Verdehr Trio
| Company type | Chamber ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Founder | Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr and Walter Verdehr |
| Defunct | 2015 |
| Headquarters | East Lansing , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Walter Verdehr (violin), Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr (clarinet), Silvia Roederer (piano) |
| Products | Recordings, live performances, commissioned compositions |
| Website | www |
The Verdehr Trio was a distinguished chamber ensemble dedicated to advancing the clarinet-violin-piano trio repertoire through worldwide commissions, recordings, and live performances. The ensemble consisted of Walter Verdehr on violin, Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr on clarinet, and Silvia Roederer on piano. Established in 1972 by the Ludewig-Verdehrs at Michigan State University, where they held a permanent in residence position, the trio concluded its activities after an impressive 43-year tenure at the close of the 2014–15 season. Among their previous pianists was Gary Kirkpatrick.
Commissions
Drawing inspiration from influential 20th-century composers such as Bartók (notably his Contrasts (Bartók)), Stravinsky, and Milhaud, the trio commissioned in excess of 200 new compositions. Their repertoire also grew through uncovering and adapting pieces from the 18th and 19th centuries suited for violin-clarinet-piano arrangement. Significant commissioned trio concertos include works by Buhr, David, Ott, Skrowaczewski, and Wallace. Additionally, they secured violin-clarinet double concertos from composers like James Niblock, William Wallace, Dinos Constantinides, Paul Chihara, Ian Krouse, and Richard Mills.
To disseminate these compositions, the trio produced The Making of a Medium CD Series under Crystal Records, complemented by a Video Series that features performances, interviews with composers, and complete works presentations. The first series showcases composers such as Leslie Bassett, Alan Hovhaness, Karel Husa, Thea Musgrave (with Pierrot), Ned Rorem, and Gunther Schuller. Hosted by Peter Schickele, Series II includes trios by Alexander Arutiunian, David Diamond, William Bolcom, Betsy Jolas, Libby Larsen, Philippe Manoury, Gian Carlo Menotti, Peter Sculthorpe, Peter Schickele himself, and Joan Tower. They also initiated a publishing project to further support this body of work.
Accomplishments
The ensemble received recognition through a Creative Programming Award from Chamber Music America as well as an Adventuresome Programming Award jointly awarded by ASCAP and Chamber Music America. Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr is particularly acclaimed for her remarkable clarinet tone quality and extensive pitch capabilities, especially within the instrument’s lower "chalumeau" register.
Other composers commissioned
Other composers premiered
- William Averitt – Tripartita (1988)
- Paul Chihara – Shogun (1987, trio)
- Ge Gan-Ru – Si
- Tomás Marco – Aequatorialis
- Gunther Schuller – A trio setting
- Douglas Knehans – rive and glow – concerto for violin, clarinet and orchestra
- Octavio Vázquez – trio for violin, clarinet and piano
- David Lipten – Whorl for violin, clarinet, and piano
External links
- http://www.verdehr.com/
- NYTimes.com: Verdehr Trio Contrast Review By John Rockwell, February 18, 1988