Dedicated to performing the works of 20th century American composers.
String Quartet Statements
Friday lunchtime concert in the Boston Public Library Courtyard (Map)
August 20 — 12:30-1:30 PM
| Samuel Barber | String Quartet, op. 11 (1936) |
| Arthur Foote | Nocturne and Scherzo for Flute and String Quartet (1918) |
| Charles Ives | String Quartet No. 1 “A Revival Service” (1896) |
The third and final American Century Music program features early string quartets by Samuel Barber and Charles Ives, and the charming Nocturne and Scherzo for Flute and String Quartet by Bostonian Arthur Foote.
Samuel Barber (1910-1981) wrote the second movement to his String Quartet op. 11 during the summer of 1936 while summering in Europe. This slow movement would eventually be arranged for string orchestra and become known as the famous “Adagio for Strings.” Heard in its original context with string quartet and surrounded by the outer movements, the work takes on a special intimacy.
Arthur Foote (1853-1937) was an important teacher, composer and performer in Boston. He was the organist at Boston’s Church of the Disciples (1876-1878) and the 1st Unitarian Church (1878-1910). He also taught piano at the New England Conservatory (1921-1937). Known for his excellent chamber and keyboard music, Foote’s Nocturne and Scherzo for Flute and String Quartet was commissioned by the Chamber Music Society of San Francisco in 1918.
New England iconoclast Charles Ives (1874-1954) was a prolific composer of music for orchestra, voice, and chamber ensembles. He’s widely regarded as one of the most original and significant American composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His String Quartet No. 1: From the Salvation Army, makes liberal use of several church hymns popular in his day and brings the spirit and sound of Protestant hymnody into the realm of art music.
