Large-scale chamber music with piano from the Romantic period almost always means expansive arrangements, sweeping themes, sharp contrasts and tonal opulence. Our solo horn player, Geoffrey Winter, has put together a program for the opening of our chamber concert season at the Beethoven-Haus, in which Johannes Brahms‘ early horn trio is certainly the best-known piece, but not the longest. Why do composers compose? The highly romantic program around piano and horn, one piece more beautiful than the other, provides three answers to this question – and we find that these answers do not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the nature of the composition, its quality, its accessibility or its details: The young Johannes Brahms composed (at least part of) his trio when he was mourning the death of his mother. Mourning, coming to terms with the death of a loved one. Walter Rabl submitted his Quartet op. 1 to a composition competition and won a prize – the jury included none other than the now graying and famous Johannes Brahms. And Zdeněk Fibich’s themes for his piano quintet come in part from his thoroughly erotic musical diary, a collection of hundreds of piano pieces that the composer wrote for his lover, pupil and librettist Anežka Schulzová. And what does this music do to us? Everyone has to find out for themselves …

Piano quintet

Beethoven-Haus Bonn

Join us for an exquisite afternoon of chamber music at the Bienen School of Music's Galvin Recital Hall on Sunday, May 26, 2024, at 2:00pm CDT. This special event features a stellar lineup of Bienen faculty members, including Yuan-Qing Yu on violin, Todd Levy on clarinet, and Christopher Guzman on piano, alongside Civitas Ensemble colleagues cellist Kenneth Olsen and Bienen alumnus Winston Choi (02 CERT, 08 DMus). Together, they will present a captivating program that includes Ludwig van Beethoven's Trio in B-flat Major, Op. 11 "Gassenhauer," Walter Rabl's Clarinet Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 1, Hermann Berens' Gesellschaftsquartett No. 3, Op. 72, and Sergei Rachmaninoff's Suite No. 2 for Two Pianos, Op. 17.

The Galvin Recital Hall, located at 70 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, IL 60208, United States, is renowned for its breathtaking 40-foot glass wall views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline, exceptional acoustics provided by undulating walls covered with African moabi wood, and state-of-the-art sound and video recording equipment. This 400-seat venue offers an intimate setting for an unforgettable musical experience.

Tickets are priced at $8 for the general public and $5 for students with valid ID. Don't miss this opportunity to witness a remarkable ensemble of musicians performing in one of the most beautiful concert halls. Buy your tickets now and immerse yourself in the beauty of chamber music performed by some of the finest artists in the field.

Walter Rabl

Events

Past events

Nov 25, 2024

Piano quintet · Beethoven Orchester Bonn

May 26, 2024

Bienen Faculty and Guests · Northwestern Bienen School of Music

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