Gloriously "Degenerate" Wind Music
In 1930s Germany, the Nazi regime declared certain music "entartet" — degenerate — and banned it from concert halls. The composers targeted were largely Jewish. Their crime was their identity.
They didn't stop writing. Their music didn't disappear.
Nearly a century later, Chamber Music Rochester brings those suppressed works back to life with Gloriously "Degenerate" Wind Music — a program of intimate, technically brilliant chamber music by composers who transformed adversity into artistry. Banned in the 1930s. Celebrated today.
The Program:
• Horovitz: Clarinet Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano
• Carl Reinecke: Trio for Oboe, Horn and Piano
• Robert Kahn: Serenade for Oboe, Horn and Piano
• Edouard Destenay: Trio in B minor for Piano, Oboe and Clarinet, Op. 27
The Artists:
• Erik Behr, Oboe
• Chiao-Wen Cheng, Piano
• Nathan Ukens, Horn
• Michael Wayne, Clarinet
As Artistic Directors Juliana Athayde and Erik Behr note: "Despite fleeing antisemitism and political turmoil, German-Jewish composers Kahn and Horovitz became influential musical forces who transformed adversity into artistry. Their chamber works prove that small ensembles can express profound human experiences with remarkable intimacy."
Arrive at 2:30 PM for a free pre-concert talk that brings the music and its history into vivid context — no musical background required, and first-time listeners are warmly welcomed.
This concert is the final program of Chamber Music Rochester's 2025/2026 season and is dedicated to the memory of James H. Willey, beloved composer, educator, and longtime friend of the organization.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3545688-0
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3545688-2
