Wednesday night chamber music program at the Grand Teton Music Festival can offer some of the most exciting and satisfying musical experiences of the season. Audiences usually hear a couple of familiar works by favorite GTMF orchestra players. Often, however, programs also include something different an unexpected: a rare gem by a member of the classical pantheon, or a even new piece of music by someone unexpected.
This Wednesday’s recital features a little bit of everything, including one of Victor Ewald’s brass quintets, five songs for soprano and piano by Claude Debussy, a brand new work by trumpet great Wynton Marsalis and two fascinating-looking works by contemporary composers from Syria and a young Brit under 30.
GTMF Music Director Sir Donald Runnicles takes the piano bench to perform five songs by Debussy with guest soprano Heidi Stober, in town to participate in the weekend’s orchestral performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection.”
…Marsalis’s new fanfare, “Herald, Holler and Hallelujah!,” was commissioned by a half-dozen organizations, including the New Jersey Symphony, which gave its world premiere in January. The Grand Teton Music Festival also got in on the commission, and presents the piece in part thanks to the huge number of brass players in town this week to buff out the orchestra for Mahler’s characteristically huge symphony.
