Tuesday at 10:00 pm
David Finckel and Wu Han, artistic directors of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Chamber music performances from the world’s most famous performing arts complex
Recorded live in New York's Alice Tully Hall, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center series features stellar performances. The artists of CMS, a multi-generational selection of expert chamber musicians, constitute an evolving repertory company capable of presenting chamber music of every instrumentation, style, and historical period. Performing repertoire from over three centuries, and numerous premieres by living composers, CMS offers programs curated to provide listeners a comprehensive perspective on the art of chamber music.
Visions of a Better World
June 9, 2026, 10:00 pm
Between 1829 and 1845, Felix Mendelssohn completed one of his most famous bodies of piano works, the Songs without Words. It is paired with another set of piano works constructed nearly 100 years later: the seven-part suite Visions de l’Amen by Olivier Messiaen.
Foreign Flavors
June 2, 2026
A mixture of chamber music from various parts of Europe, including Russia, Spain, France, and others.
Trio Artistry
May 26, 2026
Two works for a traditional string trio configuration: piano, violin, and cello. Pianist Orion Weiss is joined by Ani Kavafian and Carter Brey for Mozart’s iconic C Major trio; later, Juho Pohjonen, Danbi Um, and Jakob Koranyi play the dramatic Schubert Trio in D minor.
Romantic Sonorities
May 19, 2026
Romanticism, also known as the Romantic Era, was a 19th century movement that saw a rise of symbolism and indivdualism across the fine arts. In music, the Romantic Era spans roughly between 1820 and 1890, and included artists from Beethoven (at least his later works) through to Mahler. Tonight, hear two lesser known string quartets from the Romantic Era that ...
Schubert’s Greatness
May 12, 2026
Franz Schubert is one of classical music’s greatest composers: an innovator and visionary whose output far exceeds his 31 years on this Earth. Two of his chamber works are celebreated tonight, including a piece of incidental music that Schubert had initially written for the play Rosamunde, Fürstin von Zypern by Helmina von Chézy.
Variations
May 5, 2026
When searching for inspiration, composers don’t always go to the works of others: sometimes, they look back at their own repertoire. Tonight’s broadcasts features two works by composers who “self-plagerized” to some extent. Edvard Grieg wrote his only cello sonata after a period of illness, taking the opportunity to expand on themes he had first introduced in a previously composed ...
Rhythm and Reverie
April 28, 2026
An exploration of new approaches. First, themes from African dances reflect the style of British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor in the early 20th century. Then later, a quintent in E-flat major by German Romantic composer Robert Schumann.
Shadow and Memory
April 21, 2026
The “memories” referenced in this program have a deeply emotional, at times harrowing, quality. The Shanghai Quartet performs a work they premiered at the composer’s 75th birthday – Penderecki’s Quartet No.3 (subtitled “Leaves of an Unwritten Diary”). Later, Gloria Chen joins a string quartet in performing Bloch’s anxious, relentless first piano quintet.
From Rio to Paris
April 14, 2026
Two works from completely different places on Earth: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Paris, France.
1930’s Bartók
April 7, 2026
Works by the Hungarian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist – often considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century. The 1930s marked some of Bartok’s final works written or premiered in Hungary before immigrating to the United States.
Simply Britten
March 31, 2026
2026 marks the 50th anniversary of Benjamin Britten’s death. An English composer, conductor, and pianist, Britten was one of the most important figures in 20th-century British music. He contributing a wide range of pieces from operas to chamber music. It is the later that is the focus of today’s program. The Calidore Quartet performs Britten’s second quartet, while a chamber ...
Instrumental Textures
March 24, 2026
How does instrumentation affect an ensemble’s capability to create new textures? This is the topic explored in today’s program. Two classical-period works are compared side by side: one a string quartet, the other a wind quintet. Both works were written by composers who helped to shape and perfect their respective genres. What can we learn from comparing the two masters?
From Paris
March 17, 2026
A program of chamber music written by Parisians. Whether they were born in the city of light, or moved there for musical opportunities, each piece offers a different glimpse into the arts scene of Paris during the early 20th century.
French Explorations 1922–25
March 10, 2026
The post-war period of 1920s France has been referred to by historians as “Les années folles” – the crazy years – in reference to the decade’s many social, artistic, and cultural developments. It was the birth of “cafe” society, whereby meetings in cafes developed a thriving literary and arts scene, as well as many pivotal artist movements. Classical music also ...
Archive Treasure IV
March 3, 2026
The fourth in Chamber Music Society’s “Archive Treasure” series, reliving some of the best musical performances in the group’s archives. This week features the Amadeus String Quartet recording Britten’s third quartet, Heather Harper in Respighi’s Il Tramonto, and a curious trio by Franz Schubert.
German Fantasy
February 24, 2026
Two enchanting and charming chamber music works by German contemporaries who shared a complicated relationship: Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms.
Great Duos
February 17, 2026
Some of classical music’s greatest duets performed by leading duos! From voice and piano to a violin duet, enjoy a program chock full of music for two.
“…the sincerest form of flattery”
February 10, 2026
If you hear some similarities in these works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Felix Mendelssohn, it’s not just you.
Shostakovich Quartets
February 3, 2026
Throughout his life, Shostakovich wrote a total of 15 works for string quartets. He also wrote a number of works for other instrument chamber groups, including song cycles, sonatas, and more. Tonight’s program pairs Shostakovich’s Quartet no. 13 in B minor with a rarely heard song cycle. From Jewish Folk Poetry takes inspiration from a collection of Jewish folk songs published ...
Vienna
January 27, 2026
Sounds of Vienna from two of the city’s most famous Romantic composers: Franz Schubert and Ludwig van Beethoven.
Sonic Spectrum
January 20, 2026
A selection of string ensemble works from 1644 to present time. Discover how various composers explored sonic textures in their writing, expanding their musical language.
