix Mendelssohn enjoyed a life of privilege compared to many of his colleagues in the canon of great composers. He had a loving family who gave him every opportunity. Sundays at the Mendelssohn household came complete with a full orchestra assembled to play through young Felix and his sister Fanny’s newest compositions. As a teenager, Mendelssohn churned out a baker’s dozen of String Symphonies, each a gem in its own right, not to mention the masterful Octet and the evocative incidental music to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In young adulthood, Mendelssohn would be received by royalty such as Queen Victoria of England, who Mendelssohn accompanied in songs of his own composition (and Fanny’s, though she was not permitted to publish). The narrative would suggest that Felix, a genius to be sure, led a charmed life.

Tasting Music 2 explores his final work, the String Quartet in F minor, Op. 80. Here we find a very different Mendelssohn. Wracked with grief over the death of his beloved sister, Mendelssohn saw his own health decline rapidly. On hiatus to recover in Switzerland, Mendelssohn turned his attention to the medium of the string quartet. His Op. 80 is a work of almost unrelenting anxiety. Through this work we have a glimpse of the composer Mendelssohn might have become had he lived longer. Though inconsolable, Mendelssohn gives us a work of supreme beauty and virtuosity that will leave you breathless. WWCMF returns to Pepper Bridge Winery for this special performance.

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Andrew Jennings, violin; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; and Maria Sampen, violin.

Commentary: Timothy Christie

The 2016 Winter Festival concludes with a duel. You have heard of “Dueling Banjos?” Well tonight we have dueling quartets. Festival artists, Brittany Boulding (violin), Alistair MacRae (cello), Maria Sampen (violin) and Timothy Christie (viola) are joined by special guest artists, PRISM Quartet for a wild exploration of music for string and saxophone quartets respectively.

The two quartets will also join forces for a performance of Seattle-born composer, Paul Chihara’s, Forever Escher. The title takes inspiration from the graphic artist, M.C. Escher, whose prints adorn the dorm room of many an undergraduate. We are all familiar with the images of stairs leading to impossible dimensions or the pair of hands simultaneously drawing themselves in 2- and 3-D. The Escher of this work, however, explores the concept of metamorphosis, specifically in his 1940 work, Metamorphosis II. The work can be viewed here. We will explore this concept sonically through music of Mendelssohn, Chihara and beyond.

PRISM Quartet will take the stage alone to bring the 2016 Winter Festival to a stunning conclusion. Happy New Year, indeed!

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

STRING QUARTET IN A MINOR, OP. 13

I. Adagio - Allegro vivace
II. Adagio non lento
III. Intermezzo. Allegretto con moto - Allegro di molto
IV. Presto

Intermission

Paul Chihara (b. 1938)

FOREVER ESCHER, FOR SAXOPHONE QUARTET AND STRING QUARTET (1995)

I. Molto Moderato
II. Allegro vivace: Ben ritmico
III. Calmo
IV. Andante cantabile: "Quarendo invenientes”

PRISM QUARTET

Selections to be announced from the stage.

Artists: Brittany Boulding, violin; Timothy Christie, viola; Matthew Levy, tenor saxophone; Alistair MacRae, cello; Timothy McAllister, soprano saxophone; Maria Sampen, violin; Zach Shemon, alto saxophone; and Taimur Sullivan, baritone saxophone.

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

STRING QUARTET IN A MINOR, OP. 13

I. Adagio - Allegro vivace
II. Adagio non lento
III. Intermezzo. Allegretto con moto - Allegro di molto
IV. Presto

1827 was an important year in music. It is the year in which Beethoven died, leaving a legacy that would both intimidate and inspire composers such as Schumann and Brahms for the remainder of the 19th Century. Beethoven spent his final productive days working almost exclusively in the medium of the string quartet. The so-called “Late Quartets” remain the pinnacle of the quartet repertoire to this day. Deeply personal statements, the Late Quartets give us a window into the agonies, reconciliations and revelations of Beethoven at the end of his life. His peers thought the works  to be no more than the incoherent ravings of a deaf and swiftly deteriorating artist. However, one composer devoured these works and studied them with zealous devotion. That composer was none other than the 18 year-old, Felix Mendelssohn.

Mere months after the death of Beethoven, Mendelssohn completed his String Quartet in A minor, Op. 13 and proved himself to be an apt student. Notably, Mendelssohn emulates Beethoven in his use of the operatic convention of recitative, a free form solo line punctuated by striking harmonic changes. Beethoven invokes recitative both in his monumental Ninth Symphony (it is through instrumental recitative that Beethoven navigates his way toward the “Ode to Joy,” and unleashes the surprise of vocal soloists and choir in its ultimate triumph) and more intimately in his Op. 132 String Quartet. Mendelssohn uses a dramatic recitative to set up a device that provides thematic unity to his work, a song of his own titled,”Frage,” or “Question.”

Fans of the annual WWCMF Collage concert in June will note that Mendelssohn’s self-quotation of Frage in this quartet provided the thematic framework for the 2013 edition of Collage. Finally, you will have closure as we explore the whole quartet in all its glory!

Foundry Vineyards provides the perfect setting in which to discover delicious wines and to consider Mendelssohn’s early masterpiece.

Question
Is it true? Is it true
that you always wait for me there
in the leafy path by the grape arbor
and ask the moonlight and the little stars about me?
Is it true? Speak!

What I feel can only be understood
by someone who feels it with me,
and who will stay forever true to me.
— from 12 Songs, Op. 9, No. 1, Frage [Question], Felix Mendelssohn

Artists: Brittany Boulding, violin; Timothy Christie, viola; Alistair MacRae, cello; and Maria Sampen, violin.

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Linda Tam.

Closing night of the 2015 Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival bids au revoir with a pair of virtuoso works for harp and strings.

The Debussy Danse Sacrée et Danse Profane for Harp and Strings has been the measure of many a harpist since its composition in 1904. Fellow Frenchman Camille Saint-Saëns composed his Fantaisie for Harp and Violin in 1907. Though close in age, these works inhabit very different sound worlds. Bringing everything to a close is the virtuosic Sextet for Piano and Strings by Felix Mendelssohn. Pound for pound, Mendelssohn delivered more show-stoppers than any other composer by the age of 18. The D Major Sextet is just that, composed when Mendelssohn was but 15 years old. It is a fitting way to usher in the 2016 Festival season over which Mendelssohn will preside as subject of the year’s poster.

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)

FANTAISIE FOR VIOLIN AND HARP

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

DANSE SACRÉ ET DANSE PROFANE FOR HARP AND STRINGS

Intermission

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

PIANO SEXTET IN D MAJOR, OP. 110

I. Allegro vivace
II. Adagio
III. Minuetto: Agitato
IV. Allegro vivace — Agitato — Allegro con fuoco

Artists: Winston Choi, piano; Timothy Christie, viola; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Amy Ley, harp; Christina McGann, violin; Stephen Miahky, violin; Philip Payton, violin; Maria Sampen, violin; Stephen Schermer, bass; Sally Singer Tuttle, cello; and MingHuan Xu, violin.

What’s the difference between a fiddle and a violin? Exactly.

Festival Series II presents three distinct versions of what it means to play the fiddle.

Long before Charlie Daniels scored a hit with the song The Devil Went Down to Georgia, Igor Stravinsky told the story of a soldier who sells both his soul and his fiddle to the Devil for wealth and power. Here, WWCMF offers Stravinsky’s trio version for violin, clarinet and piano.

American composer Evan Chambers was brought up on a steady diet of folk music. His work Come Down Heavy! for violin, saxophone, and piano is a testament to his roots. From the gritty Steel Drivin’ Man (John Henry) to the tender I Gave My Love a Cherry, this magnificent piece is uniquely American.

The program concludes with Mendelssohn at his finest. The String Quintet in B Flat will leave you glowing with uproarious joy.

Artists: Timothy Christie, Katri Ervamaa, Andrew Jennings, Norbert Lewandowski, Christina McGann, Stephen Miahky, Erik Rynearson, John Sampen, Maria Sampen, Kevin Schempf, and Cristina Valdes.

Mendelssohn B Flat Viola Quintet: For best results, shake before opening.

Have you ever popped the cork on a bottle of champagne only to see the contents of the bottle burst forth in a bubbly jet of unchecked enthusiasm? This experience need not be the sole propriety of championship-winning professional athletes. We can all experience this frivolous rush without the needless waste. The Mendelssohn String Quintet in B Flat, Op. 87, offers just such an experience.

Experience the rush!

Pop!

Artists: Timothy Christie, Katri Ervamaa, Stephen Miahky, Christina McGann, and Erik Rynearson

Popper: Requiem for 3 Cellos and Piano

Brahms: Piano Quartet in c minor Op. 60

Mendelssohn: Octet for Strings in E flat Op. 20

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: Mendelssohn Octet

Beethoven: Piano Trio in B Flat Major Op. 11

Shrude: "Raining Glass"

Mendelssohn: Piano Trio in c minor Op. 66

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: Mendelssohn C Minor Piano Trio