Camerata Pacifica Welcomes Back The Calder Quartet For WHY BEETHOVEN Project

Camerata Pacifica concludes its 2018-2019 season, and the first of its two-season "Why Beethoven?" project, with a program built around Beethoven's B-Flat Major String Quartet, Op. 130, the third of the composer's late quartets, performed by The Calder String Quartet.

Beethoven's B-Flat Major String Quartet was completed in its first version in November of 1825 with the Grosse Fuge as its last movement, considered among Beethoven's greatest achievements. At the urging of friends and his publisher, Beethoven replaced the Grosse Fuge with a different last movement. Completed in November 1826, it was the very last piece of music Beethoven wrote. It is this finale that will be performed on the program.

Camerata Pacifica will welcome back The Calder Quartet during the 2019-2020 season, for the second installment of the "Why Beethoven?" project, and another performance of this Op. 130 late quartet, with the Grosse Fuge.

The concert begins with arrangements of Beethoven's Irish folk songs, "The Kiss, Dear Maid, Thy Lip Has Left, WoO 153, No. 9," "The Return to Ulster, WoO 152, No. 1," and "The Pulse of an Irishman, WoO 154, No. 4." Composed at the height of his middle period, Beethoven's folk songs are perhaps the least familiar and least appreciated, however he wrote more of these than any other type of composition, having composed an astounding 179 folk song arrangements from 1809 - 1820.

Camerata Pacifica welcomes back baritone Andrew Garland for the performance of these folk songs, and for the closing work on the program, Brahms' Four Serious Songs, Op. 121. Inspired by biblical texts, this was his final set of songs, written in the last year of his life. They are a beautiful expression, a final love letter, to his dear friend Clara Schumann in anticipation of her death following a stroke. The texts of the first three songs are taken from the Old Testament and deal with death, the transience of life and oppression. The text of the fourth song is taken from the New Testament and is focused on faith, hope and charity.

Camerata Pacifica's 2019-2020 season marks the 30th season for the renowned ensemble, and continues its ambitious "Why Beethoven?" project, which draws to a close in 2020, the 250th anniversary of the composer's birth.

Subscriptions ($219-$522) and single tickets ($58) can be ordered online at http://cameratapacifica.org/season-tickets/order-tickets or by calling 805-884-8410.

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