Midsummer’s Music

The Griffon String Quartet performs its 2025 season finale concerts. String Quartet No. 3, “Glitter, Doom, Shards, Memory” by Schulamit Ran • String Quartet No. 2, Op. 26 by Erich Wolfgang Korngold • Piano Quintet in G Minor, Op. 57 by Dmitri Shostakovich. Roy Meyer & Alex Norris, Violins; Oryann Tsaig, Viola; Jesse Nummelin, Cello. Admission is free. Donations will be accepted.

The Schumann’s intense love story centered around the piano. Both studied piano with her father, but he fought their eventual marriage. Friedrich Kalkbrenner was possibly the greatest pianist before Liszt. He moved in the same circles as the Schumanns. Jeannie Yu will bring these piano parts to life in scintillating fashion while David Perry’s violin will melt you with Clara’s opening Romance.

Mendelssohn’s 2nd Piano Trio is unsurpassed. The way he weaves a Bach chorale melody into the final movement is spellbinding and worth the ticket price alone. Two other trios, each involving the flute of Heather Zinninger, set the stage. Undine Smith Moore’s Suite is hauntingly evocative, while Weber’s Flute Trio shows how much the Romantic Period is indebted to this German master.

Beethoven authorized his publisher to arrange his 7th Symphony for String Quintet. In an age when the symphony orchestra was relatively rare, a chamber arrangement improved the opportunity for sales. This intimate and profound glimpse into the heart of the work is revelatory. Dvořák’s Notturno and Bruch’s recently published Quintet provide provocative precursors for this concert of masterpieces.

These three late Romantic Trios are steeped in “Amour.” Beginning with a work entitled “Romance Without Words,” we proceed to the voluptuous works of Lalo (famous for his Symphonie Espagnole) and Ernest Chausson. If you can, bring someone you like to hold hands with.

The forces of the superb Griffon String Quartet and the Strings of Midsummer join forces under the guidance and example of violinist David Perry in two stunning Octets.

Pick the five greatest Piano Quintets in the literature and Franck’s has to be among them. Saint-Saëns was the pianist at the premiere. Here is an opportunity to hear Jeannie Yu in her favorite repertoire. Flutist Heather Zinninger returns to perform Amy Beach’s colorful and evocative Theme and Variations with strings. This program will close our season at our annual Labor Day Gala at Björklunden. A special and celebratory afternoon indeed!

Schubert’s Octet was inspired by Beethoven’s Septet, which was immensely popular. Schubert adds a second violin to the ensemble. It is his chamber music answer to the Great C-Major Symphony—a masterpiece of immense proportions. Gernot Wolfgang joins us to introduce his “Impressions,” which are suggestive of imaginary paintings, “Carnival of Venice,” “Dream,” and “Country Road.” Wolfgang, a Grammy-nominated composer, also uses the same instrumentation – clarinet, bassoon, horn, violins, viola, cello, and bass – as the Beethoven Septet in his energetic, novel, and delightful addition to this illustrious repertoire.