The 2014 Winter Festival Series performance is a bit like an episode of Sesame Street devoted to the letter F.

Comprised of three radically different quartets, our program explores the classicism of Mozart, the budding modernism of Benjamin Britten, and a musical form of impressionism in the lone string quartet by French master Maurice Ravel. Interestingly, all three pieces were composed while the respective composer was in his 20’s.

P is for Fantasy: The Phantasy for oboe and string trio, Op. 2, by Benjamin Britten, marked the composer’s first major success. Composed in 1932 and premiered in 1933, the piece eventually garnered international attention by its inclusion in a prominent music festival in Florence, Italy, in 1934. Today the work surely gives Britten serious street cred, if only for his penchant for substituting ‘Ph’ for ‘F’ in his spelling of the word fantasy.

Phantasy. Festival in Florence.

F Major: The Oboe Quartet, K. 370, by Mozart was composed in 1781 for the virtuoso oboe soloist of the famed Mannheim Orchestra, Friedrich Ramm. The English word oboe is derived from the French word haubois meaning high wood. Mozart’s quartet, for all its melodic beauty, is known for its using one of the highest notes of the high wood, the high F.

Famed orchestra. Friedrich. High F.

F Major: French composer Maurice Ravel composed his only string quartet between 1902 and 1903. It is dedicated to his teacher, Gabriel Fauré. While Fauré must have been honored to receive the dedication, he declared the quartet’s Finale to be a failure. Time has proven Fauré to be most incorrect on this score. The quartet is cyclical, meaning that music presented in the first movement reappears throughout the four movements. In the Finale, Ravel makes extensive use of an unconventional rhythmic cycle of five beats and asks the performers to go very fast.

French. Fauré. Finale failure? False! In five. Fast.

If you are the sort who likes to give grades, we hope that you will give our exploration of the letter ‘F’ an A+… certainly not an F!

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

Phantasy Quartet in F minor, Op.2 for Oboe and String Trio

W. A Mozart (1756-1791)

Quartet in F Major, K. 370 for Oboe and Strings

I. Allegro

II. Adagio

III. Rondeau: Allegro

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

String Quartet in F Major (1903)

I. Allegro moderato. Très doux

II. Assez vif. Très rythmé

III. Très lent

IV. Vif et agité

Artists: Timothy Christie, Maria Sampen, Sally Singer Tuttle, Dan Williams, Harlem Quartet, Jaime Amador, Ilmar Gavilán, Ismar Gomes and Melissa White

Mozart will lifts your spirits at Tasting Music Two

Mozart is essential. His music lifts our spirits, particularly during the long darkness of midwinter. The oboe quartet in F Major, K. 370, predicts a more temperate time of year. The pastoral quality of the oboe piping merrily above droning strings brings to mind the idyllic image of a shepherd wiling away a pleasant afternoon in the sun... with a handy supply of champagne and a few good friends.

Artists: Timothy Christie, Maria Sampen, Sally Singer Tuttle, and Dan Williams

Known for their high-energy performances, the Harlem Quartet kicks off the January Tasting Music Series

The annual January WWCMF performance at Charles Smith Wines has become must-see programming in Walla Walla. The 2014 installment will not disappoint. The Harlem Quartet will transport you to the ‘big city’ of a bygone era with performances of music by Ellington, Strayhorn and Marsalis. The cool, chic, urban Charles Smith Wines tasting room will be our speakeasy for the night..

Artists: Harlem Quartet

This interactive series will give you a window into the lives and experiences of the remarkably talented artists who perform here.

The Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival is proud to unveil the new Portrait of an Artist series. About 27 different artists perform at WWCMF annually. These artists, whether composer, string player, wind player, or vocalist, etc., participate in the democratic process of working within a chamber ensemble. However, individually each musician brings a unique perspective and a level of personal artistry that sometimes goes unheralded. The Portrait of an Artist series gives the audience the opportunity to forge connections with individual musicians.

This interactive series will give the audience a window into the lives and experiences of the talented artists who come to Walla Walla for the Festival. Join us for this special recital, and meet your music maker!

In January, we’ll feature oboist Dan Williams. The word oboe comes from the French, hautbois, meaning high wood. This double reed instrument is both ancient and modern, exotic and familiar. Dan Williams will perform a program that covers the breadth of the oboe’s expressive possibilities. WWCMF founder and Artistic Director, Timothy Christie, will moderate.

Artists: Dan Williams