21/22 Chamber Player Series

How do composers say thank you? With music. Enjoy a trio that's elegant and sunny—in other words, pure Mozart—written in gratitude to a friend. We get one of Piazzola's biggest Nuevo Tango hits before some quintessentially angsty sounds from Beethoven. The CSO Principal Strings then join in for Osvaldo Golijov’s tribute to fellow Argentinian geniuses, giving Piazzolla one last round. 

Beethoven’s endlessly listenable Septet debuted at the composer’s first Viennese Akademie, on April 2, 1800. Those of you who experienced the CSO’s 2020 recreation of the Akademie of 1808 know how epic that must have been. Adding contrast, musical dialogues from two Hungarian pioneers. Bartok’s trio, fully premiered in April 1940 and commissioned by Benny Goodman, features CSO Principal Clarinet Christopher Pell in the King of Swing’s role.

Mozart’s first Quintet is all fun and musical games. The same goes for American composer Morton Gould’s swing-era collaboration with Benny Goodman. Cinematic cuts of ballet and film scores by Shostakovich effortlessly entertain while Stravinsky’s Soldier’s Tale dives headlong into theatrics—complete with one cautionary story, many devilish tricks and a balance of virtuosity from all sections of the CSO.