Caspian Monday Music

Bar and Lawn open – 5:00 PM
Concert begins – 6:00 PM

Program:
Brahms – String Sextet 1 Op.18
I. Allegro ma non troppo 
II. Andante ma moderato
III. Scherzo: Allegro molto
IV. Rondo: Poco allegretto e grazioso
Arnold Schoenberg – Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) Op.4 for string sextet (1899)

Performers:
Solomiya Ivakhiv, violin
Juliette Kang, violin
Burchard Tang, viola
Marcus Thompson, viola
Priscilla Lee, cello
Thomas Kraines, cello

Although Schoneberg is not often regarded as a romantic, Transfigured Night is among the most romantic chamber music pieces ever written. It was inspired by Richard Dehmel’s poem of the same name, combined with the influence of Schoenberg’s strong feelings upon meeting Mathilde von Zemlinsky (the sister of his teacher Alexander von Zemlinsky), whom he would later marry.

Dehmel’s poem (from 1896) describes a man and woman walking through a dark forest on a moonlit night. The woman shares a dark secret: she bears the child of another man. The stages of Dehmel’s poem are reflected throughout the composition, beginning with the sadness of the woman’s confession, a neutral interlude wherein the man reflects upon the confession, and a finale reflecting the man’s bright acceptance and forgiveness of the woman. |

Schoneberg was an avid admirer of Brahms, whose string sextet was composed in 1860. The outlines of the main themes of the first movement and finale are similar. Brahms later transcribed the second movement for solo piano, dedicating the arrangement to Clara Schumann.

It is a thrill to perform with the distinguished musicians, members of the Philadelphia Orchestra: Juliette Kang, Priscilla Lee and Burchard Tang, who are also avid chamber musicians. Thomas Kraines, cellist of the Daedalus Quartet and Marcus Thompson, founding member of the Boston Chamber Music Society, are marking their first appearance at the Caspian Monday Music Festival.It is a performance to attend!

Events are weather permitting. Check back here or on social media on the day for a final notice for rain calls.