FALLS VILLAGE – Live music returns to Music Mountain from June 5 through September 18, with an expanded concert season that includes something for everyone.
This summer, Music Mountain is celebrating the 250th anniversary of Haydn’s “Sun” quartets, which are credited with giving birth to the string quartet as we know it today, according to a statement. Pre-concert lectures and many new events have been added around the concerts.
The opening benefit concert of Music Mountain’s 93rd season on June 5 will feature the Rolston String Quartet and violist superstar Paul Neubauer.
This year, customers can order a picnic for two from Le Gamin, Sharon, and have it delivered by 1 p.m. to Music Mountain.
At Gordon Hall, Music Mountain’s air-conditioned violin-shaped room, patrons will hear “an electrifying performance” (Strings Magazine) from the Rolston String Quartet and “master musician” (The New York Times) Paul Neubauer, according to Music Mountain.
Their collaboration in the Brahms String Quintet in G Major is the highlight, in a program that includes a quartet by Haydn, alluding to the theme of the season, and a captivating new work by German composer Jörg Widmann, his “Hunting Quartet”. Mountain music.
Immediately after the concert, a German-Austrian themed reception hosted by Theresa Freund will take place in a tent on the Great Lawn.
Labor Day weekend features a festival within a festival, including five new events around the concerts of the season:
On September 3, Merz Trio will capture the imagination of the youngest during the 11 a.m. Family Concert. Stay at Music Mountain for lunch with a variety of food trucks. The evening session begins at 5:00 p.m. with presentations by author Barbara V. Bechtolsheim and TC Poet Laureate Margaret Gibson.
The 7 p.m. concert features the Merz Trio’s “Ink Spills” album program, with readings and performances from Ravel’s iconic Piano Trio, as well as works by Rameau, Boulanger and others. A stargazing event rounds out the day’s lineup at 8:30 p.m., according to Music Mountain.
On September 4, the day begins with a Birdsong pre-concert walk, before entering Gordon Hall to discover the historic 20th century chamber music work, written by ornithologist-composer Olivier Messiaen in a camp of Concentration in World War II: Quartet for the End of Time.
On August 14, the program features the Cramer Quartet performing two Haydn Quartets and Alexandra DuBois’ response to the Haydn “Sun” Quartets, her String Quartet No. 6. The Cramer Quartet is currently recording all six Haydn “Sun” Quartets and is perform on period instruments and gut strings. A pre-concert chat with Cramer Quartet and composer Alexandra Du Bois will give audiences a chance to ask questions and learn about the artists’ program and trajectory, according to Music Mountain.
The seventeen chamber music concerts of Music Mountain’s 93rd season offer something for everyone: from the piano four-hand program by Misha and Cipa Dichter; a program for recorder and lute by award-winning English soloist Tabea Debus; or the Cassatt String Quartet program with guitarist Eliot Fisk; in the eclectic program of the Cuarteto Latinoamericano with oboist Thomas Gallant. There is also the Harlem Quartet program with pianist Fei-Fei; or the American String Quartet’s two-work program featuring Op. by Beethoven. 131 and the new Piano Quintet by Octavio Vázquez with the composer at the keyboard.
Returning string quartets include the Balourdet Quartet, which replaced the Juilliard String Quartet at Music Mountain last season, and the Arianna, Penderecki, Ulysses, Ariel, Daedalus and Jupiter String Quartets. Pianists Benjamin Hochman, Judith Gordon, Victoria Schwartzman, Tanya Bannister, Soyeon Kate Lee and Todd Crow, lutenist Adam Cockerham and clarinetist Oskar Espina Ruiz, artistic director of Music Mountain, complete the list, according to Music Mountain.
Music Mountain’s Twilight Jazz Concerts: While the Chamber Music Concert Series takes place 16 consecutive Sundays at 3 p.m., beginning June 5, Music Mountain’s Twilight Jazz Concerts take place 10 consecutive Saturdays at 7 p.m. from June 25.
Grammy Award-winning pianist Bill Charlap opens Music Mountain’s Twilight Jazz Concerts on June 25. Charlap is the artistic director of New York’s Jazz in July festival at the 92nd Street Y, and has produced concerts for Jazz at Lincoln Center, the JVC Jazz Festival and the Hollywood Bowl. The Music Mountain jazz series kicks off with the Bill Charlap Trio, which features Bill Charlap and is recognized as one of the leading jazz bands today, depending on location.
The jazz series continues on July 2 with Five Play, the sister group of the famous Diva Jazz Orchestra. Other highlights include the Barbara Fasano Trio with Eric Comstock and the Helen Sung Quartet. Music Mountain favorites returning this summer include Swingtime Big Band, Galvanized Jazz Band, New Black Eagle Jazz Band, Bob Parker’s Jive by Five and Riverboat Stompers Jazz Band. New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players complete the series.
Saturday dinner and concert packages are available from June 25 to August 25. 27, including 5:30 p.m. dinner at the Falls Village Inn, a Litchfield County landmark, and a 7 p.m. Twilight concert at Music Mountain.
To keep patrons safe during concerts, Music Mountain will continue to follow state and federal CDC health guidelines. There are no masking requirements for indoor gatherings in Connecticut, but masks are strongly encouraged at Music Mountain.
Music Mountain is located at 225 Music Mountain Road; free parking and picnic facilities are available.
This year, all seats in Gordon Hall are reserved and front seats are selling out. Lawn tickets are general admission. Customers will be able to purchase specific seats from a seating plan when purchasing tickets.
Regular chamber music concerts cost between $30 and $55. Specially priced concerts are as follows: tickets for the season-opening benefit concert on June 5 are between $40 and $85, and for the Labor Day benefit concert on September 4, between $30 $ and $70. No fees will be charged. Student tickets are $15; free for 18 and under. Ticket packages are available including the Season Pass; the Haydn Sun Quartets pass (6 concerts); the 6 Concert Pass; and the Pass 3 Concerts. Please call the Music Mountain box office at (860) 824-7126 for details or to purchase tickets. Sunday afternoon chamber music concerts begin at 3 p.m. and last approximately 2 hours, with a 20-minute intermission.
For more information, please visit musicmountain.org or call the box office at (860) 824-7126.
