(Clockwise) Violin, piano, harp, and oboe
Chamber music is perhaps the most subtle and intimate form of musical expression. It has inspired many great composers to create some of their most sublime works. Originally designed for the private enjoyment of its players in a drawing room, it is now heard in recital and concert halls throughout the world.
Explore some of the chamber repertoire’s great works, and their various forms, in this lively and engaging series, co-sponsored by the Friday Morning Music Club and led by pianist Frank Conlon. Learn about the elements that distinguish chamber music from other musical forms, the creative process of writing chamber music, preparation and rehearsal techniques, and the special skill of sight-reading, which lends itself to informal chamber music sessions. Each session is highlighted by music and video recordings and live chamber performances by Friday Morning Music Club musicians.
OCT 19 Two’s Company
Duos and sonatas are the most transparent, economical, and personal forms of chamber music. Mozart’s Duos for Violin and Viola; sonata movements by Handel and Beethoven; Poulenc’s Sonata for Flute and Piano.
OCT 26 The String Quartet
The quartet’s instruments being in the same family allows for the most perfect blend of tone and ensemble in chamber music. Haydn’s Quartet, Op. 33, No. 3 (“The Bird”); Dvorak’s Quartet, Op. 96 (“American”).
NOV 2 Piano and Strings
This pairing allows the piano to alternately balance and contrast with the unified sound of the strings. Beethoven’s Trio, Op. 97 (“Archduke”); Mozart’s Quartet, K. 478; Dvorak’s Quintet, Op. 81.
NOV 9 The Merging of Different Instrumental Families
When bowed or plucked string instruments combine with woodwind, brass, and piano, the musical sounds that result are among the most textured in the chamber repertoire. Brahms’s Trio for Horn, Violin, and Piano, Op. 40, the Loeffler Rhapsodies for Oboe, Viola, and Piano; and Debussy’s Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Harp.
NOV 16 Voice and Instruments
A singer’s voice adds a meaningful ingredient to the instrumental blend. German arias by Handel, Schubert’s Shepherd on the Rock, and Barber’s Dover Beach.
NOV 30 Four Hands, Four Voices
Piano duets and vocal quartets have been popular for centuries, and several composers have combined them. Schubert’s Fantasia for Piano Duet, D. 940, and Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes, Op. 52.
Conlon has served on the music faculties of George Washington University, George Mason University, and The Catholic University of America. He is also minister of music at Washington’s Church of the Annunciation.
6 sessions; no class Nov. 23
