January 14, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … Chamber Music Northwest, Reed College and the Oregon Symphony will collaborate to create a two-week festival celebrating the music and genius of Johannes Brahms from Feb. 18 to 28, 2005. The Brahms Festival will feature concerts, lectures and social opportunities, in addition to a broad array of musical and scholarly resources.
Two Symphony Classical Concerts will be devoted to the Brahms Festival, both to be conducted by Brahms enthusiast and Music Director Carlos Kalmar. The first, scheduled for Feb. 19-21 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, will feature Brahms Symphony No. 2 in D major. The second, scheduled for Feb. 26-28, will be a rare performance of Brahms’ monumental German Requiem, last performed by the Symphony in 1975.
Chamber Music Northwest will present two Brahms programs on Feb. 22 and 23, both to be held in Kaul Auditorium at Reed College. The first will feature his Trio in B Major for Piano, Violin and Cello, Op. 8 and the Quintet in F Minor for Piano and Strings. The Feb. 23 program will include Brahms’ Quintet in B Minor for Clarinet and Strings, Op. 115, and his Quartet in G Minor for Piano and Strings, Op. 25.
Brahms also will be the subject of Reed College’s annual ROMP (Reediana Omnibus Musica Philosopha), “Rediscovering Brahms,” on Feb 24 and 25. ROMP! will focus on the historical and cultural mileu that fostered the genius of Brahms. Featured lecturers will include: Celia Applegate, the Associate Professor of History from the University of Rochester, presenting "Brahms between Germany and Austria" on Thursday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m.; Dr. Anna Burton, a New York City psychoanalyst, presenting "Brahms: Inner and Outer Ambiguities," on Friday, Feb 25 at 4:30 p.m.; and Walter Frisch, the H. Harold Gumm/Harry and Albert von Tilzer Professor of Music at Columbia University, presenting "Brahms: Futures Past" on Friday, Feb 25 at 7:30 p.m. All lectures will take place in Reed College’s Psychology auditorium. Dr. Burton’s lecture is co-sponsored by the Oregon Psychoanalytic Center.
In addition, a group of Symphony musicians will collaborate to present performances of Brahms String Quintet in F Major, Op. 88 and String Quintet in G Major, Op. 111, on Friday, Feb. 18, at Portland’s Old Church.
The Saturday, Feb. 26 Symphony performance of Brahms’ German Requiem will include pre- and post-concert social events for Soirée, the Symphony’s new young professionals group. Membership in Soirée, designed for professionals ages 21 to 39, includes exclusive parties, discounted concert tickets and the opportunity to meet others interested in arts and culture with a dose of fun.
Books, recordings and other resources for learning more about Brahms (1833-1897) and his music will be available for sale at all Brahms Festival events. Pre-concert talk s will be featured at all Symphony and Chamber Music Northwest concerts.
For more information on event times and tickets: Call the Symphony at (503) 228-1353 or visit www.orsymphony.org; call Chamber Music Northwest at (503) 294-6400 or visit www.cmnw.org; or call Reed College at (503) 788-6651 or visit http://web.reed.edu/romp/.
