Ives Quartet – November 14, 2014

William Bolcom Three Rags (Poltergeist; Graceful Ghost; Incineratorag)Quincy Porter String Quartet No. 9Antonín Dvorák String Quintet No. 3, Op. 97The Ives Quartet has established a reputation for passion, precision, and provocative programming, winning accolades for playing that shows both super-refinement and visceral, rock-and-roll intensity. Inspired by the passionate, artistic commitment and unique temperament of American composer Charles Ives (1874–1954), the quartet has attracted critical enthusiasm for its “practice of reveling in the unfamiliar,” championing an eclectic repertoire that combines established masterworks with underappreciated gems, neglected scores of early-twentieth-century America, and specially commissioned new pieces. Brought to America to try and found a distinctly American music, Dvorák wrote his “American” String Quintet in five weeks in 1893. This program illustrates the diverse paths native composers have taken on their own search for an American voice. For more information please visit ivesquartet.org.