Zoltán Kodály’s Serenade, a rambunctious blend of folk inspiration and modern harmonies wrapped in classical form, was written during a fraught period when he was accused of crimes against the state. Yet his close friend Bartók considered the piece a delight: "We find ourselves in a fairy world never dreamed of before." Henriette Renié was one of the foremost authorities on the harp in Edwardian England, gaining prominence as virtuoso performer and composer in an era where fame was socially unacceptable for women. Her gorgeous trio is a sensitive, heartfelt gem. Dmitri Shostakovich wrote his Piano Quintet four years after being denounced for pandering to the decadent tastes of the bourgeois West, deliberately infusing his own distinctive voice into traditional Classical forms. Combining shades of Bach and Russian circus music, the piece builds towards an ending that is at once enigmatic and bittersweet.
Zoltán Kodály Serenade, Op. 12 (1920)
Tai Murray, David Bowlin, violins; Marcus Thompson, viola
Henriette Renié Trio for Harp, Violin and Cello (1901)
Amy Schwartz Moretti, violin; Raman Ramakrishnan, cello; Charles Overton, harp
Dmitri Shostakovich Piano Quintet in G Minor, Op. 57 (1940)
David Bowlin, Tai Murray, violins; Melissa Reardon, viola; Brant Taylor, cello; Henry Kramer, piano
TICKETS
All prices include fees
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$46 general admission / $83 reserved seating / $12 children & students
VENUE
Stevens Square Theater
Stevens Square Community Center
631 Stevens Ave, Portland ME
PARKING
Free parking on site, lot entrance on Walton Street between Forest and Stevens Avenues
RUN TIME
Approximately 90 minutes including intermission