“The world’s most exciting string quartet? Well, they suit the tagline better than most. Their tone is large, quasi-orchestral. They take risks. Above all, they play with passion.” (The Times, London) Based in Prague, the Pavel Haas Quartet is named for Czech composer Pavel Haas, who was imprisoned at Theresienstadt and died at Auschwitz in 1944. While the Quartet is passionately committed to the Czech repertoire, and particularly the three wonderful string quartets that Haas composed (including the one on this program, scored for string quartet and percussion), all of their performances receive extraordinary acclaim. “In a class of their own”¦” (The Strad)

Program
· Tchaikovsky : Quartet No. 1 in D Major, Op. 11 (1871)
· Pavel Haas : Quartet No. 2, Op. 7 (“From the Monkey Mountains”) (1925)
· Smetana : Quartet No. 1 in e minor (“From My Life”) (1876)