On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress declared independence from the British Empire, marking the founding of the United States of America. To celebrate the
250th anniversary of that historic event, Four Arts Artistic Advisor Wu Han has curated a bespoke festival of American chamber music for the audience in Palm Beach. Across three concerts, you will hear everything from folk songs first published in the 19th century to masterpieces by composers of the 20th century to the incomparable excitement of American movie music.
American music is full of fireworks — opportunities for composers and musicians to dazzle and astound. In the final concert of the “America at 250” Festival, show pieces by American 20th-century masters like George Antheil, Paul Schoenfield, and John Adams are woven together with familiar, lyrical numbers by Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin. The concert concludes with Gershwin’s glorious Jazz concerto Rhapsody in Blue, in a playful and awe-inspiring arrangement for piano, four hands.
ARTISTS:
GLORIA CHIEN, Piano CHAD HOOPES, Violin
ORION WEISS, Piano RICHARD LIN, Violin
WU HAN, Piano DAVID FINCKEL, Cello
PROGRAM:
Stars and Stripes for Two Violins JOHN PHILLIP SOUSA (1854–1932)
(1896, arr. Bruce Dukov 2004)
HOOPES, LIN
Sonata No. 2 for Violin, Piano, GEORGE ANTHEIL (1900–1959)
and Drums (1923)
HOOPES, CHIEN
Meditation No. 1 from Mass LEONARD BERNSTEIN (1918–1990)
for Cello and Piano (1971, arr. 1977)
FINCKEL, WU HAN
Four Souvenirs for Violin PAUL SCHOENFIELD (1947–2024)
and Piano (1990)
Samba Tango
Tin Pan Alley Square Dance
LIN, CHIEN
Concert Fantasy on Themes from IGOR FROLOV (1937–2013)
Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess for Violin and Piano, Op. 19 (1987)
LIN, WEISS
~ INTERMISSION ~
Romance for Violin and Piano, AMY BEACH (1867–1944)
Op. 23 (1893)
HOOPES, WEISS
Road Movies for Violin JOHN ADAMS (B. 1947)
and Piano (1995)
Quarter Note = 106
Quarter Note = 58 Contemplative
Quarter Note = 130 (40% swing)
HOOPES, CHIEN
Rhapsody in Blue for Piano, GEORGE GERSHWIN (1898–1937)
Four Hands (1924, arr. Henry Levine 1925)
CHIEN, WEISS
