A selection of American folksongs, spirituals and rags – Jupiter String Quartet
– Any How Spiritual, arr. Evelyn La Rue Pittman
– Florence Price – from Five folksongs in Counterpoint
1. Clementine. Tempo moderato
2. Drink to me only with Thine eyes. Andante cantabile
3. Shortnin’ Bread
– William Bolcom – from Rags for String Quartet
Graceful Ghost (1970)
Incineratorrag (1967)
– Deep River Spiritual, harmonised by H.T. Burleigh
John Adams – Shaker Loops – Jupiter String Quartet, Peter Clark (violin), Lavinnia Rae (cello), Phoebe Russell (bass)
Franz Schubert – Trio in E-flat major – Natalia Lomeiko (violin), Daniel McDonough (cello), Jeremy Denk (piano)
From the soulful strains of American spirituals to the rhythmic vitality of rags, this concert traces a rich musical lineage. The Jupiter String Quartet brings fresh life to selections by William Bolcom, Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, and H.T. Burleigh – composers who infused classical traditions with the voice of American folk heritage.
They are joined by Peter Clark (violin) and Phoebe Russell (double bass) for John Adams’ Shaker Loops, a shimmering, minimalist masterpiece inspired by the ecstatic rituals of the Shaker religious community.
The evening concludes with the second of our quartet of Schubert masterworks, his late Piano Trio in E-flat, the only one of Schubert’s large-scale and serious instrumental works printed in his lifetime. Full of rich melodies, charm, playfulness, and infectious rhythmic energy, Schubert declared the work “is dedicated to nobody, except those who find pleasure in it”.
