October 19th, 7:30pm
Brattleboro Music Center, Brattleboro, VT
October 20th, 8:00pm
Christ Church Cambridge, Cambridge
October 21st, 3:30pm
First Parish in Lexington, Lexington
Felix Mendelssohn’s Octet is one of the most adored chamber music pieces in the string repertoire, composed by a very precocious and nimble 16-year-old talent. Rarely performed on original instruments with gut strings, Sarasa offers a fresh view of this energetic work. The particularly innovative program includes contrasting elements of sublime French Baroque music by Marc-Antoine Charpentier (Sonate à 8) with the soulful expanse of Schnittke’s compelling Collected Songs Where Every Verse Is Filled with Grief, arranged for string octet.
Rodolfo Richter, Christina Day Martinson, David Wish, Rebecca Huber, violins; Jenny Stirling, Jason Fisher, violas; Jennifer Morsches, Timothy Merton, cellos
About the Richter Ensemble:
The Richter Ensemble is a chamber music initiative founded by violinist Rodolfo Richter in 2015, in which all the members share a mutual passion for the rich quartet literature. They are devoted to offering audiences rejuvenated interpretations and individual programming. The group, which performs uniquely on gut strings, is comprised of leading specialists in the worlds of historical performance (principal players of the Ancient Academy of Music, B’rock, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Florilegium, to name a few) and contemporary music -- two of whom are also composers. While the ensemble is committed to repertoire from the classical period, it is particularly drawn to music from the early 20th century with an emphasis on the Second Viennese school. It aims to present that era’s music in original and unlikely combinations as far removed as 17th-century repertoire. The Richter Ensemble brings eclecticism and inventiveness to all of its programming, and have delighted audiences with illuminating performances.
They have appeared regularly in concert halls in Europe, and since 2018, are the resident quartet at the Oficina de Música de Curitiba, Brazil and at San Diego’s summer festival Opera NEO. Future concerts will bring them to Boston, New York, Brattleboro and Portland, as well as return appearances in London, Leeds and The Hague.
For Brattleboro tickets click here
