Berkeley Chamber Performances Presents the Cook-Blankenburg Duo

Falla's Gorgeous Reworking of Spanish Folk Songs, Plus Beethoven and Rachmaninoff

To understand the importance of Manuel de Falla in Spain, just know the country put the composer on the 100-peseta banknote in 1970. His "Suite Populaire Espagnole" takes the melodies (and emotions!) of Spanish folk music and elevates them to a higher plane of creativity, and you'll hear just how when Berkeley Chamber Performances presents the Cook-Blankenburg Duo at the Berkeley City Club. Formed in 2008 for a concert in China, the California duo of cellist Susan Lamb Cook and pianist Gayle Blankenburg have played all over China and the Golden State. In addition to Falla's gorgous suite, they'll be performing Beethoven's Sonata in G minor for Piano and Cello, Op. 5 no. 2; local composer Ross Bauer's Five Pieces for Cello and Piano; and Rachmaninoff's Sonata in G minor, Op. 19.