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SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 2026 AT 4 PM JONATHAN BISS, PIANO MOZART, JANÁČEK, AND SCHUMANN JONATHAN BISS , PIANO “Biss is known for his deeply insightful approach to the pillars of the repertoire and a desire to forge connections between that canon and the present…” — The Boston Globe, January 2024 ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE BUY TICKETS Pianist Jonathan Biss is internationally acclaimed for his impeccable taste, formidable technique, and profound musical insight. He has performed as a soloist with many of the world’s leading orchestras and, since 2018, has served as Co-Artistic Director of the Marlboro Music School and Festival alongside Mitsuko Uchida. In his thoughtfully curated program, Jonathan Biss charts an expressive journey through three centuries of piano masterpieces — from Mozart’s stormy Sonata in C minor, K. 457, to Janáček’s early 20th-century nostalgia in On an Overgrown Path , and the sweeping Romantic passion of Schumann’s Fantasy in C , envisioned as a coded love letter to his beloved wife-to-be, Clara Wieck. 2025-2026 SEASON September 14, 2025 “Singers” from the Met Orchestra October 12, 2025 Lawrence Brownlee, tenor November 2, 2025 Benjamin Appl, baritone; James Baillieu, piano December 7, 2025 The Tallis Scholars January 18, 2026 Benjamin Beilman, violin; Jonathan Swenson, cello; Orion Weiss, piano February 22, 2026 Radu Ratoi, accordion March 8, 2026 Jonathan Biss, piano April 26, 2026 Jerusalem String Quartet May 17, 2026 Chee-Yun, violin; Sterling Elliott, cello; Henry Kramer, piano Artist Roster Parlance Program Notes LOCATION At West Side Presbyterian Church 6 South Monroe Street Ridgewood, NJ 07450 For map and directions, click here . CONCERT AMENITIES Whee lchair Accessible Fr e e Parking for all concerts FEATURING BUY TICKETS PROGRAM Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sonata in C minor, K. 457 Program Notes Leoš Janáček: On an Overgrown Path, Series 1, Nos. 1, 6, and 7 Program Notes INTERMISSION Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sonata in F, K. 533/494 Program Notes Robert Schumann: Fantasy in C, Op. 17 Program Notes Watch pianist Jonathan Biss play Schumann’s Fantasiestücke, Op. 12: Watch pianist Jonathan Biss play Beethoven’s Sonata No. 31, Op. 110:

SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2026 AT 4 PM A BRAHMSIAN FINALE CHEE-YUN, VIOLIN STERLING ELLIOTT, CELLO HENRY KRAMER, PIANO CHEE-YUN , VIOLIN STERLING ELLIOTT , CELLO HENRY KRAMER , PIANO “Chee-Yun was at once playful and passionate, her bow was consistently precise even at NASCAR speed.” — The Washington Post “Sterling Elliot is a star cellist who has risen beyond hopeful promise to astonishing maturity. If you see his name on an upcoming venue, take the leap, and hear what he is up to, no matter what the program offers.“ — The Millbrook Independent “Henry Kramer was as technically flawless and precise as a faceted diamond…” — Portland Press Herald ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE BUY TICKETS 2025-2026 SEASON September 14, 2025 “Singers” from the Met Orchestra October 12, 2025 Lawrence Brownlee, tenor November 2, 2025 Benjamin Appl, baritone; James Baillieu, piano December 7, 2025 The Tallis Scholars January 18, 2026 Benjamin Beilman, violin; Jonathan Swenson, cello; Orion Weiss, piano February 22, 2026 Radu Ratoi, accordion March 8, 2026 Jonathan Biss, piano April 26, 2026 Jerusalem String Quartet May 17, 2026 Chee-Yun, violin; Sterling Elliott, cello; Henry Kramer, piano Artist Roster Parlance Program Notes LOCATION At West Side Presbyterian Church 6 South Monroe Street Ridgewood, NJ 07450 For map and directions, click here . CONCERT AMENITIES Whee lchair Accessible Fr e e Parking for all concerts FEATURING BUY TICKETS Violinist Chee-Yun returns to Parlance Chamber Concerts following her unforgettable 2024 performance of Brahms’s Horn Trio — an interpretation so compelling that Artistic Director Michael Parloff invited her back for an afternoon devoted entirely to Brahms’s chamber music. She will be joined by two extraordinary young artists: Sterling Elliott , a cellist of “astonishing maturity” (The Millbrook Independent ), and Henry Kramer , a pianist whose Brahms playing has been called “thrilling and nearly flawless” (Cleveland Classical Review ). Their program will open with Brahms’s dramatic D-minor Violin Sonata , followed by the lyrical F-major Cello Sonata . The concert will culminate in a performance of Brahms’s towering B-minor Piano Trio , uniting all three artists in a powerful and expressive finale to Parlance Chamber Concert’s 18th season. PROGRAM Johannes Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108 Program Notes Johannes Brahms: Cello Sonata No. 2 in F, Op. 99 Program Notes INTERMISSION Johannes Brahms: Piano Trio No. 1 in B, Op. 8 Program Notes Watch violinist Chee-Yun’s scintillating performance of Brahms’s Horn Trio with hornist Brad Gemeinhardt and pianist Alessio Bax: Watch cellist Sterling Elliott play Elgar’s Cello Concerto in London: Watch pianist Henry Kramer play Ravel’s Alborada del Gracioso from Miroirs:

SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2026 AT 4 PM JERUSALEM STRING QUARTET ALEXANDER PAVLOVSKY, VIOLIN SERGEI BRESLER, VIOLIN MATHIS ROCHAT, VIOLA KYRIL ZLOTNIKOV, CELLO JERUSALEM STRING QUARTET “Consummately brilliant playing throughout, combining amazing technical finesse with overwhelming musical insight….” — BBC Music Magazine ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE BUY TICKETS Renowned for their “amazing technical finesse and overwhelming musical insight” (BBC Music Magazine ), the Jerusalem String Quartet returns to Parlance Chamber Concerts for an expressively far-ranging program featuring works by Haydn, Beethoven , and Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Shulamit Ran . Celebrated for their warm, balanced sound and eloquent ensemble unity, the Quartet brings a rare blend of tradition, individuality, and emotional depth to both classical masterworks and contemporary voices. Their program will culminate with Beethoven’s Quartet in B-flat, Op. 130 , including the boundary-pushing Grosse Fuge . This great quartet —by turns rustic, playful, introspective, and adventurous —showcases the full range of Beethoven’s extraordinary late-life inventiveness and mastery.” 2025-2026 SEASON September 14, 2025 “Singers” from the Met Orchestra October 12, 2025 Lawrence Brownlee, tenor November 2, 2025 Benjamin Appl, baritone; James Baillieu, piano December 7, 2025 The Tallis Scholars January 18, 2026 Benjamin Beilman, violin; Jonathan Swenson, cello; Orion Weiss, piano February 22, 2026 Radu Ratoi, accordion March 8, 2026 Jonathan Biss, piano April 26, 2026 Jerusalem String Quartet May 17, 2026 Chee-Yun, violin; Sterling Elliott, cello; Henry Kramer, piano Artist Roster Parlance Program Notes LOCATION At West Side Presbyterian Church 6 South Monroe Street Ridgewood, NJ 07450 For map and directions, click here . CONCERT AMENITIES Whee lchair Accessible Fr e e Parking for all concerts FEATURING BUY TICKETS PROGRAM Joseph Haydn: Quartet in B-flat, Op. 76, No. 4 (“Sunrise”) Program Notes Shulamit Ran: Betwixt and Between – String Quartet No. 4 Commissioned by and composed for the Jerusalem String Quartet in 2025 Program Notes INTERMISSION Ludwig van Beethoven: Quartet in B-flat, Op. 130 (with the Grosse Fuge) Program Notes Watch the Jerusalem Quartet perform the Haydn’s String Quartet in D, Op. 64, No. 5 (The Lark): Watch the Jerusalem Quartet perform the third movement of Brahms's String Quartet No.3, Op.67:

VIDEOS PARLANCE PERFORMANCE VIDEOS VIDEO CONCERT PREVIEWS PARLOFF MULTIMEDIA LECTURES AND INTERVIEWS Watch in full screen Go to the video you'd like to watch. Press the red button with white arrow to play video. At the bottom-right of the video player, click full screen icon. May 17, 2026 Brahms' Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108 Chee-Yun, violin; Henry Kramer, piano Brahms' Cello Sonata No. 2 in F major, Op. 99 Sterling Elliott, cello, Henry Kramer, piano Michael Parloff Introduces Brahms’ Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8 Brahms: Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8 Chee-Yun, violin • Sterling Elliott, cello • Henry Kramer, piano October 12, 2025 Donizetti’s “Una furtiva lagrime” from L’elisir d’amore Lawrence Brownlee, tenor; Kevin J. MIller, piano Mozart’s“Un’aura amorosa” from Così fan tutte Lawrence Brownlee, tenor; Kevin J. MIller, piano September 14, 2025 Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4 in E-flat, K. 495 Brad Gemeindardt, horn; Michael Parloff, conductor Members of the Met Orchestra Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto in B-flat, K. 191 William Short, bassoon; Michael Parloff, conductor Members of the Met Orchestra Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A, K. 622 Anton Rist, clarinet; Michael Parloff, conductor Members of the Met Orchestra Haydn’s Symphony No. 6 in D, (The Morning) Hob. 1/6 Michael Parloff, conductor Members of the Met Orchestra March 9. 2025 Maurice Ravel’s Shéhérazade Erika Baikoff, soprano; Soohong Park, piano February 9, 2025 Camille Saint-Saëns’ Romance, Op. 36 Steven Isserlis, cello; Connie Shih, piano December 15, 2024 Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 1 in G, K. 313 Denis Bouriakov, flute; Michael Parloff, conductor Musicians from the New York Philharmonic François Devienne’s Flute Concerto No. 7 in E minor Denis Bouriakov, flute; Michael Parloff, conductor Musicians from the New York Philharmonic October 20, 2024 Michael Parloff Introduces Joachín Turina’s La oración del torero ("The Bullfighter’s Prayer”) Joaquín Turina’s La oración del torero ("The Bullfighter’s Prayer”) Modigliani String Quartet September 29, 2024 Cellobration (Part 1) Carter Brey, Rafael Figueroa, Edward Arron, and Zvi Plesser, cello Jeewon Park, piano Cellobration (Part 2) Carter Brey, Rafael Figueroa, Edward Arron, and Zvi Plesser, cello Jeewon Park, piano June 2, 2024 Michael Parloff Introduces Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, K. 364 Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, K. 364 Oliver Neubauer, violin; Paul Neubauer, viola Members of the Met Orchestra; Michael Parloff, conductor MAY 12, 2024 Michael Parloff Introduces Dvorak’s Songs My Mother Taught Me Dvorak’s Songs My Mother Taught Me Chee-Yun, violin; Alessio Bax, piano Michael Parloff Introduces Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite Alesso Bax and Lucille Chung, piano Brahms’s Trio for violin, horn, and piano, Op. 40 Chee-Yun, violin; Brad Gemeinhardt, horn; Alessio Bax, piano March 10, 2024 Michael Parloff Introduces Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations, Op. 120 Richard Goode, piano JANUARY 14, 2024 Michael Parloff Introduces Anton Webern’s Langsamer Satz for String Quartet Anton Webern’s Langsamer Satz Goldmund String Quartet Michael Parloff Introduces Alexander Borodin’s String Quartet No. 2 in D Alexander Borodin’s Quartet No. 2 in D Major Goldmund String Quartet Robert Schumann’s Quartet No. 3 in A, Op. 42, No. 3 Goldmund String Quartet DECEMBER 3, 2023 Bruce Adolphe and Michael Parloff discuss Bruce Adolphe's “Memory Believes (a requiem)” Bruce Adolphe: Memory Believes (a requiem) Brentano String Quartet & Antioch Chamber Ensemble (choir) October 15, 2023 Michael Parloff Introduces Amanda Maier’s Piano Trio in E-flat Major Amanda Maier’s Piano Trio in E-flat Major The Lysander Piano Trio MAY 21, 2023 Michael Parloff Introduces Béla Bartók’s Rhapsody No. 1 for cello and piano Béla Bartók’s Rhapsody No. 1 for cello and piano, BB94c, Sz. 88 Zlatomir Fung, cello; Albert Cano Smit, piano Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Trio élégiaque No. 2, Op. 9 Kevin Zhu, violin; Zlatomir Fung, cello; Albert Cano Smit APRIL 2, 2023 Brahms’s E-minor Cello Sonata, Op. 38 Paul Watkins, cello; Boris Berman, piano MARCH 19, 2023 Bach’s French Suite in C minor, BWV 813 Rachel Naomi Kudo, piano Three Bach Transcriptions by Egon Petri and Ferruccio Busoni Rachel Naomi Kudo, piano Bach’s Italian Concerto, BWV 971 Rachel Naomi Kudo, piano FEBRUARY 12, 2023 Three Pieces by Fritz Kreisler Benjamin Beilman, violin; Gloria Chien, piano Michael Parloff Introduces Johann Strauss’s Emperor Waltz and Korngold’s Suite, Op. 23 (arr. Schoenberg) Johann Strauss’s Emperor Waltz; Arranged for Chamber Ensemble by Arnold Schoenberg Gloria Chien, piano; Benjamin Beilman and Alexi Kenney, violin; Milena Pajaro-Van de Stadt, viola; Mihai Marica, cello; Yoobin Son, flute; Pascual Martínez-Forteza, clarinet Michael Introduces Erich Korngold’s Suite for Two Violins, Cello, and Piano Left-Hand, Op. 23 Erich Korngold - Suite for 2 violins, cello, and piano left-hand; Parlance Chamber Concerts Gloria Chien, piano; Benjamin Beilman and Alexi Kenney, violin; Mihai Marica, cello JANUARY 29, 2023 Mozart, Divertimento in F, K. 318 The Danish String Quartet Benjamin Britten, Three Divertimenti The Danish String Quartet Elvis Presley, Can’t Help Falling in Love, arr. Danish String Quartet The Danish String Quartet DECEMBER 4, 2022 Sam Perkin, Freakshow The Sitkovetsky Trio NOVEMBER 20, 2022 Michael Parloff Introduces Erwin Schulhoff’s Hot Sonata for Saxophone and Piano Erwin Schulhoff’s Hot Sonata Steven Banks, saxophone and Xak Bjerken, piano Michael Parloff Introduces Claude Debussy’s Rapsodie for Saxophone and Piano Claude Debussy’s Rapsodie for Saxophone and Piano Steven Banks, saxophone and Xak Bjerken, piano OCTOBER 30, 2022 Brahms, String Sextet No. 2 in G, Op. 36 Emerson String Quartet with Guillermo Figueroa, viola, and David Finckel, cello NOVEMBER 14, 2021 Michael Parloff introduces Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in A minor, Op. 13 Mendelssohn, String Quartet in A minor, Op. 13 Schumann String Quartet Ravel, String Quartet in F Schumann String Quartet FEBRUARY 16, 2020 Verdi, Caro Nome (from Rigoletto) Meigui Zhang, soprano; Ken Noda, piano JANUARY 19, 2020 Beethoven, Sonata in C# minor, Op. 27, No. 2 (“Moonlight”) Paul Lewis, piano DECEMBER 15, 2019 Michael Parloff introduces Stravinsky’s “The Soldiers Tale” (Music from the 1918 pandemic) Stravinsky, “The Soldier’s Tale” Benjamin Luxon, narrator; Benjamin Beilman, violin; Innhyuck Cho, clarinet; Frank Morelli, Bassoon; Chris Coletti, trumpet; Demian Austin, trombone; David J. Grossman, bass; Ian Rosenbaum, percussion; Anni Crofut, dancer-choreographer OCTOBER 27, 2019 Boccherini, String Quartet in C, Op. 2, No. 6 Quartetto di Cremona Respighi, String Quartet No. 3 in D Quartetto di Cremona Verdi, “Quando le sere al placido” (from Luisa Miller) Quartetto di Cremona MAY 19, 2019 Michael Parloff introduces Mozart’s Adagio & Rondo, K. 617 for glass harmonica, flute, oboe, viola, and cello Mozart, Adagio & Rondo, K. 617 Friedrich Heinrich Kern, glass harmonica; Chelsea Knox, flute; Elaine Douvas, oboe; Jeremy Berry, viola; Estelle Choi, cello APRIL 14, 2019 Michael Parloff Introduces Corelli’s “La Folia” Violin Sonata in D minor, Op. 5, No. 12 Corelli (arrg. Poxon), “La Folia”: Sonata in D minor, Op. 5, No. 12 Anne Akiko Meyers, violin; Jason Vieaux, guitar Michael Parloff introduces Rentarō Taki’s Kōjō no Tsuki (The Moon Over the Ruined Castle) Rentarō Taki, Kōjō no Tsuki (The Moon Over the Ruined Castle) Anne Akiko Meyers, Violin Elvis Presley, Can’t Help Falling in Love Anne Akiko Meyers, violin, and Jason Vieaux, guitar MARCH 24, 2019 Bach, Violin and Keyboard Sonata in E Major, BWV 1016 Sarah Crocker Vonsattel, violin, and Gilles Vonsattel Bach, Keyboard Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052 Gilles Vonsattel, piano soloist, and chamber orchestra JANUARY 27, 2019 Michael Parloff Introduces Beethoven’s “Kakadu Variations,” Op. 121A Beethoven, “Kakadu Variations”, Op. 121A for piano trio Pinchas Zukerman Piano Trio Anton Arensky, Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 32 Pinchas Zukerman Piano Trio DECEMBER 16, 2018 Michael Parloff introduces Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110 Shostakovich, String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110 Emerson String Quartet Schubert, String Quintet in C Major, D. 956, Op.Posth 163 Emerson String Quartet with cellist David Finckel NOVEMBER 4, 2018 Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals Alessio Bax & Lucille Chung, pianos with Members of the New York Philharmonic Michael Parloff introduces Vivaldi’s Flute Concerto in D, Op. 10, No. 3 (“The Goldfinch”) Vivaldi, Flute Concerto in D, Op. 10, No. 3 (“The Goldfinch”) Yoobin Son, flute Members of the New York Philharmonic SEPTEMBER 23, 2018 Michael Parloff introduces Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 14 in E flat, K. 449 (Chamber Version) Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 14 in E flat, K. 449 Michael Brown, piano, and string quintet Schubert, Rondo in A, D. 438, for violin and string quartet Sean Lee, violin, and string quartet Chausson, Concerto in D, Op. 21, for violin, piano, and string quartet Arnaud Sussmann, violin; Michael Brown, piano, and string quartet APRIL 8, 2018 Michael Parloff Introduces Beethoven’s Quartet in F, Op. 59, No. 1 (Razumovsky No. 1) Ludwig van Beethoven: Quartet in F, Op. 59, No. 1 Danish String Quartet Michael Parloff Introduces Beethoven’s Quartet in C# minor, Op. 131 Ludwig van Beethoven: Quartet in C# Minor, Op. 131 Danish String Quartet MARCH 11, 2018 Beethoven, Sonata No. 10 in G, Op. 96 for violin and piano Benjamin Beilman, violin, and Orion Weiss, piano Ravel, “Blues” from Sonata No. 2 in G, for violin and piano Benjamin Beilman, violin, and Orion Weiss, piano A pre-performance conversation about Frederic Rzewski’s “Demons” (2017) Michael Parloff interviews Benjamin Beilman and Orion Weiss Frederic Rzewski, “Demons” (2017) for violin and piano Benjamin Beilman, violin, and Orion Weiss, piano FEBRUARY 17, 2018 Michael Parloff introduces the history of Haydn’s “Seven Last Words of Christ.” (5 minutes) Haydn, “The Seven Last Words of Christ” Chiara String Quartet Michael Parloff’s multimedia lecture on the history and music of Haydn’s “Seven Last Words of Christ” (55 minutes) DECEMBER 17, 2017 Rachmaninoff, Romance from Suite No. 2, Op. 17 for 2 pianos) Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung, pianos Rachmaninoff, Tarantella from Suite No. 2, Op. 17 for 2 pianos Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung, pianos Lutosławski, Variations on a Theme of Paganini for 2 pianos Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung, pianos NOVEMBER 19, 2017 Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, Mvt. 1 Los Angeles Guitar Quartet Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, Mvts. 2 & 3 Los Angeles Guitar Quartet OCTOBER 29, 2017 Michael Parloff Introduces Mozart’s Adagio in B minor, K. 540 Mozart, Adagio in B minor, K. 540 Peter Serkin, piano Mozart, Sonata in B-Flat Major, K. 570 Peter Serkin, piano Bach, The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 Peter Serkin, piano SEPTEMBER 24, 2017 Michael Parloff introduces Mendelssohn’s Octet for Strings, Op. 20 Mendelssohn, String Octet in E-flat, Op. 20 Arnaud Sussmann, Sean Lee, Emily Daggett Smith, & Danbi Um, violins; Mark Holloway & Paul Neubauer, violas; Rafael Figueroa & Mihai Marica, cellos Strolling Violist Paul Neubauer plays Schulenburg’s Puszta-Märchen Fauré, Romance in B-flat, Op. 28 for violin and piano Arnaud Sussmann, violin, and Michael Brown, piano Saint-Saëns, Romance in F, Op. 36 for cello and piano Mihai Marica, and Michael Brown, piano MARCH 26, 2017 Michael Parloff introduces Haydn’s Quartet in D, Op. 64, No. 5 (The Lark) Joseph Haydn, Quartet in D, Op. 64, No. 5 (The Lark) Jerusalem String Quartet DECEMBER 18, 2016 Gilad Cohen, Trio for a Spry Clarinet, Weeping Cello, and Ruminative Harp Michael Parloff interviews the composer followed by the trio performance Michael Parloff introduces Debussy’s Sacred and Profane Dances & Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro Claude Debussy, Sacred and Profane Dances Harpist Mariko Anraku with Met Orchestra principal musicians Maurice Ravel, Introduction and Allegro Harpist Emmanuel Ceysson with Met Orchestra principal musicians NOVEMBER 20, 2016 Michael Parloff introduces Dvořák’s Quartet No. 12 in F (American Quartet) Antonín Dvořák, String Quartet No. 12 in F (American) New York Philharmonic String Quartet George Gershwin, Lullaby New York Philharmonic String Quartet OCTOBER 30, 2016 Michael Parloff introduces Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 1 in C minor, Op. 8 Shostakovich, Piano Trio No. 1 in C minor, Op. 8 Wu Han, piano; David Finckel, cello; Philip Setzer, violin APRIL 3, 2016 Bach, Badinerie from Suite in B Minor BWV 1067 Sir James Galway, flute Benjamin Beilman and Danbi Um, violins Mark Holloway, viola; Nicholas Canellakis, cello Timothy Cobb, bass; Paolo Bordignon, harpsichord MARCH 6, 2016 Michael Parloff introduces Schubert’s String Quartet in D minor, K. 810 (“Death and the Maiden”) Escher String Quartet Schubert, String Quartet in D minor (“Death and the Maiden”), Mvts 1 & 2 Escher String Quartet Schubert, String Quartet in D minor (“Death and the Maiden”), Mvts 3 & 4 Escher String Quartet DECEMBER 13, 2015 Michael Parloff introduces Beethoven’s Cello Sonata No. 4 in C Paul Watkins, cello, Gilles Vonsattel, piano Beethoven, Cello Sonata in C, Op. 102, No. 1 – Full Performance Paul Watkins, cello, Gilles Vonsattel, piano Michael Parloff introduces Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 9 in A, Op. 47 (The “Bridgetower-Kreutzer”) Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 9 Violin Sonata No. 9 in A, Op. 47 (The “Bridgetower-Kreutzer”) Kristin Lee, violin; Gilles Vonsattel, piano NOVEMBER 15, 2015 Charles Ives: Violin Sonata No. 1 Stefan Jackiw, violin; Jeremy Denk, piano and speaker OCTOBER 4, 2015 Mozart, Sonata in F, K. 563 & K. 494 Richard Goode, piano Brahms: 4 Klavierstücke, Op. 119 Richard Goode, piano APRIL 26, 2015 Jules Styne, I Fall in Love Too Easily Stefon Harris, vibraphone/marimba, Alex Brown, piano MARCH 29, 2015 Frederic Weatherly, Danny Boy Matthew Polenzani, tenor, Ken Noda, piano Ravel, Five Popular Greek Songs Matthew Polenzani, tenor, Ken Noda, piano Michael Parloff introduces Samuel Barber’s Hermit Songs Samuel Barber, Hermit Songs, Op. 69 Matthew Polenzani, tenor; Ken Noda, piano Beethoven, Adelaide Matthew Polenzani, tenor; Ken Noda, piano FEBRUARY 8, 2015 Michael Parloff introduces Prokofiev’s Cello Sonata in C, Op. 119 Prokofiev, Cello Sonata in C, Op. 119 David Finckel, cello, Wu Han, piano JANUARY 4, 2015 Beethoven, Quartet No. 12 in E-flat, Op. 127 Emerson String Quartet Movement 1 Movement 2 Movement 3 Movement 4 NOVEMBER 2, 2014 Manuel de Falla, Polo from Seven Popular Songs Isabel Leonard, mezzo-soprano, Sharon Isbin, guitar OCTOBER 5, 2014 Mozart, Violin Sonata in E Minor, K. 308 Arnaud Sussmann, violin, Gilles Vonsattel, piano Michael Parloff introduces Mozart’s Violin Sonata in E minor, K. 308 Movement 1 Movement 2 OCTOBER 5, 2014 Brahms, Piano Quintet in F minor, 3rd Movement Erin Keefe, Arnaud Sussmann, violins, Hsin-Yun Huang viola, Rafael Figueroa, cello, Gilles Vonsattel, piano APRIL 27, 2014 William Walton, Façade Highlights Stephanie Blythe & Raymond Menard, reciters, Members of the Met Orchestra, Michael Parloff, conductor JANUARY 27, 2013 Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat, Op. 110 Richard Goode, piano Movement 1 Movement 2 Movement 3 OCTOBER 31, 2012 Mozart, Concerto in C, K. 299 for Flute and Harp Stefán Höskuldsson, flute, Deborah Hoffman, harp, Members of the Met Orchestra, Michael Parloff, conductor Michael Parloff introduces Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp, K. 299 Movement 1 Movement 2 Movement 3 Prokofiev, Peter and the Wolf (Introducing the instrumental characters) Midge Woolsey, narrator, Members of the Met Orchestra, Michael Parloff, conductor Prokofiev, Peter and the Wolf (Complete performance) Midge Woolsey, narrator, Members of the Met Orchestra, Michael Parloff, conductor SEPTEMBER 23, 2012 Reicha: Sinfonia in D, Op. 12 for four flutes Sir James Galway, Robert Langevin, Stefán Höskuldsson, Denis Bouriakov, flutes Movement 1 Movement 2 Movement 3 Movement 4

November 12, 2023: Angel Blue, soprano; Bryan Wagorn, piano RICHARD STRAUSS (1864–1949) Songs November 12, 2023: Angel Blue, soprano; Bryan Wagorn, piano Strauss wrote songs all his life, from his first song, “Weinachtslied” (Christmas song), at the age of six, to his Four Last Songs, so-named by his publisher, which he composed at the age of eighty-four. Many of his more than 200 songs were written for soprano Pauline de Ahna who became his wife in 1894; the composer himself usually accompanied her on the piano. Some of his songs remain infrequently performed—often because of their difficulty—while others hold a firm place both in recital and in orchestrated versions by Strauss and others on symphonic programs. Strauss composed the four marvelous songs of Opus 27 in 1894 as his wedding present to Pauline. He had become interested in a group of poets—followers of Max Stirner and his socialist ideals—who had established themselves as a force against sentimental mid-nineteenth-century poets and against folk and mock-ancient poetry. Strauss was little interested in their politics, but latched onto their Romantic outpourings. Third in the set, “Heimliche Aufforderung” (Secret invitation) sets a text by Scottish-born but German-raised Stirner disciple, John Henry Mackay. His text is an ardent love song, sung during a tryst amid a crowd of merrymakers. The eager vocal line is accompanied by rippling figurations that change several times to a more static texture to reflect the text. A peaceful postlude follows the ecstatic appeal for night to fall. “Allerseelen” (All Soul’s Day) belongs to Strauss’s first set of published songs, Acht Gedichte aus Letzte Blätter von Hermann von Gilm (Eight Poems from Last Leaves by Hermann von Gilm), op. 10. He had come across the poems in an 1864 volume brought back from Innsbruck by his friend and composer Ludwig Thuille. Strauss composed the songs in 1885, dedicating them to Heinrich Vogl, principal tenor at the Munich Court Opera, who had expressed admiration for them to the young composer. “Allerseelen” (All Souls’ Day), which appears last in the Opus 10 collection, refers to November 2, the day when Western Christians commemorate those dear to them who have died. The poet of Strauss’s setting is longing for his departed love to return, tenderly wishing for things to be as they once were. The song shows the twenty-one-year-old’s lyrical and harmonic mastery, in this case unfolding in a through-composed form that becomes progressively more dramatic. Another of Strauss’s greatest songs, “Befreit” (Freed), third in the Opus 39 set of 1898, sets a text by controversial but now largely forgotten Expressionist poet Richard Dehmel, whose poems became popular for their rich symbolism of erotic love, beauty, art, and feeling. Though Dehmel professed that poetry should have many equally valid interpretations, he went so far as to publish a criticism of Strauss’s setting but without giving specifics about why he thought it “too soft-grained.” He did admit that even though he had envisioned a man’s parting with his dying wife, there are many kinds of farewells. The title “Befreit” represents the loving couple so freed from suffering that not even death is a threat. Strauss’s moving setting emphasizes the constancy of their love and acknowledges with his poignant setting of “O Glück!” at the end of each verse that happiness radiates even through sorrow. “Morgen!” (Tomorrow!), which concludes the Opus 27 group (see above), sets another romantic text by John Henry Mackay. Strauss fashioned a delicate, rapturous setting, begun by one of his most extended and engaging introductions. The song concludes in recitative style followed by a condensed reminder of the introduction. Strauss dashed off “Cäcilie” on September 9, 1894, the day before his wedding. In a nice parallel, he was setting a poem that had been written to honor the wife of the poet, Heinrich Hart. (The text is often misattributed to Heinrich’s brother Julius.) Strauss is said to have embellished the already full and virtuosic accompaniment when performing the song, so it comes as no surprise that he decided to orchestrate it in 1897. Strauss placed it second in the Opus 27 set (see above), but it makes a perfect concluding selection here as his most impassioned and ecstatic love song. —©Jane Vial Jaffe Return to Parlance Program Notes

PETER SERKIN, PIANO Recognized as an artist of passion and integrity, the distinguished American pianist Peter Serkin has successfully conveyed the essence of five centuries of repertoire. His inspired performances with symphony orchestras, in recital appearances, chamber music collaborations and on recordings have been lauded worldwide for decades. Peter Serkin’s rich musical heritage extends back several generations: his grandfather was violinist and composer Adolf Busch and his father pianist Rudolf Serkin. He has performed with the world’s major symphony orchestras, led by such eminent conductors as Seiji Ozawa, Pierre Boulez, Alexander Schneider, Daniel Barenboim, George Szell, Eugene Ormandy, Claudio Abbado, Simon Rattle, James Levine, Herbert Blomstedt, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos and George Cleve. A dedicated chamber musician, Mr. Serkin has collaborated with Alexander Schneider, Pamela Frank, Yo-Yo Ma, the Budapest, Guarneri, Orion, Shanghai, and Dover String Quartets and TASHI, of which he was a founding member. An avid exponent of the music of many of the 20th and 21st century’s most important composers, Mr. Serkin has been instrumental in bringing to life the music of Schoenberg, Reger, Webern, Berg, Stravinsky, Wolpe, Messiaen, Takemitsu, Wuorinen, Goehr, and Knussen for audiences around the world. He has performed many important world premieres of works written specifically for him, in particular by Toru Takemitsu, Hans Werner Henze, Luciano Berio, Leon Kirchner, Alexander Goehr, Oliver Knussen and Charles Wuorinen. Mr. Serkin has recently made several arrangements of four-hand music by Mozart, Schumann and his grandfather, Adolf Busch, for various chamber ensembles and for full orchestra. He has also arranged all of Brahms’s organ Chorale-Preludes, transcribed for one piano, four-hands. Mr. Serkin’s 2017-2018 season began with concerts in Japan, and he continues with solo recitals in Ashland OR, Sonoma, Fresno, and Santa Barbara CA, Ridgewood, NJ, and St. Paul, MN, performing Mozart Sonatas paired with Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Orchestral engagements include the Bartók Concerto for Two Pianos, Percussion, and Orchestra with Anna Polansky, Orchestra Now, and Leon Botstein at Carnegie Hall. The pianist also performs with the Rogue Valley and Duluth-Superior Symphonies, and he joins the Dover Quartet for the Brahms Piano Quintet at South Mountain Concerts. Last season, Mr. Serkin performed solo recitals in New York City, Beacon, NY, and Mount Kisco, NY, and orchestral programs with the Sacramento Philharmonic and Berkshire and Longwood Symphonies. In April, he joined members of the New York Philharmonic in a performance of the Busch Piano Quintet at New York City’s Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center. Following engagements with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra in Philadelphia, Mr. Serkin embarked on a European tour with the orchestra, performing Brahms Piano Concert No. 1 in London, Berlin, Vienna, Salzburg, Dresden, Bremen and Wroclaw. Recent summer seasons have featured engagements at the Ravinia, Tanglewood, La Jolla, Chautauqua, and Music Mountain Music Festivals, BBC Proms, Oxford Philharmonic and Bellingham Music Festivals performing concertos, chamber music, and duo piano programs. Mr. Serkin traveled to Havana, Cuba with the Bard Conservatory Orchestra in June 2016 and has been Artist-in-Residence at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. Orchestral highlights of recent seasons have included the Boston, Chicago, American, Sydney and Saint Louis Symphonies, New York Philharmonic and Scottish Chamber Orchestra, while recital tours have taken Mr. Serkin to Hong Kong, Cologne, Philadelphia, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Santa Monica, Princeton and New York’s 92nd Street Y. Mr. Serkin currently teaches at Bard College Conservatory of Music.

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January 14, 2024: Goldmund Quartet ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810-1856) String Quartet No. 3 in A, Op. 41/3 January 14, 2024: Goldmund Quartet In reviewing a prizewinning quartet by Julius Schapler in 1842, Schumann observed that “the quartet has come to a standstill. Who does not know the quartets of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, and who would wish to say anything against them? . . . the later generation, after all this time, has not been able to produce anything comparable. [Georges] Onslow alone met with success, and later Mendelssohn.” The canonization of the quartets of the great Classical masters left the composers of Schumann’s age feeling inadequate. Schumann and Brahms were each to publish three string quartets but only after suppressing several earlier ventures in the genre. Schumann apparently began one quartet in 1838 and three more the following year; none of these survives, unless certain ideas from them reappeared in the Opus 41 quartets of 1842. Schumann’s method of approaching the level of the Classical masters was to study their quartets intensely, as recorded in his household diary in the spring of 1842. The diary also reveals his depressed mood at the time, associated with his wife Clara’s extended concert tour; he mentions drinking too much and his inability to compose. Suddenly, however, his creative powers took over with such force that five shorts weeks after beginning the first of the Opus 41 quartets on June 4, all three were completed. He announced them to his wife Clara as “three children, barely born, and already completed and beautiful,” and arranged for a private performance of all three for Clara’s twenty-third birthday on September 13. The individuality of these quartets is remarkable in light of their having been composed one on top of the other. The Third Quartet takes up the key in which the First Quartet ended. The descending interval of a fifth that opens the A major Quartet’s brief slow introduction is often associated with Clara, but also may owe something to the opening of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata, op. 31, no. 3. The falling fifth also introduces the main theme of the Allegro molto moderato and makes an appearance in the second theme. This interval (or its inversion as a rising fourth) assumes a prominent role throughout the work. The F-sharp minor second movement, instead of a scherzo, takes the form of a theme and variations, though the theme is not revealed until after three variations. The theme when finally presented, appears as a canon between the first violin and the viola, at a slower tempo. This and other contrapuntal sections in the Opus 41 Quartets reflect Schumann’s self-prescribed study of fugal techniques during the gloomy period of Clara’s absence. The passionate slow movement gives off a restless quality owing to its frequent changes of key. The dotted rhythm so prominent in the second violin part is then featured in the last movement. Schumann’s inspired finale combines the form of a rondo with that of a scherzo and trio, and includes certain elements of sonata form. Its scherzo-like features are welcome as Schumann had earlier used a theme and variation movement instead of a scherzo. The movement particularly contrasts the two keys of A major and F major, again taking up the discussion of these two keys that concerns the entire Opus 41 “cycle.” The key of A major is positively affirmed in a brilliant coda. © Jane Vial Jaffe Return to Parlance Program Notes

WENDY CHEN, PIANO At the age of fifteen, Wendy Chen debuted with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under conductor André Previn. In 1990 she became the youngest winner ever of the National Chopin Competition, was one of the inaugural recipients of the Irving S. Gilmore Young Artists Award, and was named a Presidential Scholar by the National Foundation for the Arts. Since then, her career has flourished, adding Young Concert Artists International Auditions and Washington International Competition to her numerous awards. Ms. Chen has garnered critical acclaim for her engagements with leading orchestras and concert halls worldwide, with reviewers exclaiming that “having pianist Wendy Chen on the program is a guarantee that sparks will fly.” Her numerous orchestral appearances have included the New York Chamber Symphony, the Cincinnati Symphony and Chamber Orchestra, the Phoenix Symphony, the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Uruguay’s Orquesta Sinfonica del Sodres, New Zealand’s Auckland Philharmonia and Wellington Sinfonia, Montreal’s I Musici and many others. The Dominion of New Zealand described that “Chen possesses all the qualities of a modern musical star. Her playing was cuttingly virtuosic, had fantastic clarity and crispness, yet also plenty of sensitivity.” Ms. Chen has also appeared with the Boston Pops and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra in unique programs that also featured musical legends James Taylor and Art Garfunkel, respectively. Of her performance with the Pops, the Boston Globe wrote “Chen’s performance had stamina, chops, brilliance and sensitivity – a formidable combination. She has given recitals throughout the world, including appearances in Prague’s Philharmonic Hall, Poland’s Warsaw Philharmonic Hall, Korea’s Seoul Arts Center, New York City’s Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Washington D.C.’s John F. Kennedy Center, Toronto’s Glenn Gould Studio, Nexus Hall in Tokyo, The Forbidden City in Beijing, and at the United States Supreme Court, in a special evening presented by The Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Equally sought after as a chamber musician, Ms. Chen spent many years performing duo recitals with the late cellist Stephen Kates, a pupil of Gregor Piatigorsky. She regularly appears in duo recitals with cellist Andrés Diaz. She has appeared at the Tanglewood, Boston Chamber Society, Montreal, Seattle, Spoleto, Amelia Island, Strings in the Mountains, Cartageña, St. Denis and Montreux music festivals. Having studied with legendary pianists Aube Tzerko and Leon Fleisher, Ms. Chen is a dedicated pedagogue, frequently giving master classes throughout the world. She completed a five year residency teaching at the University of Louisville, and has taught at the Innsbrook Institute in Missouri, the Community School of Performing Arts in Springfield, Massachusetts, the International Festival of Music in Cartageña, Colombia, and The Juan Corpas University in Bogota, Columbia. Ms. Chen has appeared on St. Paul Sunday Morning, can be heard regularly on NPR’s Performance Today, and serves as panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts. Her solo recording BOLERO featuring works by Chopin, was released on the RCM label. American Record Guide acclaimed “it glitters and it is gold.”

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SARAH CROCKER VONSATTEL, VIOLIN Violinist Sarah Crocker Vonsattel has been a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra since 2008. She previously held positions in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Colorado Symphony. Sarah has appeared as soloist with the musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Syracuse Symphony, and the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, among others. Recent performances include appearances at Lake Tahoe Summerfest, the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series, the Bronxville Chamber Music Series, Downtown Music at Grace Church, the New Marlborough House Concerts, and the Syracuse Society for New Music. As a founding member of the Verklärte Quartet, Sarah was a Grand Prize Winner of the 2003 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, leading to concert tours in the U.S. and Italy with this ensemble. A proponent of new music, Sarah has appeared with the iO string quartet and the Talea Ensemble and can be heard on the Bridge Records label performing the music of Poul Ruders and Tod Machover. She has appeared as both performer and faculty member at festivals including the Orfeo International Music Festival (Italy), the Wellesley Composers Conference (Massachusetts), and the Musical Friends Academy (Tunisia). She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she was a student of David Updegraff, and a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School, where she studied with Ronald Copes and Naoko Tanaka. In her spare time, she enjoys distance running and traveling.

ESCHER STRING QUARTET The Escher String Quartet has received acclaim for its profound musical insight and rare tonal beauty. A former BBC New Generation Artist, the quartet has performed at the BBC Proms at Cadogan Hall and is a regular guest at Wigmore Hall. In its home town of New York, the ensemble serves as Artists of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, this season presenting the complete Zemlinsky Quartets Cycle in a concert streamed live from the Rose Studio. In 2013, the quartet became one of the very few chamber ensembles to be awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant. Within months of its inception in 2005, the ensemble came to the attention of key musical figures worldwide. Championed by the Emerson Quartet, the Escher Quartet was invited by both Pinchas Zukerman and Itzhak Perlman to be Quartet in Residence at each artist’s summer festival: the Young Artists Programme at Canada’s National Arts Centre; and the Perlman Chamber Music Programme on Shelter Island, NY. The quartet has since collaborated with artists including David Finckel, Leon Fleischer, Wu Han, Lynn Harrell, Cho Liang Lin, Joshua Bell, Vilde Frang, David Shifrin, and guitarist Jason Vieaux. The Escher Quartet has made a distinctive impression throughout Europe, with recent debuts including the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Berlin Konzerthaus, and Les Grands Interprètes series in Geneva. Last season also saw debuts at London’s Kings Place and Slovenian Philharmonic Hall in Ljubljana, and festival appearances at Dublin’s Great Music in Irish Houses and the Risør Chamber Music Festival in Norway. In the current season, the quartet undertakes further UK tours including the Wigmore Hall and makes debuts at the Heidelberg Spring Festival and De Oosterpoort Groningen in the Netherlands. The ensemble also renews its collaboration with pianist Benjamin Grosvenor in a European tour including the Auditorium du Louvre in Paris. Alongside its growing European profile, the Escher Quartet continues to flourish in its home country, performing at Alice Tully Hall in New York, Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and the Ravinia and Caramoor festivals. In 2014, the quartet gave a highly praised debut at Chamber Music San Francisco and in 2015 returned to Music@Menlo in California, focusing on the quartets of Schubert. In the 12/13 season, the ensemble performed a critically acclaimed Britten Quartets series at The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and this season is one of five quartets chosen to collaborate in a complete presentation of Beethoven’s string quartets. Elsewhere, the ensemble made its first Australian appearance at the Perth International Arts Festival in 2012, and last season made its debut at the Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival. Return engagements took the quartet to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art in Israel and the Campos do Jordão Music Festival in Brazil for coaching activities. The quartet fervently supports the education of young musicians and frequently gives masterclasses, including regular coaching at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In Spring 2015, the quartet released Volume 1 of the complete Mendelssohn Quartets on the BIS label, received warmly by critics with comments such as “This is full-blooded quartet playing in the grand, classic manner: extrovert and eloquent… hugely engaging music-making” (BBC Music Magazine) and “The Eschers sound warm, relaxed, and responsive to all of Mendelssohn’s expressive nuances…” (The Guardian). The Mendelssohn series continues this season with the release of Volume 2. The quartet has also recorded the complete Zemlinsky String Quartets in 2 volumes, released on the Naxos label in 2013 and 2014 respectively. Their great critical acclaim included 5 stars in The Guardian with “Classical CD of the Year,” a Recommendation in The Strad, “Recording of the Month” on MusicWeb International and a nomination for a BBC Music Magazine Award. The Escher Quartet takes its name from Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher, inspired by Escher’s method of interplay between individual components working together to form a whole.