cello piano and beer 5/27/18 - with andrea lam
Program/Menu
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): Sonata for Cello and Piano Opus 38 in E Minor
1) Allegro non troppo
2) Allegretto quasi Menuetto
Bell's Brewery: Amber Ale
This smooth amber ale has toasted caramel notes balanced with herbal and citrus aromas and a clean dry finish. Just like this modern take on a classic style, Brahms puts his own spin on traditional forms used by previous composers like Bach and Mozart. The first two movements of this sonata interweave a romantic songfulness with sophisticated rhythms.
3) Allegro
Surly Brewing Company: Furious
Furious is slightly darker amber-colored ale with a chewier caramel malt backbone and a bracingly bitter finish that matches the ferocity (see what I did there...) of the last movement. In it, the cello and piano chase each other around and around with driving energetic motifs.
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975): Sonata for Cello and Piano Opus 40
1) Allegro non troppo
2) Allegro
Insight Brewing: Taming the Devil's Companion
This porter has a delicate chocolate aroma and a subtle toffee character. Though deep dark brown in color, it is still quite mild. The first movement of this sonata is lyrical, tender, and sometimes hopeful, but always tinged with a beautiful melancholy. The light sweetness of the beer will also set the stage for the madcap dash of the second movement.
3) Largo
4) Allegro
North Coast Brewing Company: Old Rasputin
This Russian Imperial Stout is jet black and full of rich and complex flavors from start to warming finish. The third movement of this sonata is just as dark and intense; you can feel the composer processing some very powerful emotions. Also, the connotation of a historical figure like Rasputin brings to mind Shostakovich's own struggles navigating art and politics in the Soviet Union. Like all good stouts, this one also balances sweetness with bitterness in a way that is perfect for the sardonic character of the last movement. It is full of sarcastic humor interspersed with some moments of truly exhilarating frenzy.
