...and then Dvorak!

What a day! The beautiful Brahms Clarinet Quintet in B Minor, Op. 115, and then, after a lovely picnic lunch out in the sunshine, the Dvorak Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81, B. 135, featuring Mitsuko Uchida, piano. A very familiar piece, much loved. Here is what the Program notes say about it: The year Dvořák composed his Piano Quintet in A Major, 1887, was a markedly reflective year for the composer, who had spent the preceding years touring around England and working intensively on commissions such as the 7th Symphony, Op. 70. Though Dvořák’s original ventures into the Quintet format a decade prior were not successful, this period allowed Dvořák an opportunity to revise one such attempt, leading to the finalization of his Op. 81 in 1887. Today, the Quintet stands on its own as one of the finest chamber music works of the late Romantic Period, showcasing Dvořák’s musical depth and ability to shift seamlessly between a multitude of moods, balancing playful passages, rich melodies, and somber ballads throughout. The beloved work is a particular favorite at Marlboro; this performance marks its nineteenth performance here since its Marlboro premiere in 1954. The musicians, in addition to Mitsuko, are Anna Göckel, violin; Clara Neubauer, violin; Cara Pogossian, viola and Alice Neary, cello. The only one I don't recognze is Anna Göckel. We just heard Alice in the Brahms, and we heard Clara and Cara the first week. (I could write a whole blog just on people's names!).

The Dvorak Piano Quintet musicians.

Anna Göckel, violin. Born in 1992, the French violinist Anna Göckel has already graced several of the world’s greatest stages, from Tokyo to the Mexico Opera, trough the Théâtre des Champs- Elysées in Paris, the Victoria Hall in Geneva, the Herkulessaal in Munich, the Montreal’s Musée des Beaux-Arts, the Salle Flagey in Bruxelles and the Festival de la Roque d’Anthéron. She has been nominated as newcomer of the year 2016 by the French-Grammy "Révélations Classiques de l’ADAMI". Her curiosity leads her to explore all eras repertoire, from baroque period on historical instruments to contemporary music. Anna appears as a soloist with the Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Paris, the Lemanic Modern Ensemble, the Ensemble Les Dissonances, the Saint-Étienne Opera, the Sorbonne Orchestra, the UAEH Symphony Orchestra, CEPROMusic, the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, the Neue Westfalen Philharmonie, the Concerto Budapest, the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and the Munich Radio Orchestra. Passionate at a young age about the world of chamber music, she founded the Karénine Trio, and at 21 years of age she won with this ensemble the prestigious ARD International Music Competition in Munich. She shared with this trio five intensive years of musical exploration and concerts. She was invited to study and perform at the String Quartet Seiji Ozawa Academy, at the European Chamber Music Academy, and at the Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute. In 2019, she is invited by two hight priced of the chamber music circle, the Open Chamber Music session of the International Musicians Seminar Prussia Cove (UK) and the Marlboro Music Festival (USA).