RENOWNED TAKÁCS QUARTET on US TOUR

with PREMIERE of NOKUTHULA NGWENYAMA'S FLOW (2023)

Vail, CO - Boston, MA - New York, NY - Philadelphia, PA - Schenectady, NY - Scottsdale, AZ - Buffalo, NY - Ann Arbor, MI - Rochester, NY

"The miracle of watching a great string quartet perform: the Takács Quartet delivered precision plus expression plus absolute naturalness and ease at their latest Wigmore Hall recital." - The Spectator (London)

New York, NY: January 8, 2024 -- The Grammy Award-winning Takács Quartet, currently in their 49th season and widely regarded as one of the world's greatest string quartets, bring premiere performances of Flow—a brand-new work by composer and violist Nokuthula Ngwenyama—to cities around the U.S. in February, March and April; the world premiere took place in Berkeley, CA in November. The Wall Street Journal called  Flow a "heartfelt string quartet rooted in science [that] was passionately performed between works by Haydn and Beethoven."

Flow is the cornerstone of a program entitled “The Natural World.”  The program opens with Haydn’s “Sunrise” Quartet and closes with Beethoven’s “Razumovsky” Quartet, which found its place on the program due to the report of composer Carl Czerny (a student of the great master) that Beethoven had conceived the slow movement “while contemplating the starry sky and thinking of the music of the spheres.”  

"Flow starts like gas seeping from an infinitely full balloon about to pop," writes Ngwenyama in her program note.  "Then, as matter inflates space, climactic material is presented almost immediately before abruptly burning out for the universal dark ages."

As they embark on the next leg of the tour, the Quartet reflect on the experience so far, saying, “Now that we’ve performed Flow several times, we appreciate even more its theatrical impact. We love how audiences are responding to the beauty, humor, and sense of wonder with which Thula celebrates the natural world.”

Ngwenyama writes in her program note, "When Harumi Rhodes of the celebrated Takács Quartet asked me about writing a piece for the group I was surprised, greatly honored and fearful.  The string quartet is considered a “perfect” ensemble...Harumi asked that the quartet be about anything in the natural world...I researched a wide array of subjects for over a year. Topics included the life cycle, carbon reclamation, environmental protection, animal communication, starling murmurations, our last universal common ancestor (LUCA), black hole collisions and the sub-atomic realm. I listened to the recordings of the Takács Quartet with gusto. Systems layered upon other systems revealed a common flow to existence tying us to the initial outburst of energy and matter at the birth of our universe."

Flow was co-commissioned by: Cal Performances; Portland Friends of Chamber Music; The Broad Stage; Shriver Hall Concert Series; Celebrity Series of Boston; the 92nd Street Y, New York; Philadelphia Chamber Music Society; Capital Region Classical; and UMS, University of Michigan.  

"[Flow is]...an engrossing work also sprinkled with scientific allusions to everything from starling to startling: murmurations to black-hole collisions." -- ArtsSF

New Takács Quartet Recordings This Season

The Takács Quartet's new recording of works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Dvořák for Hyperion Records has been garnering excellent reviews. Gramophone wrote, “The Takács are impressive on this album: every micro-phrase, every note is considered. Their sound draws you in from the first moment. The opening chords and sinuous lines vibrate and thrill on many levels..."  The Quartet's Hyperion recordings are now available on Spotify. 

On March 29th, Hyperion will release the Quartet's recording of works by Schubert, including his final quartet in G major. Also this spring (2024), the ensemble will perform and record piano quintets by Price and Dvořák with long-time chamber music partner Marc-André Hamelin. 

"The Natural World" Tour Dates, 2024

* Indicates Flow Co-commissioning venue

February 11, 2024 / Beaver Creek, CO / Vilar Performing Arts Center 
February 16, 2024 / Boston, MA / Celebrity Series of Boston*
March 13, 2024 / New York, NY / The 92nd Street Y, New York (NY Premiere)*
March 15, 2024 / Philadelphia, PA /Philadelphia Chamber Music Society*
March 17, 2024 / Schenectady, NY /Capital Region Classical at Union College Memorial Chapel*
March 22, 2024 / Scottsdale, AZ / Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts 
March 26, 2024 / Buffalo, NY / Buffalo Chamber Music Society**
April 12, 2024 / Ann Arbor, MI / UMS, University of Michigan*
April 14, 2024 / Rochester, NY / Eastman School of Music 

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