The Chicago Ensemble Celebrates 45th Anniversary, Feb. 15 and 20

Chicago IL

04 January, 2022

1:00 PM

Description

The Chicago Ensemble's 45th Anniversary season and return to live performances begins in February, featuring the works of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 7:30 pm at the Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut St. and Sunday, February 20, 2022 at 3 pm at International House, 1414 E. 59th St. For 45 years, The Chicago Ensemble has brought a fascinating array of chamber music to Chicagoans. Artistic Director Gerald Rizzer programs a captivating mix of famous masterpieces, rarely heard gems from the past and new works. Players in the Ensemble are outstanding musicians who also are in demand by the principal Chicago professional performing organizations. The Chicago Ensemble occupies a special place in Chicago's vibrant arts and culture scene. The Chicago Ensemble begins its season with piano trios by the three great composers of the Classical period, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven performed by long-time colleagues Stephen Boe, violin; Andrew Snow, cello; and Gerald Rizzer, piano. Haydn wrote about 30 piano trios. The discrepancy between the catalogue number that Hoboken lists (14) and Robbins-Landon lists (27) reflects the more recent scholarship of Robbins-Landon. I think, however, that any devotee of Haydn's music can recognize in this trio's originality of themes, imaginative turns of phrase and ventures into unexpected keys the marks of a composer who, like Verdi, had started out good, and then got better and better through a long creative life. Mozart's life was regrettably half as long as Haydn's. Notwithstanding his prodigious output in a short lifetime, he wrote just a handful of piano trios. This one stands out for its melodic beauty, even measured against other works by this great melodist. Beethoven first planned to study with Mozart. Upon Mozart's premature death, Beethoven studied instead with Haydn. A brash young man, Beethoven denied that Haydn's teaching was influential, yet one finds in this piece, written years after Beethoven studied with Haydn, the older master's signature variation form: two themes, rather than one, of extremely contrasting character, then presented in alternating variations. This is not to deny that Beethoven, by the time he wrote this masterpiece, had become a pathbreaker on the way to Romanticism. The February concert includes: F. J. Haydn: Trio in Ab Major, Hob. XV:14, RL 27 for violin, cello and pianoW. A. Mozart: Trio in E Major, K. 542 for violin, cello and pianoL. van Beethoven: Trio in Eb Major, op. 70 no. 2 for violin, cello and piano In addition, The Chicago Ensemble also has a March program of Hindemith, Beethoven, Husa and Bruch, Sunday, March 27, 2022 at 3 pm at International House, 1414 E. 59th St. and Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at 7:30 pm at the Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut St. Light hors d'oeuvres, wine and other beverages are available a half hour before the performances. There is a 45th Anniversary Celebration, Saturday, March 12, 2022 at The Fortnightly Club, 120 E. Bellevue Place. The Celebration features a unique Classical Music Jukebox format inviting audience participation. Subscriptions to all five concerts in the 45th Anniversary season are available now for $140. Individual tickets are also available now. A congenial informality is a hallmark of The Chicago Ensemble's programs: Artistic Director Gerald Rizzer presents informative commentary about the music and each program is accompanied by a complimentary reception. Visit TheChicagoEnsemble.org to learn more.