Taking its name from the Dutch graphic artist MC Escher and inspired by the artist’s methods, the Escher String Quartet currently serves as the season’s artists of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. A former BBC New Generation Artist ensemble, the quartet has performed at London’s BBC Proms at Cadogan Hall, is a regular guest at Wigmore Hall and serves as the quartet in residence at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Founded in 2005, the Escher String Quartet came to the attention of the Emerson Quartet, Pinchas Zukerman and Itzhak Perlman, and is one of the few ensembles to have been awarded the Avery Fisher Career Grant, receiving the prestigious award in 2013. Appearing in many of Europe, Israel and America’s leading concert halls and festivals, the Escher String Quartet tours China this season with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. The ensemble’s discography includes their recordings of the complete von Zemlinsky quartets with Naxos and the complete Mendelssohn quartets on the BIS label, both to great review and acclaim.
Appearing as the guest ensemble of Chamber Music in Oklahoma in the third concert presented this season, on Sunday, February 5th at Christ the King Catholic Church in Oklahoma City, the Escher String Quartet offered three dramatic and highly concentrated works; the Quartet No. 6 in f minor, Op 80 by Felix Mendelssohn, the Quartet No. 3 of Béla Bartók and the Quartet in e minor, Op 59, No. 2 by Ludwig van Beethoven.
This program airs Saturday, February 18th, 8pm on Classical 88.7, HD-1.