April 9, 2021 - Virtual Concert Series Newsletter
Today’s Friday Letter is the last one concluding a full year of them. The final letter begins with a performance of the Toccata from the 5th organ symphony by Charles-Marie Widor performed by Dr. Joe Kitchen on St. Stephen's remarkable Flentrop Organ. Organist Nathan Laube is the next to dazzle us with his transcription of Rossini's William Tell Overture. After that you hear Ray Chen perform Fritz Kreisler’s Tambourin Chinois in Amsterdam. Then you see Alexander Beyer make Ravel’s staggeringly difficult La Valse look like a walk in the park. Next up we hear Andrew Tyson’s brilliant, inspired, and flawless performance of Chopin’s 1st piano concerto during the final round of the 2015 Geza Ande Competition. The last major work featured is the Borromeo String Quartet's performance of Beethoven’s 3rd Razumovsky quartet, Op. 59, No. 3, in Tokyo’s Suntory Hall.
Even a virtual concert needs an encore so this week's letter concludes with two, the Borromeos play Bill Evans’ “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” transcribed (by ear!) by Nicholas. Then Andrew plays Rachmaninoff’s transcription of the Gavotte from Bach’s E major Partita for solo violin.