Quintessential Russian and Viennese styles abound in this pairing of composers deeply embedded in their singular cultures. The Slavic melancholy of Arensky gives way to the exuberant flair of Brahms as we juxtapose works in both popular and formal idioms: Arensky’s miniatures for children and Brahms’s Hungarian Dances show the composers at their crowd-pleasing best, while their two piano trios reveal the depth and mastery that earned each legendary status and lasting appeal.

Program
Arensky Six Children’s Pieces for Piano, Four Hands, Op. 34 (1894)
Arensky Trio No. 1 in D minor for Piano, Violin, and Cello, Op. 32 (1894)
Brahms Selected Hungarian Dances for Piano, Four Hands (1868,1880)
Brahms Trio in C major for Piano, Violin, and Cello, Op. 87 (1880-82)

Performers
Wu Han, Piano
Wu Qian, Piano
Bella Hristova, Violin
Dmitri Atapine, Cello