Concert III: Lydian String Quartet presents Beethoven+

The Lydian String Quartet, in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Boston, will present the complete string quartets of Ludwig van Beethoven in a series of 8 concerts over two years, culminating with the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death in Spring 2027. Each concert will present two Beethoven quartets framing contemporary works that demonstrate Beethoven’s lasting influence and providing new context for listening and understanding these canonical works in today’s world.

Beethoven+

(2025–2027)

III.

Op. 95

Hans Thomalla (b. 1975) – Bagatellen (2015/16)

Op. 59, No. 3

Beethoven’s middle quartets represent the extremes of expansion and compression of form resulting in new kinds of musical expression. His three Razumofsky quartets, Op. 59, presented the world with a bold form of instrumental virtuosity new to the realm of string quartet writing. The classical structures of Haydn and Mozart are expanded and given new life in Op. 59 No. 3, from the ambiguous harmonic soundscape of the introduction recalling Mozart’s Dissonance, to the dazzling fugal finale akin to those found in Haydn’s Sun quartets. In contrast, Beethoven’s Serioso (Op. 95), his shortest and most compact string quartet, strips away all excess to present a potently distilled expression. Hans Thomalla’s Bagatellen carries this distillation of expression to new levels with short explorations of musical gestures, harmonies and melodic patterns.

About the Lydian String Quartet

From its beginning in 1980, the Lydian Quartet has embraced the full range of the string quartet repertory with curiosity, virtuosity, and dedication to the highest artistic ideals of music making. In its formative years, the Lydians were awarded top prizes in international string quartet competitions, including Evian, Portsmouth and Banff, culminating in 1984 with the Naumburg Award for Chamber Music. In the years to follow, the quartet continued to build a reputation for their depth of interpretation, performing with "a precision and involvement marking them as among the world's best quartets" (Chicago Sun-Times). From the acknowledged masterpieces of the classical, romantic, and modern eras to the remarkable compositions written by today's cutting-edge composers, the Lydian Quartet approaches music-making with a sense of exploration and personal expression that is timeless.

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