Espresso, 9-29-23

This playlist is a proposal for the September 29, 2023 Espresso Program for string quartet and harp. Celebrating the opening of the Philharmonic’s 95th season, we will showcase Beethoven’s Op. 95 - String Quartet no. 11, “Serioso” - as well as Op. 95 from Saint-Saëns - Fantaisie (for solo harp).

These two “serious” works will be mixed with more light-hearted and contemporary-sounding pieces by Milton Barnes and Kati Agócs, who was a former Composer in Residence, that are infused with folk and traditional melodies (which gives a nod to the Philharmonic’s other series like “Bluegrass Spartanburg”).

A contemporary of Beethoven, we will also include a movement of ETA Hoffmann’s Harp Quintet which combines all five players and continues in the “Serioso” vein.

In total, there is about 43 minutes of music (at a fairly brisk tempo) and there will be small stage changes in between several of the works. As you can see, the program bounces back-and-forth between movements of the Beethoven and the Barnes. If needed, we can cut the Hoffmann and add the fourth movement of the Barnes.