Concert Program I:

From Bach

“There is one God—Bach—and Mendelssohn is his prophet.”
—Hector Berlioz

No composer exercised a more formative influence on Mendelssohn than Johann Sebastian Bach, whose musical integration of formal perfection and expressive ideal would guide Mendelssohn throughout his creative life. Of especial importance to the young Mendelssohn was the discovery and rigorous study of Bach’s masterful fugues. The festival’s 2009 season-opening program traces the illustrious musical lineage from Bach, through Mozart, to Mendelssohn, who deeply absorbed the lessons from his musical forebears. “From Bach” culminates in the Mendelssohn Sextet, the beginning of the young composer’s journey into the Romantic era.

Program

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Selections from The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080 (before 1742, rev. ca. 1745, 1748–1749)
Ricercar à 6 from Musical Offering, BWV 1079 (1747)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Adagio and Fugue for String Quartet (1788)

Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)
Sinfoniesatz no. 13 in c minor (1823)
Sextet in D Major, op. 110 (1824)

Download concert program notes (pdf format). »

SATURDAY, JULY 18, 2009

Concert Program I
8:00 p.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Tickets: $50/$35 adult; $25/$10 student

Prelude Performance*
6:00 p.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Free Admission

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2009

Concert Program I (repeated)
6:00 p.m., Stent Family Hall, Menlo School
Tickets: $70 adult; $35 student

Prelude Performance*
4:00 p.m., Martin Family Hall
Free Admission

MONDAY, JULY 20, 2009

Concert Program I (repeated)
8:00 p.m., Stent Family Hall, Menlo School
Tickets: $70 adult; $35 student

Prelude Performance*
6:00 p.m., Martin Family Hall
Free Admission

Artists

Wu Han piano
Arnaud Sussmann violin/viola
St. Lawrence String Quartet
     Geoff Nuttall violin
     Scott St. John violin
     Lesley Robertson viola
     Christopher Costanza cello
Scott Pingel bass
Dennis Godburn bassoon

*Learn more about Prelude Performances. »

More Festival Concert Programs:

Concert Program II »
Concert Program III »
Concert Program IV »
Concert Program V »