Chamber Music — Program Notes from Argyle Arts

Britten, Dowland, and Purcell

In John Dowland, Britten found a kindred spirit who shared his love for the beauty of the English language and a rare gift for illuminating poetry with music. And in Henry Purcell, he discovered both a shared affinity for the theater and a sense of musical structure and style ideally matched to his own.

Chamber MusicChris MyersFebruary 19, 2022Classical Music, 20th Century Music, English Composers, British Composers, Chamber Music, Britten, Mozart, String Quartet, Purcell, Dowland, Voice, Viola, Piano, String QuintetComment

Nordic Spirit

Written for a concert featuring Nielsen’s Violin Sonata No. 1, Eiríksdóttir’s Flute Reel, Saariaho’s Tocar, and Grieg’s String Quartet No. 1.

Chamber MusicChris MyersFebruary 12, 2020Scandinavian Composers, Danish Composers, Finnish Composers, Norwegian Composers, Icelandic Composers, Nielsen, Grieg, Saariaho, Eiriksdottir, Violin, Piano, Flute, String Quartet, Chamber Music

Mozart & Britten

From the beginning of Benjamin Britten’s career, it was apparent that there was a deep connection between the English composer and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Chamber MusicChris MyersOctober 16, 2019Classical Music, 20th Century Music, Britten, Mozart, String Quartet, English Composers, British Composers, Chamber Music

Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings

Toscanini summed up the work in three words: “semplice e bella.”

Simple and beautiful.

Orchestral Music, Chamber MusicChris MyersSeptember 13, 2012Barber, Adagio for Strings, Strings, 20th Century Music, Orchestral Music, Chamber Music, String Quartet, American Composers

Benjamin Britten: Canticle III: Still falls the Rain

An academic analysis of the work written to accompany a lecture-recital.

Chamber Music, Vocal MusicChris MyersJuly 10, 2012Britten, British Composers, English Composers, Sitwell, Voice, Piano, Horn, Chamber Music, Canticle, Still falls the Rain