String Quartet in F major, opus 135 [1826] Ludwig van Beethoven
 (1770-1827)
 I. Allegretto
 II. Vivace
 III. Assai lento, cantante e tranquillo
 IV. Der schwer gefasste Entschluss: Grave, ma non troppo tratto; Allegro

Jeff Thayer and Jisun Yang, violins
Che-Yen Chen, viola
Charles Curtis, cello
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"So The Last Shall Be The First..."

In October 2010, Camera Lucida performed the very last string quartet of Beethoven, the Quartet in F major, Opus 135. Not only the last of his string quartets, Opus 135 is in fact Beethoven's last full composition, completed in October 1826, months before his death. With that performance, Camera Lucida initiated an extended survey of all sixteen quartets of Beethoven – not in one weekend, or in one season, but over years. In certain years we presented only one quartet; in some, more than one. These complex, intensely demanding works were situated in the familiar habitat of music by Haydn, Schubert, Dvorak, Brahms, surrounded by the avatars of that intoxicating and abundant world, 19th century European chamber music. We programmed the Beethoven cycle, perversely, in backwards order, from the last to the first, working in reverse historical time, but forwards in lived time. We hoped to trace the mysteries of this music back to its beginnings, from the enigmas of the late quartets, to the almost embarrassing opulence and exhibitionism of the middle quartets, back to the initial salvo of six quartets published as Opus 18 in 1801. The penultimate installment of our cycle was the Quartet in c minor, Opus 18 No. 4, on February 10, 2020. And then the world pandemic stopped us in our tracks.

Camera Lucida returns on Monday, November 7 to the Conrad Prebys Concert Hall to complete our task. As the last chapter in this quixotic endeavor, 12 years after its inception, we will present the very first of Beethoven's quartets, the String Quartet in (again!) F major, Opus 18 No. 1.

Our program includes the Piano Trio in E-flat major of Haydn, as well as Dvorak's Piano Quintet in A major. We rejoice in welcoming you back to our concert hall, and to the sounds, vibrations, and shimmering resonances of the illuminated chamber, Camera Lucida.

Monday, November 7, 2022
Conrad Prebys Concert Hall
7:30 PM

Camera Lucida
Reiko Uchida, piano
Jeff Thayer and Wes Precourt, violins
Che-Yen Chen, viola
Charles Curtis, cello

Haydn:  Piano Trio in E-flat major, Hob XV:30
Beethoven:  String Quartet in F major, Opus 18 Nr. 1
Dvorak:  Quintet for Piano and Strings in A major, Opus 81

[link to the Beethoven Quartet in F major, opus 135, in a live performance by Camera Lucida in October 2010.]

CameraLucida: Beethoven The String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135

UC San Diego's Department of Music publishes a series of annual Sound Check compilations featuring works by graduate composers and performers. Each issue is curated by individual faculty members, representing a specific conceptual window into the Department's activities. They are available by digital download at the Department's website and on CD by mailorder.

CameraLucida: Beethoven The String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135

UC San Diego MUSIC