For both Joseph Haydn and Felix Mendelssohn, 2009 is an anniversary year.
And while most of the local performing arts organizations haven't done much in the way of celebrating it (this year marks the bicentennial of Haydn's death and Mendelssohn's birth), the music of both will figure prominently in the Intermezzo Chamber Music Series' concerts, which begin Monday.
Utah Symphony violinist David Porter, who runs Intermezzo together with his wife, pianist Vedrana Subotic, has programmed a Haydn quartet for each of the five concerts in this summer's series.
"Since it's Haydn's anniversary, I thought it would be a great opportunity to play some of his quartets," Porter told the Deseret News.
Considering the large number of quartets Haydn wrote, Porter followed a simple criterion in his selection process. "We've taken one from each of his major sets of quartets." That means there will be works from the op. 20, 33, 54, 74 and 76 sets.
Unlike the quartets by other composers, such as Beethoven, Bartok and Schubert, one doesn't hear Haydn's quartets in cycles. "But some of his greatest works are these quartets," Porter said.
And the creativeness found in the quartets rivals that of his symphonies.
"This is such remarkable, expressive music, with so much contrast. Even his early op. 20 and op. 33 quartets have incredible variety and depth."
As far as playing them goes, Porter said, they demand a lot from the musicians. "They're a wonderful challenge. Like Mozart's music, Haydn's is only successful if done well, and the most difficult thing in these quartets is to make them come alive."
The first concert of the series will start with Haydn's Quartet in C major, op. 33, no. 3 ("The Bird"). The performance will reunite three members of the Abramyan Quartet (violinist Lynette Stewart; violist Scott Lewis; cellist John Eckstein); Porter will replace Utah Symphony associate concertmaster Gerald Elias, who is on sabbatical until September.
On the same program is Mendelssohn's "Songs Without Words" and Dvorak's Piano Quintet in A major, op. 81, with University of Utah pianist Heather Conner. "This will be the debut performance of the Dvorak at Intermezzo," Porter said.
Mendelssohn wrote quite a large number of chamber works that are in the standard repertoire. One that isn't, but deserves to be, is the String Quintet in B flat major, op. 87, which will be on the July 27 program with Utah Symphony principal violist Brant Bayless joining colleagues Joe Evans and Emily Day-Shumway, violin; Julie Edwards, viola; and Kevin Shumway, cello.
"Brant hasn't played on Intermezzo since our first season," Porter said. "He is a wonderful chamber musician, and it will be great to hear him in that situation."
Other highlights of the five-concert series is a world premiere of a piece for cimbalom and string quartet by University of Utah graduate student and cimbalom virtuoso Igor Iachimciuc; Rebecca Clarke's Viola Sonata; Anton Webern's "Six Bagatelles"; and Johannes Brahms' Horn Trio.
"We've always enjoyed programming new and different works on Intermezzo," Porter said. "But this year, the economy is terrible and everyone is struggling, so we decided that our programming should be a little less adventurous than in the past. To that end, there will be at least one piece on each concert that the audience knows and enjoys. And I think there will be something for everyone."
Since its inception seven years ago, Intermezzo has had a large and loyal following. And Porter hopes that the series will see an increase this summer in the number of people attending the concerts. If not, then Intermezzo will have to downsize.
"We hope people will support TARP (Troubled Artist Relief Package)," he joked. "Otherwise, we'll be forced to restructure and have one player performing all the parts at each concert. And that's something we're trying to avoid at all costs."
If you go...
What: Intermezzo Chamber Music Series
Where: Vieve Gore Concert Hall, Westminster College
When: July 13, 7:30 p.m.
How much: $45 general admission, $33 senior citizens and students (season pass); $15 general admission, $12 senior citizens and students (individual)
Phone: 801-582-8746
The Intermezzo concert schedule for this summer
Here is Intermezzo's concert schedule:
July 13: Haydn, String Quartet, op. 33, no. 3 ("The Bird"); Mendelssohn, "Songs Without Words;" Dvorak, Piano Quintet in A major, op. 81.
July 20: Haydn, String Quartet, op. 74, no. 3 ("The Rider"); Poulenc, Clarinet Sonata; Schubert, Piano Quintet ("Trout").
July 27: Haydn, String Quartet, op. 54, no. 3; Clarke, Viola Sonata; Webern, "Six Bagatelles;" Mendelssohn, String Quintet, op. 87.
Aug. 3: Haydn, String Quartet, op. 20, no. 5; Mozart, Divertimento, K. 563; Brahms, Piano Quartet, op. 25.
Aug. 10: Haydn, String Quartet, op. 76, no. 4 ("Sunrise"); Rachmaninoff, Suite No. 2 for Two Pianos; Iachimciuc, Quintet for Cimbalom and Strings (world premiere); Brahms, Horn Trio, op. 40.
e-mail: ereichel@desnews.com