Classical picks: Michael Hersch at Crane Arts; Season tickets for PCMS

Into the depths . . .

Philadelphia composer Michael Hersch always takes his listeners on dark, eventful journeys, but

Zwischen Leben und Tod (Between Life and Death)

, a 22-movement piece for violin and piano, comes with plenty of visual atmosphere in the form of rarely seen paintings and drawings by Peter Weiss (1916-82) that inspired each section. Although he is mainly known as a playwright and novelist, Weiss was also an entrancing visual artist whose works Hersch tracked down through a variety of sources. The performance at 4 p.m. Sunday at Crane Arts in Northern Liberties features violinist Carolyn Huebl and pianist Mark Wait and takes advantage of the projection possibilities afforded by the Icebox section of the complex. Tickets are $10-$20 and available at the door. Information:

» READ MORE: www.cranearts.com/icebox

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- David Patrick Stearns

Bargain Beethoven. One day a year for the last few seasons, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society has put on sale its already inexpensive tickets, and that day this year is Dec. 6. Twelve PCMS concerts between January and May will be for sale for $10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. via phone and online from 5 to 8 p.m. Some are sure to sell out quickly, like pianist Jonathan Biss' March 6 concert with the Brentano Quartet. But this is also a pretty risk-free way to hear something new: maybe the Jan. 10 visit from the London Haydn Quartet doing - what else? - Haydn. Information: www.pcmsconcerts.org, 215-569-8080.

- Peter Dobrin