Side-by-Side | Fire & Fervour

A breathtaking feat of youthful genius, George Enescu’s String Octet in C major blends sweeping Romanticism with daring invention. Composed at just 19, this rarely heard masterpiece unfolds in a continuous arc of four interwoven movements, brimming with fiery passion, lush harmonies, and dazzling contrapuntal interplay. It’s chamber music with the intensity and scale of a symphony—don’t miss the chance to hear this electrifying work live!

Osvaldo Golijov’s The Last Round (1996) is a fiery homage to Argentine tango master Astor Piazzolla, imagined as a final, defiant duel—a last dance and last fight. Scored for two string quartets and bass, the piece evokes the elegance, danger, and raw emotion of tango, with a driving, urgent first movement and a hauntingly lyrical second. Golijov blends classical craft with the pulsing spirit of Buenos Aires, creating a work that is both tribute and transformation—intense, sensual, and unmistakably alive.

Musicians:

Daniel Rowland, violin

Mikhail Zemstov, viola

Maja Bogdanovic, cello

Nicholas Schwartz, double bass

Davidsbündler Academy Top Talents

Program:

Enescu's String Octet in C Major

Très modéré

Très fougueux

Lentement

Mouvement de valse bien rythmée

Ozwaldo Golijov, "The Last Round"

Our beautiful Steinway is on loan from the National Music Instrument Fund (NMF)