SIGN OF THE TIMES
November 5

This evening’s program, Sign of Times, brings together three profoundly different works that reflect on humanity’s experience of conflict, remembrance, and resilience. Across history, music has not only entertained but also borne witness to the struggles and triumphs of the human spirit. Music has long served as a vessel for memory and protest, a space where composers can grapple with the realities of war and give voice to those who have been silenced. The journey begins with the elegance and balance of Mozart, whose music represents an ideal of harmony and order at a moment when Europe was on the brink of revolutionary change. It then continues with Richard Blackford’s heartfelt tribute to the enduring spirit of the Ukrainian people, and ending  with  Shostakovich’s haunting meditation on personal and collective suffering. Together, these three works trace a powerful emotional arc—from hope and unity, to resilience and survival, to the stark confrontation of loss. Sign of the Times invites us to listen not only to the beauty of the music itself but also to the stories and histories it carries, reminding us of music’s timeless role as both witness and guide through the challenges of the human experience.

W.A. Mozart (1756–1791)
String Quartet No. 21 in D major, K. 575

Composed in June 1789, this string quartet is the first of his three “Prussian Quartets,” written for King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia, an avid cellist. This quartet reflects Mozart’s mature chamber style, combining elegance with intricate contrapuntal textures. Written in four movements, it opens with a graceful Allegretto that showcases flowing melodies and balanced dialogue among the instruments. The second movement, Andante, highlights the cello with lyrical passages, a nod to the king’s instrument, while the Menuetto: Allegretto provides a poised and courtly dance-like character. The finale, Allegretto, is light and spirited, bringing the work to a refined conclusion. K. 575 stands out for its clarity, warmth, and subtle sophistication, embodying Mozart’s late style and his ability to blend technical mastery with expressive depth.

Richard Blackford (b. 1954)
Variations on a Ukrainian Folk Song for String Quartet

DYNAMIKfest is honored to present tonight the European premiere of Richard Blackford’s powerful new work. In the composer’s own words: “Written in 2024 as a tribute to the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people, this piece takes its inspiration from the beloved folksong Oi zatsvela kalinoinka (‘Viburnum Blossoms’). Across seven variations, the music takes listeners on a journey: it begins with energy and growing momentum, then shifts to moments of anguish and reflection, before moving toward hope and renewal. The early variations dance with increasing vitality, while the fourth variation breaks the theme apart in a cry of dissonance—a musical reflection of hardship and loss. An elegy follows, led by the viola, offering a moment of deep tenderness. Lightness returns in the sixth variation, before the finale bursts forth in triumph, as if bells were ringing out in celebration after a long night of darkness.”

D. Shostakovich (1906–1975)
String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110

Shostakovich’s Eighth Quartet is widely regarded as one of the most deeply moving chamber works of the 20th century. Written in just three days in July 1960, during a visit to the bombed-out ruins of Dresden, the quartet is officially dedicated “to the victims of fascism and war.” Yet many listeners and scholars hear within it a much more personal and complex statement, one that reflects Shostakovich’s own life under the oppressive regime of Soviet Russia. Throughout the quartet, Shostakovich weaves his musical signature — the notes D, E-flat, C, B (or DSCH in German notation) — into the texture, making the work an unmistakably autobiographical piece. Its five interconnected movements unfold without pause, moving through grief, violence, and haunting stillness. The opening Largo introduces the DSCH motif in a somber fugue, establishing a mood of introspection. The following movements grow increasingly intense, incorporating quotations from Shostakovich’s earlier works and even references to Russian revolutionary songs. This intertextuality gives the quartet a feeling of both personal confession and collective memory. Many have interpreted the work as Shostakovich’s artistic epitaph — a musical testament not only to the victims of war but also to the composer’s own inner struggles. In the fourth movement, the music erupts with violent interruptions, like gunshots ringing out or the dreaded knocks on a door in the dead of night — sounds that evoke both the terror of war and the suffocating atmosphere of political repression. After these brutal outbursts, the quartet’s final pages retreat into the hushed stillness of the opening, leaving the listener with an air of resignation and unresolved sorrow.