“Intrigue is always interesting to share with the audience and the intrigue of Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms is well-known,” says Paul Chou, Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra Music Director and Conductor.

“Although many of their correspondence letters were destroyed, Johannes had great admiration and respect for Clara, but also for his good friend Robert Schumann, Clara’s husband. One also need consider that Brahms’ ‘Serenade No. 2 in A major, Op. 16’ was dedicated to Clara.”

Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra, “Johannes and Clara,” 7:30 p.m. Nov. 16, with a pre-concert talk, 6:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Allentown.

The concert opens with Clara Schumann’s “Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 7,” featuring internationally-acclaimed Brazilian piano soloist Luiz Gustavo Carvalho.

The concerto was completed, published and given its first performance in 1836 when Schumann was 16. It is her only piano concerto. She first composed one movement, intending it to be a stand-alone piece. Upon completion, she decided to create a piano concerto, adding two additional movements which became the first and second movements of the final work.

The opening movement, “Allegro maestoso,” begins with a dramatic theme by the piano soloist supported by the orchestra. The second movement, “Romanze,” is scored for solo piano and principal solo cello, featuring PSO Principal Cellist Elizabeth Mendoza.

“I will likely not conduct the second movement as it is such an intimate movement between cello and piano,” says Chou.

The third movement, “Finale,” is exciting, entertaining and provides the piano soloist opportunity to display the detailed and eloquent virtuosity of the piece.

Says Chou, “It’s a very exciting work and the way Clara develops the harmonic structures, the rhythmic intrigue and form structures seem almost fantasy-like. The concerto really transports the listener in so many ways.”

After intermission, the concert continues with Johannes Brahms’ “Serenade No. 2 in A major, Op. 16” composed 1858-1859 with revision in 1875. The work is dedicated to Clara Schumann.

“A beautiful piece with interesting instrumentation. There are no violins and it has a very dark character, a dark timbre,” says Chou, adding, “The wind section has a very prominent role in this piece.”

The “Serenade” comprises five movements: “Allegro moderato;” “Scherzo. Vivace;” “Adagio non troppo;” “Quasi menuetto” and “Rondo. Allegro.”

“The third movement is reminiscent of a passacaglia and overall, there are many interesting rhythmic qualities and inventive chromatic harmony in each of the movements,” says Chou.

“And of course, I am so pleased that my friend Gustavo is performing this concert. He is a brilliant pianist and I believe the audience will thoroughly enjoy his performance.”

Named by the French magazine Le Monde de la Musique as one of the most promising pianists of his generation, Luiz Gustavo Carvalho has the honorable endorsement of Nelson Freir: “The first time I heard him, I was 11-years-old and he made a great impression on me. He is someone very special, prepared and of great value.” In 2004, Carvalho won the Nelson Freire Competition in Rio de Janeiro.

Born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Carvalho studied piano at an early age and at age 12 performed Dmitri Shostakovich’s concerti with the Orquestra Sinfonica de Minas Gerais at the Palácio das Artes de Belo Horizonte.

After studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna in Austria and the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory in Russia, Carvalho has gone on to perform as soloist with numerous orchestras in Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, Romania and Germany and is a frequent guest artist at international festivals, including the Piano aux Jacobins, Toulouse, France, and the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schwerin, Germany.

The founder and artistic director of Festival Artes Vertentes - Tiradentes International Arts Festival, Carvalho is also a visual arts curator, having curated more than 80 exhibitions in Brazil, Europe and Asia.

Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra, “Johannes and Clara,” 7:30 p.m. Nov. 16, with a pre-concert talk, 6:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 3231 W. Tilghman St., Allentown. Tickets: PSO office, 1524 W. Linden St., Allentown; 610-434-7811; https://www.pasinfonia.org/

“Classical View” is a column about classical music concerts, conductors and performers. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com