Serious Humor - Inner Emigration VI
Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 3 is a masterpiece that tells the dramatic story of two decades in the Soviet Union like no other. It begins with a seemingly carefree reminiscence of the 1930s, full of sharp-tongued yet cheerful borrowings from folk music, before the dark threat of 1939 shifts the atmosphere. The war years of 1941 break in with powerful, satirical military march quotations, followed by a deeply moving Adagio, which is reminiscent of a requiem in its expressive strength and is dedicated to the victims of the war. At the end, the work attempts a cautious step back into life - but the path remains uncertain. Like so many other works by Shostakovich, this powerful, realistic painting was harshly condemned by the Soviet censors. In a more relaxed tone, the Hagen Quartet performs another highlight later in the evening: Together with Japanese pianist Mao Fujita, winner of the 2017 Clara Haskil Competition in Vevey, they perform Brahms' monumental Piano Quintet in F minor. Brahms originally conceived the work without a piano - until he finally recognized its full potential and, with the addition of the piano, shaped the work into a perfect flagship of chamber music.
Date and time
August 21, 2025, 19:30
Address
Church Saanen
Organizer
Gstaad Menuhin Festival & Academy
Works
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) String Quartet No. 3 in A major op. 73 35' Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Piano Quintet in F minor op. 34
Soloists
Lukas Hagen, violin Rainer Schmidt, violin Veronika Hagen, viola Clemens Hagen, violoncello Mao Fujita, piano
Admission price
CHF 130 / 110 / 70 / 40
Contact us
+41 33 748 81 82