The "Art of the Fugue" is "an exploration in depth of the contrapuntal possibilities inherent in a single musical subject". This week we'll hear the first half of this work written in the last decade of the composer's life.

I love lists of 'rankings'! Dvorak's Piano Quintet is ranked 15th while Beethoven's Septet is ranked 62nd in a poll published by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 2008. Are those rankings justified? Tune in tonight to hear both. Sorry, there's no ballot to vote upon!

Our first two works tonight each have two violins as part of the group, music of Korngold and Kirchner. The second hour is more eclectic, music of Poulenc, Kodaly, and Bach.

Menahem Pressler, one of classical music's greatest chamber musicians is joined by the Emerson String Quartet in the Dvorak Piano Quintet Opus 81.

Juan Arriaga is often called the "Spanish Mozart". Hear his music, and then compare it to Mozart's, which follows the Arriaga on "The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center". Then stay tuned for "The Santa fe CHamber Music Festival".