Brahms took himself out of retirement to write this piece. The great composer Johannes Brahms briefly retired from composition in 1890 at the age of 57. However, after hearing clarinetist Richard Muhlfeld perform, he came out of retirement to write some of his greatest works, including his Clarinet Quintet, Clarinet Trio and two Sonatas for Clarinet and Piano.
The Quintet, an imposing four-movement work, is considered a masterpiece of composition and is central to the clarinet repertory. It is no wonder that our old friend Christine Bellomy has been asking us to perform this work for more than three decades. The program also includes Hebrew Sketches Op. 12 by Alexandre Krein, a colorful and spirited three-movement work.
Core ensemble members violinist Miera Kim and cellist Carey Bostian are joined by clarinetist Christine Bellomy, violinist Katie Wolfe, and violist Donghee Han in a program for string quartet and clarinet.
