Quartet In Bloom
With newest Cascade Quartet Member: Violinist, Nathaniel Basa!
What's interesting about this concert:
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A journey through three musical worlds, from Franz Joseph Haydn’s elegant and playful classical style, to Dmitri Shostakovich’s sharp contrasts and irony, to Antonín Dvořák’s warm, folk-inspired melodies, this program spans over a century of musical evolution.
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Each piece showcases the string quartet as a true conversation, where all four musicians share the spotlight and trade ideas in real time.
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You’ll hear everything from lyrical beauty and quiet reflection to biting humor and high-energy dance, all within an intimate chamber setting.
The Program
QUARTET IN BLOOM
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SEASON SPONSORED BY
BRICE ADDISON
CONCERT SPONSORED BY
NANCY LONCKI
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
About the Music
PROGRAM NOTES BY CHRISTINE SHERLOCK
Joseph Haydn’s String Quartet in F major, Op. 74 No. 2, is one of the three “Apponyi” quartets, composed in 1793 during the composer’s second visit to London. By this point in his career, Haydn had fully transformed the string quartet from a light divertimento into a sophisticated, conversational art form.
The opening Allegro spiritoso begins with a bold unison gesture, immediately establishing a sense of confidence and clarity. From there, this first movement unfolds with both rhythmic vitality and playfulness, while the opening theme still passes through each voice.
The second movement, Andante grazioso, offers a striking contrast. This movement shows refined lyricism, spinning a graceful melody that unfolds with gentle ornamentation. The atmosphere is intimate and poised, with subtle harmonic shifts lending emotional nuance beneath the surface calm. The interplay among the instruments feels almost vocal, as if the quartet were engaged in a quiet, expressive conversation.
In the Menuetto: Allegro, Haydn plays with expectations. Rather than a stately courtly dance, this minuet has a rustic edge, driven by strong accents and earthy rhythms. The trio section provides contrast, softening the texture and offering a more lyrical interlude before the return of the robust minuet.
String Quartet in F Major
op.74 no.2
I. Allegro spiritoso
II. Andante Grazioso
III. Menuetto: Allegro
IV. Presto
Franz Joseph Haydn
1732 -- 1809
25 MINUTES
The final movement, Presto, is a tour de force of energy and invention. Often described as a “hunting” finale, it features rapid figurations, offbeat accents, and a sense of exhilarating forward motion. The music seems to chase itself to the finish, showcasing Haydn’s wit and his mastery of form. Despite its speed and brilliance, the movement retains a sense of control and clarity that underscores the composer’s craftsmanship.
Throughout Op. 74 No. 2, Haydn demonstrates his mature style: inventive yet balanced, expressive yet precise. The quartet exemplifies his ability to combine technical writing with sheer delight, leaving both performers and listeners with a sense of joy and admiration.
Composed in 1931, the Two Pieces for String Quartet offer a rare glimpse of Shostakovich in a more intimate, experimental vein. Written early in his career, only a few years after the success of his first symphony, these miniatures reveal a composer already fluent in irony, contrast, and emotional ambiguity.
The first piece, Elegy, unfolds in a restrained and introspective atmosphere. Long, sustained lines pass between the instruments, creating a sense of suspended time. The harmonic language is sparse but searching, with moments of dissonance that never fully resolve. It is quietly intense and less overtly dramatic than Shostakovich’s later works, but already suggestive of the inward, often emotional world that would define his quartets.
In contrast, the second piece, Polka, is brief, biting, and unmistakably sarcastic. Drawing on a dance form traditionally associated with lightness and charm, Shostakovich twists the genre into something grotesque and exaggerated. The rhythms lurch, accents fall in unexpected places, and the melodic gestures verge on caricature. What begins as playful quickly takes on an edge of mockery an early indication of the composer’s ability to blend humor with unease.
Two Pieces for String Quartet
I. Elegy
II. Polka
Dimitri Shostakovich
1906-1975
6 MINUTES
Together, these two movements present a striking duality: introspection alongside satire, stillness alongside distortion. Though modest in scale, the Two Pieces foreshadow many of the expressive tensions that would later define Shostakovich’s chamber music. In their brevity, they capture a young composer testing the boundaries of character and form, already hinting at the profound emotional and psychological depth to come.
Dvorak’s String Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 51, composed in 1879, stands at a turning point in his career. Written shortly after his growing international recognition, this quartet reflects Dvorak’s deepening engagement with the folk traditions of his native Bohemia. The end result is a quartet that blends classical structure with the rhythmic vitality and melodic warmth of Slavic dance and song.
The opening movement, Allegro ma non troppo, begins with a gentle, flowing theme that quickly blossoms into a richly textured conversation among the four voices. Unlike the dramatic openings of many earlier quartets, Dvorak goes for lyricism and subtlety, allowing the music to grow organically. This movement holds both folk rhythms and charming interplay.
The second movement, Dumka: Andante con moto, draws on a traditional Slavic form characterized by alternating moods; melancholic reflection and livelier, more animated passages. Here, Dvorak explores a wide emotional range: introspective melodies give way to brighter, more rhythmic episodes, only to return again to a sense of wistful longing. The contrast feels natural rather than abrupt, as if shifting between memories and present emotions.
The Romanza: Andante con moto offers a moment of sustained lyric beauty. This movement unfolds as a song without words, its long, singing lines entangled with tenderness and expressive nuance. The texture is transparent, allowing each instrument to contribute to the overall warmth of the sound, and the movement lingers in a state of gentle, heartfelt introspection.
String Quartet in E-flat Major
Op. 51
I. Allegro ma nan troppo
II. Dumka: andante con moto
III. Romanza: andante con moto
IV. Skočná: Allegro assai
Antonin Dvorak
1841-1904
33 MINUTES
In the fourth movement, Skočná: Allegro assai, Dvorak turns decisively toward dance. The skočná is a lively Czech folk dance, and its spirited rhythms drive the movement forward with infectious energy. Syncopations, offbeat accents, and quick exchanges between instruments create a sense of exhilaration and communal joy. The quartet concludes in a burst of brightness, leaving a lasting impression of vitality and national character.