Chamber Music Palisades (CMP) presents a program of five tour de force chamber works showcasing leading guitarist Martha Masters, violinist Roger Wilkie, cellist John Walz and CMP founders/co-artistic directors Delores Stevens (on piano) and Susan Greenberg (flute), on Tuesday, February 2, 8 p.m., at St. Matthew’s Church, 1031 Bienveneda. The program opens with three guitar works, including Mauro Giuliani’s ‘Duo Concertante for Flute and Guitar,’ composed in 1817. One of the leading guitar virtuosos of the 19th century and greatest exponents of the instrument, Giuliani worked with the era’s top musicians as well as such leading composers as Rossini and Beethoven, helping to define a new role for guitar in European music. The second piece is ‘Duo for piano and guitar’ by Italian-born composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, one of the most prolific and important composers for the guitar in the 20th century. He began composing at age nine and later moved to America, where he wrote more than 200 works for Hollywood films. Astor Piazzolla revolutionized the tango, spending much of his career blending classical music and tango, resulting in, among other classics, ‘Histoire du Tango for flute and guitar,’ which will be the evening’s third selection. Chamber Music Palisades takes the musical mix in a different direction with Beethoven’s ‘Trio in G major for violin, cello and piano (Kakadu Variations).’ In 1803, Beethoven took a song from an operetta by Wenzell Muller and turned it into a lean and powerful set of variations. The operetta was named ‘The Sisters from Prague’ and the song was ‘I am the Tailor Kakadu,’ hence the reference ‘Kakadu Variations.’ The program concludes with a concert arrangement of George Gershwin’s ‘Porgy and Bess Suite for violin, cello and piano.’ For tickets ($25; students with ID are free), call 310-463-4388; visit www.cmpalisades.org. Tickets are available at the door.
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