Program:
Joseph Haydn – String Quartet No. 66 in G major, Op. 77, No. 1, FHE No. 13, Hoboken No. III:81
Cellist Robert Cohen observes, This is “Haydn in beautifully pure, classical form. An upbeat atmosphere pervades. What else would you expect with the key of G major and two Presto movements? (The work features) a virtuosic first violin part and an exhilarating final movement.”
The movements: I Allegro moderato II Adagio III Menuetto: Presto IV Finale: Presto
One of two Opus 77 quartets dedicated to Bohemian patron Joseph Franz Maximilian Lobkowicz. They are also known as the Lobkowicz Quartets.
You may listen to this quartet played by the Flinders Quartet on YouTube.
The Fine Arts Quartet recorded the quartet most recently in 1999 on the Naxos Label.
Philip Glass – String Quartet No 2
Glass’s String Quartet No. 2, also known by its other title Company was finished in January 1983 in New York City, and was expected to be a piece of instrumental music for Fred Neumann’s adaptation of Samuel Beckett’s 1979 novella with the same name.
This composition consists of four movements and takes approximately nine minutes to perform. The movements are listed as follows:
Quarter note with upwards stem.svg = 96
Quarter note with upwards stem.svg = 160
Quarter note with upwards stem.svg = 96
Quarter note with upwards stem.svg = 160
The main theme of this work is subjugated to arpeggios in minor keys all along the four movements. All of the movements of this monochrome work are highly and closely related to each other. This composition is written for string quartet, but has been performed by string orchestras.[2](Description from Wikipedia.)
Cellist Robert Cohen observes, the quartet has “four short movements where simple musical patterns taken by each instrument pass each other slowly in time. You feel a very calm and special atmosphere developing through the piece. A piece of music that while being a refreshing sorbet in a large classical programme, makes a memorable impression.”
You may hear a performance by the ReDo Quartet on YouTube.
The Fine Arts Quartet recorded the quartet most recently in 2007 on the Naxos Label. This album of Four American Quartets has received strong reviews, including recognition by BBC:
“***** BBC MUSIC CHOICE… RARE EXCELLENCE…A FINE FOUR BY FOUR …HOWARD GOLDSTEIN HAILS THE FINE ARTS’ IMAGINATIVE SET…Fine Arts Quartet are this month’s premiere group…For over 65 years, the Fine Arts Quartet has set standards of style and repertoire that have rarely been equalled.” (BBC Music Magazine, August 2008)
BBC Music Magazine
Efrem Podgaits – Quintet for String Quartet and bayan accordion
The composer wrote, “My new composition ‘Ex Animo’ (Op.184), for bayan and string quartet, was written especially for the Fine Arts Quartet (USA) and Friedrich Lips (bayan, Russia) and is dedicated to these remarkable musicians. It seems that ‘Ex Animo’ is the first composition ever written for this combination of instruments, providing a unique perspective for the composer, performers and listeners. It is a single movement composition with intricate and dramatic musical details (approximately 25 minutes in length). I hope the the audience will appreciate, as do I and the artists performing the work, that the combined sounds of bayan and strings render a keen beauty.”
Learn more about Efrem Podgaits (including samples of his compositions) at his website.
Another of Podgaits works, Concerto for Bayan and Chamber Orchestra, may be heard on YouTube.
Special Guest: Maria Vlasova, accordion/bayan
Maria Vlasova is the prize winner of several international and Russian competitions, among which are the International Competition in Klingental, Germany (2002 –3rd prize, 2003 – 2nd prize, 2006 – 1st prize), “The Cup of The North” in Cherepovets, Russia (2004 – 1st prize) and Moscow (2005 – 1st prize), the competition in Tianjin, China (2005 – 1st prize) and the International Accordion Competition in Arrasate, Spain (2006 – 3rd prize).
She regularly participates in Russian and international music festivals, including “Moscow Autumn”, “Bayan and bayanists”, “Vozvrasheniye” (Moscow, Russia), “Preobrazheniye” (Yaroslavl, Russia), and “Vogtland Days of Music” (Klingental, Germany). In addition to this Maria Vlasova is the organizer and art director of the international bayan music festival “oBAYANiye” (Vladimir, Russia). Together with Svyatoslav Lips she heads the open festival of contemporary and classical music “Rendezvous with…” (Moscow, Russia).
Vlasova’s solo work includes a substantial repertory of works transcribed for bay
Maria Vlasova’s website has additional information.