Chamber music enjoyed a significant position in Ludwig van Beethoven’s output. His piano sonatas, string quartets, piano trios, violin sonatas and cello sonatas are staples of the repertoire. And, in fact, his quartets, particularly the late ones (those written in the last decade of his life), are especially revered. But despite this large body of chamber works, most people think of Beethoven as an orchestral composer. And while his contribution in that area is immense, his symphonies and concertos are only a part of who Beethoven is.
The Beethoven Festival Park City, which opens July 16, hopes to change people’s perception of the great German-Austrian composer. “He is a great composer who wrote some wonderful chamber music,” said festival founder and co-director Leslie Harlow. And starting this year the festival will begin a multi-year perusal of Beethoven’s quartets. “These are amazing works,” Harlow said. “This year we’ll begin by playing three of them.”
The three on tap are the early op. 18, no. 1 (July 19), and two from his middle period, the op. 74, Harp (July 26), and the op. 59, no. 1, the first of the three RasumovskyQuartets (Aug. 5). “We’re doing one in each of the first three weeks of the festival,” Harlow said. “These quartets are certainly among the highlights this year.”
But Beethoven isn’t the only composer whose music will be played this summer. As in the past Harlow and her husband Russell Harlow, the recently retired associate principal clarinet of the Utah Symphony and festival co-director, have programmed a richly varied line up of works. “We have a real mixture of programming,” Leslie Harlow said.
One of her favorite programs takes place on Aug. 2. “We’re doing the Shostakovich Viola Sonata, the first movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, on which Shostakovich based his sonata, and the Ravel Piano Trio. This is an exciting program and I’m looking forward to it.” The Viola Sonata is Shostakovich’s last work, written in 1975, the year he died. Harlow performed it at a festival concert a few years back.
Several well known performers are returning to Park City this summer, among them cellist Jeffrey Solow and violinist Paul Rosenthal, two players who’ve had a long association with Harlow’s annual summer festival. Both maintain very busy schedules, Harlow said. “Jeffrey is playing Bach’s six solo cello suites this summer at Bargemusic.” Solow played the first three in June at the New York series and will finish the set with the final three in August.
The other artists playing this summer are also popular with festival audiences. Local musicians performing are violinists Monte Belknap and Alexander Woods and cellist Julie Bevan from Brigham Young University. Two other local artists appearing this summer are soprano Serena Kanig Benish and tenor Tyler Nelson from Utah Valley University. Benish will sing Franz Schubert’s Shepherd on the Rock and “Steal Me, O Thief” from Gian Carlo Menotti’s opera The Old Maid and the Thief on July 23. Nelson will perform Ralph Vaughan Williams’ On Wenlock Edge on July 26.
Other returning players are violinist Manuel Ramos, a former member of the St. Louis Symphony; cellist Mark Kosower, principal cello with the Cleveland Orchestra; and pianists Robert Moeling, Doris Stevenson and Jee-Won Oh. And both Leslie Harlow and Russell Harlow will be featured on several concerts.
New to the festival this year is violinist Margaret Baldridge. She will be playing during the first week. “We met Margaret in Alaska (while performing together at a festival) and wanted to bring her to our festival,” Leslie Harlow said. “She is also a very busy musician who has toured Israel and Europe.”
Most of the concerts take place either in the Park City Community Church or in Temple Har Shalom. Last year the festival did a couple of outdoor concerts at City Park in Park City. This proved to be so popular that Harlow decided to expand the number of outdoor concerts to five. “These are sponsored by Mountain Town Music,” Harlow said. “They’re on Mondays, and we have a lot of fun at these concerts. We take our repertoire from works that we’ve played during the week.”
As at past festivals there will also be several salon benefit concerts. “The players have a lot of fun at these,” Harlow said. “It’s a relaxed way to enjoy the music and meet other people who love chamber music.”
New this year is what Harlow calls “BYOB,” or “Bring Your Own Beethoven.” “People who bring any kind of Beethoven item to the concerts will get in for half price,” she said. Also new is the Beethoven Club. “This club is for young musicians. When they join, they’ll be admitted free to all of the concerts.” Future plans include starting a Beethoven Society for adults.
The Beethoven Festival runs through Aug. 20. After a brief hiatus, the next major chamber music festival in Park City is the Autumn Classics Festival, which the Harlows also direct. That takes place from Sept. 24 through Oct. 8, with concerts at various venues. Log in to www.pcmusicfestival.com for details.
Below is the Beethoven Festival schedule. Indoor concerts take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Park City Community Church, U-224 at Bear Hollow Dr., and at 3 p.m. in Temple Har Shalom, U-224 at Brookside Ct. Outdoor concerts start at 6 p.m. and are held at the City Park Bandstand, 1354 Park Ave., Park City. For complete information go online to www.pcmusicfestival.com or call the festival office at 435-649-5309.
- July 16, City Park Bandstand – “The Classics.” Music: Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven. Performers: violinists Monte Belknap and Margaret Baldridge; violist Leslie Harlow; cellist Jeffrey Solow; clarinetist Russell Harlow; pianist Robert Moeling. (Free)
- July 19, Park City Community Church – “The Revolutionaries.” Music: Shostakovich, Sonata for Cello and Piano; Schumann, Fairy Tales, for clarinet, viola and piano; Beethoven, String Quartet op. 18, no. 1. Performers: violinists Monte Belknap and Margaret Baldridge; violist Leslie Harlow; cellist Jeffrey Solow; clarinetist Russell Harlow; pianist Robert Moeling. ($20 general, $15 seniors and students [BYOB – bring a “Beethoven” item and purchase ticket for half price], $150 general 10-punch card, $100 seniors and students 10-punch card, $90 general 6-punch card, $66 seniors and students 6-punch card, at the door)
- July 21, 6:30 p.m., salon concert in private residence in Midway – “Chamber Music by the River.” Music: instrumental showpieces. Performers: violinists Monte Belknap and Margaret Baldridge; violist Leslie Harlow; cellist Jeffrey Solow; clarinetist Russell Harlow; pianist Robert Moeling. ($50 minimum donation per person, call 435-649-5309 or email chmusic@pcmusicfestival.com for reservations and to receive information on location)
- July 22, Temple Har Shalom – “The Romantics.” Music: Schubert, Shepherd on the Rock for soprano, clarinet and piano; Menotti, Trio for Violin, Clarinet and Piano; Menotti, “Steal Me, O Thief;” Brahms, Piano Quartet in C minor, op. 60. Performers: soprano Serena Kanig Benish; violinists Monte Belknap and Margaret Baldridge; violist Leslie Harlow; cellist Jeffrey Solow; clarinetist Russell Harlow; pianist Robert Moeling. ($20 general, $15 seniors and students [BYOB – bring a “Beethoven” item and purchase ticket for half price], $150 general 10-punch card, $100 seniors and students 10-punch card, $90 general 6-punch card, $66 seniors and students 6-punch card, at the door)
- July 23, City Park Bandstand – “Flashy Stuff.” Music: selected from works played throughout the week. Performers: violinists Monte Belknap and Margaret Baldridge; violist Leslie Harlow; cellist Jeffrey Solow; clarinetist Russell Harlow; pianist Robert Moeling. (Free)
- July 26, Park City Community Church – “Chamber Music Showcase.” Music: Vaughan Williams, On Wenlock Edge; Fruehling, Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano; Beethoven, String Quartet, op. 74, Harp. Performers: tenor Tyler Nelson; violinists Paul Rosenthal and Alexander Woods; violist Leslie Harlow; cellist Mark Kosower; clarinetist Russell Harlow; pianist Jee-Won Oh. ($20 general, $15 seniors and students [BYOB – bring a “Beethoven” item and purchase ticket for half price], $150 general 10-punch card, $100 seniors and students 10-punch card, $90 general 6-punch card, $66 seniors and students 6-punch card, at the door)
- July 27, 7:30 p.m., Zermatt Resort, 784 W. Resort Dr., Midway – “Virtuosity.” Music: chamber music showpieces. Performers: violinists Paul Rosenthal and Alexander Woods; violist Leslie Harlow; cellist Mark Kosower; clarinetist Russell Harlow; pianist Jee-Won Oh. ($20 general, $15 seniors and students [BYOB – bring a “Beethoven” item and purchase ticket for half price], $150 general 10-punch card, $100 seniors and students 10-punch card, $90 general 6-punch card, $66 seniors and students 6-punch card, at the door)
- July 28, 11 a.m., salon concert in private residence in Park City – “Brunch Serenade.” Music: chamber music favorites. Performers: violinists Paul Rosenthal and Alexander Woods; violist Leslie Harlow; cellist Mark Kosower; clarinetist Russell Harlow; pianist Jee-Won Oh. ($50 minimum donation per person, call 435-649-5309 or email chmusic@pcmusicfestival.com for reservations and to receive information on location)
- July 29, Temple Har Shalom – “Folk Elements in Classical.” Music: Beethoven, Violin Sonata; Debussy, Rhapsody, for clarinet and piano; piano solo works by Rzewski and Chopin; Liszt/Goddard, “Berceuse,” for violin, viola and piano; Rimsky-Korsakov, “Flight of the Bumblebee,” for violin and piano; Bach, “Air on the G String,” for violin and piano. Performers: violinist Paul Rosenthal; violist Leslie Harlow; clarinetist Russell Harlow; pianist Doris Stevenson. ($20 general, $15 seniors and students [BYOB – bring a “Beethoven” item and purchase ticket for half price], $150 general 10-punch card, $100 seniors and students 10-punch card, $90 general 6-punch card, $66 seniors and students 6-punch card, at the door)
- Aug. 2, Park City Community Church – “Ultimate Expressions.” Music: Beethoven, Piano Sonata in C sharp minor, op. 27, Moonlight; Shostakovich, Sonata for Viola and Piano; Ravel, Piano Trio. Performers: violinists Manuel Ramos and Monte Belknap; violist Leslie Harlow; cellist Julie Bevan; clarinetist Russell Harlow; pianist Doris Stevenson. ($20 general, $15 seniors and students [BYOB – bring a “Beethoven” item and purchase ticket for half price], $150 general 10-punch card, $100 seniors and students 10-punch card, $90 general 6-punch card, $66 seniors and students 6-punch card, at the door)
- Aug. 4, 6:30 p.m., salon concert in private residence in Park City – “Refined Elegance.” Music: showpieces, flashy solos and ensemble works. Performers: violinists Manuel Ramos and Monte Belknap; violist Leslie Harlow; cellist Julie Bevan; clarinetist Russell Harlow; pianist Doris Stevenson. ($50 minimum donation per person, call 435-649-5309 or email chmusic@pcmusicfestival.com for reservations and to receive information on location)
- Aug. 5, Temple Har Shalom – “The Expressionists.” Music: Sarasate, Carmen Fantasy, for violin and piano; Beethoven, String Quartet op. 59, no. 1; Shostakovich, Piano Quintet. Performers: Manuel Ramos and Monte Belknap; violist Leslie Harlow; cellist Julie Bevan; clarinetist Russell Harlow; pianist Doris Stevenson.
- Aug. 6, City Park Bandstand – “Chamber Music Under the Stars.” Music: Mozart, Kodaly, Bartók, Taneyev and Glazunov. Performers: violinists Manuel Ramos and Monte Belknap; violist Leslie Harlow; cellist Julie Bevan; clarinetist Russell Harlow. (Free)
- Aug. 13, City Park Bandstand – “Chamber Music Under the Stars.” Music: instrumental favorites. Performers: violinist Monte Belknap; violist Leslie Harlow; cellist Julie Bevan; clarinetist Russell Harlow. (Free)
- Aug. 20, City Park Bandstand – “Chamber Music Under the Stars.” Music: instrumental favorites. Performers: violinist Monte Belknap; violist Leslie Harlow; cellist Julie Bevan; clarinetist Russell Harlow. (Free)
