Posting Date: September 16, 2009
KSU String Trio and friends presents Schubert’s last work in concert
By Jonquil Harris
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Helen Kim |
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Cathy Lynn |
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Charae Krueger |
The Kennesaw State University School of Music will present a free concert featuring the KSU String Trio on Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. in the Dr. Bobbie Bailey & Family Performance Center. The trio is Helen Kim, assistant professor of violin, Catherine Lynn, artist-in-residence in viola, and Charae Krueger, artist-in-residence in cello. Joining the trio on stage will be guest performers Sou Chun Su on violin and Brad Ritchie on cello.
The evening will include Johan Halvorsen’s “Passacaglia” and Zoltan Kodály’s “Intermezzo,” but the highlight of the evening is Franz Schubert’s “String Quintet in C, D. 956,” a two cello quintet, featuring the trio and guest performers.
Composed two months shy of Schubert’s death, “String Quintet in C, D. 956” is noted as Schubert’s last instrumental work. Traditionally following in the footsteps of Mozart, most string quintets have been an ensemble of two violins, a viola and a cello with the addition of a second viola. Instead, Schubert used a second cello in place of the additional viola in order to enhance the richness of the lower register.
The piece consists of four movements. The opening movement accounts for one-third of the works length and is broadly expansive. The second movement is both turbulent and tranquil and has been popular in such films as “Conspiracy” and “The Human Stain.” The third movement is innovative in that the strings provide a larger-than-life sound that is usually uncharacteristic of the instruments. The final movement is a passionate rondo with Hungarian influences. “Listening to the four movements gives the impression of listening to four different selections,” says Kim. “Even though people may not know the title of the piece, they will instantly fall in love with the music. It sounds pure, happy and like everything that you go through in life.”
Founded in 2006, the KSU String Trio aims to demonstrate to students that professors also have to practice and perform to continually improve.