2025 dates, venues and times
Bella Italia
Luigi Boccherini – String Quartet op 30 no 4
Giuseppe Verdi – String Quartet
Giovanni Sollima – ‘Viaggio in Italia’
PCQ present a program showcasing three different facets of Italy’s rich musical tradition, ranging from the elegance of virtuoso cellist Boccherini’s early quartet to Verdi’s glorious melodies and concluding with Giovanni Sollima’s nostalgic depictions of Italian life. The rarely played Verdi string quartet was the only chamber work written by the composer, and its lush operatic style represents Verdi at the peak of his compositional prowess. Extended cello techniques are the common element between the Boccherini and Sollima works, with each composer featuring the instrument in his own unique style.
At the Grave of Beethoven
Karen Tanaka – ‘At the Grave of Beethoven’
Leoš Janáček – String Quartet no 1 ‘Kreutzer Sonata’
Ludwig van Beethoven – String Quartet no 3
Works inspired by Beethoven, the titan of string quartet composition, are featured in the final program of the year. Japanese composer Karen Tanaka pays tribute to his influence in her thoughtful work ‘At the Grave of Beethoven’, referencing material from Beethoven’s String Quartet no 3 in particular. Czech composer Janáček’s impassioned quartet also has its origin in Beethoven’s work at one remove, taking as its inspiration Tolstoy’s angst-ridden story The Kreutzer Sonata.
