TRADITION. TRANSFORMED
DOHNÁNYI, PINTO CORREIA, MOZART
May 7 at Bohemian National Hall
TRADITION. TRANSFORMED
Thursday, May 7, 7:30PM
CHEN, LIPMAN & CHO TRIO
Stella Chen violin
Matthew Lipman viola
Brannon Cho cello
Illustrated talk by the musicians, joined by composer Andreia Pinto Correia.
Ernő Dohnányi Serenade in C Major, Op. 10
Andreia Pinto Correia Cantares (2024) New York Premiere
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Divertimento in E-flat Major, K. 563
Bohemian National Hall
321 E 73rd St, New York, NY 10021
To survive, tradition must balance preservation and evolution. As Oscar Wilde wittily put it, tradition is a successful innovation.
Mozart’s Divertimento is considered one of his noblest and most expressive works. However, in the late eighteenth century, divertimenti (divertimento means “diversion”) belonged firmly to the world of light entertainment and typically followed a more-or-less set form: six movements, including two minuets—rather like the old Baroque suite, in fact. In that respect, Mozart’s Trio, K.563, does conform to type. At the same time, it is Viennese Classicism at its height: balanced and poised, it possesses ambition, imagination, and expressive depth.
With Dohnányi’s Serenade, that classical inheritance is still plainly present, but it is no longer Mozart’s world alone. The work stands in the lineage of Mozart’s and Beethoven’s string-trio writing, while also drawing on the richer contrapuntal thinking of Brahms. Its five-movement design—march, romance, scherzo, variations, and finale—clearly recalls the older serenade tradition; yet Dohnányi reshapes that inheritance through more restless harmony, denser textures, and a chromatic language unmistakably of the early twentieth century.
And then, in Andreia Pinto Correia’s Cantares, tradition undergoes another transformation. The work draws on the idea of Portuguese folk chant not as quotation, but as recollection, dream, and reimagining. Written for our wonderful artists Stella Chen, Matthew Lipman, and Brannon Cho, it is, in Pinto Correia’s words, “a collection of imaginary cantares”: echoes of an older world cast in a luminous modern light.
On May 7, Cantares will receive its New York premiere, presented by the composer herself.
It’s More Than A Concert…
MUSIC IN CONTEXT
Music. Talk. Wine.
BOHEMIAN NATIONAL HALL
Step inside one of New York’s historic cultural landmarks—Bohemian National Hall, a Renaissance Revival building completed in 1896 and a rare survivor of the many social halls built in the nineteenth century for New York City’s immigrant communities. For more than a century, it has served as an important center of Czech and Slovak culture in the city, and today houses the Czech Center and Consulate General. For one evening, this storied setting becomes the stage for music, wine, and conversation in true Aspect style—where heritage and contemporary artistry come together in a timeless setting.
TALK BY MUSICIANS
Each Aspect concert explores music in its broader cultural and artistic context—revealing the ideas, stories, and inspirations that shape the works we hear. In this program, the Trio will share their own insights throughout the evening, bringing audiences closer to the music through the artists’ perspective. At its center is the New York premiere of Cantares (2024) by Andreia Pinto Correia, a work written especially for this ensemble. Inspired by Portuguese folk traditions, the piece unfolds as a series of imagined chants, its nuances revealed by the performers’ remarks.
COMPLIMENTARY WINE
We offer complimentary wine throughout the evening, an integral part of the warm and convivial atmosphere that defines every Aspect concert. It’s an invitation to slow down, connect with fellow guests and musicians, and embrace the spirit of music and conversation.