Second City Chamber Series: The Early Romantics

Maryanne Lacaille, clarinet
Mitch Mitchell, violin
Jo Nardolillo, violin
Seth May-Patterson, viola
Haeyoon Shin, cello

Anton Reicha – Quintet for Clarinet and Strings
Carl Maria von Weber – Quintet for Clarinet and Strings
Ludwig Spohr – Fantasy & Variations on a Theme of Danzi

Second City Chamber Series has a special love for music written for the clarinet! Works for the instrument will be featured on the January 2016 Spotlight Series with a clarinet recital, and some of the greatest early chamber works for the instrument will be featured on November 13 in "The Early Romantics." "Perhaps this is because there are so many wonderful clarinetists in our region," says Artistic Director Svend Rønning. "Or perhaps it is because our Artistic Director for twenty-five years, Jerry Kracht, was a clarinetist – or perhaps both."

In any event, the grand tradition continues as D'Addario artist Maryanne Lacaille gives us early examples of the instrument's beauty and prowess.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was among the earliest pioneers in composing for the clarinet, and the generation after him found tremendous inspiration in this new instrument. Its tone and timbre were such that it was beautifully suited for ensembles of wind instruments and mixed ensembles with strings – an attribute that composers were quick to appreciate.

"All of the music on this program comes from roughly between 1810 and 1820," says Ms. Lacaille. "It's the product of all that was revolutionary in this period, from music to politics."

Admission: $25 ($23 senior/ military; $10 students w/ID; age 18 and under free)