The renowned Los Angeles Piano Quartet opens our 41st season of chamber concerts in Fullerton. The program traverses the field of piano quartet literature from the classic quartet of Mozart to the 20th century work (composed in 1988) by the American composer, John Harbison. The final work of the program is the popular Piano Quartet In G Minor by Brahms, which concludes with the animated and driven Gypsy Rondo.
"Rarely has a performing ensemble given such compelling performances as the Los Angeles Piano Quartet delivered. Their playing imparted the contrasting tone color and musical dialogue that are the heart of great string/keyboard chamber music interpretations."
The Houston Press
| MOZART | Piano Quartet in E-Flat Major, K. 493 |
| HARBISON | Nov. 19, 1828, "Hallucinations in Four Episodes for Piano and String Trio" |
| BRAHMS | Piano Quartet in G Minor, Opus 25 |
Since its formation in 1992, Musica Angelica has become one of the leading organizations devoted to the performance of Renaissance and Baroque music on period instruments. Their numerous performances have received the highest acclaim. In addition to their regular series in Pasadena and Santa Monica, they perform at such prestigious venues as the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Armand Hammer Museum, and the Orange County Performing Arts Center.
Under the direction of lutenist/composer Michael Eagen, this period-instrument ensemble ranges in size from trio to chamber orchestra. The group earned rave reviews for its performances with L.A. Opera's presentation of Monteverdi's The Return of Ulysses last May. To similar acclaim it opened the Getty Museum series the last two summers it was held, and has appeared on numerous other Southland music series including the Corona del Mar Baroque Music Festival for the last four years. Musica Angelica presents an entire season of concerts here in Southern California. L.A. Times reviews have praised their "ingenious programming, perfect intonation and graceful ensemble." The San Francisco Examiner exclaimed, "Musica Angelica's performance truly approached the angelic!"
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"Musica Angelica's singers and instrumentalists performed handsomely and delectably, achieving qualities of emotional expressions that are pumping new life into the early music scene"
The Los Angeles Times
A quintet of vocalists and instrumentalists will perform intimate lute songs by Dowland, Campion, and Danyel, solos and duets from dramatic Baroque operas of Monteverdi and Cavalli, and instrumental music by Vivaldi.
| Henry Lawes (1596-1662) | A Dialogue on a Kisse |
| Thomas Campian (1567-1620) | Oft have I sighed |
| John Danyel (1564-1625) | Coy Daphne fled |
| Thomas Campian (1567-1620) | Fire, fire |
| Robert Johnson | Care, charming sleep |
| John Dowland (1563-1626) | Come again |
| Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) | Sonata in G minor for recorder and basso continuo, Op. 5, No. 7 |
| Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) | Exulta filia Sion |
| Francesco Cavalli (1602-1676) | "Farewell of Aenea" from Didone |
| Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) | "Pur ti miro" from L'incoronazione di Poppea |
| George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) | Sonata in G minor for recorder & basso continuo, Op. 1, No. 2 |
| Giovanni Zamboni (ca. 1660?-early 18th century) | Allemande |
| Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) | Sonata in B-flat Major for cello & basso continuo |
| George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) | Nel dolce dell' oblio |
| Henry Purcell (1659-1695) | "Celemene, pray tell me" from Oroonoko |
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A spirited Los Angeles woodwind quintet joins a superb pianist in a scintillating program for piano and winds. The Beethoven and Poulenc are perennial favorites in the piano/winds repertoire. Complementing these works are less familiar compositions for winds alone in various combinations.
"This fine Los Angeles-based quintet proceeds from Bach through a
broad swath of composers, projecting solid musical values all the way."
(Ayke Agus) "Exceptionally fluent -- a graceful and accurate, easy going,
technically whiz-bang pianist that other pianists talk about with awe."
The Los Angeles Times
| J.S. BACH (Arranged by Roger Stevens) |
Little Fugue |
| ROSSINI | Quartet No. 6 for Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon And Horn |
| BEETHOVEN | Quintet In E Flat Major, Op. 16, for Piano, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn |
| ARNOLD | Divertimento for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet |
| POULENC | Septour for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn and Piano |
| D'RIVERA | Contradanza |
The youthful, dynamic Pacifica Quartet was formed in Los Angeles in 1994. They have been awarded several major prizes -- 1996 Grand Prize Winner in the Coleman Competition, 1997 winner of the Concert Guild Competition, 1998 Naumberg Chamber Music Award.
Their program, in a delightful assortment of musical style, would challenge the expertise of any quartet. We look forward, especially, to their performance of the impassioned Mendelssohn quartet, the composer's last chamber work.
"The Pacifica Quartet made an excellent showing at its Naumberg Award recital. Its sound, individually and as a group, is pure, lyrical and educated. Balance is good and clear and the musicians' consistency of tempo is remarkable."
The New York Times
| J.S. BACH | Air |
| SCHUBERT | Quartettsatz in C Minor, D. 703 |
| STRAVINSKY | Three Pieces for String Quartet |
| BEETHOVEN | String Quartet in E Flat Major, Op. 74 "Harp" |
| MENDELSSOHN | String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 80 |
A return engagement by the exceptional Jerusalem Trio. Our audience will remember their compelling performance last year of the Shostakovich Piano Trio. Now they introduce us to a work by their countryman, Paul Ben-Haim, one of the most important Israeli composers.
This past year they have toured world-wide and have been the recipients of the Gold Medal in the Osaka International Chamber Music competition. We are pleased to welcome them back.
"The playing was superb in its assurance, tonal balance, beauty of expression and for finely integrated realizations. This was chamber music playing of the highest caliber. This trio is one of the finest heard in this country in many years."
The Canberra Times
| BEN-HAIM | Variations on a Hebrew Melody |
| DVORAK | Piano Trio in E Minor, Op. 90 "Dumky" |
| SCHUBERT | Piano Trio in E Flat Major, Op. 100 |
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