Chicago Philharmonic travels ‘Along the Danube’

The Chicago Philharmonic Chamber Players

Updated: March 14, 2013 10:53AM

The Danube River, celebrated in song and story, flows through many countries, including Austria, Germany and Hungary, as well as seven more Eastern European destinations.

So the members of the Chicago Philharmonic Chamber Players had the works of a vast number of composers from which to choose for their Sunday program in Hinsdale.

The players are violinists Irene Radetzky and Ann Palen, both members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra; violist Benton Wedge, who has played with Lyric, Grant Park, Chicago and Milwaukee symphonies; and cellist Matthew Agnew, a medalist in the Lansing Matinee Musicale Richardson Awards.

First on the program are several of Bela Bartok’s “Duos for Two Violins,” to be played by Radetzky and Palen. The works were written in 1931 by the Hungarian composer for student violinists, almost a decade before he fled fascism and took up residency in the United States.

“Irene and I have been colleagues at Lyric for more than 15 years,” said Palen, who is assistant concertmaster for the Chicago Philharmonic, “so this was a natural pairing for us.”

She likens the Bartok Duos, which are based on Humgarian folk tunes, to “poetry or flash fiction,” as they run between 30 seconds and two minutes.

“They express entire ideas, sentiments or thoughts in a concise manner,” Palen explained. “When you reach the end of the piece, you feel you have experienced something complete.”

Another composer identified with the Danube is Vienna-born Franz Schubert, whose String Trio in B-flat, D. 471 follows the Bartok. Composed in 1816, only two movements were completed, though the composer lived until 1828.

Beethoven’s String Quartet Op 59 No. 1, “Razumovsky” will conclude the afternoon. The designation honors Count Razumovsky, the Russian Ambassador living in Vienna, who was Beethoven’s friend and patron and in 1805 commissioned the Opus 59 quartets.

The chamber program grew out of a benefit that the four members of the Chicago Philharmonic gave last year to raise funds for their orchestra.

Donna Milanovich, the Chicago Philharmonic’s executive director, regards the chamber concerts as a community service. “We have lots of small ensembles within the orchestra,” she said. “We thought it would be nice to give chamber programs in the areas where our musicians live. Right now, our ensembles play in Hinsdale and Park Ridge.”

And expect more in the future. “We intend to expand the chamber music offerings,” she said.

The Chicago Philharmonic is made up primarily of Lyric Opera Orchestra members and other top-tier professional musicians from the Chicago area. The group regularly performs four or five concerts at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall in Evanston and is the official orchestra for the Joffrey Ballet at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.

Two concerts remain in the Chicago Philharmonic season: April 21 “Nordic Romance” with violinist David Perry as soloist and leader, and May 24 “Bernstein and Schubert” with music director Larry Rachleff on the podium and soprano Susan Lorette Dunn as soloist.

Rachleff, the orchestra’s music director for more than 20 years, is stepping down after the last concert of the season, and the orchestra is in the midst of a search for a new music director. “We will be making an announcement soon,” Milanovich said.

Meanwhile, the orchestra will present another chamber music concert at 3 p.m. April 7 at Union Church in Hinsdale titled “Springtime with Mozart.”

Show / Hide Comments