Piano trios by Tchaikovsky and Dvořák, string quintets by Beethoven and Mendelssohn, three of Bach’s “Brandenburg” concertos and the premiere of “Palaces of Memory” by the Richmond-born composer Zachary Wadsworth highlight the 2019-20 season of the Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia.
Two Bach recitals will be staged in historic houses. Violinist Johnny Gandelsman, who played several of the composer’s solo violin sonatas and partitas in a 2017 Chamber Music Society program, will return to play violin arrangements of four of the solo-cello suites in December at Wilton House Museum; and viola da gamba player Anna Steinhof and oboist Meg Owens will join harpsichordist Carsten Schmidt to play sonatas for their instruments in November at Branch Museum of Architecture and Design (Branch House).
In one of three free mini-concerts in the Richmond Public Library’s Gellman Room, a cast of artists will re-create the Berlin musical salon of Sara Levy (1761-1854), who was a harpsichord student of Johann Sebastian Bach’s eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, and significant influence on the musical education of her grand-nephew, Felix Mendelssohn.
In addition to the Wadsworth premiere, the society will present contemporary works for both acoustic instruments and combinations of live instruments and recorded or electronic sound by John Adams, Consuelo Velázquez, Brian Nabors, Trevor Weston and Chaiyu Hsu.
For information on purchasing tickets, call (804) 304-6312 or visit http://cmscva.org
The Chamber Music Society’s 2019-20 artists and programs, with ticket prices:
Sept. 14 (2 p.m.)
Gellman Room, Richmond Public Library, First and Franklin streets
Mary Boodell, flute
Diana Cohen, violin
James Wilson, cello
Roman Rabinovich, piano
Chioke l’Anson, speaker
“Theme and Variations”
Granados: “Goyescas” – “The Maiden and the Nightingale;” Consuelo Velázquez: “Bésame Mucho;” Britten: Suite in C major, Op. 80, for solo cello – Chaconne; John Adams: “Road Movies” – “Relaxed Groove;” Schubert: “Introduction and Variations on ‘Trockne Blumen,’ ” D. 802
free
Sept. 15 (4 p.m.)
Perkinson Recital Hall, North Court, University of Richmond
Mary Boodell, flute
Diana Cohen, violin
James Wilson, cello
Roman Rabinovich, piano
“Forward/Back”
Satie: “Gnosienne” No. 1 for piano; Debussy: “Syrinx” for solo flute; John Adams: “Road Movies;” Brian Nabors: “Énergie” for electronics and flute; Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50 (“In Memory of a Great Artist”)
$30 (adult), $25 (senior), $5 (student)
Nov. 4 (7 p.m.)
Branch Museum of Architecture and Design (Branch House), Monument Avenue and Davis avenues
Carsten Schmidt, harpsichord
Anna Steinhof, viola da gamba
Meg Owens, oboe
“A Bach Séance”
J.S. Bach: sonatas TBA for oboe, viola da gamba
$40
Dec. 14 (2 p.m.)
Gellman Room, Richmond Public Library, First and Franklin streets
Christina Day Martinson & Johnny Gandelsman, violins
Jason Amos, viola
James Wilson, cello
Mary Boodell, traverso flute
Tricia van Oers, recorder
Carsten Schmidt, harpsichord
“The Berlin Salon of Sara Levy”
program TBA
free
Dec. 15 (4 p.m.)
Wilton House Museum, 215 S. Wilton Road
Johnny Gandelsman, violin
“Bach Suites at Wilton”
J.S. Bach: Suites Nos. 2, 4, 5 and 6 for solo cello, BWV 1008, 1010-1012 (arranged for violin)
$40
Dec. 16 (7:30 p.m.)
Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, Monument Avenue at Staples Mill Road
Christina Day Martison, Johnny Gandelsman & Jessie Montgomery, violins
Jason Amos, viola
James Wilson, cello
Jessica Powell Eig, double-bass
Mary Boodell, traverso flute
Tricia van Oers, recorder
Sara Huebsch, oboe & recorder
Mary Bowden, trumpet
Carsten Schmidt, harpsichord
“Brandenburg Gates”
J.S. Bach: “Brandenburg” Concerto No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1047; J.S. Bach: “Brandenburg” Concerto No. 5 in D major, BWV 1050; Zachary Wadsworth: “Palaces of Memory” (premiere); J.S. Bach: “Brandenburg” Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049
$30 (adult), $25 (senior), $5 (student)
Feb. 22 (2 p.m.)
Gellman Room, Richmond Public Library, First and Franklin streets
Nurit Pacht & Suliman Takelli, violins
Drew Alexander Forde & Dana Kelley, violas
James Wilson, cello
“America Now”
American works TBA
free
Feb. 23 (4 p.m.)
Perkinson Recital Hall, North Court, University of Richmond
Nurit Pacht & Suliman Takelli, violins
Drew Alexander Forde & Dana Kelley, violas
James Wilson, cello
“Legacies”
Beethoven: String Quintet in C major, Op. 29; Trevor Weston: “Legacy Works” for quartet and recorded sound; Mendelssohn: String Quintet in B flat major, Op. 87
$30 (adult), $25 (senior), $5 (student)
March 31 (7:30 p.m.)
Perkinson Recital Hall, North Court, University of Richmond
Mary Boodell, flute
Sivan Magen, harp
Melissa Reardon, viola
“Remembrance of Things Past”
Rameau: Suite
Chaiyu Hsu: “Huan” for solo harp; Debussy: Sonata for flute, viola and harp; John Dowland: “Flow My Tears;” Britten: “Lachrymae,” Op. 48a; Prokofiev: “Romeo and Juliet” Suite (arrangement by Gilad Cohen)
$30 (adult), $25 (senior), $5 (student)
May 3 (4 p.m.)
Perkinson Recital Hall, North Court, University of Richmond
Diane Pascal, violin
James Wilson, cello
Carsten Schmidt, piano
“Home Is . . . ”
Dvořák: “Songs My Mother Taught Me;” Janáček: “Pohadka” (“Fairy Tale”); Carlos Oliver Simon: “Be Still and Know;” Simon: “Generations” for electronic sound; Nathalie Joachim: “Dam Mwen Yo” for solo and recorded sound; Dvořák: Piano Trio in E minor, Op. 90 (“Dumky”)
$30 (adult), $25 (senior), $5 (student)
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