Sirius Quartet with Richie Beirach:
Beethoven’s World in the New Millennium
Pianist and composer Richie Beirach believes that it is necessary to completely internalize the works of the great composers of the past before sitting down at the piano to rediscover them, engage in a dialogue with them, and transform them in a very personal way. Working from this conviction for almost 50 years now, he has created a large and fascinating repertoire. Beirach and the Sirius Quartet present a cycle of works from the European musical tradition as well as new compositions by Beirach himself. It is an evening of familiar music presented in a fresh, thoughtful, and entertaining manner – moving beyond conventional preconceptions as only Richie Beirach can.
This unique program explores and re-imagines compositions by Beethoven, Mozart, Purcell, Bach, and Bartok through improvisation. It is well documented that many of the great composers in the Western tradition were improvising performers as well composers. Although it is neglected in today’s classical concert halls, improvisation was an integral part of compositional technique and performance practice in the 18th and 19th century. By restoring improvisation to the classical tradition this program hopes to offer new perspectives on the great masters. Related works by Richie Beirach and members of the Sirius Quartet will also inform this revival.
This engagement is supported by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation through USArtists International in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
