martha & monica – February 8, 2015

Thomas Adès Lieux retrouvés (2009)Ludwig van Beethoven Sonata for ‘Cello and Piano, Op. 102/1 (1815) and Sonata for ‘Cello and Piano, Op. 5/1 (1796)Claude Debussy Sonata (1915)’Cello/piano duo martha & monica is thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with Old First Concerts as part of a 3-concert residency entitled Turns of Centuries. Each concert features pieces from the 19th-21st centuries for cello and piano, including a newly commissioned work. Author Sylvia Brownrigg will moderate a pre-concert talk that helps examine the music through the lens of art, literature and politics in an open discussion with the duo in front of the audience, which then segues into the musical program. By addressing questions such as “at the beginning of each new century, are we glancing back or looking forward?” and “What influences composers from century to century?” the duo has been afforded a valuable opportunity to delve more deeply into the cultural context of each work, and to find fascinating links between modern day and times past, and composers of our time and the masters. martha & monica has also been able to reach out to a new audience, hopefully expanding the Old First Concerts audience at the same time.