USUO On Demand This Week: Utah Symphony String Quartet Performs Movements from Mozart and Mendelssohn

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (February 2, 2021) – Two prodigious composers who lived half a century apart are featured by the Utah Symphony string quartet in this week’s online, 30-minute On Demand chamber concert stream. Movements from Mozart and Mendelssohn’s string quartets are offered today through March 3 through the USUO: On Demand streaming portal.

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Felix Mendelssohn was bent on forging connections between the musical world of his time and the music of past generations. This program echoes a similar bridge between the opening movements of Mozart’s high classical String Quartet in D Minor and the final movements of Mendelssohn’s Opus 44 String Quartet.

Mozart’s String Quartet in D minor was an homage to the quartets of Joseph Haydn. The series of six quartets, of which the D minor quartet is a part, showcase Mozart at the peak of his creative power. Unusual for the time, they were written solely on the basis of inspiration, not commission.

Although it was actually the last of the three opus 44 quartets to be composed nearly 50 years later, it seems that Mendelssohn was particularly proud of his Opus 44, which may be the reason it was published as the first of the set. The final movement of Mendelssohn’s quartet in D Major is a driving Saltarello (a 16th century dance) reminiscent of the final movement of his Italian symphony.

The Mozart & Mendelssohn chamber concert features Utah Symphony musicians violinists Yuki MacQueen and Alex Martin, violist Joel Gibbs, and cellist John Eckstein in an encore performance that was originally broadcast in November.

In October, Utah Symphony | Utah Opera launched On Demand streaming, virtual concert experiences ranging from intimate recitals with international soloists to full Utah Symphony Masterworks performances, for virtual access available for 30 days following the initial release date. In order to make the content as accessible as possible, access to streaming content is “pay what you wish” with minimum amounts starting at $5 through $15 for subscribers and $10 through $20 for non-subscribers. Listed prices are minimums and offer a low entry price for the community. Patrons have the option to pay above the minimum price if they desire to help support Utah Symphony | Utah Opera.

Utah Symphony chamber ensembles featured On Demand performances included a piano trio, woodwind quintet, brass quintet in addition to the string quartet now available as an encore performance.