Among the most inventive composers of the early Romantic period areSchumann and Mendelssohn— by which I mean Clara Schumann and Fanny Mendelssohn. Too long overshadowed by their husband and brother, respectively, these two musical dynamos are at last finding their way onto recital programs.
The brilliant young British pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason has played an important role in this process as a champion of Clara Schumann’s music. Now she returns to San Francisco with a recital program built around Fanny Mendelssohn’s long-lost “Easter Sonata,” written in 1828 but not performed until 2012.
Music by men (Franz Joseph Haydn; Frédéric Chopin; and Schumann’s husband, Robert) completes the program.
Datebook Tips
Given its proximity to Hayes Valley, there aretons of dining optionsfor a pre-performance meal that’s walking distance to the Herbst. On the fine dining end, there’sJardiniereandCala. For something casual,SouvlaandRT Rotisserieare both excellent choices. On the east side of Van Ness — and also within walking distance — head to favorites likeCorridorandAugust 1 Five, or you couldtake a cue from Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper Kendrick Lamarand dine atBrenda’s French Soul Foodover on Polk Street.