Tonight we feature music by Amy Beach, Joan Tower, Marion Bauer and Gustav Mahler.

Gustav Mahler is known as the composer of ten-ish unwieldy Symphonies, numerous song cycles, and as one of the most polarizing musical figures of the late 19th century. Noticeably absent from his compositional output are any substantive chamber works. There is one exception, however, that of a single movement for piano quartet in A minor. We pair Mahler’s single movement with music by three American composers, Amy Beach, Marion Bauer and Joan Tower.

Originally hailing from Walla Walla (woo-hoo!), Marion Bauer made her mark in New York City as a composer, author and professor, influencing such luminaries as Aaron Copland and Milton Babbitt. She was also the first in a long line of Americans to study with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. Her three-movement Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 22, is required listening for any self-respecting music-loving resident or visitor to the Walla Walla Valley.

Rounding out the program are two works for flute and string quartet, the Theme and Variations, Op. 80, by Amy Beach and Rising, by Joan Tower (2009).

First Time? Perhaps this is your first time attending a concert where the works — even the composers — are unknown to you. 

The composers Dan Welcher, Joan Tower, Friedrich Hermann and Anton Arensky fall outside of the canon of the ubiquitous “dead white guys” whose music dominates classical programming. To my knowledge, none of these composers ever sported a wig, and if they did, the wig would certainly not be powdered. How, then, could they compose great classical music, you ask? There’s only one way to find out!

Festival Series III explores exceptional music by composers you don’t encounter every day. From the wild virtuosity of Dan Welcher's Dante Dances, to the Russian liturgical influence of Arensky’s tribute to his idol, Tchaikovsky, each work on this program will surprise and delight. Petroushskates, by living American composer, Joan Tower, takes two sources for its inspiration; the Shrovetide Fair of Stravinsky’s ballet masterpiece, Petroushka, and the flowing continuous line of a figure skater’s blade on the ice. Perhaps another influence on this work is the instrumental force known as a “Pierrot Ensemble,” after the seminal work Pierrot Lunaire, by Arnold Schönberg. In every case, these works deserve our attention, and we guarantee that you will always remember your first time.

Friedrich Hermann (1828-1907)

Capriccio No. 2 in G major, Op. 5 for 3 violins

Allegro molto

Dan Welcher (b. 1948)

Dante Dances (Danzi d'Inferno) for clarinet & piano

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Prélude à l'après-midi d'une faune for piano, clarinet and flute

Joan Tower (1938-Present)

Petroushskates for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano

Anton Arensky (1861-1906)

String Quartet No. 2 in a minor, Op. 35 for violin, viola and 2 cellos

I. Moderato

II. Thème (and Variations). Moderato

III. Finale. Andante sostenuto - Allegro moderato

Artists: Sarah Brady, Winston Choi, Timothy Christie, Julia Gish-Salerno, Norbert Lewandowski, Christina McGann, Stephen Miahky, Philip Payton, David Requiro, Maria Sampen, Kevin Schempf, Meta Weiss and MingHuan Xu