CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER

Wednesday, May 12, 2027 7:30 p.m. Cleveland Museum of Art, Gartner Auditorium Preconcert talk with Christa Cole, 6:30 p.m. MASTERS OF THE PIANO QUARTET Wu Han, piano Arnaud Sussman, violin Matthew Lipman, viola David Finckel, cello MAHLER: Quartet in A minor for Piano and Strings BRAHMS: : Quartet in C minor for Piano and Strings, Op. 60 SCHUMANN: Quartet in E-flat major for Piano and Strings, Op. 47 The piano quartet occupies a special place in chamber music, combining the intimacy of a string ensemble with the richness and power of the piano. This program celebrates the genre at its finest, pairing Schumann’s groundbreaking Piano Quartet with Brahms’s sweeping and deeply expressive masterpiece. Completing the program is a rare early work by Gustav Mahler—his only surviving chamber composition—a compelling single movement that hints at the greatness of an unfinished quartet. Bringing these remarkable works to life is an all-star ensemble featuring CMS’s longest-serving artistic directors, cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han, joined by violinist Arnaud Sussmann and violist Matthew Lipman. Together, these acclaimed artists promise an unforgettable evening of chamber music at its most passionate, lyrical, and profound. "Though every musician on the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center roster is superb, the sum of the parts is even greater...a potent evening of first class music making." -The Strad The evidence seemed clear: what the cellist David Finckel and the pianist Wu Han, the society’s artistic directors since 2004, have achieved with their hands-on approach to blending standard, unusual and new repertory, played by a mix of familiar and emerging performers, has connected with a large, enthusiastic constituency. —The New York Times