Beethoven, Britten and Mendelssohn: String quartets by the Maiastra musicians at St Wulfran's Church, Brighton on Saturday 6th April 2019

Please note: This concert is in the past and has already taken place.

Beethoven, Britten and Mendelssohn

String quartets by the Maiastra musicians

Part of the Maiastra 2018/19 Series

Add to my Calendar 06-04-2019 19:30 06-04-2019 21:30 36 Beethoven, Britten and Mendelssohn BEETHOVEN: The suggestion for a quartet was first made to Beethoven in 1795 by Count Apponyi, but it was to be another three years before Beethoven took up the challenge. The F major quartet was the second of the set to be composed, after the D major (Op. 18 No. 3), but was placed first in the published set because it was the most impressive in terms of size and expressive range. It is the only one with a slow movement in a minor key (D minor) - a tragic operatic scene on the grandest scale apparently inspired by the tomb scene from Romeo and Juliet. BRITTEN: Benjamin Britten’s penchant for composing resulted in over 100 numbered compositions before the age of eighteen. The Three Divertimenti for String Quartet were written in 1933 when he was in his early twenties, and revised quite extensively in 1936. The work comprises a set of three individual character pieces meant as ‘pleasing entertainment’ and was finally named 'Three divertimenti - go play, boy, play' by Britten. At one stage the suite was associated with Erich Kästner's film ‘Emil und die Detektive’ (1931). MENDELSSOHN: Mendelssohn’s ten visits to Britain, during which many of his major works were premiered, formed an important part of his adult career, although his somewhat conservative musical tastes set him apart from some of his more adventurous musical contemporaries. He wrote six numbered string quartets which were all published during his lifetime, and he wrote to a friend 'I have just finished my Quartet in D. I like it very much. I hope it may please you as well. I rather think it will, since it is more spirited and seems to me likely to be more grateful to the players than the others.'   St Wulfran's Church, Brighton DD/MM/YYYY

Details

St Wulfran's Church
Greenways
Ovingdean
Brighton
East Sussex
BN2 7BA
England

Saturday 6th April 2019
7:30 PM

Programme

Ludwig van Beethoven – String Quartet in F major, Op.18 no.1
Felix Mendelssohn – String Quartet no.3 in D major, Op.44 no.1
Benjamin Britten – 3 Divertimenti

Performers

Maiastra String Quartet

Other concerts in this Series (+)

Programme Note

BEETHOVEN: The suggestion for a quartet was first made to Beethoven in 1795 by Count Apponyi, but it was to be another three years before Beethoven took up the challenge. The F major quartet was the second of the set to be composed, after the D major (Op. 18 No. 3), but was placed first in the published set because it was the most impressive in terms of size and expressive range. It is the only one with a slow movement in a minor key (D minor) - a tragic operatic scene on the grandest scale apparently inspired by the tomb scene from Romeo and Juliet.

BRITTEN: Benjamin Britten’s penchant for composing resulted in over 100 numbered compositions before the age of eighteen. The Three Divertimenti for String Quartet were written in 1933 when he was in his early twenties, and revised quite extensively in 1936. The work comprises a set of three individual character pieces meant as ‘pleasing entertainment’ and was finally named 'Three divertimenti - go play, boy, play' by Britten. At one stage the suite was associated with Erich Kästner's film ‘Emil und die Detektive’ (1931).

MENDELSSOHN: Mendelssohn’s ten visits to Britain, during which many of his major works were premiered, formed an important part of his adult career, although his somewhat conservative musical tastes set him apart from some of his more adventurous musical contemporaries. He wrote six numbered string quartets which were all published during his lifetime, and he wrote to a friend 'I have just finished my Quartet in D. I like it very much. I hope it may please you as well. I rather think it will, since it is more spirited and seems to me likely to be more grateful to the players than the others.'

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