The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music: The concert by Con Vivo this Friday night features duets from the Baroque age through the 20th century

By Jacob Stockinger

Con Vivo (Music With Life, below) will perform a chamber music concert entitled “Noah’s Ark” on this Friday night, Jan. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1609 University Avenue, across from Camp Randall.

Tickets can be purchased at the door for $18 for adults and $15 for seniors and students.

The “Noah’s Ark” program features duets of many instrumental combinations. Featured composers include Felix Mendelssohn, Mikhail Glinka, Dmitri Shostakovich, Franz Danzi, Max Bruch and Peter Schickele, to name a few. (Sorry, no specifics on the duets to be performed.) Also on the program is the hauntingly beautiful Sonata for Solo Cello by George Crumb. (You can hear the Crumb sonata in a YouTube video at the bottom.)

Audience members are invited to join the musicians after the concert for a free reception to discuss this chamber music literature designed to spread a little cheer for the winter season.

In remarking about the concert, artistic director Robert Taylor said, “With this winter concert we are excited to continue our 14th season with an exploration of duets. Our Madison audience will be able to hear our musicians up close and personal playing music from the Baroque to the 20th century.”

Con Vivo is a professional chamber music ensemble comprised of Madison area musicians assembled from the ranks of the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and various other performing groups familiar to Madison audiences.

For more information visit:

http://www.convivomusicwithlife.org/concert-info.html