Works of Brahms, Schumann and Bloch

Aliento Chamber Players resumes their First United Methodist Church series with a romantic concert celebrating Valentine's Day

Amira Acre, piano

Jessica Helie, violin

Karen McConomy, viola

Dorothy Braker, cello

The opening scene performed by violinist Jessica Helie is Baal Shem Tov ("Master of the Good Name"), a Jewish mystic and healer who is regarded as the founder of Hassidic Judaism. Ernest Bloch creates three scenes of Hassidic life, starting with the soaring Viddui associated with Yom Kippur, moving on to the emotional power and mystical fervor of Hassidic song in Nigun, and ending with a celebration of the completion of the Torah readings.

We move on to the Fantasy Pieces of Robert Schumann as portrayed on the viola by Karen McConomy. To Robert Schumann, an unabashed and celebrated Romantic composer, the celebration of unrestricted imagination was the prerequisite for ideal expression, and these three lovely melodic movements show the viola off to ideal advantage.

We complete our performance with the rousing piano quartet in G minor by Johannes Brahms. The youthful exuberance in this quartet ends with the Gypsy Rondo movement that will leave you dancing!