Trip to BIMF An 'Emperor' and Romances highlight Bowdoin finale BY BECCA DEWAN
	Bowdoin International Music Festival Finale concert | Crooker Theater, Brunswick High School | Friday, Aug 5 | 207.725.3895

After a wonderful and successful six weeks, the Emperor sounds the finale of the Bowdoin International Music Festival, with the final concert of its 42nd season on August 5. The varied program includes Poulenc’s "Sonata for Flute and Piano," Schumann’s "Piano Quartet in E-flat Major," Seven Romances for Soprano and Piano Trio by Shostakovich, and, finally, Beethoven’s "Emperor" Piano Concerto.

The Bowdoin International Music Festival is just one of many chamber music festivals that occur during the summer in Maine. Like most of the others, this festival attracts the highest caliber of faculty and students, providing the public the opportunity to hear international stars, faculty of major conservatories, and students attending or headed for a great career playing music by the likes of French composer Francis Poulenc (1899-1963), who wrote pieces in almost every genre, from choral to stage works, solo piano, and chamber pieces. Written in 1956-7, his "Sonata for Flute and Piano" was meant to be part of a set of chamber works for woodwinds that Poulenc did not live to complete. Flautist Joshua Smith, principal of the Cleveland Orchestra and faculty member at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and pianist Emma Tahmizian, prizewinner at numerous major competitions, will tackle this beautiful sonata this weekend.

Second on the program is Robert Schumann’s (1810-1856) "Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 47." This piece was composed in 1842, a year which can be classified not only as the composer’s year of chamber music, but also as the most tumultuous year of Schumann’s marriage to that point. The composer was outrageously jealous of his wife’s very successful performing career, which was especially high profile in 1842. In October, Schumann composed his "Piano Quintet in E-flat Major," then in November, the companion piece "Piano Quartet," which will be performed by violinist Maria Schleuning, violist Michael Klotz, cellist Elizabeth Simkin, and pianist Constance Moore.

Though often catalogued as a vocal work, Shostakovich’s (1906-1975) Seven Romances on Poems of Alexander Blok is a chamber piece through and through. Shostakovich scored the set for soprano, violin, cello, and piano, though it is not until the last of the seven romances that all four instrumentalists perform together.

Shostakovich suffered a massive heart attack in 1967 and it was while he was in the hospital recovering that he wrote these Seven Romances. He chose texts by 20th-century Russian poet Alexander Blok that speak of myths, symbols, and observations of life in St. Petersburg, most of which are dark and pessimistic. The eerily gorgeous music reflects the texts beautifully, with a very demanding vocal line.

The cycle was commissioned by cellist Matislav Rostropovich and dedicated to his wife, soprano Galina Vishnevskaya, both of whom were close friends of Shostakovich. These pieces are much more intimate and personal that many of his previous works, and the writing of these led to an increasingly private style in the latter part of his career.

Guest artist Lisa Graf will sing the Russian texts. Joining her are: South African violinist Jan Repko, on the faculty of Chetham’s School of Music, Royal Northern College of Music, and Royal College of Music; cellist Nicholas Jones, also of Royal Northern College of Music and Chetham’s School of Music; and pianist John Root, who has performed with many major orchestras and studied with Leon Fleisher.

You might have noticed that not a single musician is scheduled to perform more than once at this concert. There is no shortage of talent at the Bowdoin International Music Festival and, therefore, why use just one fabulous pianist when you have several on faculty? I think this is a real treat for the audience. Unlike many other concerts of chamber music where one string quartet will perform three or four pieces, at this concert you are exposed to the playing and musicianship of many performers.

Then the stage is filled with numerous musicians for the finale. Under the baton of festival director Lewis Kaplan, students and faculty come together as the Bowdoin Festival Orchestra to perform Beethoven’s "Emperor" Concerto, thus closing the festival after another wonderful summer. Though not a member of the festival faculty, Sa Chen will step in to tickle the ivories for the finish.

Beethoven’s piece in question was originally just his Fifth Piano Concerto, but was later upgraded to its commonly known title, the "Emperor" Concerto, a sobriquet adopted in the nineteenth century. A French army officer, so the story goes, attended the first performance of the work in Vienna and was so moved by the majesty of the piece that he cried out "C’est l’empereur!" ("It is the Emperor!"). Though the combined likelihood of the story being true and of Beethoven hearing the comment (he was quite hard of hearing at this point) is slim, the comparison with Napoleon would hardly have been flattery. Though the composer was once an ardent admirer of the general, Napoleon fell out of Beethoven’s good graces when he seized the throne.

Despite the political connotation, the French army officer’s nickname seems entirely appropriate because of the grandeur and majesty of the E-flat Piano Concerto. This piece will be a magnificent end to the Bowdoin International Music Festival.

Becca DeWan can be reached at beccadewan@mac.com