SC Chamber Players Concert 5

The Greatest Music You've Never Heard:
Rarely Performed Chamber Works
Music by Jaun Crisóstomo Arriaga, Copland, and William Grant Still

Saturday, March 11, 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 12, 3:00 pm

Ivan Rosenblum, Concert director and piano
James Pytko, clarinet; Shannon Delaney and
Rachel Magnus Hartman, violins; Arlyn Knapic, viola
Aude Castagna, cello

“Rarely performed?” We know what you’re thinking: surely there are good reasons for that! Our program judiciously avoids those unworthies in favor of first-rate, seldom-performed pieces that deserve wider exposure. We explore why even excellent music is sometimes under- programmed and under-appreciated.

For example, Arriaga, the “Spanish Mozart,” who died at age 20, didn’t have time to amass enough compositions to insure a lasting reputation. Even though Aaron Copland is well-known, his Sextet is not, because it’s written in a less popular style than Appalachian Spring.

Some composers, for sociological or historical reasons, never received their full due. Such was the fate of Afro-American composer William Grant Still, whose lively dance Dance Suite will be performed.

By exploring the twists and turns of “rarely performed” repertoire, we discovered the intriguing Zemlinsky Trio and opera composer Gian Carlo Menotti’s instrumental Trio.

With its 18th-20th century varied repertoire and diverse instrumentation, this concert is not to be missed. You might not get another opportunity to hear these pieces for quite some time!