Violinist Ray Chen pretty much defines what a modern-day classical musician is and does. His concerts and recitals take him all over the world, and his kaleidoscopic social media presence ensures that he reaches audiences of all kinds. On Wednesday, June 29, he joined pianist Julio Elizalde at the Minnesota Beethoven Festival in Winona for a program filled with works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Igor Stravinsky, Giuseppe Tartini and Pablo de Sarasate. Listen to the concert now and read host Andrea Blain’s recounting of the duo’s encores below.
Ray Chen and Julio Elizalde are celebrating 10 years of playing together. The success of their partnership and musical friendship was evident during their concert in Winona, and that evidence was cemented fully during the three encores they played at the end of the evening.
Their first encore was a Piazzolla-esque tango of their own devising called A Evaristo Carriego. They wrote it together while on tour in South America, and those roots showed in the music. It was steamy, sultry and a nicely judged addition to their main program, which had ended with Sarasate’s dramatic Ziguenerweisen.
A second encore is a rarity in the concert world, but there was a feeling from this dynamic duo that they were just getting started on their extracurricular musical barnstorming. The second encore was a tribute to jazz legend Chick Correa, who died in 2021. The Page Theater felt like a swinging jazz club as Chen and Elizalde played a gorgeous version of Correa’s Spain, complete with lengthy improvised sections that suddenly morphed into stunning unison passages.
Once again, the members of the audience were on their feet. Just when it felt as if these generous performers might call it a night, they carried on with one more piece: Jascha Heifetz’s arrangement of Estrellita, or Little Star. Gently virtuosic, it was calming and serene — a lullaby to send the audience away in a suitably mellow frame of mind. There were no "little stars" in this pair, but "big stars" in the classical music firmament and a wonderful way to spend an evening in Winona at the Minnesota Beethoven Festival.
Program
Ludwig van Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 8
Igor Stravinsky: Divertimento from The Fairy’s Kiss Suite
Giuseppe Tartini: Sonata in G Minor (Devil’s Trill)
Johannes Brahms: - Hungarian Dances, Nos. 7 and 17
Pablo de Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen
Love the music?
Show your support by making a gift to YourClassical.
Each day, we’re here for you with thoughtful streams that set the tone for your day – not to mention the stories and programs that inspire you to new discovery and help you explore the music you love.
YourClassical is available for free, because we are listener-supported public media. Take a moment to make your gift today.
