Two modern works are contrasted with Brahms’ masterful Second String Quartet in this sublime morning of chamber music.
David Lang’s Wed is a bittersweet work originally composed for the Kronos Quartet, which oscillates between consonance and dissonance to create an equilibrium between tragedy and hope.
Caroline Shaw’s string quartet Plan and Elevation: The Grounds of Dumbarton Oaks was written to commemorate the 75th anniversary of a historic estate in Washington, DC. Each movement is based on a simple ground bass line which supports a different concept or character.
Brahms’ String Quintet No 2 is one of his later works, dating from 1890. Brahms’ unique language pervades the work, from playful rhythms to bittersweet melancholy, and back to Hungarian folk elements.
