Closure

Concert Program

Anton Arensky

String Quartet N°2with two Violoncellos Opus 35 **

I. Moderato

II. Variaciones sobre un Tema de Tchaikovsky

III. Andante Sostenuto

Pause

Johannes Brahms

String Sextet in B-flat Major Opus 18

I. Allegro ma non troppo

II. Andante ma moderato

III. Scherzo. Allegro molto

IV. Poco allegretto e grazioso

G.Enescu

Aubade for Strings

**Premiere in Chile

About the Program

Closure

Every closing is, in essence, a new beginning. This programme closes the first edition of the Festival, but it does so with two works which, paradoxically, represent the creative beginnings of their composers. The youthfulness of these pieces, written in the early years of their careers, reminds us that the end of a stage is always the prelude to what is to come. Thus, Clausura not only marks the closing of this musical encounter, but also opens the door to future editions, celebrating the continuous cycle of creation and renewal.

Anton Arensky's String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 35 is a work which, although written in his youth, already reveals his melodic sensitivity and profound expressive sense. Conceived as a tribute to his mentor, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, this piece is distinguished by its unusual instrumentation, with two cellos instead of two violins, which gives it a deeper and more resonant sonority. Through its melancholic expressiveness and harmonic richness, Arensky captures the essence of Russian lyricism, while paying tribute to the tradition of which he himself was a part.

The programme culminates with Johannes Brahms' String Sextet No. 1 in B flat major, Op. 18, a work that marked a turning point in his career. Composed in his youth, when he was still seeking to consolidate his compositional voice, this sextet already shows the perfect balance between romantic warmth and classical structure that would characterise his mature work. Its richness of timbre, thanks to the combination of two violins, two violas and two cellos, allows for a play of textures and dialogues of great expressiveness, from the serenity of the first movement to the emotional outburst of the finale.

With these two pieces, Clausura invites us to reflect on the cyclical nature of art and music: the closing of this first edition is also a promise of continuity. Just as Arensky and Brahms wrote these works in their formative years, anticipating the development of their legacies, this festival, even in its youth, marks the beginning of a path that will continue to expand in future editions.

Artists in this Concert