2013-2014120TH SEASON

musicians’musicians.

Rare musicians they are who perform

at Princeton University. Ones who have

not only devoted years and years to the

development of their artistry, but who’ve

forged a profound connection to the

music they will perform. So you hear,

and feel, what a composer intended.

The artists we invite to perform at

Princeton are, in fact, musicians’

musicians—virtuosos other virtuosos

want to listen to. This season, our 120th,

we present some of the world’s most

sought-after artists and some of the

greatest music ever written. And even

better, you don’t have to go to Philly

or New York to experience it; it’s all

right here in Richardson Auditorium in

Alexander Hall.

Musicians, musicians…

musicians’ musicians! Be here for

HISTORY IN THE MUSIC MAKING

and enjoy every historic note.

THURSDAY and FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10 and 11, 2013, 8 pmRICHARDSON AUDITORIUM IN ALEXANDER HALL

TAKÁCS STRING QUARTETAll six BARTÓK String Quartets performed in two evenings October 10: Quartets Nos. 1, 3 & 5 October 11: Quartets Nos. 2, 4 & 6

The Takács Quartet—the sole string quartet in Gramophone

Magazine’s Hall of Fame—will perform all six of Bartók’s

string quartets, which have been part of their repertoire since

their origins in the 1970s. It was Takács’ recordings in the

1990s of these seminal works that cemented their position

among the world’s top quartets. What will make this event

even more compelling are talks and commentary by Princeton

musicologist Scott Burnham and others. Here is Princeton

professor and composer Steven Mackey’s reaction to the quartets as

a teenager playing electric guitar in rock bands: “Their punchy melodies,

muscular rhythms, trippy atmospheres and mind-bending continuities struck me

as being the most psychedelic rock music I had ever heard. Bartók ingested folk music and avant-

garde techniques in equal measure to make a music that tickled the viscera as well as the intellect.

This music is at once quirky, playful, scary and sublime—and well ahead of its time.”

“the most

psychedelic rock music I had ever heard.”

professor and composer

Steven Mackey on hearing the Bartók Quartets for

the first time

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2013, 8 pmRICHARDSON AUDITORIUM IN ALEXANDER HALL

ST. LAWRENCE STRING QUARTETHAYDN Quartet in D Major, Op. 71, No. 2

R. MURRAY SCHAFER (b. 1933) Quartet No. 3

DVOŘÁK Quartet in A-flat Major, Op. 105

It takes a brainy group indeed to be Ensemble-in-Residence at Stanford University, which is

where the St. Lawrence String Quartet calls home. Its members are as committed to new works

by such leading composers of our day as John Adams and Osvaldo Golijov as they are to the

established quartet literature of Haydn and the 19th and 20th century giants who followed him.

In fact, among their honors are two Grammy Award nominations for Golijov’s Yiddishbbuk. Said

Alex Ross in The New Yorker, “The St. Lawrence are remarkable not simply for the quality of their

music making, exalted as it is, but for the joy they take in the act of connection.” In addition

to performing quartets by Haydn and Dvořák, they will perform R. Murray Schafer’s String

Quartet No. 3, in which they may seem more like samurai warriors than string players. A staple

of the ensemble’s repertoire, Schafer’s quartet was described by Mr. Ross as a “spellbinding

spectacle, and a hilarious send-up of the emotional infantilism of the ultramodern repertory.”

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013, 8 pmRICHARDSON AUDITORIUM IN ALEXANDER HALL

BEHZOD ABDURAIMOV,* PIANO

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 12 in A-flat Major, Op. 26

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 6 in F Major, Op. 10, No. 2

SAINT-SAËNS/LISZT/HOROWITZ Danse Macabre

SCHUBERT Impromptus Op. 90, Nos. 2 and 3

RAVEL Gaspard de la Nuit

“Behzod Abdu-who?” quipped

National Public Radio last year. “Not

for long.” As rewarding as it is to

bring you the world’s most renowned

musicians, there’s special joy in

introducing a little-known young artist

poised to join the ranks of the all-time greats.

Behzod Abduraimov, a 23-year-old native

of Uzbekistan, is such a talent. “Rip-roaringly

exciting” and “a gift from God” are among the

breathless reviews he’s elicited, as well as this

from the International Record Review: “He

has the neuro-motor responses of a jungle

cat and the energy reserves of an Olympic

athlete in peak form.” After achieving a

sensational victory at the 2009 London

International Piano Competition, winning

First Prize with a thrilling performance of

Prokofiev’s Third Concerto, the young

phenom toured with the Sydney

Symphony under Vladimir Ashkenazy,

a great pianist in his own right.

Abduraimov’s electrifying version of

Saint-Saëns’s Danse Macabre is

that of an artist possessed—and

sporting a rather sly grin.

“Behzod Abdu-who?”

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014, 8 pmRICHARDSON AUDITORIUM IN ALEXANDER HALL

DANISH STRING QUARTET*

NIELSEN Quartet No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 14

JANÁČEK Quartet No. 1, “Kreutzer Sonata”

A JOURNEY THROUGH SCANDINAVIAN FOLK MUSIC

Three Danes and a Norwegian, all in their early 30s and

boasting copious amounts of hair and humor, comprise

the Danish String Quartet, newly chosen as members of

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s CMS Two.

They joke about being modern Vikings—“perhaps a touch

more harmless than our ancestors. We’re not pillaging cities

or razing the English coastline! We are simply your friendly

neighborhood string quartet with above average amounts

of beard.” And talent. The three Danes began to play together

while in their teens, and in 2008 were joined by a Norwegian cellist

whom they found “hidden away in a castle outside Stockholm.”

Playing string quartets is their job, and, they allow, it is hard work,

“but we mostly do it for pleasure, like we always did.” Whether

their own or their listeners’ pleasure is the greater is debatable.

Their musical offering mixes Scandinavian folk music with Nielsen’s

Quartet No. 3, a rarely heard Danish masterpiece, and Janáček’s

“Kreutzer Sonata,” inspired by Tolstoy’s tale of murderous passion.

“modern”

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2014, 8 pmRICHARDSON AUDITORIUM IN ALEXANDER HALL

LEONIDAS KAVAKOS,* VIOLIN

ENRICO PACE,* PIANO

ALL-BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 23

Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24, “Spring”

Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96, “The Cockcrow”

One of classical music’s hottest properties, Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos regularly concertizes

with the world’s greatest orchestras, but his recitals in this country are a precious few. Together with

pianist Enrico Pace, Kavakos will perform three of Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas, including two written

just before the composer penned his Heiligenstadt Testament, a heart-wrenching explanation that

encroaching deafness was responsible for his withdrawal from society. Here’s the violinist speaking

from his heart about the “Abergavenny” Stradivarius with which he has performed for the last three

years: “I’m very fortunate to have the privilege to live with an instrument like this and play on it

every day and learn from its sound and be challenged by the possibilities it gives. What else can a

violinist ask for in life? The fascinating thing with an instrument… you get to know each other. The

chemistry is like that with another human being. An instrument adjusts to the playing of a player

and the player adjusts to the instrument. It’s a give-and-take relationship.” Imagine the magic these

devoted partners will make together.

“astoundingly virtuosic

and blazingly insightful”

The Guardian (London)

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THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2014, 8 pm RICHARDSON AUDITORIUM IN ALEXANDER HALL

JOYCE DIDONATO* MEZZO-SOPRANOCraig Terry, piano

Songs and arias by composers including

ANTONIO VIVALDI, GABRIEL FAURÉ,

GIOACCHINO ROSSINI, FRANZ SCHUBERT,

ROBERT SCHUMANN, MICHAEL HEAD, and

REYNALDO HAHN

“A commanding, royal presence” is how Vanity

Fair refers to golden-voiced mezzo Joyce

DiDonato, who says the characters in her recent

album, “Drama Queens,” run the gamut of

emotions from “suicidal sadness to rapturous

bliss.” For Gramophone Magazine’s Hall of Fame

issue, composer Jake Heggie said the Kansas-

born mega-star’s staggering artistry “reminds us

that in any generation there are few giants… She

is a transformative presence... Joyce sings and

the world is suddenly brighter. Every gleaming

note and phrase is infused with connection,

meaning and an almost unnerving empathy.”

And here is Alex Ross in The New Yorker: “There

are singers who are secure in technique but

cautious in expression, there are singers who

deliver passion but damage the ears, and then

there is Joyce DiDonato, who consistently finds

the golden mean... [She] has a way of capturing

extreme emotions without resorting to excess:

she is a singer not only of flair and power but

of intelligence and taste.” The intelligent (not to

mention tasteful) thing for you to do would be to

purchase tickets to her only 2014 United States

recital—right here in Princeton—right now.

“Joyce sings and

the world is suddenly brighter.”

Composer Jake Heggie

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THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014, 8 pmRICHARDSON AUDITORIUM IN ALEXANDER HALL · CHARLES S. ROBINSON MEMORIAL CONCERT

THE NASH ENSEMBLE OF LONDON Amelia Freedman CBE, Artistic Director

Ian Brown, piano · Philippa Davies, flute · Richard Hosford, clarinet · Stephanie Gonley, violin

Laura Samuel, violin · Lawrence Power, viola · Rebecca Gilliver, cello

PROGRAM to include DVOŘÁK Piano Quintet and

the premiere of works by Princeton composers

Adventurous programming and virtuoso performances are hallmarks of this London-based chamber

collective, the resident ensemble of London’s Wigmore Hall. They have recorded prodigiously,

with nearly 90 CDs of music from Mozart to Dave Matthews, and will soon release a collection

of chamber works by Czech composers incarcerated during World War II in the Theresienstadt

concentration camp. They have also, quite notably, premiered more than 270 new works, 170 of

which they’ve commissioned! Presented in collaboration with Princeton’s Music Department, the

Nash musicians will premiere works by graduate students written expressly for them. As a result,

you will have the rare opportunity to see and hear the creative process that brings a new piece to

life, while stealing a glimpse of one or two of the country’s next great composers.

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Thursday, May 1, 2014, 8 pmRICHARDSON AUDITORIUM IN ALEXANDER HALL · PADEREWSKI MEMORIAL CONCERT

PIOTR ANDERSZEWSKI,* PIANO

Works by BACH, SCHUMANN, AND SCHUBERT

“Not just a significant artist,” said The New York Times, “Mr. Anderszewski is a colorful personality

who cultivates a ‘Polish punker’ look with his sleek black hair and tight leather pants. He would

seem to have everything.” On another occasion it opined, “It can be hard not to wax hyperbolic

when confronted with Anderszewski’s sensitive touch and potent imagination.” Now, listen to

this magical pianist’s own tormented thoughts about the pursuit of musical perfection: “When

I play with orchestra I sometimes tell myself, I’ll never play a concerto again. Too many artistic

compromises; I only want to do recitals. When I come through the extreme loneliness of the

recital—the heroism and also the cruelty involved—I sometimes think that I’ll never do recitals ever

again; from now on I’ll only make recordings. When I am recording and I’m free to repeat the work

as often as I wish, the possibility of doing better, of it being the best possible performance, and

where everything can turn against me—the piano, the microphone, and above all, my own sense of

freedom—I think to myself, I’ll never go into a recording studio ever again; it’s even more cruel. In

fact, the real, the ultimate, temptation would be to stop everything, lie down, listen to the beat of

my heart, and quietly wait for it to stop.” Do not miss this awe-inspiring and inspirational artist.

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Thursday, October 24, 2013, 7:30 pmRICHARDSON AUDITORIUM IN ALEXANDER HALL

CHRIS THILE,* SOLO MANDOLINPRESENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH MCCARTER THEATRE

Program of transcriptions of the BACH Violin Sonatas and Partitas,

plus his own compositions and other contemporary works

Here’s how multiple Grammy-winning mandolinist Chris Thile

learned that he was a 2012 recipient of a MacArthur “Genius”

Award of $500,000. “I started getting these calls from a

312 number, which is Chicago,” he told The Wall Street Journal,

“and in this day and age, does anyone answer their

phone when they don’t know the number?…

I just figured it was a robot call telling me to

vote. Finally they left a message: “Tell no

one about this call.” I don’t watch tons of

TV but I’ve seen enough to know that that’s

what someone says right before you get

shot! My tour manager googled the number

and it was the MacArthur Foundation....

I still kind of thought that maybe

my band mates were messing

with me!” Mr. Thile, whom

The New York Times calls

“the instrument’s brightest

star,” transitions between

genres with the greatest of

ease. A former member of

the trio Nickel Creek and

current member of the

Bluegrass quintet Punch

Brothers… collaborator

with cellist Yo-Yo Ma,

bassist Edgar Meyer and

fiddler Stuart Duncan

on the Grammy-winning

“Goat Rodeo Sessions”…

and composer of music for

the post-apocalyptic film “The Hunger

Games,” he has just released an album of

Bach Sonatas and Partitas transcribed for—

you guessed it—mandolin.

“the instrument’s

brightest star”

The New York Times

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Saturday, April 26, 2014, 7:30 pmPROCTER HALL IN THE PRINCETON GRADUATE COLLEGE

GALLICANTUS,* RENAISSANCE VOCAL ENSEMBLEGabriel Crouch, Director

“THE WORD UNSPOKEN,” music of WILLIAM BYRD and his contemporaries

Pristine. Spiritual. Otherworldly. This is the sound of Gallicantus, who take their name

from the pre-dawn monastic ceremony evoking the renewal of life offered by

the coming day. With members drawn from such renowned English vocal

ensembles as Tenebrae (whom Princeton audiences heard last season), The

Tallis Scholars and The King’s Singers, Gallicantus are as meticulous about

providing context and insight for audiences as they are about crafting

interpretations of the music they love. The Word Unspoken reveals the real

William Byrd—devout Catholic deeply troubled by the persecution of his

brethren, and composer with expressive and emotive powers beyond any

of his contemporaries. His music is paired with works by his most prominent

contemporaries, including his great teacher Thomas Tallis and Philippe de Monte,

the Flemish composer whose secret gift to Byrd of a setting of Psalm 136 expressed the solidarity

of an entire continent, and moved Byrd to compose his own setting of the psalm in return. Listen to

this ensemble but a few minutes and you will find yourself believing in the higher power. Of music.

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Saturday, November 16, 2013, 1 pmRICHARDSON AUDITORIUM IN ALEXANDER HALL

A Trilling EventA wacky private ear, Inspector Pulse, must

determine the identity of a highly ornamented

tune for a desperate client. The tune has a

familiar ring, but it is so full of trills, trinkets,

and decorative doodads that the Inspector

must investigate all the ways a melody can be

embellished in order to solve the mystery.

Featuring music of TELEMANN, HANDEL,

BACH and more

Meet the MusicTwo new concerts for kids ages 6-12 and their families,

featuring musicians from The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, hosted by Bruce Adolphe

Your youngster’s life-long love of music will begin the moment he or she “meets the music” in

person in Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall. Kids ages six and up embrace the joys of

classical chamber music in this renowned program of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln

Center, hosted by composer Bruce Adolphe, Director of Family Programs at “CMSLC.” A 21st-century

embodiment of composer/educator Leonard Bernstein and comedian/performer Victor Borge,

Adolphe makes the discovery—or rediscovery—of chamber music a hoot for the whole family.

Saturday, March 15, 2014, 1 pmRICHARDSON AUDITORIUM IN ALEXANDER HALL

Leave It to LudwigBeethoven’s instrumental music creates

powerful stories. But what is the tale? His music

tells of everyday human life, full of action and

emotions. Beethoven himself will appear in

Richardson to help a young pianist play his

music as he meant it to be played.

Featuring music of BEETHOVEN

BUY BOTH CONCERTS NOW FOR JUST $16 ADULTS, $8 KIDS AND SAVE 20% OFF SINGLE TICKET

PRICES. Single tickets go on sale September 3, 2013.

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The Richardson Chamber

Players was co-founded

by Nathan A. Randall

and Michael J. Pratt

during the 1994-1995

Centennial Season of

Princeton University

Concerts. The ensemble

comprises musicians

who teach instrumental

music and voice at

Princeton University,

distinguished guest artists,

and supremely talented

students. Their repertoire

largely consists of works

for singular combinations

of instruments and voices,

which would otherwise

remain unheard. The

artistic direction of the

group rotates. This season’s

programs were conceived

by a small committee

consisting of violinist

Nancy Wilson, flutist Jayn

Rosenfeld, and pianist

Margaret Kampmeier.

Our resident ensemble of performance faculty, distinguished guest artists and supremely talented students

Sponsored by Princeton University ConcertsMichael Pratt, Director

Sunday, November 10, 2013, 3 pm

Brass BonanzaGIOVANNI GABRIELI Work TBD

GEORGE GERSHWIN Transcriptions for Trumpet and Piano

OSKAR BOEHME Sextet for Brass in E-flat Minor, Op. 30

DAVID SANFORD Forlorn Rags for Trombone and Marimba

BRAHMS Horn Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 40

Players to include Brian Brown, tuba; John Ferrari, percussion; Benjamin Herrington, trombone; Francine Kay, piano; Chris Komer, horn; Anna Lim, violin

Sunday, March 2, 2014, 3 pm

Quiet City ELLIOTT CARTER Tempo e Tempi

LEONARD BERNSTEIN Sonata for Clarinet and Piano

ROY HARRIS Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight

for Piano Trio and Soprano

SAMUEL BARBER Adagio for Strings

AARON COPLAND Quiet City

Players to include Elizabeth DiFelice, piano; Wayne Du Maine, trumpet; Alistair MacRae, cello; Sarah Pelletier, soprano; Matthew Sullivan, oboe; Members of the Princeton University Orchestra, Michael Pratt, conductor

Sunday, April 6, 2014, 3 pm

This EnglandRALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Selections from Along the Field

ARNOLD BAX Folk Songs

BENJAMIN BRITTEN Selections from A Birthday Hansel

EDWARD ELGAR Quintet for Piano and Strings

in A Minor, Op. 84

Players to include Elaine Christy, harp; Rochelle Ellis, soprano; David Kellett, tenor; Anna Lim, violin; Jennifer Tao, piano

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SPECIAL EVENTS

CHRIS THILE, solo mandolinAdd this event to a FULL or CLASSIC subscription and receive a 20% discount off single ticket prices. All tickets $28.

GALLICANTUS, Renaissance vocal ensembleAdd this event to a FULL or CLASSIC subscription and receive a 20% discount off single ticket prices. All tickets $12. Space is limited; order soon to guarantee a spot.

STUDENT TICKETS

Students of all ages with a valid ID can attend our concerts for as little as $5. Student tickets go on sale September 3, 2013.

SINGLE TICKETS

If available, single tickets go on sale September 3, 2013. To be alerted about single ticket sales, please sign up for our e-mail or mailing list by visiting princetonuniversityconcerts.org.

VENUES & PARKINGAll concerts take place in Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall, unless otherwise noted. Richardson Auditorium is located on the Princeton campus behind Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street.

ON CAMPUSParking is available in the visitor parking area in Lot 23 and at the West Garage, both located on Elm Drive off of Faculty Road, a ten-minute walk to Richardson Auditorium. TigerTransit extends its hours of the Central Line shuttle bus from both locations to Richardson on concert nights. The shuttle runs every fifteen minutes until 10:30 pm.

OFF CAMPUSThe best place to park is at metered spaces near Palmer Square and along Nassau Street. Three municipal parking garages that charge a fee are located on Chambers, Hulfish and Spring Streets in downtown Princeton near Palmer Square.

ACCESSIBILITYRichardson Auditorium is accessible to patrons with disabilities. Space for wheelchair seating is available upon request. A limited number of parking spaces are available on campus for people with valid handicap permits. Please call the Concert Office for more information at 609-258-2800.

TICKET PRICESSUBSCRIPTIONS

FULL CONCERT CLASSICS SERIES (THE BEST DEAL)9 concerts, includes both Takács String Quartet programs; save up to 30% and pay just $10 for the second TSQ concert! Takács String Quartet [2 concerts] St. Lawrence String Quartet Behzod Abduraimov Danish String Quartet Leonidas Kavakos Joyce DiDonato Nash Ensemble of London Piotr Anderszewski

A $259 B $209 C $129

CLASSIC SERIES 8 Thursday night concerts A $249 B $199 C $119

RICHARDSON CHAMBER PLAYERS 3 Sunday afternoon performancesAll subscriptions are $39. Or, add the three concerts to a FULL or CLASSIC subscription and pay just $24.

MEET THE MUSICBuy both concerts now for just $16 adults, $8 kids and save 20% off single ticket prices.

MAKE YOUR OWN SERIES

Choose 3 or more different concerts from all of our offerings and save 10% off the single ticket prices. Please call us at 609-258-2800 to make your own series or buy one of our suggested packages below.

BLOCKBUSTERS Leonidas Kavakos, violin Joyce DiDonato, mezzo-soprano Piotr Anderszewski, piano

THE STRING QUARTET Takács String Quartet St. Lawrence String Quartet Danish String Quartet

ART OF THE PIANO Behzod Abduraimov, piano Nash Ensemble of London Piotr Anderszewski, piano

STRING FEVER Chris Thile, mandolin Leonidas Kavakos, violin Nash Ensemble of London

SUNDAY AFTERNOON SERENADES Richardson Chamber Players (3 concerts)

SUBSCRIBE TODAYTAKE ADVANTAGE OF ONE OF THE LOWEST TICKET PRICES IN TOWN

609-258-2800 · princetonuniversityconcerts.org

PLEASE NOTE A $6 processing fee is added to all orders. We are not able to offer refunds or exchanges on ticket orders. All programs and artists are subject to change.

If you received a duplicate, please recycle this brochure by passing it along to a friend.

WOOLWORTH CENTERPRINCETON NJ 08544

PHOTOGRAPHY TAKÁCS STRING QUARTET: Keith Saunders. ST. LAWRENCE STRING QUARTET: Marco Borggreve.

BEHZOD ABDURAIMOV: Ben Ealovega. DANISH STRING QUARTET: Caroline Bittencourt. LEONIDAS KAVAKOS: Daniel Regan.

JOYCE DIDONATO: Josef Fischnaller. NASH ENSEMBLE OF LONDON: Hanya Chlala. PIOTR ANDERSZEWSKI: K. Miura.

CHRIS THILE: Christopher Lane. GALLICANTUS: Susan Porter-Thomas. MEET THE MUSIC Illustrations: Roger Roth.

GRAPHIC DESIGN and ILLUSTRATION carol a.s. derks | derkstudio

WHY SUBSCRIBE?Single Ticket DiscountFull subscribers receive $5 off single ticket prices to all Princeton University Concert events.

Ticket DiscountsWhen possible, we offer discounted tickets to subscribers only. This year, add

CHRIS THILE, GALLICANTUS, RICHARDSON CHAMBER PLAYERS or MEET THE MUSIC

Family Concerts to a full subscription package and receive a discount.

The Best SeatsSubscribers get the best reserved seats and can choose exactly where they want to sit.