On Sunday morning we enter Beethoven’s final period with two momentous quartets. The Op. 130 Quartet will be performed with Beethoven’s replacement finale. The original Finale, the Great Fugue, or Grosse Fuge, will be performed separately in the closing concert. The Op. 131 Quartet which follows, was Beethoven’s favourite of the late quartets.

Quartet Op. 130 with the replacement finale – ConTempo Quartet
Quartet Op. 131 – Vogler Quartet

Music for Galway presents a unique opportunity to hear the complete Beethoven Quartets this season. Following the Emily Anderson Concert in November, the cycle is completed across five concerts this January weekend, with two long-established quartets sharing the challenge: the Vogler Quartet from Germany, for many years associated with Sligo and the west of Ireland, and our own ConTempo Quartet. Both groups have lived with this music for decades. There can be no better way to start the Beethoven bicentenary year!

The festival also includes a dance element as Galway Dance collaborates with Music for Galway to present a new choreography to partner the momentous Grosse Fuge at the final concert on Sunday afternoon.

The Midwinter Festival is presented in partnership with the University of Galway
Contempo Quartet is presented by MusicConnects

Performers:
ConTempo Quartet | Vogler Quartet | Dance Artists in partnership with Galway Dance

Festival Ticket (includes all 5 concerts): Standard €115 | Concession €105