Click below to watch a livestreamed recital originally broadcast on Sunday, August 9 featuring Quartet 515! Joyce Beyer, Robert Espe, Paul Virgilio, and Hanna Wolle perform a wide ranging program from Debussy to Piazzolla, featuring pieces from Florence Price and Scott Joplin.
Five Folksongs in Counterpoint, also known as Negro Folksongs in Counterpoint, is one of two string quartets composed by Florence Price. It features a handful of African-American spirituals played in contrapuntal textures: 'Calvary', 'Clementine', 'Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes', 'Shortnin' Bread' and 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot'. Black American composer and pianist Scott Joplin was known for composing in the style of Ragtime; hear his pieces The Entertainer, Solace, and Easy Winners.
Clair de Lune is one of the most beloved pieces by French composer Claude Debussy; the original tune for piano has been arranged for string quartet by William Beyer. Finally, the Quartet plays Oblivion and Libertango by Astor Piazzolla, an Argentine tango composer and bandoneón player who revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed nuevo tango, incorporating elements from jazz and classical music.
Join us Sunday for this diverse and wide ranging program!
Get a sneak peek into this weekend's livestream! In each of the videos below, the members of Quartet 515 take turns discussing the music and composers they've chosen to play, from Debussy and Piazzolla to the music of Florence Price and Scott Joplin.
Quartet 515 was formed in 2015 out of a desire to create beautiful chamber music. The group consists of Des Moines-based musicians Hanna Wolle, Rob Espe, Joyce Beyer, and Paul Virgilio. Each member of the quartet maintains an active musical career, including performing with the Des Moines Symphony and various community ensembles. In addition to collaborating and performing chamber music, Quartet 515 is hired regularly to provide entertainment for weddings, receptions, and banquets. For more information on Quartet 515 and its members, visit www.quartet515.com
#DMSOatHome is a new series of videos and streaming content aimed at connecting with our community online. Join us each Sunday evening on our social media channels for a series of live-streamed recitals from our Des Moines Symphony Musicians.
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