Faculty of Valparaiso University and Kalamazoo University will gather Tuesday for a performance of lesser known and more popular pieces of music during an ensemble performance at 7:30 p.m. at Duesenberg Recital Hall on Valpo’s campus.
The lesser known piece, the Louis Vierne Piano Quintet, is full of emotion and is the central part of the program, taking up about half of the 70-minute performance, says Valpo adjunct professor and performer Nicole Lee.
“Louis Vierne was a French composer of organ music,” she said. “The quintet was written by him for his son who died in World War I. It is a piece that is written in three movements and is a profound piece of work. It’s hardly ever performed, not too many people know it, so it is interesting to go into a live concert and play something that people don’t know very often.”
Katharina Uhde, assistant professor of violin and musicology at Valparaiso University who will also perform says, “The Louis Vierne Quintet will be unexpected for everyone. It has a sad character and the harmonies are very lush, post-impressionistic, and is an emotional approach in the subject. Harmonically we are talking about a lot of augmented triads, so this harmonic language is very special.
“Richard Wagner is a clear influence and that comes out in this work. Audiences tend to like emotional works and they will get something out of this performance. It really gets at you. There are lots of solo lines and beautiful lyrical melodies, one after another throughout the work.”
The performance will also include a piece by Honegger for violin and cello, as well as two arrangements of songs by Gershwin.
The ensemble features two violins, a viola, a cello and piano.
“Three of the instrumentalists teach at Kalamazoo College, so we are a collaborative effort. We are performing at Kalamazoo as well,” says Lee.
Heather Augustyn is a freelance writer.
Louis Vierne Quintet Faculty/Guest Performance
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Valparaiso University, Duesenberg Recital Hall
Tickets: Free
Information: 219-464-5454