January 4, 2015 – Emerson String Quartet WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791) String Quartet in G major, K. 387 January 4, 2015 – Emerson String Quartet One of Mozart’s most earthshaking developments musically upon his move from his native Salzburg to Vienna in 1781 was meeting Joseph Haydn for the first time and hearing the older composer’s Opus 33 Quartets. The profound influence of these works on the younger composer resulted in his composing six Quartets—the first three between December 1782 and July 1783 and the second three between November 1784 and January 1785. He dedicated these “fruits of a long and arduous labor” to his esteemed friend saying, “During your last stay in this capital you yourself, my dear friend, expressed to me your approval of these compositions. Your good opinion encourages me to offer them to you and leads me to hope that you will not consider them wholly unworthy of your favor.” In fact, on that occasion in 1785 when Haydn had heard Wolfgang, his father Leopold, and two friends play these Quartets, Haydn had told Leopold: “I tell you before God as an honest man that your son is the greatest composer known to me either in person or by reputation. He has taste, and what is more, the most profound knowledge of composition.” Haydn’s Opus 33 Quartets, which he himself had said were written “in an entirely new manner,” influenced Mozart particularly in their new equality of part-writing for the four individual instruments and their treatment of thematic elaboration as a integral part of a whole work rather than belonging only to traditional development sections. Mozart’s Haydn Quartets show these elements in abundance along with his own inspired brand of grace and inventiveness. Mozart completed the G major Quartet, K. 387, the first of the Haydn Quartets, on December 31, 1782. The stunning variety of the four movements and their combined effusive optimism have made this perhaps the most popular quartet of the six. The first movement revels in contrasts—soft and loud, determined and tender, ascending and descending, diatonic and chromatic. The opening gesture’s forthrightness followed by its gentle tag immediately demonstrates this, as does the contrast between the entire first theme and the gently marching second theme with its repeated notes. Not only is the development remarkable for Mozart’s ingenious spinning out of these ideas, but the recapitulation delights in further elaboration. The Menuetto takes dynamic contrast to a new level of detail when, following two graceful downward leaps, his chromatic lines alternate soft and loud with every note. As a counterbalance Mozart introduces a second theme—as part of this section’s miniature sonata form—now featuring repeated notes followed by chromatic descents. Drama explodes in the trio in minor-key unison where one might often find more pastoral repose. By now we expect dynamic contrast, which certainly abounds in the slow movement, though with a preponderance of quiet that is especially striking at the close of the first phrase. What becomes more salient as the movement unfolds is the contrast in textures between slow-moving lines and the fast notes of Mozart’s filigree, which is not always confined to the first violin part. A striking harmonic surprise prepares the second theme of this slow-movement sonata form (that is, exposition and recapitulation without a development section). In the recap’s brief delicate extension, Mozart emphasizes the triplet motion that had made an appearance toward the end of the first theme and become a defining feature of the second. The last movement gives us a wonderful preview of the composer’s crowning Jupiter Symphony, both in its four-note theme and in its fugal (imitative) treatment. The miracle of Mozart’s fugal style here comes in the ease with which he switches back and forth between contrapuntal and homophonic texture (melody and accompaniment). Thus his fugal writing becomes an enticing propellant rather than an academic exercise. These effortless shifts of style correspond to structural divisions in which the fugal texture presents the main thematic material of sonata form, and the homophonic texture the transitional and cadential material. Mozart takes his leave with a nice Haydnesque touch—forceful, seemingly conclusive chords that then give way to the quiet “true” ending. © Jane Vial Jaffe Return to Parlance Program Notes

November 2, 2014 – Isabel Leonard, mezzo-soprano; Sharon Isbin, guitar JOAQUÍN RODRIGO (1901–1999) Aranjuez, ma pensée November 2, 2014 – Isabel Leonard, mezzo-soprano; Sharon Isbin, guitar Rodrigo, blind since the age of three, showed great musical talent and was sent to Paris to study, where he became a student of Paul Dukas. In the 1930s he traveled extensively in Switzerland, Austria, and Germany, returning to Spain with the outbreak of war in 1939, the year he composed his famous guitar concerto, Concierto de Aranjuez. Although he was highly regarded by Dukas and also by his friend Manuel de Falla, he did not receive public recognition until the premiere of the Concierto in November 1940 by Regino Sainz de la Maza. Rodrigo became famous overnight. In addition to composing over the next six decades, Rodrigo wrote many articles about music, toured and lectured, gave piano recitals, and received numerous awards. His musical style was conservative yet imaginative—he called it “faithful to a tradition.” The successful combination of Classical influences with nationalist idioms was enhanced by his ability to write inspired melodies. One of these, from the slow movement of his famous Concierto, became the basis of “Aranjuez, ma pensée,” arranged in 1988 by the composer himself with lyrics in French by his beloved wife Victoria Kamhi. She frequently translated or adapted anonymous texts for many of his songs in addition to contributing her own poetry. They invited Sharon Isbin to meet them in 1979 after she won the Queen Sofia Competition playing the Concierto, and they maintained a warm friendship for two decades—Kamhi died in 1997 and Rodrigo two years later. Ms. Isbin writes that Rodrigo composed this melody “during the sleepless nights spent grieving over the stillborn birth of his first child and his wife’s ensuing illness. He wrote it as they reminisced about their honeymoon in the majestic gardens of Aranjuez, the magnificent eighteenth-century sight of kings and courtiers. It is both a love song and a song of painful yearning.” After many unauthorized arrangements of this ultra-popular theme appeared, some instrumental and some supplied with texts, the Rodrigos tried to reclaim the rights in court in 1967, but lost. Finally in 1987, Cecilia Rodrigo, their daughter, won the rights and it was she who encouraged Kamhi to pen the lyrics. TEXT AND TRANSLATIONS © Jane Vial Jaffe Return to Parlance Program Notes

Parlance Chamber Concerts. New Jersey Symphony and Classical Orchestra Style Concerts 2026-2027 SEASON August 1, 2026 Welcome to the 19th Season of Parlance Chamber Concerts! Join us for a richly varied musical journey across three centuries of chamber music's greatest masterpieces. More than forty of today's most distinguished artists will scale the musical peaks of Mozart, Schubert, Bach, Beethoven, and Dvořák while exploring the beguiling musical byways created by such twentieth-century masters as Bohuslav Martinů, Francis Poulenc, Astor Piazzolla, and Paul Schoenfeld . Whether rediscovering beloved masterpieces or venturing down less-traveled musical paths, we hope you'll join us for another season of inspiring performances, exceptional artistry, and the shared joy of live music. I look forward to welcoming you throughout the season. Michael Parloff Artistic Director CONCERTS 2026 – 2027 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2026 AT 4 PM CAFÉ MUSIC KEVIN ZHU, VIOLIN TOMMY MESA, CELLO ALBERT CANO SMIT, PIANO ANTON RIST, CLARINET WILLIAM SHORT, BASSOON BILLY R. HUNTER, JR., TRUMPET RUPERT BOYD, GUITAR From Martinů's delightfully zany ballet The Kitchen Review and Rossini's whimsical piano miniature Anchovies to James Grant's Triple Mocha Indulgence for bassoon and piano and Paul Schoenfeld's exuberant piano trio Café Music , this mouthwatering program serves up a delicious menu of musical delicacies. Performed by an all-star ensemble of internationally acclaimed soloists, rising young virtuosos, and principal musicians of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Café Music promises a sparkling afternoon of musical wit, dazzling virtuosity, and culinary panache. LEARN MORE Bohuslav Martinů: Suite from La revue de cuisine Gioachino Rossini: Anchovies for solo piano  Francis Poulenc: Cello Sonata  Astor Piazzolla: L'Histoire du Tango (violin and guitar)  James Grant: Triple Mocha Indulgence (bassoon and piano)  Paul Schoenfeld: Café Music (piano trio)  SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2027 AT 4 PM RICHARD GOODE & ITAMAR ZORMAN FOUR MASTERPIECES • TWO MASTER MUSICIANS RICHARD GOODE, PIANO ITAMAR ZORMAN, VIOLIN Widely acknowledged for more than half a century as one of the world's most distinguished pianists, Richard Goode has been praised for performances of "tremendous emotional power, depth, and expressiveness." Violinist Itamar Zorman has been hailed as one of the most soulful and compelling artists of the younger generation. Together, they bring their complementary musical insight to one of chamber music's most rewarding artistic partnerships. Their thoughtfully curated program spans three centuries, from the graceful elegance of Mozart and the timeless architecture of Bach to the luminous poetry of Debussy , culminating in Beethoven's radiant final Violin Sonata, Op. 96—a fitting showcase for two consummate musicians at the height of their interpretive powers LEARN MORE Mozart: Violin Sonata in E-flat major, K. 481  Bach: Sonata No. 3 in C major for Solo Violin, BWV 1005 Debussy: Selected Preludes for Piano  Beethoven: Violin Sonata in G major, Op. 96 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2027 AT 4 PM BENJAMIN APPL & JAMES BAILLIEU SCHUBERT'S WINTERREISE BENJAMIN APPL, BARITONE JAMES BAILLIEU, PIANO Regarded by many as the greatest song cycle ever composed, Schubert's Winterreise is a profound journey through a human landscape of love, loss, and the search for meaning. Written toward the end of the composer's short life, it stands among the supreme achievements of Western music. Hailed as one of today's foremost interpreters of German art song, baritone Benjamin Appl returns to Parlance Chamber Concerts with his longtime artistic collaborator, pianist James Baillieu . Artistic Director Michael Parloff will offer an introductory talk exploring the history, poetry, and enduring power of this incomparable masterpiece. LEARN MORE “Benjamin Appl sounds as if singing is his most natural mode of expression… he has an extraordinarily beautiful voice,” — BBC Music Magazine “James Baillieu is in a class of his own. He is in the Gerald Moore/Graham Johnson bracket, a remarkable pianist.” — The Daily Telegraph SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 2027 AT 4 PM PAUL JACOBS, ORGAN CELEBRATING BACH ON HIS 342nd BIRTHDAY PAUL JACOBS, ORGAN A perennial Parlance favorite, organist Paul Jacobs returns with the breathtaking artistry, dazzling virtuosity, and narrative charisma that have made his appearances among the highlights of PCC’s recent seasons. To celebrate J. S. Bach's 342nd birthday, Jacobs recreates Felix Mendelssohn's legendary 1840 all-Bach recital in Leipzig —a landmark event in the nineteenth-century Bach Revival. Featuring six of Bach's greatest organ masterpieces, this remarkable program honors the enduring legacy of two visionary composers whose music became forever intertwined. LEARN MORE “Paul Jacobs is one of the great living virtuosos.” — The Washington Post SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2027 AT 4 PM ZUKERMAN TRIO CELEBRATING BEETHOVEN IN HIS 250th ANNIVERSARY YEAR PINCHAS ZUKERMAN, VIOLIN AMANDA FORSYTH, CELLO SHAI WOSNER, PIANO A legendary presence on the world's concert stages for more than five decades, violinist Pinchas Zukerman joins celebrated cellist Amanda Forsyth and pianist Shai Wosne r for an afternoon of chamber music that brings together three consummate artists at the height of their interpretive powers. To celebrate Beethoven in his 250th anniversary year , the Zukerman Trio performs three masterpieces spanning the composer's creative life—from the youthful brilliance of the A-minor Violin Sonata, Op. 23, and the radiant lyricism of the A-major Cello Sonata, Op. 69, to the mystery and drama of the beloved "Ghost" Trio. Together, these works trace Beethoven's colossal artistic journey from youthful brilliance to the full flowering of his creative genius. LEARN MORE Ludwig van Beethoven: Violin Sonata in A minor, Op. 23 Ludwig van Beethoven: Cello Sonata in A major, Op. 69 Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Trio in D major, Op. 70, No. 1 (“Ghost") SUNDAY, MAY 9, 2027 AT 4 PM THE CHEN-LIPMAN-CHO STRING TRIO WITH PIANIST MICHAEL STEPHEN BROWN STELLA CHEN, VIOLIN MATTHEW LIPMAN, VIOLA BRANNON CHO, CELLO MICHAEL STEPHEN BROWN, PIANO Four of today's most acclaimed young chamber musicians—Queen Elisabeth Competition Gold Medalist Stella Chen, Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient Matthew Lipman, Naumburg International Cello Competition Gold Medalist Brannon Cho, and distinguished pianist-composer Michael Stephen Brown —join forces for an afternoon of inspired artistry and scintillating musical collaboration. Their program pairs Mozart's symphonic-scale Divertimento in E-flat major, K. 563 , widely regarded as the greatest string trio ever composed, with Dvořák's radiant Piano Quartet No. 2 , a masterpiece overflowing with lyrical warmth, Bohemian spirit, and exuberant joy LEARN MORE Mozart: Divertimento in E-flat major for String Trio, K. 563 Dvořák: Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 87 SUNDAY, JUNE 6, 2027 AT 4 PM EMI FERGUSON & RUCKUS FLY THE COOP EMI FERGUSON, BAROQUE FLUTE with RUCKUS, PERIOD-INSTRUMENT ENSEMBLE Virtuosic and charismatic baroque flutist Emi Ferguso n joins the adventurous period-instrument ensemble Ruckus for Fly the Coop , a joyous, kaleidoscopic romp through some of Bach's most joyful and transcendent music. Their imaginative arrangements transform Bach's flute sonatas and keyboard prelude s into vibrant new soundscapes for baroque flute and a colorful continuo ensemble of theorbos, baroque guitars, bassoon, cello, bass, harpsichord, organ—even the occasional banjo. Praised by The New York Times as "a fizzing, daring display of personality and imagination," this inventive collaboration invites Bach's timeless music to spread its wings in performances overflowing with dazzling virtuosity, irresistible rhythmic energy, and infectious musical joy. LEARN MORE Emi Ferguson: “Elegant and sensitive phrasing, brilliant fingerwork, and incisive attack." — Musical America Ruckus: "...the world's only period-instrument rock band." — San Francisco Classical Voice PAST CONCERTS 2026 – 2027 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2026 AT 4 PM VIANO QUARTET — Four of a Kind Praised for their "virtuosity, visceral expression, and rare unity of intention" (The Boston Globe), the Viano Quartet has rapidly emerged as one of the world's most exciting young chamber ensembles, earning the prestigious 2025 Avery Fisher Career Grant and appearing in many of the world's leading concert halls. Their Parlance debut traces the remarkable evolution of the string quartet through four landmark masterpieces. From Haydn's eloquent classicism to the lyrical Romanticism of Mendelssohn and Dvořák and the searing modernism of Janáček's Kreutzer Sonata , the program celebrates the string quartet's remarkable expressive range from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth centuries. LEARN MORE Hao Zhou, violin Lucy Wang, violin Aiden Kane, viola Tate Zawadiuk, cello SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2026 AT 4 PM MOZART AND SCHUBERT AT 19 BENJAMIN BOWMAN, VIOLIN with MUSICIANS FROM THE MET ORCHESTRA MICHAEL PARLOFF, CONDUCTOR As Parlance Chamber Concerts launches its 19th season, we celebrate with two early masterpieces written by Mozart and Schubert when they were just 19 years old: Mozart's beloved "Turkish" Violin Concerto and Schubert's Mozart-inspired Symphony No. 5. Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Concertmaster Benjamin Bowman , praised by The New York Times for his "beautifully singing eloquence," joins colleagues from the Met Orchestra under the direction of Artistic Director Michael Parloff . Together, they reveal the youthful freshness, lyricism, and astonishing artistic maturity that announced the arrival of two of music's greatest creative voices. LEARN MORE ABOUT PARLANCE CHAMBER CONCERTS VIDEO INTRO TO PARLANCE CHAMBER CONCERTS Michael Parloff introduces the mission and history of PCC. Audience members share their experiences. LEARN MORE HIGHLIGHTS FROM PCC’S 17TH SEASON Enjoy this 5-minute video recap of memorable moments from 2024-25, including performances by pianist Paul Lewis, cellist Steven Isserlis, flutist Denis Bouriakov, and others. MEET THE ARTISTS ABOUT THE SEASON 19 YEARS OF GREAT MUSIC MAKING COVID-19 Info for Parlance Chamber Concerts attendees: Read more here.

SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 2017 AT 3 PM Isabel Leonard, mezzo-soprano; Warren Jones, piano BUY TICKETS WARREN JONES, PIANO “His playing was a marvel, as always.” – San Francisco Chronicle ISABEL LEONARD, MEZZO-SOPRANO “Isabel Leonard sings with beguiling tenderness in moments of composure, but her voice throbs with penetrating intensity.’ – The New York Times FEATURING ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE BUY TICKETS On April 23 , Parlance’s 10th-anniversary season will arrive at a celebratory conclusion with the return of the Met’s ravishing mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard , one of the most charismatic and fast-rising vocal stars of our time. Her sold-out Parlance debut in 2014-15 was one of the highlights of our past seasons. Isabel will be joined by the masterful collaborative pianist Warren Jones , a great favorite of our audience since his debut appearance in the winter of 2008. Don’t miss this glittering final event of Parlance Chamber Concert’s 10th-Anniversary season! PROGRAM Hector Berlioz Les nuits d’été Program Notes Jules Massenet The Letter Scene from Werther Program Notes Jules Massenet Va! Laisse couler mes larmes from Werther Program Notes Frédéric Chopin Four Mazurkas, Op. 67 for piano Program Notes Enrique Granados Canciones amatorias Program Notes Gioachino Rossini Canzonetta spagnuola Program Notes Isabel Leonard performs Rosina’s aria from Rossini’s Barber of Seville: Isabel Leonard performs Cherubino’s aria from Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro: Isabel Leonard performs Falla’s Polo on Parlance Chamber Concerts:

BRENDAN KANE, BASS Double Bassist Brendan Kane has performed extensively throughout North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Originally from Stillwater, Minnesota, Mr. Kane joined the bass section of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in the Fall of 2014. Prior to his appointment at the Met, Mr. Kane held the positions of Assistant Principal Bass of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Principal Bass of the Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra in Brazil. He also regularly tours around the world as Principal Bass of the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra as well as annual appearances at the Verbier Festival (Switzerland), Schloss Elmau (Germany) and the St. Barts Music Festival in the Caribbean. Mr. Kane has also performed with the Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Detroit Symphony, National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa), Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra (London), Pittsburgh Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and as Guest Principal Bass with the Hong Kong and Israel Philharmonics. As a chamber musician, he has performed with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, toured with the International Sejong Soloists and appeared alongside Pinchas Zukerman, Maxim Vengerov, Leonidas Kavakos, Tabea Zimmerman, Mischa Maisky and Sir András Schiff among others. Mr. Kane is on sabbatical from the MET for the 22-23 season upon being appointed Principal Bass of the Israel Philharmonic.

GARRETT FISCHBACH, VIOLA Garrett Fischbach has been a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra since 1998. He was a member of the San Francisco Symphony from 1996-98 and the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. from 1995-96. His 2CD recording of the complete works for solo violin by J.S. Bach was released to critical acclaim in 2004. He was a college division faculty member at Mannes School of Music from 2008-2015, and has been a guest adjudicator at Juilliard Pre-College and Manhattan School of Music. He has performed and taught at the Sun Valley Artist Series, the Sid & Mary Foulger International Music Festival, and International Workshops in Graz, Austria. Garrett earned a Bachelor of Music degree, magna cum laude, from Boston University where he studied with George Neikrug and Yuri Mazurkevich, and a Master of Music degree from Northern Illinois University as a student of Shmuel Ashkenasi. Garrett is an active chamber musician and recitalist, and is sought after in New York City as a teacher for advanced violinists and violists.

GRANTS Partial funding is provided by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts through Grant Funds administered by the Bergen County Department of Parks, Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs.

March 24, 2019: Kristin Lee, violin; Paul Huang, violin; Danbi Um, violin; Pierre Lapointe, viola; Dov Scheindlin, viola; Maurycy Banszek, viola; Edward Arron, cello; Mihai Marica, cello; Joel Noyes, cello; Tim Cobb, bass; Gilles Vonsattel, harpsichord JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750) Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, BWV 1048 March 24, 2019: Kristin Lee, violin; Paul Huang, violin; Danbi Um, violin; Pierre Lapointe, viola; Dov Scheindlin, viola; Maurycy Banszek, viola; Edward Arron, cello; Mihai Marica, cello; Joel Noyes, cello; Tim Cobb, bass; Gilles Vonsattel, harpsichord In March 1719, when Bach was in Berlin to collect the new harpsichord made for Cöthen by court instrument maker Michael Mietke, he had occasion to play for Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg. The meeting spurred an invitation from the Margrave for Bach to send him some compositions. The works that he sent probably originated in Weimar even before Bach’s move to Cöthen in 1717, but it took yet another two years for him to complete, compile, and submit his “Six concerts avec plusieurs instruments” (Six concertos with several instruments). He dedicated the 1721 manuscript to the Margrave, saying: As I had a couple of years ago the pleasure of appearing before Your Royal Highness . . . and as I noticed then that Your Highness took some pleasure in the small talents that Heaven has given me for Music, and as in taking leave of Your Royal Highness, Your Highness deigned to honor me with the command to send Your Highness some pieces of my composition: I have then in accordance with Your Highness’s most gracious orders taken the liberty of rendering my most humble duty to Your Royal Highness with the present Concertos, which I have adapted to several instruments. No record exists of the Margrave of Brandenburg ever using the scores, ever sending Bach a fee, or ever thanking him. Legend has it that a lack of acknowledgment may have stemmed from the Margrave’s instrumental resources not matching those of Cöthen or Weimar, thus rendering the pieces unperformable at his establishment. It certainly is true that Bach used unprecedented and different scoring in each of the individual works, treating the collection like an “Art of the Concerto Grosso” and thus was not aiming to match any specific establishment’s resources. The manuscript eventually became the property of the state library in Berlin, remaining unpublished until the Bach revival in the nineteenth century. In 1880 Philipp Spitta, Bach’s famous biographer, coined the term “Brandenburg Concertos,” which has been used ever since for the beloved works. Bach employed the simple yet flexible plan for the concerto grosso developed by Torelli and Corelli and standardized by Vivaldi—a small solo group (concertino) alternating with the full ensemble (ripieno or tutti), typically in three movements: fast slow, fast. The Brandenburg Concertos offer a wide spectrum of innovative instrumental schemes and combinations and a great variety in treatment of form. Nos. 1, 3, and 6 use instrumental forces that are fairly balanced in number, with No. 1 containing some violino piccolo solos and No. 6 featuring two violas. Nos. 2, 4, and 5 contrast a small concertino with a large ripieno throughout, with different instruments featured in each case. Though the Third Brandenburg Concerto is scored only for strings and continuo (bass line instrument and keyboard), the texture is kaleidoscopic, with constant shifts between combinations of instruments. Bach’s love of symmetry is apparent in his balancing of the three groups of strings—violins, violas, and cellos—and the three instrumental parts within each group. It is highly unusual that Bach did not provide a slow movement for this Concerto. In between the two fast movements Bach left a one-measure Adagio consisting of two cadential chords, out of which some keyboard players might have improvised a slow movement. The first movement’s opening three-note gesture provides motivic material for much of the remainder of the movement. The finale adopts the form of a gigue, a traditional dance movement in two-part form—here the second section of the gigue is three times as long as the first. Fast notes in perpetual motion, first presented with one instrumental part imitating the other, drive the movement irresistibly forward. © Jane Vial Jaffe Return to Parlance Program Notes

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GILAD COHEN, COMPOSER Gilad Cohen’s new quintet for three violins, viola, and piano, Parlance Chamber Concerts’s first commissioned work, will be premiered by the Neubauer-McDermott Family Concert on May 6, 2018. An active composer, performer, and theorist, Israeli musician Gilad Cohen focuses on a variety of musical genres that include concert music, rock, and music for theater. His works have been performed in North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East by renowned artists ranging from London’s Nash Ensemble and the Apollo Chamber Players to the Brentano Quartet and Tre Voci (Kim Kashkashian, Marina Piccinini and Sivan Magen), as well as orchestras and choirs throughout Israel and his own rock band, Double Space. Recipient of myriad honors and top composition prizes, Cohen was recently awarded the 2016 Barlow Prize, resulting in the commission of a duet for violin and piano that will be premiered by a consortium of performers. His other recent and current projects include Around the Cauldron, commissioned by Concert Artists Guild with support from the Adele and John Gray Endowment Fund, to be premiered at Carnegie Hall in 2017, and Doaa and Masa, which will be premiered this year by harpist Sivan Magen in Hong-Kong, Israel, and Columbia. He is also working on a new quintet for the 10th anniversary of the Israeli Chamber Project for premiere performances on their 2018 tours. On the rock/pop front, Cohen’s music for Double Space and modern-klezmer ensemble Klezshop was awarded the Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting Award in the 11th Annual Great American Song Contest and was a finalist at the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. As a theorist Cohen has researched structure in the music of Pink Floyd, resulting in articles in prestigious publications, lectures in the U.S. and Israel, a four-credit course at Ramapo College, and the first-ever academic conference devoted to Pink Floyd that he coproduced at Princeton University with composer Dave Molk. As a performing musician, Cohen has played piano, bass guitar, and guitar at renowned venues worldwide, and he has served on occasion as a choral conductor and music director of musicals. A faculty member at Ramapo College, Cohen holds a Ph.D. in composition from Princeton University, and he is a graduate of Mannes College of Music, the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, and the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. Among his principal teachers were Robert Cuckson, Steven Mackey, and Paul Lansky.

December 18, 2016: Emmanuel Ceysson, harp; Érik Gratton, flute; Inn-hyuck Cho, clarinet; David Chan, concertmaster; Catherine Ro, violin; Dov Scheindlin, viola; Jerry Grossman, cello MAURICE RAVEL (1875-1937) Introduction and Allegro December 18, 2016: Emmanuel Ceysson, harp; Érik Gratton, flute; Inn-hyuck Cho, clarinet; David Chan, concertmaster; Catherine Ro, violin; Dov Scheindlin, viola; Jerry Grossman, cello At the turn of the twentieth century, two harp manufacturers waged a private little war. The firm of Pleyel had commissioned a work from Debussy (Danses sacrée et profane, 1904) to further sales of the newly invented chromatic harp. The Érard piano company, which supplied the Paris Conservatoire with harps and pianos, countered by requesting a work from Maurice Ravel to be written for the customary double-action harp. The resulting Introduction and Allegro was dedicated to M. A. Blondel, the director of the Érard company. Ravel received the commission in 1905 just days before he was to set sail on an extended vacation to Belgium, Holland, and Germany on the Aimée, Alfred and Misia Edwards’s yacht. One of the composer’s letters describes “a week of continuous work and three sleepless nights,” trying to complete the score before the sailing date. Ravel intended to polish his score during the cruise, and hence had it with him on a quick detour to a chemisier for shirts he had ordered for the journey. He then dashed to the harbor only to find that the yacht had sailed without him; to worsen matters, he had left his score at the clothing shop. On his way to Soissons to catch up with the Aimée, Ravel returned to the chemisier who turned out to be an amateur musician. The manuscript was returned to the composer only after much persuasion, and Ravel subsequently met his party at Soissons. The work received its first performance on February 22, 1907, in Paris by the Cercle Musical, a group devoted to chamber music. Though the title page bears the wording “pour Harpe avec accompagnement de Quatuor à cordes, Flute et Clarinette,” other editors indicate “partition d’orchestre” and Ravel himself often conducted the work with a small string orchestra. The slow Introduction presents material to be used in the Allegro, alternating with themes of its own, in a series of colors and textures that show Ravel’s mastery of orchestration. Double-tonguing and tremolo figures in the winds with arpeggios in the strings create an unusually rich sonority. Passages in which the first violin takes on the lowest notes of the string choir provide unusual sonorities; similarly the harp often supplies bass notes that one might expect from the accompaniment. The Allegro can be thought of as an exposition, development, and recapitulation. Ravel’s search for interesting instrumental combinations continues throughout. The harp cadenza, just before the recapitulation, effectively recalls themes from the Introduction. A brilliant coda polishes off this tour de force for the harp. The clear winner in the little harp war was the double-action harp, which is still commonly used today. The chromatic harp failed: in order to finger chords the strings had to be positioned so close together that they would cause unwanted vibrations against one another in any loud passages. © Jane Vial Jaffe Return to Parlance Program Notes

QIANWEN SHEN, VIOLIN As an orchestra musician, Qianwen Shen has served concertmaster of New World Symphony, New England Conservatory Philharmonic Orchestra, New England Conservatory Chamber Orchestra, Mannes School of Music. She was a fellow of Tanglewood Music Center in 2016. She has appeared in ensemble and solo performances at Carnegie Hall, Boston Symphony Hall, Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall of Singapore, Hong Kong Art Center Concert Hall, National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing China, Shanghai Music Hall, Shanghai Oriental Art Center. Ms. Shen has performed with Boston Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. As an active chamber musician, Ms. Shen has been invited to YellowBarn Music Festival in 2014 and 2015, and Perlman Music Program in 2015. She has performed with the musicians from Cleveland Quartet, Emerson Quartet, Julliard Quartet, Takacs Quartet, and Peabody Trio. Born in Bengbu, China, She began playing the violin at age of four. Her principal teachers have included Lei Fang, Donald Weilerstein, and David Chan. Ms. Shen received her bachelor of music degree from Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and master of music degree and graduate diploma from New England Conservatory. She just finished her professional study diploma from Mannes School of Music with David Chan, Concertmaster of Met opera. Outside of Music, Ms. Shen loves reading, cooking, baking and hanging out with friends.