Krakauer, Klezmer, Marhulets & Mahler

Santa Barbara Symphony’s law-firm sounding April adventure makes its connections through klezmer, the traditional Jewish & East European music that often doesn’t get a lot of orchestral opportunities. After the concert opens with Mozart’s “Overture to Abduction from the Seraglio, K.384,” his first opera written in Vienna, David Krakauer takes another star turn as the soloist in the piece written for him 15 years ago by Belarusian-American composer Wlad Marhulets – the “Concerto for Klezmer Clarinet,” which overlays the traditional music with classical instrumentation. Post-intermission, the symphony takes on Mahler’s magnificent and masterful “Symphony No. 1 in D major, ‘Titan.’” The masterpiece features for the first time in a symphony a brief bit of klezmer, and gives the April 20-21 pair of concerts at the Granada its subtitle “Titans of Sound.”

The Santa Barbara Music Club’s next event features concert organist Lynnette McGee performing works by Max Reger, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Michel, George Chadwick, Seth Bingham, Carson Cooman, and Louis Vierne – pieces selected for their connective influence of one composer to another, and a fusion of cultural styles. The free recital on April 20 takes place at First United Methodist Church, 305 E Anapamu St.