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Classical styles

by Robyn Israel

I f Beethoven were still alive today, pianist Wu Han would love to pick his brain.

"I'd ask him, 'Why does he create this piece? How does he decide that format? How does he construct the piece?' I'm curious to know what's behind a creative source's mind."

Anyone who shares Han's curiosity about the creative process will be intrigued by Music@Menlo, a new chamber-music festival that begins on Sunday and runs through Aug. 18.

Beginning with 18th-century masters such as Vivaldi and Bach, Music@Menlo's concert programming traces the evolution of chamber music, through Beethoven and Stravinsky, to the innovations of living composers. Designed to connect audiences to classical music in an intimate setting, the inaugural festival promises to be a special event.

"A festival by definition is so fascinating, because you're celebrating something. It's so different than if you go to a concert once a month," Han said. "You have to allocate a period of time and have a deeper experience. ... In the end your life is a little richer than before."

The festival, which also emphasizes education, will present five "Encounters," symposiums with leading scholars, musicologists and artists that correspond to each concert program. In addition, there will be a two-week workshop for chamber music, featuring students from the nation's top conservatories in open master classes, and a day-long chamber music open house. All concerts and events will take place at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Palo Alto and Menlo School in Atherton.

The young musicians, many of whom come from the Bay Area, auditioned to be part of the festival and learn from renowned musicians. They will also perform in their own concerts.

"You can watch them grow from the beginning to the end of the festival," Han said.

The festival's founders and artistic directors, pianist Wu Han and cellist David Finckel, a married couple who each perform around the globe, hope Music@Menlo will mark the beginning of an annual event.

"I think this music is the most fantastic human achievement in our history, and I would like to present it, to make sure the next generation can benefit from this great treasure," she said.

In a recent interview, Han was absolutely effusive as she browsed through the festival brochure, singling out internationally renowned musicians and artists who would be participating in the inaugural festival.

"When do you have an opportunity to spend two weeks with Gilbert Kalish, one of the most respected pianists (currently affiliated with the Boston Symphony Chamber Players)? He's the former musical director of Tanglewood. And he's a great educator. Carter Brey (principal cellist for the New York Philharmonic) -- he has the most beautiful sound. Also a wonderful teacher. Ken Cooper (harpsichordist, pianist, musicologist and conductor) -- he's taking a train across the country, because he doesn't like to fly!"

Music@Menlo will also showcase the St. Lawrence String Quartet, comprised of violinists Geoff Nuttall and Barry Shiffman, violist Lesley Robertson and cellist Alberto Parrini. The quartet, which is currently in residence at Stanford University, garnered a 2003 Grammy Award nomination for best chamber-music performance. They will perform Osvaldo Golijov's "Yiddishbuk" in a program dedicated to contemporary composers. The works of four other modern composers -- John Corigliano, John Harbison, Bright Sheng and Ned Rorem -- will also be featured in the festival's concluding concerts on Aug. 17 and 18.

"They represent the best of our time," Han said, adding that Rorem's composition, "Aftermath," composed in the wake of 9/11, is a very somber piece that calls for peace and love.

The festival will offer a welcome respite to the peripatetic St. Lawrence String Quartet.

"We've spent 60 percent of the time this year on the road -- Australia, Europe, various festivals in North America," Shiffman said. "That's great fun, but there's a huge personal price for being away that long. So to have a festival of this excellence, where so much thoughtfulness has gone into the programming and the caring for the artists, plus to have the comforts of your own bed, is great."

All of the participating musicians -- including Han and Finckel -- will lend their teaching skills to the festival. Workshops and classes will be offered free of charge, courtesy of donations and a grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

"To have an array of artists like this, I think it's a crime not to ask them to teach, not to pass down their knowledge to the next generation," Han said. "That's how I learned -- by hanging around great musicians.

"Music education is the most expensive education on earth, because music education can only be done on a one-to-one basis. It's not a group lesson situation. You're molding a person's thoughts, helping them organize information. You're creating an artist. It's not a mass-production situation. One-on-one -- there's no other way."

It's often easier to appreciate art in context, which is why the festival includes an "Encounter" multimedia presentation and discussion before each concert. Five eras are covered: "The Age of Grandeur" (1650-1750), "The Age of Reason" (1750-1825), "Emotion Unbound" (1825-1900), "New Dimensions" (1900-1925), and "Music Now: Voices of Our Time" (1988-2002). Speakers will discuss political, cultural and scientific trends that shaped the periods when the music was born.

According to Han, all five "Encounter" leaders -- Robert Greenberg, Ara Guzelimian, Bill McGlaughlin, Michale Steinberg and Robert Winter -- are superb speakers and impressive musicologists.

"They're like walking encyclopedias -- you could ask them what Haydn had for breakfast on a given day," Han said. "It's a total miracle these five agreed to be here."

A beaming Han expressed her joy over the arrival of Guzelimian, who has been the artistic adviser of Carnegie Hall since 1998.

"He sets the artistic program of the best concert hall in the world. He knows every composer, from (Osvaldo) Golijov to Ned (Rorem) to John (Harbison). He's also the most gracious, interesting speaker and thinker."

Asked why Han and Finckel, both New York City residents, decided to launch Music@Menlo in the Bay Area, she raved about the region's rich classical-music scene.

"I have not found one area that has nine or 10 youth symphony orchestras, like you have here. Not even in New York do you see that. This area is filled with young families. I think it's one of the most amazing, fertile areas."

Finckel, in particular, is familiar with the region, as he has performed with the Emerson String Quartet on numerous occasions at Stanford Lively Arts.

Both Han and Finckel were inspired to teach the next generation of musicians through their close affiliation with the late legendary violinist Isaac Stern. Both were regular members of the Isaac Stern Chamber Music Encounters at Carnegie Hall and at the Jerusalem Music Center.

"For someone his age, his status, he did not need to teach. But I never saw him waver once. On top of taking care of the musicians, I would see him spend hours on the phone. His passion and determination were so amazing to watch. There was this unwavering belief that arts and culture are essential for any civilized society. He said that, day after day."

Stern, Han said, also felt that chamber music -- an intimate style of music performed in small groups, without a conductor -- was of paramount importance.

"Mr. Stern always believed that if you wanted to be a great musician, you had to learn chamber music," Han said. "It's an art form; you have to be great players, to start with. And then you have to have your ear open to the other players. You have to be both a leader, and at the same time, you have to be a great supporter. In chamber music, there can't be any ego, or any agenda. You have to bring out the best, both in you and everybody else in the group."

Both Han and Finckel, who studied with cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, are now taking it upon themselves to continue Stern's mission and educate the next generation.

"I feel our generation has not done enough work to set the artistic standard. Our generation of musicians should take that position and try to do as much as we can for the society," Han said. "If we don't do something, the pop culture will take over, and the agenda of making money is going to dominate. We can't let that happen."
Note: Rebecca Wallace, staff writer for the Alamanac, the Weekly's sister paper, contributed to this story.

What: Music@Menlo, a new chamber-music festival featuring concerts, symposiums, workshops and master classes. People who buy tickets in advance for Music@Menlo will also receive free CDs that feature biographical information on the festival composers, musical examples from each piece and conversations with festival artists. There will be five separate discs, each devoted to one of the five concert programs.

Where: Each concert will be performed twice, once at Menlo School's Stent Family Hall, 50 Valparaiso Ave. in Atherton; and once at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 600 Colorado Ave. (between Middlefield Road and Cowper Street) in Palo Alto. Encounters will take place at Stent Family Hall.

When: Through Aug. 18. A Chamber Music Open House will take place on Aug. 9, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Cost: Single-ticket prices range from $26 to $38 for concerts at St. Mark's; tickets are $60 for performances at Stent Family Hall. Student tickets are $20/$10 at St. Mark's and $30 at Stent Family Hall. To order tickets, please call the Stanford Ticket office at (650) 725-ARTS (2787) or visit www.musicatmenlo.org.

Info: Call (650) 330-2030 or visit www. musicatmenlo.org.
Contemporary artist Robert Kelly will join Music@Menlo as visual artist-in-residence. A two-week exhibition of his work will take place in Stent Family Hall. Kelly will lead a tour of his exhibition on Aug. 10 at 4 p.m., followed by an open conversation between the artist and Music @Menlo Artistic Director David Finckel.