String Quartet – CACOPHONY

109. When personal pain becomes universal: Shostakovich String Quartet No.8

01/03/2022 by Steve

How is it that when an artist shares their pain we can all feel it? And how does listening to music full of suffering make us feel better? I don’t know how or why, but I know that it does. Dmitri Shostakovich knew all about war, loss, and suffering. His 8th string quartet is desperate but defiant and deeply moving, bleak but often beautiful and whilst it doesn’t provide any answers it somehow gives consolation to us all. Listening time 28 mins… Listen

85. Soul Solutions: Beethoven’s healing balm: String Quartet op132

20/05/2021 by Steve

This is a new discovery for me – and it’s deeply wonderful: Beethoven’s late string quartet song of thanks. Written as he recovered from severe illness, it’s music that heals and restores our mind and soul. [31 mins]… Listen

Music

75. Four go to the Beach Club! Amy Beach – String Quartet

27/02/2021 by Steve

American composer Amy Beach was so popular that her followers held ‘Beach Clubs’ to play and listen to her music!
Her Quartet for strings is lean and powerful, as well as being a great jump-off to the world of string quartets: a place fraught with danger for the players, where composers go to bare their souls. Take a listen and join the Beach Club! (21 mins)… Listen