Works of Rachmaninov and Shostakovich
Aliento Chamber Players kicks off their First United Methodist Church series with a glimpse into 20th century wartime Russia
Nicholas Roy, piano
Matthew Liebendorfer, violin
Dorothy Braker, cello
with special guest, poet Claire Conroy.
After the disastrous 1897 premiere of his First Symphony, Rachmaninoff suffered a psychological breakdown that prevented composition for three years. Neurologist Nikolai Dahl was able to help Rachmaninov recover through his studies in new hypnosis therapy. The famous Piano Concerto No. 2 was composed at the same time at the Cello and Piano Sonata, with melodies pouring out of the composer in tumultuous fashion.
The Shostakovich Piano Trio is a wartime work, written just after the discovery of the death camps of Majdanek and Treblinka in the wake of the Nazis’ retreat from the eastern front, and evokes the extremes of joy and bitterness that must have been juxtaposed in daily life at such a time and reads as a testament to fear and mourning.
With special guest, poet Claire Conroy, we will take you through All Hallows Eve in a spectacularly shivery fashion!