Verdehr Trio
The Verdehr Trio was a chamber ensemble that worked to promote the clarinet-violin-piano trio repertoire through international commissions, recordings, and performances. The trio featured Walter Verdehr on violin, Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr on clarinet, and Silvia Roederer on piano. The Ludewig-Verdehrs were married in 1971 and founded the trio in 1972 at Michigan State University where it remained in residence. Former pianists include Gary Kirkpatrick. The Verdehr Trio announced its retirement at the end of the 2014–15 season after 43 years.{{cite web |last1=Powell |first1=Stephanie Powell |title=The Verdehr Trio Announces Retirement |url=https://stringsmagazine.com/the-verdehr-trio-announces-retirement/ |website=Strings |date=12 September 2015 |accessdate=2 February 2020}}
Commissions
Inspired by existing pieces for violin-clarinet-piano trio by 20th-century composers Bartók (Contrasts (Bartók)), Stravinsky, Milhaud, Khachaturian, Berg, Krenek, Poulenc and Ives, the trio commissioned over 200 new works. To round out their repertoire they discovered or transcribed 18th and 19th century pieces for violin-clarinet-piano. The trio also commissioned trio concertos from composers including Buhr, David, Ott, Skrowaczewski, and Wallace. They commissioned violin-clarinet double concertos from James Niblock, William Wallace, Dinos Constantinides, Paul Chihara, Ian Krouse and Richard Mills.[http://www.verdehr.com/ The Verdehr Trio]
To make this music available the trio released The Making of a Medium CD Series on Crystal Records and a parallel Video Series including performances, interviews and discussions by the composers as well as a complete performance of the work. Series I includes composers Leslie Bassett, Alan Hovhaness, Karel Husa, Thea Musgrave (Pierrot), Ned Rorem, and Gunther Schuller. Series II, hosted by Peter Schickele, includes trios by Alexander Arutiunian, David Diamond, William Bolcom, Betsy Jolas, Libby Larsen, Philippe Manoury, Gian Carlo Menotti, Peter Sculthorpe, Peter Schickele and Joan Tower. A publishing project was also launched.
Accomplishments
The trio received a Creative Programming Award from Chamber Music America and an Adventuresome Programming Award from ASCAP and Chamber Music America. An article about the Trio appears in the New Grove Dictionary of Music.
Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr is praised for her range of timbre and pitch, especially the clarinet's "chalumeau" or lowest register.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/21/AR2008022102706.html WashingtonPost.com: Verdehr Trio's Pioneering Path] by Cecelia Porter, Friday, February 22, 2008; Page C04.
Other composers commissioned
Other composers premiered
- William Averitt – Tripartita (1988) [http://msupress.msu.edu/bookTemplate.php?bookID=529 "Tripartita, the Verdehr Trio score"], MSU Press.Bernard Holland, Wednesday, November 14, 1990. [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDA153CF937A25752C1A966958260 "Review/Music; A Trio With a Difference"], The New York Times.
- Paul Chihara – Shogun (1987, trio)
- Ge Gan-Ru – Si
- Tomás Marco – Aequatorialis
- Gunther Schuller – A trio setting
- Douglas Knehans – rive
- Douglas Knehans – glow – concerto for violin, clarinet and orchestra
- Octavio Vázquez – trio for violin, clarinet and piano
- David Lipten – Whorl for violin, clarinet, and piano
Notes
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External links
- http://www.verdehr.com/
- [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE1D71631F93BA25751C0A96E948260 NYTimes.com: Verdehr Trio Contrast Review] By John Rockwell, Published: February 18, 1988
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- {{YouTube|id=KSNyAyLI-h0|title=Elsa Verdehr}}
- {{YouTube|id=FtTtVjuTr88|title=Elsa Verdehr}}
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Category:American musical trios
Category:Michigan State University
Category:Musical groups established in 1972
Category:1972 establishments in Michigan