CMP Presents West Coast Premiere of Novak Sonata

Chamber Music Palisades will present four chamber music gems at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, February 1, at St. Matthew’s church, 1031 Bienveneda.   Performing artists will include Sarah Thornblade, violin; Robert Brophy, viola; Armen Ksajikian, cello; and and series Co-Artistic Directors Delores Stevens, piano, and Susan Greenberg, flute.   The program features the West Coast premiere of Jan Novak’s Sonata Tribus for Flute, Violin and Piano, the Quartet in D Major, K. 285 for Flute and Strings by Mozart, Franz Schubert’s Adagio and Rondo Concertante for Piano Quartet, D. 487, and C’sar Franck’s Sonata in A Major.   Novak (1921-1984), a Czech composer who gained renown for scoring films for Karel KachyHa and leading Czech animators Jiř’ Trnka and Karel Zeman, wrote Sonata Tribus in 1982, at the end of his life.’   CMP’s Greenberg obtained the manuscript from noted flutist Clara Novakova, Novak’s daughter, who, along with her mother, pianist Eliska Henouskov’-Novakov’, and violinist Jerzy Nebel, premiered the work that same year.’   In the tradition of the Baroque trio sonata, the piano is often employed as a propelling rhythmic force, setting a clear contrast with the two solo instruments.’The skillful treatment of the upper registers of the two solo voices contributes to the enormous intensity of the work, as in the second movement, where the high tessitura of the flute blends admirably with the violin harmonies.   Schubert (1797-1828) was only 19 when he wrote the enchanting Adagio and Rondo Concertante.’ While the Adagio section is typical of Schubert, the Rondo is not a real rondo, but rather a lively sonata movement with Mozartean themes.   Franck’s (1822-1890) sonata was originally written for cello and piano, but when an influential violinist (possibly the brilliant virtuoso Ysaye) objected, it was revised for violin and piano.’ Subsequently it has been added to the flute repertoire as well.’ The piece has four movements, and on the occasion of its West Coast premiere, it will be performed on violin, flute and cello, with each instrument joining the piano in separate movements, and all four instruments featured in the finale.   For tickets ($30) or a free season brochure, call (310) 463-4388 or visit www.cmpalisades.org. Tickets are available at the door.