The critics weren't so kind to Robert Schumann.
Widely regarded today as one of the greatest Romantic composers, many of Schumann's writings were trashed by 19th century by music lovers.
"The reviews were horrible," said Coquitlam pianist Rosemary O'Connor. "They said, 'This guy doesn't know how to make a melody.'"
O'Connor gleaned the tidbit from Nicolas Slonimsky, who in 2000 published a book titled Lexicon of Musical Invective: Critical Assaults on Composers Since Beethoven's Time.
O'Connor will refer to his publication during the Quiring Chamber Players' spring recital at the Evergreen Cultural Centre in Coquitlam.
On Friday, O'Connor and her husband Reg Quiring (viola) will present Music for InQuiring Minds, a concert that will delve into the political times behind the three compositions to be played: Mozart's String Quintet in B-flat; Hindemith's Sonata for Viola and Piano (Opus 25, No. 4); and Schumann's Piano Quartet in E-flat (Opus 47).
"We want to give the audience a historical sense and a bit more context about why and when the pieces were written, what affected them and how they were received," O'Connor said. "It's very interesting to see how not accepted the new music was at the time and how we find them now some of the most incredibly gorgeous works."
The Hindemith sonata, for example, is a contemporary composition, written in 1922, that can be jarring even for today's ears. "His piece is wild. It's challenging and not pretty," O'Connor said. "It's like industrial machinery taking over the human spirit."
And joining the Players on stage will be some of Canada's top string musicians: Scott St. John (violin) and Christopher Costanza (cello) of the St. Lawrence String Quartet, the ensemble-in-residence at Stanford University; St. John's wife, Sharon Wei (viola) of the Ensemble Made In Canada; and Yuel Yawney (violin) of the Borealis String Quartet.
Locally, the Quiring Chamber Players are known for their annual, sold-out New Year's Eve shows at the Evergreen, which also include renowned guests.
Tickets to Music for Inquiring Minds are $35/$30/$15 by calling 604-927-6555 or evergreenculturalcentre.ca.
