# Castalian String Quartet at Alfred Hertz Memorial Concert Hall, March 19, 2023

[Cal Performances](https://calperformances.org/events/2022-23/chamber-music/castalian-string-quartet/) presents [Castalian String Quartet](https://www.castalianstringquartet.com/)  
[Alfred Hertz Memorial Concert Hall](http://music.berkeley.edu/about-us/resources-and-facilities/performance-spaces/)  
[U.C. Berkeley, 101 Cross-Sproul Path, Berkeley, CA 94704 USA](http://maps.google.com/maps?q=U.C.+Berkeley,+101+Cross-Sproul+Path,+Berkeley,+CA+94704+USA&hl=en)  
3:00 PM, Sunday, March 19, 2023

[[2023-03-18|Back to the previous event!]] ☸ [[:#section2023|Up to the 2023 yearbox!]] ☸ [[:2023#March_events|Up to the 2023 event list!]] ☸ [[2023-03-19-2|On to the next event!]]

## Set One

[3:05 PM] {lights down, performers out}

### Haydn: String Quartet in D major, Op. 20, No. 4

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1809): String Quartet in D major, Op. 20, No. 4 (1772)

01. [3:06 PM] _Allegro di molto_  
[3:15 PM] {long pause for late-comers to be seated}
02. [3:16 PM] _Un poco adagio affettuoso_
03. [3:26 PM] _Allegretto alla zingarese_
04. [3:28 PM] _Presto (scherzando)_  
[3:33 PM] {applause at work end; all off...}

### Saariaho: Terra Memoria

[3:34 PM] {performers back for the next work}  
[3:35 PM] {SS preview talk}

01. \[3:39 PM] [Kaija Saariaho](https://saariaho.org/) \(b. 1952): _Terra Memoria_ (2006)  
[3:57 PM] {set ends}

## Set Two: Schubert: String Quartet No. 15 in G major, D. 887

[4:11 PM] {lights down, performers out}

Franz Schubert (1797–1828): String Quartet No. 15 in G major, D. 887 (1826)

01. [4:12 PM] _Allegro molto moderato_
02. [4:26 PM] _Andante un poco moto_
03. [4:39 PM] _Scherzo: Allegro vivace_
04. [4:46 PM] _Allegro assai_  
[4:57 PM] {applause at work end; all off}  
[4:58 PM] {back for more bows; all off once more: no encore!}  
[4:59 PM] {show ends}


## Performers

[Castalian String Quartet](https://www.castalianstringquartet.com/)

* Ruth Gibson: viola;
* Christopher Graves: cello;
* Daniel Roberts: violin;
* Sini Simonen: violin.
## Notes

While I really enjoyed today's opener, the other two works on the program were less satisfactory to me. I found Saariaho's piece to be overly long -- and once I lost interest, it was just random sound collages without obvious narrative motion. Similarly, the Schubert piece outlasted my interest: too much wheedle-deedle dee (or something like that). Being more compact, I thought the third movement was just about perfect: you heard an interesting theme, then development, followed by a brief tangent, and closing with recapitulation that happened before you had time to forget the first theme.

While the Castalian String Quartet was formed in 2011, this was the first time they attracted my notice. First time in California? Maybe... Would I see them again? "Yeah, sure!", provided that the planned program was attractive enough to grab my attention.

[Program Notes](https://calperformances.org/program-notes/2022-23/castalian-quartet/) or {{:2023:2023-03:20230319pn.pdf|program notes}}

Lisa Hirsch posted a [review](https://www.sfcv.org/articles/review/high-pressure-schubert-castalian-string-quartet) of the show at SFCV.

{{tag>music Castalian_String_Quartet Hertz_Hall Ruth_Gibson Christopher_Graves Daniel_Roberts Sini_Simonen}}

[[2023-03-18|Back to the previous event!]] ☸ [[:#section2023|Up to the 2023 yearbox!]] ☸ [[:2023#March_events|Up to the 2023 event list!]] ☸ [[2023-03-19-2|On to the next event!]]