Name: Penderecki, Strauss, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Korngold
Start: 2026-03-08T15:00:00-04:00
Location: Sanders Theatre

Penderecki, Strauss, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Korngold

Richard STRAUSS Sextet from Capriccio (1941)
Krzysztof PENDERECKI Duo Concertante for Violin and Double Bass (1996)
Felix MENDELSSOHN Capriccio for String Quartet, Op. 81, No. 3 (1843)
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN Grosse Fuge, Op. 133 (1825)
Erich W. KORNGOLD Suite for Two Violins, Cello, and Piano Left Hand, Op. 23 (1930)
Jennifer Frautschi, violin; Alyssa Wang, violin; Yura Lee, violin/viola; Marcus Thompson, viola; Edward Arron, cello; Thomas Van Dyck, double bass; Max Levinson, piano
Frequently heard as a standalone work, Strauss’s passionate string sextet introduces his final opera Capriccio in which the debate about the primacy of words or music is left unresolved by the plot of words set to exquisite music. / Penderecki’s Duo Concertante for the unusual pairing of violin and double bass is a lyrical, rhapsodic, and emotionally rich musical dialogue, featuring special effects and virtuosic exchanges between the performers. / Mendelssohn’s Capriccio opens with a barcarolle for the first violin, followed by a recitative reminiscent of his earlier quartets, and culminates in a Bach-inspired fugue. / Praised as “forever contemporary,” Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge for string quartet is a fierce, boundary‑breaking exploration of counterpoint, where jagged rhythms and bold dissonances collide with moments of startling lyricism. / Korngold’s Suite for Two Violins, Cello, and Piano Left Hand is a lush, virtuosic work that blends late‑Romantic sweep with the composer’s unmistakable cinematic flair. Across its five movements, the music shifts from biting counterpoint to soaring lyricism, creating a chamber work that feels both intimate and grandly theatrical.