Centrum is pleased to present a new way to enjoy chamber music during this time that the pandemic curtails our ability to present live concerts. We will be hosting a Listening Club session featuring the renowned Miró Quartet. Using the traditional book club model, we are offering an opportunity for you to interact with world-class artists and explore one of their recordings. At 2 pm on Sunday, October 4, the artists will lead a 60-minute Zoom meeting hosted by Lucinda Carver, Centrum’s Artistic Director for Classical Music, answering as many of your questions as possible. The artist will also have their instrument on hand to play excerpts.

Please note that this is not a concert. Rather, it’s an opportunity to gain insight into some of Classical music’s finest works through the eyes and ears of world-class musicians. Not only will you learn from these experts, you’ll get a sense of who they are as people as you hear them speak.

Here’s how it works:

“Tickets”

• Each participant purchases a “ticket” for this event ($20 per person or household), as well as a physical or digital copy of the recording. This event replaces the Callisto Trio concert. If you have already purchased tickets for the Callisto Trio you will automatically receive a ticket for the Miró Quartet event and can also opt for a partial refund. Please CLICK HERE to tell us what you’d like to do with your refund.
• Purchase individual tickets online
• To purchase tickets by phone at (800) 746-1982, please call between the hours of 6:00 am and 4:00 pm, Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Friday.

Recordings

• Prior to the Listening Club event, each participant listens to the recording and submits any questions they would like relayed to the artists.
• To purchase the recordings digitally: https://miroquartet.com/music/recordings/beethoven-complete-string-quartets
• To purchase the actual CDs:https://www.pentatonemusic.com/beethoven-miro-quartet-complete-string-quartets-
• If you already own recordings or have access to another source you’re welcome to listen that way.

The quartet recently completed the massive undertaking of recording all of Beethoven’s quartets. For this event they will be focusing on the four “late quartets” known as the Galitzin quartets, Op. 127, 132, and 130/133. Don’t worry if you don’t feel you can listen to all four quartets. The Miró members are approachable and informal, and you will feel comfortable and will learn something valuable about these landmark works whether they are old favorites or new territory for you. Here are some potential topics the quartet sent to help get the ball rolling. They are also happy to take questions from you! Please submit them to GMiller@centrum.org by September 27.

• What was your initial reaction to each quartet? Did it hook you immediately or take repeated listening or extra concentration to get into?
• Did you have a favorite movement or passage that grabbed you immediately? What was it about that music that you connected or identified with?
• In each of these quartets Beethoven uses 4, 5 or 6 separate movements to create a single large scale structure, almost like chapters in a book, or the many stops along an emotional journey. Which complete quartet journey did you find most compelling? Which overall journey was most surprising or challenging for you?
• Dance movements and scherzos play an unusually prominent role in all three quartets. Which dance movement was your favorite? Why do you think Beethoven uses so many different kinds of dances in these pieces?
• Let’s compare and contrast the slow movements of these three pieces: opus 127 is one of Beethoven’s longest theme and variations movements, built on a single melody that is endlessly varied; the “Heiliger Dankgesang” is the longest and most autobiographical slow movement in any of his works; and the Cavatina is relatively so much simpler and shorter yet was supposedly Beethoven’s favorite slow movement. What do you think Beethoven was trying to achieve emotionally in each of these three different slow movements? Which one affected you the most and why?
• Bonus question! Opus 130 has two different finales: the “Grosse Fuge” Opus 133, and the second alternate finale written in 1826, known as opus 130 movement 6. Listen to the complete opus 130 once with the Opus 133 as the finale, and another time with the Opus 130 movement 6 as the finale. Take notes after each listening…How do the different finales change your feeling about the movements that came before (or not)? Is the meaning of the piece as a whole different with the different finales, and if so how? Which ending do you like best and why?

Tickets are also sold at the Centrum office Monday through Friday from noon until 4:00 pm except holidays. Performance schedules may limit “same day” sales hours. For more information call (360) 385-3102 ext 110.

Feel free to email Program Manager Gregg Miller if you have questions, gmiller@centrum.org. Please join us for this first-ever Listening Club with the Miró Quartet!