Henrique Oswald: Piano Quintet in C major, Op.18

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Henrique Oswald’s father was a Swiss-German immigrant. His mother, a piano teacher, was from Italy. Oswald gave his first piano recital at the age of twelve. Four years later he moved to Europe where he studied, and then spent several years in Florence. In 1903 he returned to Brazil to serve as Director of the Instituto Nacional de Música in Rio de Janeiro. He also served as Brazilian consul in both The Hague and Genoa.

Oswald wrote a considerable number of chamber works, including string quartets, piano trios and quartets. The Piano Quintet Op.18 was composed in 1894, although, like most of his compositions, it was not published until after his death. It is in four movements and recalls the music styles of Schumann Mendelssohn. There is considerable piano virtuosity in all movements. Oswald’s music, which also included opera, songs, and orchestral music, has been virtually unknown in this country until recently. It is definitely long overdue to be revived. (William David)

Antonin Dvorak: Terzetto in C Major

Dvorak’s Terzetto in C major, Op. 74 was written in only a few days. The first movement opens with a theme that recalls spring with chromatic half-steps in the melody. The middle section of this ternary form movement gains momentum with fast scales alternating among the instruments. The movement acts as an introduction to the rest of the piece and ends with a transition into the Larghetto.

The second movement in E major begins like a chorale. The first theme repeats with a counter melody in the violin. The second section is more exploratory. The third section has a more majestic character then relaxes into the final section in the higher register. It ends similarly to the beginning. The closing phrase includes pentatonic scales.

The third movement in A minor in 3/4 has a form of a scherzo and trio. The scherzo resembles folk music with an exciting tempo. The trio in A major portrays a calmer atmosphere. The fourth movement, as a Theme and Variations, uses a theme that resembles a French overture with a slow tempo, a declarative nature, and dotted rhythms. The first variation has a faster tempo with scales in triplets. The second variation changes from triplets to duple rhythms at a slower pace. The third variation includes broken notes in 2-note motives. The fourth variation resembles an operatic recitative of a voice speaking with tremolo accompaniment in both lower parts. The fifth variation gains certainty as the final section gains momentum towards the end.

Antonín Dvorak (1841 - 1904) included Czech folk music in his compositions. He began his music education at the age of twelve and later studied in Prague. Through a state grant from Austria in 1875, he met Brahms, and they became good friends. In 1884 he visited England where his vocal works of sacred music received much success. In 1892 he moved to New York to serve as director of the National Conservatory of Music. He returned to his homeland in 1895 for his final years. (Notes by William Harned)

Carter Pann: Differences for Cello and Piano (1996)

Composer/pianist Carter Pann has written for and worked with musicians around the world, with performances by the London Symphony and City of Birmingham Symphony, the Tchaikovsky Symphony in Moscow, many radio symphonies around Europe, the Seattle Symphony, National Repertory Orchestra, the youth orchestras of New York and Chicago, and countless wind ensembles. He has worked with Richard Stoltzman, the Antares Ensemble, the Capitol Saxophone Quartet, the West Coast Wind Quintet, the River Oaks Chamber Ensemble, the Takács Quartet and many concert pianists. Awards include a Charles Ives Fellowship, a Masterprize seat in London and five ASCAP awards over the years. His numerous albums encompass solo, vocal, chamber, orchestral and wind ensemble music. Pann was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Music in 2016.  Differences was composed in 1996 for cellist Derek Snyder and is comprised of five short movements, very much like a Baroque suite – however, the five individual pieces are radically different from eacho ther in style and content.

“Strand” is a kind of pop tune where the cello has the vocal line, although the rhythms are a bit more complex, sometimes jarring. “Air” takes its language from the Baroque, and the title refers to the “canto” style of long legato vocal lines over a slow and undulating accompaniment. “Country Dance” is a peasant tune whose middle section is very pastoral. “Blues” is a small chance for the performers to show a little soul. “Song”, like “Strand”, is a pop tune, though a bit more direct than the opening movement. Notes provided by the composer. (Notes provided by the composer).