“Contrasts” is an evocative journey through Romantic and 20th-century chamber music featuring Boston Symphony clarinetist Christopher Elchico, pianists Angela Kim, Xiaopei Xu, Clemens Teufel and violinist Clara Kim, as well as soprano Olha Abakumova. The program begins with Robert Schumann’s Four Piano Pieces, Op. 32, a set of characterful miniatures for solo piano that blend lyrical invention with contrapuntal mastership, offering a glimpse into Schumann’s imaginative and introspective world. Christopher Elchico and Xiaopei Xu join forces for Johannes Brahms’s Clarinet Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 120 No. 2, a late masterpiece filled with warmth, intimacy, and expressive dialogues and contrasts between clarinet and piano.
After the intermission, which allows the audience to venture into the Redwoods current exhibition, Olha Abakumova, Christopher Elchico, and Xiaopei Xu collaborate on Schubert’s beloved The Shepherd on the Rock, a unique work for soprano, clarinet, and piano that moves from melancholy reflection to the hope of spring’s renewal. The evening concludes with Bartók’s electrifying Contrasts, featuring Christopher Elchico, Clara Kim, and Angela Kim. Commissioned by Benny Goodman and Joseph Szigeti, this trio draws on Hungarian and Romanian folk idioms, weaving virtuosic rhythms and vivid colors into a tour de force of 20th-century chamber music.
This concert offers a rare opportunity to experience both beloved masterpieces and lesser-heard treasures, brought to life by a dynamic ensemble of acclaimed performers.