This ‘Memories’ inspired programme has something for everyone. From Davidson’s irresistible tropical island to Golijov’s juxtaposition of a war-torn, urban scene and a spectral vista. Bartók’s heartbreaking yearning for his beloved Hungary to Dvorak’s bristling celebration of America’s wide open spaces. Euphoria, tragedy, optimism, nostalgia – it’s all here.

Robert Davidson’s glorious evocation of Straddie, the beautiful little island off the coast of his native Brisbane, washes over you like a gentle, tropical wave. An easy-going rhythmic bass is supplemented by an endless stream of effortless melodies, which you will be humming for days.

Osvaldo Golijov’s Tenebrae is a haunting depiction of two deeply contrasting incidents which occurred in his life in the year 2000. Having narrowly escaped being blown up on a bus in Jerusalem, he found himself, just a couple of days later, with his son in the New York Planetarium. As he gazed at the cosmos and pondered the image of our innocent, blue planet, the fragility of life was brought sharply into focus. The Pergolesi-inspired fragments, which begin and end the work, are interspersed with a sci-fi section reminiscent of Bartók’s infamous night music.

In his sixth and last Quartet, we find a profoundly emotional Bela Bartók. His exile to the USA, enforced by the Nazi invasion of his native Hungary, left him homesick and depressed. Add to this the death of his mother and his not inconsiderable financial difficulties, and you find a thoroughly forlorn figure indeed. Despite its undeniably tragic core, Bartók still manages to infuse it with tremendous invention, vitality and humour.

Unlike Bartók, Antonín Dvořák willingly went to the USA, invited by his benefactor, Jeanette Thurber, where he spent three years helping American composers find an American voice. It is clear from the infectious joy found in the music that Dvořák truly enjoyed himself on foreign soil. The elegiac slow movement feels intensely nostalgic, but nonetheless, there are few works more fun-filled and rumbustious than the American Quartet.

This event will last for approximately 2 hours, including an interval.

About the Brodsky Quartet

Bringing an unrivalled authority to the performance of the string quartet repertoire, since their formation in 1972 the Brodsky Quartet have performed over 3,500 concerts on the major stages of the world and have released more than 70 recordings. A natural curiosity and an insatiable desire to explore has propelled the group in a number of artistic directions and continues to ensure them not only a prominent presence on the international chamber music scene, but also a rich and varied musical existence. Their energy and craftsmanship have attracted numerous awards and accolades worldwide, while their ongoing educational work provides a vehicle to pass on experience and stay in touch with the next generation.

Having recently celebrated their 50th anniversary, the Brodsky Quartet continue to enjoy a busy international performing schedule, extensively touring the major festivals and venues throughout Australasia, North and South America, Asia, South Africa and Europe, as well as in the UK, where the quartet is based. Over the years, the Brodsky Quartet have undertaken numerous performances of the complete cycles of quartets by Schubert, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Britten, Schoenberg, Zemlinsky, Webern and Bartók. It is, however, the complete Shostakovich cycle that has now become synonymous with their name: their 2012 London performance of the complete string quartet cycle resulted in their taking the prestigious title ‘Artistic Associate’ at London’s Kings Place – a residency which lasted ten years, culminating in a triumphant repeat cycle of the fifteen works over two days. It therefore seems fitting that the legacy to their inimitable 50 years as a quartet has been to offer complete Shostakovich cycles around the world, allowing the full immersive experience to be accessible to all in the coming seasons.