Hampshire String Quartet


The Hampshire String Quartet are funded by Hampshire County Council's Music Service and the current players have been together for nearly two years and regularly perform throughout the county.

The quartet rehearses at weekends and whenever the players’ busy schedules allow. They are thrilled to be playing at the Royal Albert Hall and are very grateful to Music for Youth for giving them this opportunity.

Tonight the quartet is performing the first movement from Smetana’s String Quartet in E minor. In 1876 Smetana was struggling to come to terms with his deafness and in the autumn of that year he started composing this intimate work which he subtitled From My Life. This movement, Allegro vivo Appassionato, strives to express Smetana’s romantic ideals. It was first performed in 1879 and featured the composer Dvořák playing the viola.

Musical Director: Juliet Balch
Manager: Gideon Baker

Age range of performers: 15-17

Performing:
String Quartet in E minor Smetana
i Allegro Vivo