Chamber Music Charleston: Transfigured Night

Chamber Music Charleston’s acclaimed Ovation Concert Series continues on Sunday, Nov. 3, 3 p.m. at the College of Charleston Sottile Theatre. The concert features guest violinist Daniel Ching of the Miró Quartet and cellist Alan Rafferty of the Cincinnati Symphony, who will join musicians of Chamber Music Charleston for a program celebrating masterpieces for strings. The concert opens with Schoenberg’s groundbreaking one-movement work, "Verklärte Nacht," based on Richard Dehmel's poem of the same name, and concludes with Brahms’ glorious Sextet in G Major.

Arnold Schoenberg’s "Verklärte Nacht," composed in 1899, is a highly expressive and innovative work for string sextet. Inspired by Dehmel’s poem, the music vividly captures the emotional turmoil and eventual reconciliation between two lovers. The composition is renowned for its rich harmonic language and masterful use of counterpoint, marking a significant departure from traditional tonal structures and paving the way for Schoenberg's later forays into atonality.

The program concludes with Johannes Brahms' Sextet in G Major, Op. 36, composed in 1864-65. This expansive and lyrical work showcases Brahms' ability to blend intricate musical textures with deep emotional expression. The sextet is characterized by its warm, glowing melodies, complex interweaving of the string parts, and the seamless integration of folk-inspired themes. The final movement, in particular, stands out for its exuberant energy and brilliant contrapuntal writing, making it one of the most celebrated works in the chamber music repertoire.

Tickets start at $25 ($5 for students/parents). 

Purchase tickets