Classical Californians: Wu Han

Lisa-Marie Mazzucco

This week’s Classical Californian features pianist Wu Han, co-artistic director and founder of the Music@Menlo festival. She shares selections from the 2024 Music@Menlo Festival, focusing on French chamber works shaped by historical events like Ravel’s Piano Trio in A minor, composed in 1914 as World War I loomed. The episode also marks Wu Han’s 22nd year with Music@Menlo and highlights her ongoing love of French music.

Jean-Féry Rebel: Les élémens, I. Le Chaos - Sooyun Kim (flute), Arnaud Sussmann & James Thompson (violins), Dmitri Atapine (cello), Nina Bernat (bass), Kenneth Weiss (harpsichord)

Maurice Ravel: Piano Trio in A minor, IV. Finale: Animé - Wu Han (piano), Chad Hoopes (violin), David Requiro (cello)

Olivier Messiaen: Quatuor pour la fin du temps, VI. Danse de la fureur - Jose Franch-Ballester (clarinet), Paul Huang (violin), Sihao He (cello), Orli Shaham (piano)

Jean Françaix: L'heure du berger, op. 20 - Sooyun Kim (flute), James Austin Smith (oboe), Jose Franch-Ballester (clarinet), Peter Kolkay (bassoon), David Byrd-Marrow (horn), Michael Stephen Brown (piano)

Ernest Chausson: Chanson perpétuelle, op. 37 - Erika Baikoff (soprano), Francisco Fullana & Stella Chen (violins), Paul Neubauer (viola), David Finckel (cello), Chelsea Wang (piano)

Cécile Chaminade: Piano Trio no. 1 in G minor, III & IV - Anna Geniushene (piano), Benjamin Beilman (violin), Sterling Elliott (cello)

Camille Saint-Saëns: Septet in E-flat major, IV. Gavotte et Finale - David Washburn (trumpet), Benjamin Beilman & Lun Li (violins), Paul Neubauer (viola), Sterling Elliott (cello), Nina Bernat (bass), Wu Han (piano)