A German in Russia

The enduring charm of Alfred Schnittke’s music has always been in its juxtaposition of the serious and the frivolous, its combination of wildly different styles and genres, and its frequent quotation and inspiration from composers before him. A prime example is his String Quartet no. 3, where he used Shostakovich’s DSCH motif and quoted from Beethoven’s work, among other quotations. To celebrate the 90^th anniversary of Schnittke’s birth, the HK Phil’s musicians present this fascinating quartet alongside Shostakovich’s Piano Trio no. 2 and Beethoven’s String Quartet no. 6. These are two composers who heavily influenced Schnittke, reflecting his dual heritage of Soviet Russian and German. 

The concert runs approximately 80 minutes with an intermission.