Program I:
Great Explorations
Thursday, August 13 | 7:00 PM
Stevens Square Theater | Portland
Explore three centuries of chamber music in one unforgettable evening. Bach's monumental Chaconne for solo violin is a tour de force — an entire universe of emotion contained in a single movement. Charles Loeffler's hauntingly beautiful Deux Rhapsodies follows, reimagined with soprano saxophone in place of oboe, giving a velvety texture to its impressionistic shadows. This glorious opening night program culminates in a masterful piano quartet by Johannes Brahms — turbulent, tender, and utterly transcendent.
PROGRAM
J.S. Bach Chaconne from Partita for Violin No. 2
Charles Loeffler Deux Rhapsodies
Johannes Brahms Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 25
Programs and artists subject to change
TICKETS
Early Bird Sale Alert! Purchase your Summer Season Pass in the month of May and save 25% off single tickets. It’s like getting one concert free!
Summer Season Pass holders receive tickets to all four concerts at Stevens Square Theater at a reduced ticket price, plus free exchange privileges.
Single tickets on sale June 1.
VENUE
Stevens Square Theater
Stevens Square Community Center
631 Stevens Ave, Portland ME
PARKING
Free parking on site, click for details.
RUN TIME
Just under two hours including intermission
Meet The Artists
Steven Banks
saxophone
Ran Dank
piano
SooBeen Lee
violin
Soyeon Kate Lee
piano
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Melissa Reardon
viola
Brant Taylor
cello
Cindy Tien Hsin Wu
violin
Meet The Composers
Johann Sebastian Bach
1685-1750
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and musician of the Baroque era. Born in Eisenach, he came from a family of musicians and showed exceptional musical talent from a young age. Bach worked as an organist, court musician, and choir director in several German cities, including Weimar, Köthen, and Leipzig. In Leipzig, he served as cantor of St. Thomas Church for much of his life.
He composed more than 1,000 works, including sacred music, orchestral pieces, and keyboard compositions. His best-known works include the Brandenburg Concertos, The Well-Tempered Clavier, and St Matthew Passion. Bach’s music is admired for its intricate harmonies, technical brilliance, and emotional expression.
He died in Leipzig in 1750, but his music later became highly influential and remains central to classical music today.
Johannes Brahms
1833-1897
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist of the Romantic era, renowned for his symphonies, concertos, chamber works, piano pieces, choral compositions, and over 200 songs. Born in Hamburg, he gained early recognition with support from Robert and Clara Schumann. Brahms's music is celebrated for its structural mastery and emotional depth, blending classical traditions with Romantic expressiveness. He spent much of his career in Vienna, where he became a central figure in the musical community. His works, including the German Requiem and four symphonies, remain staples of the classical repertoire.
Brahms composed his String Sextet No. 2 in G major, Op. 36, between 1864 and 1865. Scored for two violins, two violas, and two cellos, the work is structured in four movements: Allegro non troppo, Scherzo (Allegro non troppo – Presto giocoso), Poco adagio, and Poco allegro. Notably, Brahms embedded the name of his former love, Agathe von Siebold, into the music through a musical motif spelling "Agathe" . The sextet premiered in Boston on October 11, 1866, and is celebrated for its rich textures and emotional depth.
Charles Martin Loeffler
1861-1935
Charles Martin Loeffler was a Franco-American composer, violinist, and conductor known for blending French, German, and American musical influences. He was born on January 30, 1861, in Schöneberg (now part of Berlin). Although German-born, he later claimed an Alsatian-French identity because of his dislike of German militarism.
Loeffler studied violin and composition in Berlin and Paris before emigrating to the United States in 1881. He became first assistant concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1882 and held the position for many years.
As a composer, Loeffler was admired for his refined orchestration and atmospheric style, influenced by French Impressionism and Symbolist literature. His notable works include A Pagan Poem and Music for Four Stringed Instruments. Though never as widely known as some contemporaries, he played an important role in American classical music during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.