Schnittke String Trio and Mozart Quintet

Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998) was a Soviet composer known for his mastery of what is often referred to as a "polystylistic" musical language.  He had a profound love of the music of the past, especially great classicists like Mozart and Schubert, in addition to popular music traditions, claiming that "The goal of my life is to unify serious music and light music, even if I break my neck in doing so."  Schnittke's powerful and expressive String Trio (1985) seamlessly combines many familiar musical tropes that recall the music of the baroque or classical eras, with fraught modernist melodic contours and harmonies in what is a completely fresh and original musical language.

Mozart's Quintet K. 407 features one of the noblest of all instruments –the French Horn.  Further adding to the warmth of the work is Mozart's usage of a string quartet with 2 violas, rather than the customary 2 violins.  New Mexico Philharmonic hornist, Nate Ukens, brings his grace and charm to this amicable work—a great way to start the new year!

The poet this week will be Michelle Otero. A writer, performer, and teacher, Otero is the author of Malinche's Daughter, an essay collection based on her work with women survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Oaxaca, Mexico. Her work has appeared in New Mexico Magazine and numerous literary journals, and her awards include a Fulbright Fellowship. She is a member of the Macondo Writers' Workshop. Originally from Deming, she is a tenth-generation New Mexican, and is Creative Director of Valle Encantado, an organization promoting sustainable development initiatives in the Atrisco historic core in Albuquerque. 

Sunday Chatter Admission prices are $15 regular, $9 for those under 30, and $5 for children under 12. The Frequent Attender Pass gives patrons 11 admissions for the price of 10 and can be purchased at the Chatter website, www.sundaychatter.org