Program

String Quartet No. 3
String Quartet No. 4
String Quartet No. 7

Our first encounter with the music of Polish composer Grażyna Bacewicz was in 2019 when we were invited to play her Fourth and Seventh Quartets at the Bard Music West Festiva in San Francisco. From the first notes of our first rehearsal we were hooked, and we knew that we wanted to do a complete cycle of her quartets. She was a gifted violinist from a young age and became one of Poland’s most respected and admired performers and teachers. While she composed throughout her career, it became more of a focus during the second half of her life.

The Third and Fourth Quartets, written in 1947 and 1951 respectively, share a similar musical language but are perfect foils to each other: the Third is bright, open, and joyous, while the Fourth is brooding and melancholy, reminiscent of the moody tone of film noir. The Seventh and final quartet, from 1965, just a few years before Bacewicz’s death, represents a stark departure from the composer’s earlier style. Whereas her earlier quartets are harmonically lush and melodic, the Seventh embraces a more experimental style, with quirky chromatic figurations and unusual instrumental techniques creating an atmosphere of fleeting ideas.

Part 2 of this cycle is slated for the 2025-26 Season, but presenters who wish to program the entire seven-quartet cycle for the 2024-25 Season may inquire about availability.

We are also able to offer the Piano Quartet No. 1 or No. 2.