Six renowned chamber artists illuminate the passion of Beethoven, the variations of Martinu, the impressionistic flare of Gaubert, and the neo-classical strains of Ravel at the penultimate concert of Chamber Music Palisades (CMP) on Tuesday, March 17 at 8 p.m., at St. Matthew’s Church, 1031 Bienveneda. The featured artists are soloists Ida Levin, violin; Rob Brophy, viola; Ronald Leonard, who served as principal cellist with Los Angeles Philharmonic for 25 years until his retirement in 2000; Maria Casale, harp; and CMP co-founders and co-artistic directors Delores Stevens on piano and Susan Greenberg on flute. Works by two French contemporaries open the program. ‘Sonatine en Trio for flute, viola and harp,’ a neo-classical gem by Maurice Ravel, showcases the composer’s powerful command of harmonics. ‘Trois aquarelles’ (Three Watercolors) by Gaubert, one of the most prominent musicians and conductors of the era, translates into sound the visual impact of watercolor painting technique in which colors can simultaneously blend and stand independently, subtly revealing the texture of paper beneath them. Also featured is Beethoven’s ‘Trio in D Major’ (‘Ghost’) op. 70, #1, written after he was completely deaf. Hinting at his own internal struggle is the dark second movement that inspired the ‘Ghost’ title. It is sandwiched between movements rich with warm lyrical melodies that give no hint of the composer’s profound hearing loss. The program’s final piece is the ‘Piano Quartet’ Martinu, a prolific chamber music composer who was born in the Bohemian village of Policka and moved to Paris in 1923, becoming a younger contemporary of Ravel and Gaubert. In 1941, he fled the advancing German army for the United States, where, shortly after his arrival, he wrote ‘Piano Quartet,’ which is punctuated by syncopated melodies and tinges of melancholy. For tickets ($25; students with ID are free), call 310-459-2070 or visit www.cmpalisades.org.
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