Hagen Quartet: Pinnacle of Musicality
VENERATED AUSTRIAN STRING QUARTET COMES TO PORTLAND ON FINAL U.S. TOUR
Like American 21st century superstars, the Emerson Quartet, Europe’s Hagen Quartet has attained an unparalleled position among the finest chamber ensembles in the world. Declared “the pinnacle of musicality” (Die Presse) their European preeminence is resolute. Comprised of siblings Lukas, Veronika, and Clemens Hagen, with violinist Rainer Schmidt, this Austrian sensation has performed throughout the world for 45 years and has amassed a storied discography of nearly 50 acclaimed recordings. For those who love the best-of-the-best, you will not want to miss one of the greatest string quartets of our time in this rare U.S. appearance—their final tour—right here in Portland!
This concert is sponsored by the E. Nakamichi Foundation.
“One of the finest quartets of our time…”
— The Washington Post“After more than four decades of collaboration between its members, the Hagen Quartet truly sounded like a single musician with eight arms and four bows.”
— Seen and Heard International“It is hard to know what to admire most in the quartet’s playing. It is almost impeccable, despite the many risks being taken: tempos nudged ahead, dynamics pushed, pauses extended to the breaking point. The focus and unanimity are astounding.”
—The New York Times“The music seems to have an inner life. Even when it is soft and slow, it retains energy. If it is not actually growing louder, it may seem to be intensifying; if it is not actually changing in pitch, it may seem to be changing in color. You get the impression that every note, every gesture has been carefully considered.”
—The New York Times
First Baptist Church
Thursday, 2/27 • 7:30 pm PT
Program
Click on any piece of music below to learn more about it.
- HAYDN String Quartet in A Major, Hob. III:60, Op. 55, No. 1
HAYDN (1732-1809) String Quartet in A Major, Hob. III:60, Op. 55, No. 1
I. Allegro
II. Adagio cantabile
III. Minuet
IV. Finale: vivaceIn one sense, Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) had any composer’s dream job. His position as music director at the court of the Esterházy family afforded him a stable income, a stimulating creative environment, and resources to produce musical performances from instrumental music to sacred music to opera.
In the decade following his appointment in 1766, however, Haydn had risen to fame throughout Europe, becoming one of the first celebrity composers in history. The only problem was that he had no way to benefit from his newfound fame, as the Esterházy family owned the rights to his compositions.
A gifted businessman, Haydn renegotiated his contract in 1779, enabling him to retain ownership rights of music he composed outside of his day job. From there, he hit the ground running, developing marketing plans to write compositions for each group of potential buyers. For connoisseurs, he wrote technically challenging marvels. For amateurs, he wrote witty, approachable crowd pleasers. He even wrote compositions specifically designed for less familiar markets like Spain.
Haydn wrote his three Opus 55 quartets in approximately 1788, well into this period of freedom, but while he still remained an Esterházy family employee. Their origin seems to have been commercial; he proposed to his publisher in August of that year to write six new quartets “since I am now in a position where I need a little money.” These six quartets turned out to be Opus 54 and 55, first published in 1789 and 1790 respectively.
Each of the Opus 55 quartets emphasizes virtuosity, particularly in the first violin. Whereas his Opus 50 quartets had represented an appeal to connoisseurs (and also a response to Mozart’s revolutionary string quartets), Opus 54 and 55 can be seen as a balanced appeal to all audiences, emphasizing delight and display while still incorporating plenty of clever bits throughout.
The String Quartet in A Major, Hob. III:60, Op. 55, No. 1 opens with a rolling Allegro led to soaring heights by the first violin. The pensive Adagio cantabile is highly operatic—while Haydn is not primarily remembered as an opera composer, it should be remembered that he spent a large proportion of his time composing and directing operas at the Esterházy estate. The Menuetto provides a cheery palate cleanser before the quartet buzzes to a close with the counterpoint-filled Vivace.
—© Ethan Allred
- HAYDN String Quartet in B-flat Major, Hob. III:62, Op. 55, No. 3
HAYDN (1732-1809) String Quartet in B-flat Major, Hob. III:62, Op. 55, No. 3
I. Vivace assai
II. Adagio ma non troppo
III. Minuet
IV. Finale: prestoIn one sense, Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) had any composer’s dream job. His position as music director at the court of the Esterházy family afforded him a stable income, a stimulating creative environment, and resources to produce musical performances from instrumental music to sacred music to opera.
In the decade following his appointment in 1766, however, Haydn had risen to fame throughout Europe, becoming one of the first celebrity composers in history. The only problem was that he had no way to benefit from his newfound fame, as the Esterházy family owned the rights to his compositions.
A gifted businessman, Haydn renegotiated his contract in 1779, enabling him to retain ownership rights of music he composed outside of his day job. From there, he hit the ground running, developing marketing plans to write compositions for each group of potential buyers. For connoisseurs, he wrote technically challenging marvels. For amateurs, he wrote witty, approachable crowd pleasers. He even wrote compositions specifically designed for less familiar markets like Spain.
Haydn wrote his three Opus 55 quartets in approximately 1788, well into this period of freedom, but while he still remained an Esterházy family employee. Their origin seems to have been commercial; he proposed to his publisher in August of that year to write six new quartets “since I am now in a position where I need a little money.” These six quartets turned out to be Opus 54 and 55, first published in 1789 and 1790 respectively.
Each of the Opus 55 quartets emphasizes virtuosity, particularly in the first violin. Whereas his Opus 50 quartets had represented an appeal to connoisseurs (and also a response to Mozart’s revolutionary string quartets), Opus 54 and 55 can be seen as a balanced appeal to all audiences, emphasizing delight and display while still incorporating plenty of clever bits throughout.
The opening Vivace assai of the String Quartet in B-flat Major, Hob. III:62, Op. 55, No. 3 falls more on the connoisseur side of the spectrum, with its shifting harmonies, dramatic melodies, and unexpected rhythmic interjections. The quartet’s Adagio ma non troppo second movement is another operatic movement, this time with a stately, heavily ornamented first violin melody. A bouncy Menuetto seems to blend the contrasting vibes of the first two movements. Then, the quartet finishes with a roaring Presto that gives the entire ensemble plenty of opportunities to show off.
—© Ethan Allred
- R. SCHUMANN String Quartet No. 3 in A Major, Op. 41, No. 3
ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810-1856) String Quartet No. 3 in A Major, Op. 41, No. 3
I. Andante espressivo - allegro molto moderato
II. Assai agitato
III. Adagio molto
IV. Finale: allegro molto vivaceRobert Schumann composed his three string quartets in 1842, a year known as his “Year of Chamber Music.” He spent the early part of the year at home while his wife, Clara, a renowned concert pianist, toured through Europe. He expressed growing melancholy, writing “Should I neglect my talent in order to serve as your traveling companion? And conversely, should you let your talent go to waste simply because I happen to be chained to the journal and the piano?”
Despite these challenges, Robert nourished what he described as “continuing quartet thoughts,” writing all three quartets in June and July. In his writings, he professed strong beliefs about what makes a good quartet, believing that one should be conscious of historical examples while also striving to innovate. Most importantly, he felt a composer should foster a sense of conversation among the ensemble, whose members must contribute equally.
Schumann’s String Quartet in A Major, Op. 41, No. 3 begins with a simple, falling “sigh” gesture that echoes throughout the movement. The quartet navigates through murky harmonies until a final cello exhale solidifies the key of A major.
Cleverly, Schumann placed the primary melody of the Assai agitato theme and variations relatively late in the movement in a gloomy, imitative section from the first violin and viola. His rhythms are equally obscured—only partway through the first variation does the downbeat become apparent.
Schumann’s Romantic sensibility comes to the forefront in the Adagio molto with lyrical, melodic swells and lush harmonies. The final movement, on the other hand, consists of a collection of character pieces. A constant dotted rhythm provides unity and vaults the quartet to its rousing conclusion.
—© Ethan Allred
Artists
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Hagen Quartet
String Quartet
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Lukas Hagen, violin
Rainer Schmidt, violin
Veronika Hagen, viola
Clemens Hagen, celloThe Hagen Quartet has attained an unparalleled position among the finest ensembles of our time, having been declared “the pinnacle of musicality” (Die Presse). For nearly four decades, the Hagen has performed throughout the world and amassed a storied discography of nearly fifty recordings. Based in Salzburg, the Hagen Quartet recently celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2021. In addition to its stunning performances, the Quartet’s approach to the business of quartet-playing sets it apart: the Hagen’s focus is purely on the music it makes, which has been reflected in the group’s enormous success.
The Quartet’s previous seasons featured performances in the world’s major music capitals, including multiple concerts at the Wigmore Hall and Cité de la Musique. The Hagen has traveled to Amsterdam to open the Concertgebouw’s First Biennial String Quartet Festival, to Asia for a tour that included three performances in Tokyo, and collaborated in programs together with Sol Gabetta and Jörg Widmann. In addition, a long-awaited Brahms recording together with the pianist Kirill Gerstein was released by Myrios Classics.
The Hagen Quartet has performed regularly in North America for decades. Recent highlights include a complete Beethoven cycle at 92Y in New York; a Brahms program together with the pianist Kirill Gerstein at Duke University; and concerts in Boston, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Montreal, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.
The Hagen Quartet’s most recent recording, featuring Mozart String Quartets K. 387 and K. 458, was awarded the Diapason d’Or and the Choc de Classica, as well as the coveted German ECHO Klassik Prize (2016). In 2011, The Hagen celebrated its 30th anniversary with two recordings for Myrios Classics featuring Mozart, Webern, Beethoven, Grieg, and Brahms. The same year, the Hagen won the ECHO Klassik Prize as Ensemble of the Year; in 2012, the Quartet was named Honorary Member of the Vienna Konzerthaus. Soon after its founding in 1981, the Hagen Quartet signed an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon that resulted in 45 albums over the next twenty years featuring a wide array of repertoire, a project that has resulted in some of the iconic quartet recordings.
Lukas, Veronika, and Clemens Hagen are siblings, and have been performing together nearly their whole lives; Rainer Schmidt joined the group in 1987. The Hagen has collaborated regularly with celebrated artists including György Kurtág, Maurizio Pollini, Mitsuko Uchida, Sabine Meyer, Krystian Zimerman, Heinrich Schiff, Jörg Widmann, and the late Nikolaus Harnoncourt.
Younger musicians regard the Hagen Quartet as the archetype of sound quality, ensemble playing, and genuine commitment to the works and composers of the genre. As teachers and mentors at the Salzburg Mozarteum and the Hochschule in Basel—as well as in international masterclasses—the Quartet’s members take great pride in passing on their wealth of experience and their old-fashioned craftsmanship to younger colleagues.