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River Rhapsodies Series

For three years River Rhapsodies has been the must-have ticket in Little Rock! The 2009-2010 season again promises an unforgettable experience with grand music in a dramatic setting—sweeping views of the city skyline, sunset vistas, and the Arkansas River flowing nearby—as you enjoy composers from Bach to Ravel. 

 

 

PASSIONATE PAIRINGS

September 15, 2009
7:00 PM
Sturgis Quartet
Beth Wheeler, oboe
John Dahlstrand, bass
Carl Anthony, harpsichord
Melita Hunsinger, cello
David Belcher, piano
Mary Ann Robinson, soprano
 
BACH Cantata No. 202, “Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten” (“Depart, Sad Shadows”), BWV 202, “Wedding Cantata” 
RACHMANINOFF Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 19                     
 
No matter what the season, the time is always ripe for love. Bach’s festive “Wedding Cantata” celebrates the joys of spring and the pleasures of a young couple newly united. Rachmaninoff pairs two instruments in an impassioned sonata featuring the cello in its most eloquent range, the piano intoning exquisitely melancholy themes.

 
 
 
A CENTURY OF MASTERPIECES
October 20, 2009
7:00 PM
Quapaw Quartet
Sturgis Quartet
Andrew von Oeyen, piano
 
HAYDN String Quartet No. 30, “The Joke”
MENDELSSOHN Streichquartett Nr. 4 e-moll Op. 44 No. 2
FRANCK Piano Quintet
 
Savor music that encompasses a century of creative genius—from Haydn’s “Joke” Quartet, nicknamed for its playful finale, to the music of Mendelssohn, to Franck’s stormy quintet for piano and strings, whose bold harmonies and emotional sweep propel it to near-symphonic dimensions.
 
 
 
RAVISHING RAVEL
December 1, 2009
7:00 PM
Rockefeller Quartet
David Renfro, horn
Robin Dauer, horn
Brent Shires, horn
Scott Milichamp, horn
 
BEETHOVEN Sextet for Two Horns and String Quartet
HINDEMITH Sonata for Four Horns  
RAVEL String Quartet
 
Rich, resonant sound and the spectacle of gleaming horns, front and center, make the first half of this gorgeous program a stunner! Then, the glow of strings lights up the stage with one of the masterpieces of the repertoire—Ravel’s sensuous quartet, shimmering with colors, rhythms, and haunting beauty.
 
DARK EMOTIONS
January 19, 2010
7:00 PM
Quapaw Quartet
 
SHOSTAKOVICH String Quartet No. 3
BRAHMS String Quartet No.1
 
The range of Shostakovich’s expression in his Third Quartet—from sweet and playful to dark and intense—inspires the virtuosity of the performers and grips the listener. Ever the perfectionist, Brahms may have burned some 20 string quartets before letting this masterpiece—cast in the same compelling key as his First Symphony—see the light of day.
 
 
 
THE 4 Bs: BACH, BARTOK, BRITTEN & BEETHOVEN
March 2, 2010
7:00 PM
Rockefeller Quartet
Sturgis Quartet
Gerry Gibson, oboe
 
J. C. BACH Quartet in B-Flat for Oboe and Strings
BARTOK String Quartet No. 3
BRITTEN Phantasy Quartet
BEETHOVEN String Quartet Op. 18, No. 1
 
Our principal oboist and the Rockefeller Quartet blend wind and string sonorities in this appealing mix of music that’s graceful, romantic, and imaginative. Concluding the concert is the first of Beethoven’s 16 string quartets—already a tour de force that foreshadows his mastery of the form.
 
 
 
BRILLIANT BRASS…STIRRING STRINGS
April 13, 2010
7:00 PM
ASO Brass Quintet
Rockefeller Quartet
Sturgis Quartet
Kiril Laskarov, violin
Drew Irvin, violin
Carl Anthony, harpsichord
 
EWALD Brass Quintet No. 1 
J. S. BACH Double Violin Concerto 
SCHOENBERG String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7 
 
Enjoy the dazzle of the ASO Brass Quintet in a work by an illustrious Tchaikovsky contemporary and pioneer of the genre. Step back two centuries for Bach’s Double Violin Concerto, in which the two soloists weave an intricate tapestry of sound. Schoenberg’s dramatic musical canvas is unique in conception and exciting to hear.
 
 
 
 

 

 

Quapaw Quartet
Eric Hayward, violin
Meredith Maddox, violin
Ryan Mooney, viola
Melita Hunsinger, cello

 

Rockefeller Quartet
Christian Baker, violin
Darby BeDell, violin
Katherine Reynolds, viola
Daniel Cline, cello

 
 

Sturgis Quartet
Andrew Harvey, violin
Geoffrey Robson, violin
Tatania Kotcherguina, viola
David Gerstein, cello

 
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