The Smithsonian Chamber Music Society celebrates its 32nd season with an appropriately eclectic repast, balancing familiar masterworks with undeservedly neglected pieces. Celebrating Mendelssohn's 200th birthday, the Chamber Players, along with the Los Angeles Piano Quartet's Michi Wiancko and Katharine Murdock, perform his ebullient Quintet in A Major.
Two miniatures balance the massive G Major Quartet on this season’s Schubertiade, and The Esterházy Machine returns to perform a concert of little-known music that Haydn wrote for the private use of his patron, Prince Nikolaus (“the Magnificent”) Esterhazy, and for the wives of Nikolaus’ successors, Paul Anton II and Nikolaus II. The Masterworks series adds a “fifth century” when five of America’s leading viol players convene to present a set of English consorts from the time of Henry VIII to Elizabeth I. The Founders’ Trio of the Smithsonian Chamber Players, with guest violinist Julie Andrijeski, brings the season to a memorable close with an exquisite program honoring the 350th anniversary of Purcell’s birth and the 250th anniversary of Handel’s death.
Sun., Jan. 11
Consorts of Orlando Gibbons, William Byrd, and Christopher Tye
The Smithsonian Consort of Viols: Marie Dalby, Catharina Meints, Kenneth Slowik, Craig Trompeter, and Brent Wissick, viols
Sun., Feb. 15
A Schubertiade: String Trio in B-flat Major, D471; Sonata in A Minor, D385; Quartet in G Major, D887
The Smithsonian Chamber Players: Ian Swensen and Marilyn McDonald, violins; Douglas McNabney, viola; Kenneth Slowik, violoncello and fortepiano
Sun., March 15
Joseph Haydn: Trios for the Esterhazys
The Esterházy Machine: Steven Dann, violin and viola; Myron Lutzke, violoncello; Kenneth Slowik, baryton and fortepiano
Sun., April 5
Franz Berwald: String Quartet No. 3 in E-flat Major
Bela Bartok: String Quartet No. 3
Mendelssohn: Quintet in A Major, Op. 18
The Smithsonian Chamber Players: Mark Fewer and Michi Wiancko, violins; Douglas McNabney and Katherine Murdock, violas; Kenneth Slowik, violoncello
Sun., May 17
Trio Sonatas of Henry Purcell and Georg Friderick Handel
The Smithsonian Chamber Players: Marilyn McDonald and Julie Andrijeski, violins; Kenneth Slowik, viola da gamba and violoncello; James Weaver, harpsichord and organ
CODE: BPH6
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