Placitas Artists Series concert to showcase string quartets

Feb. 5—Las Placitas Presbyterian Church will host cellist James Holland and violinist Megan Holland in a program of string quartets at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11.

The Hollands will be joined by violinist David Felberg and violist Kim Fredenburgh, all of whom have been frequent participants in Placitas Artists Series concerts.

The program will open with Spanish composer Joaquín Turina's "La Oración del Torero (The Bullfighter's Prayer)."

The musicians will then move into Edvard Grieg's "String Quartet No. 1 in g minor, Op. 27."

Grieg wrote the quartet in 1877 — 78 while living at a farm in Hardanger, Norway. He wrote to a friend, "I have recently finished a string quartet which I still haven't heard. It is in G minor and is not intended to bring trivialities to market. It strives towards breadth, soaring flight and above all resonance for the instruments for which it is written."

Ludwig van Beethoven wrote his "String Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59" in 1808. This work is the third of three of his "Razumovsky" cycle of string quartets in honor of the Russian count, and is a product of his "middle" period from 1802-1812. From these 10 productive years come most of the pieces that audiences think of as "the famous Beethoven," such as the Fifth Symphony, the Violin Concerto, and the opera "Fidelio."

Concertgoers are encouraged to come early for a 2 p.m. monthly artists' reception in the Fellowship Hall at the church, 7 Paseo de San Antonio Road in Placitas. On exhibit will be the works of Janet Bothne, acrylic and mixed painting; Karl Hofmann, linocut prints; Katherine Irish, pastel painting; and Carol Allen, jewelry & clothing. The artworks will be on exhibit through March 8.