Shostakovich’s stunning tenth quartet from 1964 returns to the themes of conflict, aftermath and resolution which pervade many of his earlier quartets. After an introductory first movement, the second movement, marked ‘furioso’, is quite shocking in its aggression and graphic portrayal of violence. It is followed by a prayerful and grief-stricken passacaglia which eventually dissolves into a life-affirming finale, picking up the pieces and carrying on.

Siobhan Cleary’s new quartet takes its starting point from Reel du Pendu, a traditional Québécois reel.

Beethoven’s first Rasoumovsky quartet is perhaps the most gloriously expansive of all his quartets. The epic journey of the first movement becomes the playful story-telling of the scherzo, then perhaps his greatest and most loved slow movement gives way to the playful virtuosity of the finale. Earsense.org waxes particularly lyrical on this quartet, and with good reason.

Ficino Quartet
Elaine Clark, violin
Lynda O’Connor, violin
Nathan Sherman, viola
Ailbhe McDonagh, cello

Ficino Quartet

Programme
Shostakovich – String Quartet No.10 [1964]
Siobhan Cleary – Reel du Pendu [2025] †
Beethoven – String Quartet Op.59 No.1 Rasoumovsky [1808]

† First performances

About the Ficino Quartet
Formed in 2013, the Ficino Ensemble has been committed to exploring the vast chamber music repertoire and presenting thoughtfully programmed concerts. The group regularly performs as a string quartet, and the addition of winds and percussion gives the possibility of playing large-scale chamber works. The members share a dedicated approach to contemporary music and have premiered many works. In 2019 they collaborated with several composers of the Irish Composers Collective, where the musicians worked on pieces with the composers and premiered several new works for flute, harp and viola. Ficino Ensemble was recently joined by the Con Tempo String Quartet in a performance of works by Brahms, Mendelssohn and Enescu as part of the Dublin Enescu Festival. In 2018 they performed a concert with Olwen Fouéré as part of MusicTown in Dublin, which included a performance of Thomas Ades’ Four Quarters and Ludwig van Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 132. The group have recorded two acclaimed albums, Winter and Folk Songs. Ficino Ensemble takes the name from Marsilio Ficino, the Renaissance philosopher who regarded music as a “contemplation of the divine”. ficinoensemble.com