Music. Immigration resources.

This week

Last Friday, I went to a very special concert. It was held in Alexandria Virginia’s Rectory, an intimate space, perfect for chamber music. Sponsored by Classical Movements, the Terra String Quartet played three pieces by contemporary composer Greg Sandow.

The Terra String Quartet.

Sandow was present, delighting in these wonderful instrumentalists, and providing background to his work.

The string quartet is as perfect a combination as we know in music. With two violins, a viola, and a cello, this singular combination provides full-bodied sound, while allowing ready access to both outer voices (first violin and cello) and inner voices (viola and second violin).

Sandow does a masterful job with inner voices. It’s true that as a violist, I’m trained to hear those sonorities, but I was really excited by Sandow’s focus on the second violin, which too often merely supports what the first violin plays. Sandow has each instrument shine. From time to time, he has them play in unison (four instruments playing the same pitch, in Sandow’s compositions, with no vibrato). These compositional techniques, along with bold use of silence, and harmonies as close as the colors rose and violet, give Sandow’s lyrical music a haunting feeling.

It was three days before the inauguration and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon.

If you’d like to hear the Terra Quartet, here’s a recording of Beethoven’s first string quartet (Op. 18 #1). I was coached on this piece when I was 15 and attending my first summer music festival. It’s classical in its style and structure, but you can hear the beginnings of some of the signature dissonances that would characterize Beethoven’s later work. I’ve always understood the dark, exquisite second movement (8 minutes in on the recording) to tell the story of Romeo and Juliet in the crypt.

If you’re interested in fiction about the classical music world, I hope you’ll pre-order my DUET FOR ONE, but first let me recommend Carolyn Jack’s THE CHANGING OF KEYS, a terrific dive into both the piano and opera worlds, as well as a sensitive exploration of an estranged family.

We have a new occupant at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Below is a short video of a protest I attended to mark the occasion.

Here are some immigration groups that need resources, and that also provide information [thank you Sue Chinn and Naomi Becker for helping out here].

• If you are a lawyer, and live in the DMV, Pennsylvania, or Georgia, www.wearecasa.org needs volunteer attorneys, and other help. Here’s the form for lawyers to do rapid response.

• National Immigration Law Center

• Florence Project

• RAICES

• Make the Road

• United We Dream

• Unidos

• National Partnership for New Americans

• Immigration Hub

• Immigration Policy Tracking Project

Love,

Martha

P.S. ICYMI, here is last week’s newsletter, “Please save the date and wow.”