Chamber Music Weekend with Roy Bogas & Friends

This year, the 17th Summer Chamber Music weekend with Roy Bogas and Friends will feature violinist Amy Hiraga, violist Nancy Ellis and cellist Peter Wyrick from the San Francisco Symphony, violinist Cordula Merks, concertmaster of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, plus pianist and artistic director Roy Bogas. (The double bass player will be announced shortly.) Roy Bogas, pianist, is also Principal Solo Pianist of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra and Artistic Director of the MasterGuild Series in Oakland, as well as of our Summer Festival of Chamber Music.

This summer’s programs are focused on the music of Ernest Bloch, the great 20th century composer, whose family (granddaughter Sita Milchev and great-granddaughter Lucienne Allen) still live in Gualala. In addition, Roy Bogas was one of Bloch’s devoted students and knows his music thoroughly and loves it very much.

Some audience members will recognize the Piano Quintet, but the Concerto Grosso will be new to them, as it is only possible to play it here in a new arrangement for this small group, as it is originally written for chamber orchestra with many more parts. As Bloch was deeply influenced by the music of J.S. Bach, the group will play some Bach to show the kinship between the two composers.

On Saturday a Bach chorale prelude will precede three cello works by Bloch: the Prayer and Supplication from his suite “from Jewish Life” plus the dynamic Nigun, all played by the group’s outstanding cellist Peter Wyrick. As a contrast, the group’s first violinist Cordula Merks will play the Rumanian Folk Dances by Bartok and after intermission they will present the epic Piano Quintet by Bloch, a work of great intensity and saga-like proportions.

Sunday’s concert will begin with three hauntingly beautiful works by Bach, including the Prelude from the Sixth Suite for cello alone, also played by Peter Wyrick. This is by way of introduction to the Concerto Grosso by Bloch, which is in a style very different from the Piano Quintet. It is in a semi folksy style reminiscent of Bach and quite audience friendly. I will introduce each of the works we play and indicate what to listen for. After intermission, we will play the famous “Trout” Quintet by Franz Schubert, which features, among other things, a double bass and a set of variations on the song “Die Forelle” (“the Trout”), one of Schubert’s best loved melodies.

The weekend’s events are being co-chaired by Bloch’s great-granddaughter Lucienne Allen, who is curator of the Bloch Archives and will oversee an exhibit of photographs from the collection.