Symposium 79 - 22 October 2006

Symposium LXXIX
22 October 2006
The 22nd Season Opener
Beethoven & Brahms String Quintets

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Mark Steinberg & Colin Jacobsen, violins
Dov Scheindlin & David Miller, violas
Nina Lee, ’cello

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To inaugurate Helicon’s first season of Symposiums at Kosciuszko, we’ve gathered an impressive ensemble of virtuoso string players for a rare gut-string performance of masterpieces by Beethoven and Brahms. We begin with Beethoven, his splendid Quintet in C Major, Op. 29. Among the finest works from his early creative period, this is the composer’s only quintet originally conceived for strings. In the magnificent tumult of the last movement, Beethoven creates such vivid musical effects that the work became known as “The Storm.” We then move to Johannes Brahms’ glorious Quintet in G Major, Op. 111. Opening with shimmering strings under a sweeping ’cello melody, this work is symphonic in scope and contains some of Brahms’ most engaging and emotionally generous chamber music. His lush textures and rich harmonies will be enhanced by the earthy sound of gut strings.

THE HELICON FOUNDATION
James Roe, Artistic Director
William A. Simon, President
Albert Fuller, Founder

Symposium 80 - 10 December 2006

Symposium LXXX
10 December 2006
"Buon Natale y Felices Fiestas"
Baroque Holiday Music from Italy, Spain, & Latin America

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EL MUNDO & ENSEMBLE REBEL
Jennifer Lane, mezzo soprano; Catherine Webster, soprano
Richard Savino, lute & baroque guitar
Jörg-Michael Schwarz & Karen Marie Marmer, violins
John Moran, cello
Dongsok Shin, harpsichord

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Helicon is pleased to welcome back the renowned Baroque guitarist, Richard Savino and his ensemble, El Mundo. Composed of singers, strings, and plucked instruments, El Mundo specializes in the rich, sensual music of 16th - 19th century Italy, Spain and Latin America. Their Helicon performance features mezzo-soprano, Jennifer Lane. Throughout the Baroque period music flourished in the Spanish colonial territories, yet little of this fascinating repertory is known today. This music truly crosses cultural borders by blending European styles with native rhythms and dances. Richard has created a program of new musical discoveries including Yuletide music from Mexico, Guatemala, Peru and Argentina, and sacred Hebraic psalms by Solomon Rossi.

“El Mundo’s program was a joyful tour. . . this ensemble was stupendous!” - San Francisco Classical Voice

THE HELICON FOUNDATION
James Roe, Artistic Director
William A. Simon, President
Albert Fuller, Founder

Symposium 81 - 11 February 2007

Symposium LXXXI
11 February 2007
“The Art of English Song”
Baroque and 20th-century Masterpieces

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Nicholas Phan, tenor
Robert Wolinsky, harpsichord
Myron Lutzke, ’cello
Pedja Muzijevic, piano
James Roe, oboe

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Nicholas Phan has quickly established himself as an important tenor among America's next generation of singers. A noted interpreter of Handel, he made his New York debut this season as Damon in Acis and Galatea with the New York City Opera. He has appeared with the Houston, Frankfurt, Glimmerglass, and L.A. Operas, the Chicago Symphony, and the Orchestra of St. Luke's. At Helicon Mr. Phan will sing an innovative program that juxtaposes beautiful Baroque and 20th-century songs by England’s two greatest composers, Henry Purcell and Benjamin Britten. Separated by 300 years, both possess a lyric naturalness for setting the English language and a bountiful melodic gift. The stylistic breadth of this program will offer new ways of hearing music from these different eras. Rounding out the program, James Roe will join Mr. Phan for Vaughan Williams’ haunting and lyrical “Blake Songs” for Tenor and Oboe.

THE HELICON FOUNDATION
James Roe, Artistic Director
William A. Simon, President
Albert Fuller, Founder

Helicon at The Morgan, October 4, 2011 at 6:30

The Morgan Library & Museum presents Helicon in Concert

"Réalités Invisibles" Music from the Life of Marcel Proust

TUE • 4 OCT 11 • 7:30

For tickets and information please visit

www.helicon.org/morgan

Symposium LXXXII
13 May 2007
“The Music of Proust’s Salon”

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Jennifer Frautschi & Serena Canin, violins
Hsin-Yun Huang, viola
Ed Arron, ’cello
Pedja Muzijevic, piano

with

Richard Howard, poet & reader

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It is no surprise that Marcel Proust—an author so concerned with memory and time—was a dedicated lover of music, the invisible art that exists only in the passage of time. Our 82nd Symposium features music important in Proust’s life and work. We open with piano pieces by Proust’s lover, Reynaldo Hahn. His is quintessential salon music, charming, nostalgic, and utterly French. Jennifer Frautschi then joins Pedja for Saint-Saëns’ Violin Sonata No. 1. Hahn’s diaries reveal that the reoccurring melody in this piece inspired the famous “little phrase” that represents Swan’s love for Odette in “A la recherche du temps perdu.” Proust wrote that his primary “spiritual nourishment” came from the music of Beethoven and Franck. Famously, he would round up certain Parisian musicians for private, post-midnight performances Franck’s music. To close our 22nd season (well before midnight) we’ve rounded up musicians of our own to play Franck’s opulent Piano Quintet. It should be night to remember.

Program

I. PROUST IN LOVE — Marcel & Reynaldo
“One is always inspired when speaking of what one loves.
The truth is that one should never speak of anything else.”
Letter from Proust to Hahn

Marcel Proust: poems from
"Portraits of Painters, Portraits of Musicians" (1896)
translated and read by Richard Howard

Reynaldo Hahn: Premières valses pour piano (1898)

II. THE LITTLE PHRASE — Swann & Odette
“. . . the little phrase by Vinteuil which was, so to speak,
the national anthem of their love.”
from Swann’s Way

Passage from Swann’s Way
“In Search of Lost Time” Vol. 1, chapter "Swann in Love"
translated and read by Richard Howard

Camille Saint-Saëns
Violin Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 75 (1885)

III. SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT — Proust & Music
“For some years Beethoven’s last quartets and the music of Franck
has been my principal spiritual nourishment”
Proust to Mme. Albert Hecht, March 1916

César Franck
Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op. 7 (1878-79)

THE HELICON FOUNDATION
James Roe, Artistic Director
William A. Simon, President
Albert Fuller, Founder

Helicon Members 2006-2007

For its generous support of our 82nd Symposium,
The Helicon Foundation is deeply grateful to The Alice Tully Foundation.
We thank The Kosciuszko Foundation for their hospitality.

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We wish to express our gratitude to Helicon’s Members
whose support makes possible the events of our twenty-second season:

Directors Circle
Joan K. Easton
Susan Zolla-Pazner, Ph.D. & Sherman Pazner, M.D.

Sponsoring Members
V. Edward Dent
Karen McLaughlin & Mark Schubin
Ryo Toyonaga & Alvin Friedman-Kien
Lisa & Paul Welch

Sustaining Members
Yukiko & Jim Gatheral
Franklin Heller & Christian Steiner
David S. Moyer
The Irwin Scherzer Foundation
Ann & Joe Scozzafava
Lavinia & William Simon
Marica & Jan Vilcek
Joanne Witty & Eugene Keilin

Contributing Members
Patty Otis Abel & Dennis R. Reiff
Leslie Armstrong
Barbara & Paul Krieger,
Doreen Lindsay & Andrew Burt
Peter C. Lombardo, M.D.
Arthur Richenthal
Laura Schoen & Robert Kaufman
Arlene & Bruce Simon

Members
Anonymous (1)
Cheryl Milone Bab
Cindy Bolt & Edmond V. Karam
Nancy Cardozo
Pamela Drexel
Patricia & Michael Fast
Nancy Hall & Robert Schwartzman
Rosanna & Corwith Hansen
Timothy B. Harwood
Hideko Kamino, M.D. & Howard Ratech, M.D.
Sarah O.H. Johnson
Gregory Keilin
Catherine Keller & Jason Starr
David Longmire
Lena Persson & Hervé Pierre
Gil Quito
Carol & Gerard Silverman
Jane Taylor & Guy Renvoize

Contributors
Rowan Dordick & Jennifer Hirschowitz in Honor of William A. Simon
Don Lebowitz, Esq.