Arts at Tenri presents

An Evening of Sonatas of Johannes Brahms
Three Sonatas from three periods of mastery

A RECITAL OF CHAMBER MUSIC FOR VIOLA, CELLO AND PIANO

Members of the Tenri Chamber Ensemble

Albert Lotto, piano
Barbara Mallow, cello
Jeanne Mallow, viola

Sunday, May 3, 2009, 7:30 pm

Sonata Number 2 in E Flat for Viola and Piano

Sonata Number 2 for cello and piano in F Major

Sonata Number Three in F Minor for piano opus 5

Arts at Tenri will present a program of chamber music and solo repertory for Cello, Viola and Piano that features members of the Tenri Chamber Ensemble: Albert Lotto, piano, Jeanne Mallow, viola and Barbara Mallow, violoncello which illustrate "The life cycle of Johannes Brahms;". Three Sonatas from Three Periods. The Piano Sonata opus 5 is from the earliest period of experimentation and exploration. Written when the composer was only 20, the third and last of Brahms’ solo piano sonatas is distinguished by a compelling blend of muscular majesty and tender lyricism. The Sonata for Cello and Piano, opus 99, is from the period of consummate mastery which follows a long period of "Sturm und Drang" (Storm and Stress). There is a hiatus in Brahms' career at the autumn of his life during which he wrote nothing at all. The sound of the clarinet and potentialities of the viola inspired him to take up his pen again and write three masterpieces for those instruments. Two of these, Two Sonatas opus 120 are actually intended for either instrument! The Sonata in E flat for Viola and Piano is one of those three works.

Albert Lotto, as a young man was cited by music critic, Robert Sherman of the New York Times, as a pianist of "spectacular virtuosity" and by Irving Heller of the Montreal Gazette as one who has the gift to communicate the romance and poetry of the music of Brahms, Schumann and Chopin with an "ability which is rare, even phenomenal for one of his years". Since the inception of a career which now spans 42 years, and which begins in 1965 when he won First Prize at the Montreal International Piano Competition at 19 years old, he has focused on making the piano "sing"; he uses the piano as an orchestra or as an ensemble under his hands, and creates music with a beauty of sound and colorful excitement. In Denmark recitals by Albert Lotto are hailed by the press as "memorable events, which should be looked forward to with
every return to Europe" and in Japan, The Japan Times comments, "he holds together large scale symphonic works with the hands of a master". He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at the Julliard School while a student of Sashay Gorodnitzki, and at the same time and with the support of the school enjoyed lessons with Vladimir Horowitz. While at the Juilliard he completed his Doctorate which is published as a study edition of the Experimental Music for Piano of Charles Ives. The 2007-2008 seasons will see Dr. Lotto travel to Japan, Taiwan, Israel, and China and to Europe where he plays solo recitals, concertos and chamber music, and appearing regularly at the Tenri Cultural Institute in New York City as a founding member of the Tenri Chamber Ensemble.

Barbara Stein Mallow is recognized as a distinguished chamber musician, recitalist and solist. A member of the renowned Fuchs family, daughter of the violist Lillian Fuchs, and niece of violinist Joseph Fuchs, hers is a heritage of musical excellence and the great tradition of chamber music. She shares this family tradition now with her daughter, violist Jeanne Mallow. From her early years she has been an accomplished pianist and was twice winner of the New York Philharmonic Young Composers Award. Her composition studies were with Bohuslav Martinu, Quincy Porter and Nadia Boulanger. She received her Bachelors and Master Degrees at the Yale School of Music where she studied with Luigi Silva; other teachers include Bernard Greenhouse and Zara Belsova. She was a founding member of The Carnegie String Quartet in residence at Brooklyn College and a member of the Chamber Arts Trio with her twin sister violinist Carol Amado and pianist Albert Lotto. A respected teacher of cello and chamber music, she has been a professor at Bennington College and the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. She is currently on the faculty of Mannes College of Music. She also teaches at the Perlman Music Program in Shelter Island, New York. She serves as Vice President of the New York Violoncello Society. Ms. Mallow's mother, Lillian Fuchs, was instrumental in re-establishing Kneisel Hall with Marianne Kneisel in 1953. This season Barbara is celebrating her golden anniversary at Kneisel Hall; she was a faculty child, a student and is now a much loved and respected faculty member. Mrs. Mallow will be at Kneisel Hall for the first four weeks of the season.

Violist Jeanne Mallow descends from a long line of distinguished musicians. Her grandmother was violist Lillian Fuchs, her great uncle was violinist Joseph Fuchs, her aunt was violinist Carol Amado, and her mother is cellist Barbara Stein Mallow. She has been described by The New York Times as “a worthy successor to this tradition, playing with dusky aristocratic tone, exacting intonation, and a kind of conversational musicality that seems second nature.” As a soloist, she has performed to critical acclaim in numerous venues. She has performed recitals at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center Goodman House, Bargemusic, and the 92nd St. Y series "Meet the Virtuoso," as well as CAMI Hall among others. She also performed at the 25th International Viola Congress in Austin, Texas. A review from The Strad remarks that “she is patently gifted, and played with commandingly authoritative and natural musicality, and the virtuosic flair, vibrant rhythmic energy, and keen golden tone of a born performer.”

*Program is subject to change

The Place
Tenri Cultural Institute
43A West 13th Street, New York, NY
(212) 645-2800

Tickets

$25 general, $20 students/seniors