Press
by James D. Watts, Jr. for Tulsa World
Beethoven Winter Festival
Chamber Music Tulsa’s long-awaited Beethoven Winter Festival begins in earnest, as the acclaimed Miro Quartet begins its six-concert series of performances that will feature the complete string quartets by Ludwig van Beethoven, played in consecutive order.
The quartet — violinists Daniel Ching and William Fedkenheuer, violist John Largess and cellist Joshua Gindele — has performed the cycle on several occasions around the world and is in the process of committing its interpretations of these monumental works to recordings. So far, three recordings have been released: one devoted to the Opus 18 quartets, the second to the Opus 59 collection, and the most recent, released in November, features the Opus 74, the “Harp,” and the Opus 95, the “Serioso.”
In a joint statement by the quartet’s members, the Miro players say that “The string quartet was the medium Beethoven reserved for his most intimate and personal musical expressions, and the cycle is an inside peek into this great man’s inner life from the age of 30 until his very last months.
“Hearing the quartets in compositional order, the audience follows Beethoven’s own life experiences, from concert to concert, in the evolution and flow of the music: from youth and success, through frustration and personal challenges; through his maturity; and through his final struggles with illness, relationships, and ultimately with death. The genius of his music is that it seems to speak directly to us, with a wordless voice of understanding, compassion and hope.
“To go on the journey of the complete Beethoven quartet cycle together is a rare, often once-in-a-lifetime experience. To share this tremendous experience with you is one of the most meaningful things that we, as artists, ever do.”
All concerts will take place in the Tulsa PAC’s Westby Pavilion. The complete schedule is:
Friday, Feb. 17: Op. 18, Nos. 1, 2, and 3
Saturday, Feb. 18: Op. 18, Nos. 4, 5, and 6
Tuesday, Feb. 21: Op. 59, Nos. 1, 2, and 3
Thursday, Feb. 23: Op. 74, Op. 95, and Op. 127
Saturday, Feb. 25: Op. 132, Op. 130, Grosse Fugue (Op. 133)
Sunday, Feb. 26: Op. 131, Op. 135, Op. 130 last movement.
Performances: All concerts are at 7 p.m. except the Feb. 26 concert, which begins at 5 p.m., at the Tulsa PAC, 110 E. Second St.
Tickets: $35 per concert. 918-596-7111, myticketoffice.com. Complete series, $168. 918-587-3802, chambermusictulsa.org.