This year we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Arnold Schoenberg’s birth. The Library of Congress is the home to nearly all of Schoenberg’s music for string quartet, and over the course of two concerts given by the superb Quatuor Diotima, we will explore most of what we have, including:
- String Quartet in D major (1897)
- String Quartet no. 1 in D minor, op. 7
- String Quartet no. 3, op. 30
- String Quartet no. 4, op. 37
Two of these—the final two quartets—were commissioned by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. While we are unable to program the second quartet this time (which includes a vocal part in two of the movements), we are making up for it by including two more classic works by other composers in Schoenberg’s orbit:
- Alban Berg’s “Lyric Suite”
- Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s String Quartet no. 3 in D major, op. 34
This is essential repertoire of incredible depth and vitality—rarely can one access live performances of such a collection of works. Preceding the first concert will be a lecture by Harvey Sachs, author of “Schoenberg: Why He Matters,” and then we will hear from the performers before the matinee concert the next day.
As a bonus, this is a unique opportunity to hear this incredible music on the Library’s Stradivari instruments.
Learn more about Arnold Schoenberg at the Library of Congress.
Please check for ticket availability because returned tickets will be available as we receive them. If the concert is sold out, no worries! You can still come the day of the concert. Starting 2 hours in advance of the start time we will have numbered RUSH space available passes. While we cannot guarantee seats for walk-up guests, there is a high likelihood that they will be seated due to the percentage of no-shows and last-minute returns. Any seats not occupied 5 minutes before the start time of the concert will be released to RUSH pass holders. For more information about each concert, please see below. We hope to see you there!
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Friday, October 25, 8 p.m., Coolidge Auditorium: Quatuor Diotima, Program I
6:30pm: Lecture by Harvey Sachs, author of “Schoenberg: Why He Matters,” Whittall Pavilion
In honor of the 150th anniversary of Arnold Schoenberg’s birth, we will survey many of his works for string quartet held in manuscript at the Library of Congress. The eloquent and indefatigable Quatuor Diotima offers two striking programs over the course of two days that are not to be missed, putting on display the passion, wit and craft of this oft-misunderstood artist. The first program includes the unnumbered D-major quartet that Schoenberg composed in 1897, a harbinger of other Romantic works to come. It is paired with Schoenberg’s final quartet, commissioned by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge in 1936. Both manuscripts are held at the Library, along with sketch material for Alban Berg’s enigmatic “Lyric Suite” from 1925-26.
Program:
Arnold Schoenberg
String Quartet in D major, 1897
String Quartet no. 4, op. 37
Alban Berg
“Lyric Suite”
Find more information here
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Saturday, October 26, 2 p.m., Coolidge Auditorium: Quatuor Diotima, Program II
12:30pm: Conversation with the Artists, Whittall Pavilion
In honor of the 150th anniversary of Arnold Schoenberg’s birth, we will survey many of his works for string quartet held in manuscript at the Library of Congress. The eloquent and indefatigable Quatuor Diotima offers two striking programs over the course of two days that are not to be missed, putting on display the passion, wit, and craft of this oft-misunderstood artist. The quartet’s second program includes the exciting third quartet by Erich Korngold, whose collection is held at the Library. We will also hear two more Schoenberg quartets: the third quartet from 1927, which was also commissioned by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, and the first string quartet, composed over twenty years earlier—a monumental endeavor cast in a single movement.
Program:
Erich Korngold
String Quartet no. 3 in D major, op. 34
Arnold Schoenberg
String Quartet no. 3, op. 30
String Quartet no. 1, op. 7
Find more information here