SHANGHAI QUARTET, APRIL 7, 2024

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For the final concert of its 2023-24 season, the Chamber Music Society of Utica presented the renowned Shanghai Quartet.

 

The concert took place on April 7, 2024 at 2:30 PM at Munson’s Sinnott Family Bank of Utica Auditorium and was also live-streamed via CMSU’s website at www.uticachambermusic.org. The program included works by Franz Joseph Haydn,
Zhao Long and Edvard Grieg. 

 

The Shanghai Quartet has been performing for forty years and was returning to CMSU’s stage for the fourth time. This particular concert had been postponed twice due to the Covid pandemic.

 

Haydn’s Quartet in D Major opened the concert, revealing the ensemble’s warmth of sound and supreme dynamic sensitivity. The six Chinese Folk Songs composed by Zhao Long reflected the names of their titles: Driving the Mule Team, The Flowing Stream, Jasmine Flower, When Will the Acacia Bloom, A Single Bamboo Can Easily Bend and A Horseherd’s Mountain Song. A rhythmic fervor permeated throughout and it was truly charming!

 

Grieg’s only complete string quartet, Quartet in G Minor, closed the second half of the concert with a dramatic and technical intensity that “strived toward breadth, soaring flight and above all resonance”, to use the words of the composer himself. The Shanghai Quartet gave full and eloquent expression to Grieg’s aspirations.

 

It was a wonderful afternoon of Chamber Music with these highly esteemed artists playing on exceptional instruments!

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Anita Humer

Professional pianist, accompanist and piano teacher
former staff pianist at Colgate University

Serves on boards of CMSU, the Leschetizky Piano Organization, NYC

and the Monday Evening Music Club of Norwich NY