HARRISON — The Sebago-Long Lake Music Festival will present “Serenade,” the second concert of the 43rd season,  at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 21, at Deertrees Theatre in Harrison. 

The program will include: Beethoven: Piano Trio in G Major, Op. 1, No. 2; Duruflé: Prélude, Récitatif et Variations, Op. 3 for Flute, Viola and Piano and Brahms: Serenade in D Major, Op. 11, for Strings and Winds.

Serenade offers works that are light, lively, and appealing — perfect for a warm summer evening. The program begins with the Beethoven Piano Trio, Op. 1 No. 2, performed by Stephen Manes, L.A. pianist with the festival since 1973; Varty Manouelian, L.A. Philharmonic violinist; and Eliot Bailen, New York Chamber Ensemble cellist. This work, composed early in Beethoven’s career, is firmly set in the classic tradition of Haydn and Mozart, but shows hints of the innovation and rebellion to come later in Beethoven’s life. For those following the SLLMF three -year cycle of Beethoven’s nine piano trios, it will be interesting to compare this early trio to his last trio, the grand “Archduke,” to be performed on Aug. 4.

French composer Maurice Duruflé is much admired for his beautiful choral and organ works. The Prélude, Récitatif et Variations, written in 1928, is a rare example of his instrumental chamber music. Duruflé used of the unusual scoring of flute, viola and piano, to create a highly expressive atmosphere, invoking sadness, mystery and finally, passion. NYC flutist Susan Rotholz, Portland Symphony principal violist Laurie Kennedy, and L.A. pianist Stephen Manes are back by popular demand, performing this work, for the third time at SLLMF, since 1994.

Serenade is officially defined as “outdoor evening music.” Serenades are scored for small instrumental groups, often including winds, have a series of short movements, and a light, airy character. Brahms composed several very popular serenades, early in his career. The Serenade No. 1 in D Major, in the final version, ended up more like a symphony. Always a perfectionist, Brahms made many revisions as he composed. Fortunately, early versions of the D Major Serenade survived, and in 1988 it was reconstructed to a true serenade form, for nine instrumentalists. Movses Pogossian, violin professor from U.C.L.A., Carm Galante and his son Rosario, clarinetists from Omaha, and Portland Symphony members Janet Polk, bassoon, John Boden, horn, and Tony D’Amico, string bass will join Rotholz, Kennedy and Bailen, for the Serenade in D Major by Brahms.

Tickets are $25; anyone 21 and under is free. Purchase tickets online at www.sebagomusicfestival.org ; at the box office; Reservations by phone: 207-583-6747.

All tickets are for open seating and will be held at the front entrance box office. Tickets are available concert nights starting at 6:45 p.m.. Reserved tickets must be picked up by 7.

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