Featuring two Cork musicians, the Carducci Quartet is one of the longest established and most admired string quartets on the world stage. They return for their latest tour of Ireland with a beautiful programme including one of Shostakovich’s finest string quartets, marking the 50th anniversary of his death in 1975.

Highly celebrated for their interpretation of contemporary repertoire, the Carducci Quartet has curated many diverse projects and is regularly invited to perform new works. Recent and upcoming premieres include works by Simon Rowland-Jones, Gavin Higgins, Karl Jenkins, Jonny Greenwood and Kate Whitley. In 2015 they curated projects around Philip Glass and Steve Reich as part of the Royal Philharmonic Society Award winning ‘Minimalism Unwrapped’ at Kings Place in London.

The Carducci Quartet:

Matthew Denton, violin
Michelle Fleming, violin
Eoin Schmidt-Martin, viola
Emma Denton, cello

Programme

Haydn’s D major Quartet Op.20 No.4 is one of earliest of his many string quartet masterpieces. From the exploratory, expansive opening movement, through a poignant slow movement, a robust Minuet alla zingarese (gypsy-style) to the virtuosic finale, this extraordinary music is engaging and entertaining throughout.

Donnacha Dennehy’s Stamp combines elements of related 14th century dances, the Italian Saltarello and the French Estampie, both of which feature complex, wrong-footing rhythms which Donnacha exploits with clear delight.

Caroline Shaw’s intriguingly evocative and very popular Entr’acte turns a chord progression in a Haydn quartet (Op.77 No.2) into a dreamlike journey on a harmonic rollercoaster.

Shostakovich’s wonderful ninth string quartet was written in 1964 and is full of vivid characterization, expression and contrast. The stark and cataclysmic vision of the fourth movement leads to an extraordinary finale concluding with a long, exhilarating and life-affirming build-up.

Tickets: €18 / €16 (+booking fee)

Supported by the National String Quartet Foundation and its major funders, the Arts Council and RTÉ Lyric FM.