On March 29, Music@Menlo presents the world premiere of Benjamin Scheer’s piano quartet These Shrouded Hills, inspired by Bay Area vistas. A new commission, the piece was written for violinist Chad Hoopes, who will be premiering the work alongside three stellar Music@Menlo alumni. Scheer explains:
“I wanted to honor the special instrumentation of a piano quartet with a musical portrait of San Francisco. I have always been struck by the beauty and the drama of the Bay Area’s landscapes––the stunning, rolling hills; and the diverse architecture, from Victorian to Beaux-Arts, Art Deco, and Modern. What I love about San Francisco is the juxtaposition of these glorious, classic buildings, set in the context of hills often shrouded in passing fog.”
The concert also includes Mozart’s beloved Piano Quartet in G minor, one of the earliest in the genre. Dvořák’s Piano Quartet no. 2 in E-flat major concludes the program with its impossibly rich melodies, dramatic color changes, and rousing energy.