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St. Albert Chamber music concert explores Brahms

Allene Hackleman, Sarah Ho and Robert Uchida perform the master composer's beautiful melodies on Sunday, Feb. 9 at St. Albert United Church

A trio of Edmonton’s most accomplished chamber musicians have formed to play a series of Brahms compositions at St. Albert Chamber Music Society’s upcoming concert on Feb. 9. 

You could call world-class French horn player Allene Hackleman, pianist Sarah Ho and violinist Robert Uchida a super-trio of Edmonton Symphony Orchestra musicians who enjoy performing together for an electric afternoon. 

Brahms music survived the centuries, in large part due to his beautiful melodies, and is currently recorded by every serious musician from under-appreciated performers to celebrities. He was also the first major composer to write for violin, horn and piano and for many years his horn trio stood alone in the repertoire.   

“Brahms music is very romantic, but in a restrained way. He was a great craftsman, and his music was written in a thoughtful way. He paid special attention to the form and the development of music. There was never a note that was wasted. Everything was so well thought out, and it makes sense in the context of the big picture,” said Hackleman. 

The concert begins with emerging youth artist Emmanuel Fraser’s piano rendition of Claude Debussy’s Golliwogg’s Cakewalk. Debussy dedicated this whimsical work about toys coming to life to his beloved daughter Emma. 

“It’s fun and jolly and part of a set of pieces of music for children. It’s from the French impressionistic period and it’s livelier than some pieces,” Hackleman said. 

As featured performers Hackleman and Ho follow with a duet of Four Songs for French horn and piano. 

“It was originally written from poems for voice and piano and performed at recitals. Vocal music lends itself to the French horn because it has a vocal quality that is very close to the human instrument. This situation allowed arrangements for the French horn because it would translate easily.”  

Uchida then joins Ho in Sonata for violin and piano in D minor, op. 108, no. 3. 

“This is the last sonata Brahms wrote in his life. It’s spectacular. Every movement is gorgeous – the beautiful flow of melodies on violin and the way the two instruments interact with each other. It’s at the height of his power.” 

Closing the concert is the Horn Trio in E-Flat Major, op. 40. While the first set showcased two impeccable duos, the second set brings together the united prowess of three instruments.  

“He wrote it when his mother passed away. They were very close. He goes into four different movements. The Adagio mesto is one of the most tragic, but it ends in jolly happy hunting fanfare that was typical of the era.” 

The concert runs Sunday, Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. at St. Albert United Church, 20 Green Grove Drive. Individual tickets range from $15 to $40. They can be purchased either through Musée Heritage Museum or at eventbrite.ca. 

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