The Consone String Quartet is joined by presenter and writer Katy Hamilton for an engaging journey into Beethoven’s creative world, bringing the music and personalities of his time vividly to life.
At the heart of the concert is Beethoven’s String Quartet in F minor, Op. 95, “Serioso”, surrounded by music by composers who were his friends, colleagues, contemporaries and, in some cases, rivals. Personally chosen by the Quartet, these works offer a fascinating glimpse into the musical world Beethoven inhabited, and the people who helped shape it.
Interspersed throughout the performance, Katy Hamilton’s storytelling reveals the human stories behind the music: the friendships, ambitions, rivalries and creative relationships that connected Beethoven with the remarkable musicians of his age. Her historical insights illuminate not only the music itself, but the lives and personalities of those who created it.
The programme spans a rich and varied selection of string quartets, from Haydn, whose music profoundly influenced Beethoven, to composers from his own circle including Czerny, Zmeskall, Hummel and Cherubini. It also reaches beyond Beethoven’s immediate world to the music of Fanny Mendelssohn and George Onslow, revealing a wider landscape of 18th- and 19th-century chamber music.
Programme excerpts include:
- Fanny Mendelssohn — String Quartet in E flat
- Czerny — String Quartet in A minor
- Beethoven — String Quartet in F minor, “Serioso”
- Zmeskall — String Quartet No. 15 in G minor
- Onslow — String Quartet in C minor, Op. 8 No. 3
- Haydn — String Quartet in G, Op. 77 No. 1
- Hummel — String Quartet in C, Op. 30 No. 1
- Cherubini — String Quartet No. 6 in A minor
Performed by the “top-notch” (AllMusic) Consone Quartet, one of today’s most rigorous yet approachable string quartets, this promises to be a captivating concert that combines exceptional playing with illuminating storytelling.
The concert runs approximately 90 minutes, including a 20-minute interval.
This concert is kindly supported by Continuo Foundation.
Event venue
Junction Theatre & Cinema, Paradise Place, Goole DN14 5DL, United Kingdom, Goole
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