THE RUSSIAN AND THE AMERICAN : RAGAZZE QUARTET AND NIKOLA MEEUWSEN

Dvořák composed the his twelfth string quartet in the summer of 1893 whilst in the United States as director of the National Conservatory of New York, it is highly melodic and rhythmic work which some say has elements of American music.  Shostakovich’s Quintet, by contrast, releases this composer’s array of twangling irony, profound intensity and colourful and energetic instrumental sound.  Written in 1940, in the middle of the war, this work received the Stalin Prize at a point where the composer feared for his life on a daily basis.   This is a first collaboration for Nikola Meeuwsen and the Ragazze Quartet and brings to a close our Lowlands to Northlands series.

This concert will be recorded for future broadcast by BBC Radio 3