SOLD OUT: Díaz and Díaz w/ Fellowship Students play Penderecki and Brahms

Krzysztof Penderecki, born in Krakow in 1933, was one of Poland’s most noteworthy composers, winning international attention including multiple Grammy awards. He is most commonly known for his large-scale orchestral works such as Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima and St Luke Passion, but his chamber music has also become widely popular, particularly a collection of string quartets, which are often heard here at Madeline Island Chamber Music. Commissioned and premiered by the German String Trio, Krzysztof Penderecki’s sole String Trio draws inspiration from the musical language of Bela Bartok.

Music analyst Kenneth Woods has noted a theme of the number three in this piece, explained here:

The screamingly dissonant chords that launch the work (heard three times) are a combination of three triads [chord entities]…These chords preface three cadenzas, which introduce three strongly differentiated musical personae – the morose viola, the mercurial cello and the volcanic violin.

The String Trio begins with those aggressive, screaming chords that Woods mentioned, followed by an elongated, emotive viola solo. At the center of the movement, a mysterious, dark quality seeps through the ensemble, as the solo role is passed over to the cello and then eventually to the violin. The anxiety builds back to where it began, but the movement ends in a whisper.

A confident, insistent theme forms the basis of the fugal Vivace, the second and final movement of the Trio. Here, drama and dynamism from the unison ensemble are traded back and forth with witty interactions between instruments. The opening theme finds its way back to our ears before this complex work concludes with a powerful, assertive declaration.

Program note by Emma Plehal

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): String Sextet No. 2 in G Major, Opus 36

The Sextet No. 2 in G major is one of Brahms’ most exquisite chamber works, written with a special intrinsic musical dedication to soprano Agathe von Siebold. Agathe and Brahms were in love and rumored to be engaged at the time that Brahms began to write the Sextet. Their relationship did not last, but Brahms built the main theme of the first movement out of the letters of her first name—A-G-A-H-E—excluding the T, and using the German notation in which B natural is represented by the letter H. The result is a masterful composition that is deeply rooted in emotions of love and loss.

The opening Allegro non troppo is rich and animated, beginning with a slightly unsettled trilling figure in the viola that sets the stage for a sweet, opening theme from the violin. The first cello takes a turn singing this same, elegant melody. From start to finish, this movement showcases Brahms’ beautiful scoring and ability to couple elegance with strength.

The Sextet’s second movement features an introspective minor-key Scherzo, and a lighthearted Trio section that evokes the stomping and jumping and rhythms of a Ländler-style folk dance.

A soul-stirring Adagio third movement brings a set of expressive variations, remarkable harmonies, and some of Brahms’ finest counterpoint technique.

Then, the fourth movement takes off with abounding joy, moving effortlessly forward through a Tranquillo main theme and a bright, athletic fugue. The conclusion is Brahms at his happiest, spreading optimism directly from the strings to the audience.

Notes by Emma Plehal

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op.34
Arranged for Cello Quintet by Annsi Karttunen

Although it eventually became one of the crown jewels of Brahms’ chamber music output, the Op. 34 Quintet’s inception and ultimate completion was unusual. The piece was begun in 1862 as a string quintet with two cellos (no doubt influenced by Schubert’s masterpiece of the same instrumentation) and was then arranged as a sonata for two pianos, Op. 34b. In 1864, Brahms completed the version we are most familiar with today, fusing the sonorities of the strings with the depth and power of the piano to create one of the true masterpieces of chamber music literature. Tonight’s concert features an arrangement for cello quintet, as Brahms had originally envisioned it.

The sonata-form first movement opens with the first theme presented in unison; the sparse texture provides the dramatic seed from which the rest of the movement grows. Three brilliant outbursts follow, and help to usher in the full statement of the first theme, which is played in unison by all five instruments. As momentum gathers and the music begins to accelerate, the first theme returns, and the movement comes to a momentous close.

The delicate lilt of this movement’s primary theme is achieved through Brahms’ expressive use of rhythm. A brief middle section in E Major features soaring triplets in the second violin and viola parts. A dotted-rhythm octave leap serves as a pickup to each instrument’s entrance and eventually leads the players back to movement’s original music, heard this time as a duet between the violin and cello.

In the driving C minor scherzo we hear the influence of Beethoven, but are more aware of the profound presence of Brahms’ mature style. Shifts between the 6/8 and 2/4 time signatures provide an agitated rhythmic unpredictability that makes the entrance of the heroic main theme that much more effective. Unyielding rhythmic activity and soaring melodic lines drive the body of the scherzo to the C Major trio, where ideas of the scherzo are explored further.

The Finale, containing elements of both sonata and rondo forms, opens with an eerie introduction featuring arching octave leaps that evoke a sense of desolation. The last movement’s jaunty first theme, heard first from the cello, offers emotional relief and serves as the melodic nucleus of the entire last movement. The ingenious coda, which begins in C# minor, gives the sense that our tonal center of F minor is lost, but the rousing return to the home key and dash to the end makes for one of the most exciting endings in all of chamber music.

Notes by Kurt Baldwin, edited for this performance by Emma Plehal

2021 Quartet Sponsorship

The Julius Quartet’s Emerging Artists Quartet-in-Residence experience is supported by Robert and Carolyn Nelson.

The Emerging Artists Quartet-in-Residence is a new program of Madeline Island Chamber Music and provides a comprehensive package of performances, teaching opportunities, and mentorship during five weeks on-site at Madeline Island Chamber Music, and one week in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Madeline Island Chamber Music is very grateful to Bob and Carolyn for supporting the inaugural year of this program and this opportunity for the Julius Quartet.

Designated Multi-Year Scholarships and Fellowships

Art and Gail Edwards Fellowship
Established in 2015 by former Madeline Island Chamber Music Board member Jan Edwards and her sister Gail Danae Kasbi, the Art and Gail Edwards Fellowship provides Fellowship funding in memory of their parents who were longtime supporters of Madeline Island Chamber Music.

Edith Wells Bristol Scholarship Fund
The Edith Wells Bristol Scholarship was established to honor Edie Bristol, a longtime Board member and supporter of Madeline Island Chamber Music. Income from this restricted fund is used to provide scholarship aid to one or more deserving students.

Pace Woods Fellowship
Established in 2013 by the Pace Woods Foundation, whose mission is “to improve the lives and futures of individuals.” It was given in memory of Pace Woods and provides Fellowship funding for 2020-2022.

Pries/Hutchinson Scholarship Fund
Created by Constance Pries and her late husband James in memory of Frederick O. Hutchinson, their good friend and Madeline Island Chamber Music’s Board Chair in 1989, this fully-endowed scholarship fund provides full tuition, room, and board annually.

Private Foundation Fellowship
This anonymous foundation began funding an annual fellowship in 2014 while simultaneously contributing additional funds to fully endow it by 2024.

2021 Fellowships

Biebl Family Fellowship
Funded by Madeline Island Chamber Music Advisory Committee member Kathleen Biebl and her husband Anthony.

Jonathan Swartz Fellowship
Funded by MacPhail Center for Music Board member Linda Mack and her husband Warren in honor of Madeline Island Chamber Music’s artistic director Jonathan Swartz.

Vicki and Chip Emery Fellowship
Funded by MacPhail Center for Music Board member Chip Emery and his wife Vicki.

Thomas George Fellowship
Funded by the donors and supporters of MacPhail in honor of Madeline Island Chamber Music’s first executive director who established the program in 1985.

Bob and Carolyn Nelson Fellowship
Funded by former Madeline Island Chamber Music Board member Bob Nelson and his wife Carolyn.

Virginia K. Townley Fellowship
Funded by former Madeline Island Chamber Music Board member Thomas T. Rogers in memory of his mother, Virginia K. Townley.

Madeline Island Chamber Music provides more than half of our students with financial aid ranging from modest scholarship assistance to full Fellowships covering their entire program experience. We are grateful to our donors for their commitment to these Fellowships and scholarships.

Individual and Institutional Contributors

Madeline Island Chamber Music gratefully acknowledges the following individuals and institutions that made gifts to us, dating from prior to the cancelled 2020 season through June 1, 2021.

$20,000 and Above
Art and Gail Edwards Donor Advised Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation
Anthony W. and Kathleen M. Biebl
Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation
Chip and Vicki Emery
Warren and Linda Mack
Bob and Carolyn Nelson
Sonja and Lowell Noteboom
Pace Woods Foundation
Private Foundation
Constance Pries
Thomas T. Rogers
Katherine and Douglas Skor

$10,000 to $19,999
Mark William Banks Trust
Estate of Edith W. Bristol
The Clinton Family Fund
Bob Davidson
Peter Havens
Ann and Terry Huntrods
Nancy Platt Jones and William Jones
MAHADH Fund of HRK Foundation
Caroline P. Marshall
CPM Legacy Fund of St. Paul Foundation
Tom Murtha and Stefanie Lenway
Mary J. Streitz
Virginia and Ed Stringer

$5,000-$9,999
The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation
Edward and Dawn Michael
Bethany and Christopher Owen
Robin Petty
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP

$2,000-$4,999
Susan and Paul Arneson
Gretchen and Mark W.* Banks
Fran Bly and Charles Hample
Ann and Bruce Christensen
Betty Jayne Dahlberg
Duluth-Superior Area Community Foundation
The Fredrikson & Byron Foundation
Leland and Bev Gehrke
Philip and Amy Goldman
Alex Haecker
Mary Louise and Patrick Irvine
John S. Winston Family Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation
Douglas R. Johnson
John Kaul and Gloria Gunville
Drs. Sidney and Lynne Levitsky
RBC Wealth Management
Elizabeth and James Ramsland
Mary Hulings Rice*
Peter and Sara Richter
Emily Skor and Sean Cairncross
Janet and Harvey Sternat
Marilyn and William Van Sant
Frederick and Eleanor Winston

$1,000-$1,999
Arts Midwest
Judith and Merrill Blau
Demaris Brinton and Theron O’Connor
Richard Chandler and Heidi Pankoke
Susan T. Chandler and Bruce McLellan
Maureen T. Curran
Dellwood Foundation Inc.
Jay Erstling and Pixie Martin
George and Judith Haecker
Marcia and Burke Henry
George and Pinny Kuckel
Leslie Livingston and David Miller
Kathleen McCartin and Andre Lewis
Polly G. O’Brien
Fred and Gloria Sewell
Gary Sherman
Brian and Nancy Siska

$500-$999
Anonymous
Tracy Bennett and Robert Bristol
Greg Bernstein
Keith and Barbara Clayton
Dorothy M. Dalquist
Missy and Dave Donkers
Energizer Holdings, Inc.
Kenneth Goldsmith
Carol and Edward Hancock
Dorothy Horns and James Richardson
Betsy Knode and James E. Newton
Magellan Cares Foundation
Lauren P. March
Paul Markwardt and Richard Allendorf
Sheila Merzer
Gregory J. O’Leary
Tracy Peterson
Barbara Pittman
Theresa and Theodore Priem
Connie and Lew Remele
Susan Saxl and Robert Kramer
Richard and Judith Schmidt
Charlie Stringer and Kristin Hahn Stringer
Paul A. Sturgul
Jonathan Swartz
Mark and Deb Swedberg
Annelise Swigert
Mr. and Mrs. James Wiltz

$250-$499
Lois Albrecht
Robert Alexander and Becky Stemper
Don Baur and Phebe Jensch
Ann P. Buran
James Burmeister
Kyle and Shelley Carpenter
Cindy and Michael Dalzell
Kari and Peter Davidson
Jane Emison
Rose Fahien
Donald H. Gray, Jr.
Ellen Jones and Bob McKlveen
Min-Jeong Koh
Joann and Don Leavenworth
Lucas Capital Management
Steven and Cynthia Mueller
Audrey and Rusty Nelson
Barbara and James Nendze
Dana and Kathy Noteboom
Robert and Jane Post
Katherine and Richard Rosenthal
Kathleen Russell
Pat and Judy Sebranek
Harvey and Nancy Smith
Marjorie J. Smith
1. Michael Streitz
Jean Thomson
Robin Trinko-Russell and Gary Russell
Peter Tropman and Virginia Graves
Tyson Family Charitable Fund of the American Endowment Foundation
Donna Woods and Dr. Jon Hinrichs

$100-$249
Paul Babcock
Judith and Terence Ball
Lucy Banta
David Bjork and Jeff Bengtson
Hans and Christina Bjornson
Susan and Sandy Boyd
Judith and Arnold Brier
Susan and Tom Brust
Laura Nash Campbell and Eric Johnson
Anne Carter
Cecil and Penny Chally
Sheila Coyle
Alice Dickinson
Mrs. Douglas Dillard
Michael and Marilyn Dunlap
Martha W. Edgar
Victoria Erhart
Susanne K. Gens
Debbie Giachini
Janice and Fritz Grutzner
Bob and Janet Hanafin
Susan Jane Hedman
Andra and Patricia Herriott
Nell Hillsley and Van Lawrence
Mary Abbe Hintz
Alan and Judith Hoffman
Drusilla Cagnoni and Alexander Jacobs
Larry Kaufmann
Catherine and Dennis Kilbane
Richard Killmer
Susan and Edward Korleski
Ms. Judy Lin
Margaret Longlet
Brook W. Martin
Richard and Mickey Martin
Meredith and Brian McCormick Jr.
Peter and Cheryl McMullen
Sheila Mitchell
Caroline and Greg Moore
David and Audrey Nelson
Ardelle Norgaard
Mary D. O’Brien
Gil Overson
Peter and Joni Petschauer
Kathleen and Gene Ramsay
Phyllis and Gary Reiman
Judeth Reinke
Sarah Renner
Russ and Karen Rubin
Barbara and Bob Scott
Pitnarry Shin and Kyu-Young Kim
Marc D. Smith
Carolyn P. Sneed
Cynthia Turecamo
Mary B. Virre
Maxine Wallin
Robert Webb
Zoe V. A. Wells
Philip H. Willkie
James Wittenberg and Pam Weiner
Evelyn S. Wright
Wilson Yates

$1-$99
Carole J. Anderson
Linda Schaars Barnes
Angela and Ralph Breeden
Peggy and Joseph Carver
Karen Ruedi Crowell and Mike Crowell
Yvonne Foster
Jeff Goldenberg
Katie Heilman
Miriam Hof
Joel and Linda Jackson
Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth N. Krutsch
Josh LaGrave
Josh Lavik
Howard Ledin
Gay J. Lindquist
Kathleen Lytle and Allen Hoglund
Dennis and Barbara McCann
Rebecca E. McDowell
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Miller
Sarah and Nile Norton
Allen and Gail Ofstehage
Dawn Olver
Peter M. Rogers
Abigail and Charlie Singleton
Ann and Willy Stern
Stanley Wai and Gayle Jorgens
Jessica S. Walker
Marty Vadis
Gingie Ward
Kelly Webb
Peggy and Richard Williams

Gifts in Honor Of

Edie Bristol
Leslie Livingston and David Miller

David J. Buran
Ann P. Buran

Thomas M. George
Mary Streitz

Marcia & Burke Henry
Phyllis and Gary Reiman

Ann Huntrods
Kathleen and Gene Ramsay 

Linda Mack
Jay Erstling and Pixie Martin
Wilson Yates

Warren Mack
Wilson Yates

Thomas Murtha
Gregory J. O’Leary

Sonja and Lowell Noteboom
The Clinton Family Fund

Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Pittman
Barbara Pittman

Mary Hamel Scallen
Mary D. O’Brien

Dr. Irving Shapiro
Mary J. Streitz

Abbott Sherwin
Kathleen and Gene Ramsay

Isaac Sherwin
Kathleen and Gene Ramsay

Gifts in Memory Of

Mark W. Banks
Gay J. Lindquist
Katherine and Douglas Skor

Edie Bristol
Lucy Banta
Tracy Bennett and Robert Bristol
Angela and Ralph Breeden
Laura Nash Campbell and Eric Johnson
Anne Carter
Peggy and Joseph Carver
Mrs. Douglas Dillard
Yvonne Foster
Debbie Giachini
Larry Kaufmann
George and Pinny Kuckel
Leslie Livingston and David Miller
Lucas Capital Management
Lauren P. March
Brook W. Martin
Meredith and Brian McCormick Jr.
Peter and Cheryl McMullen
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Miller
Caroline and Greg Moore
Dawn Olver
Peter and Joni Petschauer
Robert and Jane Post
Judeth Reinke
Katherine and Douglas Skor
Cynthia Turecamo
Tyson Family Charitable Fund of the American Endowment Foundation
Mary B. Virre
Kelly Webb
Robert Webb
Peggy and Richard Williams

Michal Bristol
Leslie Livingston and David Miller

Marilyn Davidson
Kari and Peter Davidson
Howard Ledin

Marion C. Gray
Donald H. Gray, Jr.

William Griffith Harbison
Carol and Edward Hancock

Barbara Peet
Sarah Renner

James Pries
Dr. and Mrs. Arnold Brier
Barbara and James Nendze

Dr. Irving Shapiro
Jeff Goldenberg
Warren and Linda Mack

Janet Shapiro
Mary J. Streitz

*Deceased

Please excuse any errors or omissions that may have occurred during Madeline Island Chamber Music’s transition to MacPhail. If we have inadvertently omitted your name or listed it incorrectly, please accept our apology and contact Erika Malpass at malpass.erika@macphail.org.

 In-Kind Contributions

Dorsey & Whitney LLP / Mary Streitz, Esq. – Professional fees and meeting facilities
Family of Alice Cadotte – Lodging
Claire Givens Violins – Instrument loans
Lathrop GPM / Greg A. Larson, Esq. – Professional fees
Madeline Island Ferry Line – Transportation
Sylvan Design – Fountain maintenance
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP – Meeting facilities
Mark and Ewa Weir – Lodging