Estampie, from String Quartet Set

Music is always changing - every time a melody is hummed, every time a rhythm is tapped out - and music travels with the people who share it. Ligeti Quartet presents a programme inspired by folk music from around the world. Through original compositions by established composers, the instruments of the string quartet find new words, new languages, and paint new pictures to create a new music. 

This concert showcases the expansion of the string quartet repertoire to include music from beyond the Western classical tradition. Christian Mason’s Tuvan Songbook is part of a series of Songbooks to be commissioned by the Ligeti Quartet, each based on a tradition of overtone singing from around the world. ‘Melodicles’ is a musical concept invented by American composer Lou Harrison, whose centenary is celebrated in 2017. His String Quartet Set borrows from medieval European and Eastern influences.