Beethoven & Franck

This program will help you exercise all your midwinter feelings. Franck's Piano Quintet swings from high drama to spare, nostalgic meditations, the sonic equivalent of breaking up with someone in the depths of the monocloud season and feeling absolutely insane about that decision. Meanwhile, Beethoven’s Quintet for Piano and Winds is the promise of spring on a suddenly bright day in late January, the crocus peeking out of the snow. And there's a dialogue between the clarinet and the bassoon at the end of the second movement that makes me swoon every time.