The Emerson String Quartet at the 92 Street Y

On November 2, the Emerson String Quartet filmed a performance of music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms at the 92 Street Y in New York City. That performance has been split into two different programs you can stream.

The members of the Emerson String Quartet are: Eugene Drucker and Philip Setzer on violin, Lawrence Dutton on viola and Paul Watkins on cello. 

The first program finds the Emerson String Quartet performing Beethoven’s String Quartet #13, Opus 130. This is a six-moment string quartet that runs approximately 45 minutes.

Its world premiere took place in Vienna in 1826. However, reaction to the final movement was so negative that the composer re-worked the movement. It’s final version debuted nearly a month after Beethoven’s death.

Its world premiere took place in Vienna in 1826. However, reaction to the final movement was so negative that the composer re-worked the quartet. It’s final version debuted nearly a month after Beethoven’s death.

The six movements are:

1. Adagio, ma non troppo – Allegro 
2. Presto 
3. Andante con moto, ma non troppo. Poco scherzoso 
4. Alla danza tedesca. Allegro assai
5. Cavatina. Adagio molto espressivo
6. Große Fuge (Grande Fugue Op.133): Ouverture. Allegro – Meno mosso e moderato – Allegretto – Fuga. [Allegro] – Meno mosso e moderato – Allegro molto e con brio – Allegro

Program number one is available on November 4th at 7:30 PM EST/4:30 PM PST. Tickets are $15.

The second program opens with a performance of the 2nd and 3rd movements from Schumann’s String Quartet #3 in A Major, Opus 41.

Schumann wrote all three of his string quartets (and there are only three) in 1842. He also composed his piano quintet and piano quartet the same year. The string quartets were all completed within five weeks.

The two movements being performed are: Assai agitato and Adagio motto. 

They are then joined by pianist Yefim Bronfman for a performance of Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F Minor, Opus 34.

The composer wrote this quintet in 1864. There are four movements:

1. Allegro non troppo 
2. Andante, un poco adagio 
3. Scherzo: Allegro 
4. Finale: Poco sostenuto – Allegro non troppo – Presto, non troppo 

Program number two will be available on November 19th at 7:30 PM EST/4:30 PM PST. Tickets are $15.

Photo: Emerson String Quartet (Photo by Jürgen Frank/Courtesy Emerson String Quartet)