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Under the classical influence

Posted on July 20, 2019 by Sonoma Valley Sun

Valley of the Moon Music Festival, the nation’s first and only organization devoted to presenting chamber music from the Classical era to the early 20th-century performed on instruments built when the music was written, returns to the Hanna Center Auditorium in July 14 – 28.

This year’s program makes a musical tour of several influential European salons including those of Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel in Leipzig, Sara Levy in Berlin and Winnaretta Singer, “Princesse de Polignac,” in Paris.

Europe’s powerful 19th-century salonnières, women who worked to advance the careers and reputations of composers from Bach to Stravinsky.

“Europe’s salonnières were the ‘influencers’ of their day,” said Festival Co-Founder and Artistic Director Tanya Tomkins. “Through their salons they helped to shape the musical taste of their time, bringing together great performers, composers and intellectuals.”

“Several of the salonnières were excellent artists in their own right,” added Festival Co-Founder and Music Director Eric Zivian, “individuals like Maria Wilhelmine von Thun, praised for her keyboard playing, and composers Fanny Mendelssohn and Clara Schumann, several of whose works will be featured on our program.”

Apprentices are invited to perform alongside Festival musicians in the final three concerts each season. This year the Festival will also present them in a free concert on Saturday, July 27 at 2:30 p.m. The program that afternoon will be Fanny Mendelssohn’s Piano Quartet no. 3 in B minor.

 




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