Our ninth installment of quartets by Shostakovich and Beethoven highlights the characteristic interplay between shadow and light, depth and humor, bravura and fragility that defines the music of these two giants. A celebratory mood is in order for our 10th season, and Beethoven’s Op. 59 No. 3 is arguably the most joyful of his output, complete with a fast and furious fugal last movement that builds a whirlwind of excitement until the last notes. While less triumphant than Beethoven’s, Shostakovich’s fourth string quartet showcases his incredible gifts for melody and lyricism, as well as elegant proportions in perfect balance.  Iranian-born composer Aftab Darvishi’s study of shadow and light, Daughters of Sol, is a perfect bonus for this vibrant program, and a fascinating expression of another distinctive creative spirit determined to create space for her voice.

PROGRAM

Daughters of Sol | Aftab Darvishi (b. 1987)*

String Quartet No. 4 in D major, Op. 83 | Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975)

String Quartet No. 9, Op.59 No. 3  | Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827)

*This piece was commissioned for Fifty for the Future, a project of the Kronos Performing Arts Association. The score and parts are available for free online. kronosquartet.org.