Mozart’s viola quintets are some of the most cherished music he composed. The viola was Mozart’s instrument of choice and one can hear how he relished the sound of the two instruments together and used them so beautifully to augment the sound of the string quartet. The E flat Quintet, Op. 614 was the last piece of chamber music Mozart wrote. Haydnesque in its joy and seeming simplicity, it is harmonically rich and full of marvelous twists and turns.

Shostakovich’s 10th Quartet was composed for his dear friend Moshe Weinberg (or Moisei Samuilovich Vainberg as it says in our music). Rich sonority, hellish agitato (marked Allegretto furioso! – such a paradox!) and deep sadness permeates this beautiful quartet. Written in the male voice most of the time with much of the narrative in the cello and viola voices, this relatively unknown quartet serves as a balm in this provocative political period of our lives.

In some ways Schumann’s piano quintet belies this man’s complicated life. Simple in form, and beautifully composed for the five instruments, each movement reveals contrasting characteristics from the joyful rising chords of the first movement, the march of destiny, the joyful “scherzo” and uplifting Finale, this quintet is full of memorable melodies and Schumann’s unique harmonic journeys.

With Violist Yariv Aloni and Pianist Bruce Vogt