Hybrid event: in-person and livestream

Wolfgang Amadé Mozart | String Quartet in B-flat Major, K. 589, “Prussian”
Eleanor Alberga | String Quartet No. 2
Ludwig van Beethoven | String Quartet in F Major, op. 59, no. 2, “Razumovsky”

For their first-ever appearance at Old First Concerts, the talented Sierra Quartet showcases two composers whose work bursts with energy: Eleanor Alberga and Ludwig van Beethoven. Eleanor Alberga's music achieves a unique synthesis between the folk music she heard growing up in Jamaica and the traditions of Western art music. Her compact, masterful String Quartet No. 2 (1994) is driven by interlocking dance rhythms and it demonstrates her synesthetic approach to sound color. Ludwig van Beethoven's "Razumovsky" quartets pushed Classical forms past their existing limits, receiving a hostile reception from musicians and audiences of the early 19th century, before ultimately finding their place in the hearts of later generations. Even today there is something astonishing about their creativity and emotional depth. Wolfgang Amadé Mozart’s inspired Quartet in B-flat Major, K. 589 kicks off the program on a cheerful note.