A Romantic-Era Friendship in D-Minor

MLMAS's next session turns to two composers of the Romantic era who were far more than contemporaries — they were close friends in the same city, each other's fiercest champions, and in one case, critic and subject. Our hour-long program features two works written eight years apart: one by a young master at the peak of his career, the other by an admirer who, after praising his friend's piece in print in famously glowing terms, eventually tried his own hand at the very same intimate form — in the very same key. This isn't the concert-hall version of classical music you might be picturing. No orchestra, no formality — just three instruments in close, real-time conversation, trading melody and momentum back and forth in a form built for genuine intimacy rather than spectacle. One piece is buoyant and assured; the other, written during a darker chapter, carries real emotional weight. Together they trace a friendship, a tribute, and an answer. Join us as we ask what it means for one artist to publicly admire another — and then quietly try to meet him on his own ground. This is a free event. No preparation required — only curiosity, an open mind, and a willingness to listen intently. Hope to see you there.