Pirosmani Quartet

Mairéad Hickey violin
William Hagen viola
Natanael Ferreira viola
Oleksey Shadrin cello

Tenderness and Turmoil

Acclaimed Cork violinist Mairéad Hickey brings together colleagues from Brazil, Ukraine and the USA for a third National String Quartet.

The concert opens with the second of the three vividly expressive string quartets that Schumann wrote in a frenzy of creativity in the early summer of 1842. The previous September his wife Clara had given birth to their first child. Perhaps that is the inspiration behind the disarming lullaby themes of the first two movements and the mischievous scampering of the scherzo and finale. We are delighted that this is followed by a new piece for string quartet by Galway-based composer Jane O’Leary. Next, Schubert’s vast G major quartet D887 is a work of symphonic scale and emotional extremity. Like much of Schubert’s music in the last years of his short life it revolves around conflict between grief and joy, darkness and light, restless angst and sublime lyricism, often expressed through abrupt switching from major to minor or by the juxtaposition of music of near brutality with moments of great tenderness. This wonderful work is one of the greats, highly recommended!