The Manhattan String Quartet presents
Brahms
in Hamburg
a conference on the Brahms String Quartet in B-flat major, Op. 67
January 10-17 and January 17-24, 2016
The Manhattan String Quartet is pleased to announce its 16th annual ‘Cultural Expedition’
Dear friends and colleagues,
Hamburg has been a center of music for over 500 years:
Handel, Telemann, Mendelssohn and Brahms are among the
great musicians to have lived and worked in the city. Then
there’s the 175-year-old Hamburg Philharmonic, which also
plays for the Hamburg State Opera – Germany’s first public
opera house and a bastion of culture since 1678. It was on
Hamburg’s Reeperbahn that the Beatles began their rise to
international stardom, commemorated today by a plaque at
the Starclub honoring the Fab Four.
Hamburg’s 800-year-old harbor is one of the largest ports
in the world and the second busiest in Europe. A maritime
spirit infuses the entire city; from architecture to restaurant
menus to the cry of seagulls, you always know that water is
nearby. Hamburg is a center for media and publishing and is
Germany’s wealthiest city. You’ll find vibrant neighborhoods
with multicultural restaurants and an abundance of museums.
Our focus will be the Brahms Quartet No. 3 in B-flat major,
Op 67. The lighthearted nature of this quartet, the only
Brahms quartet in a major key, is but one of the reasons this
piece is so beloved by musicians. Another reason is the third
movement with its prominent solo viola part. There is no other
similar movement in the repertoire, and violists revel in the
opportunity to work on this quartet. Violists alone wear no
mute in the third movement! To the well-known physician and
amateur cellist to whom he dedicated the piece, Brahms wrote,
“There’s no cello solo in it, but such a tender viola solo that
you may want to change your instrument for its sake!”
Please join us next January in Hamburg for an exciting week
of music-making.
Sincerely,
The Manhattan String Quartet
Visit our website at: www.ManhattanStringQuartet.com
Conference Activities
Daily Coaching by
the Manhattan
String Quartet
A highlight of the conference
week, members of the
Manhattan Quartet and guest
artists will provide six 2.5 hour
coaching sessions for participant
quartets. MSQ’s energetic and serious approach provides
participants with a thorough understanding of the piece –
contextual, historical and musical. The learning environment
is non-competitive and mutually supportive, allowing for an
open exchange of ideas and great good humor as well.
LECTURE BY DR. MICHAEL
STRUCK AND DR. JAKOB
HAUSCHILDT How many times
have you asked, “Which edition should
I purchase?” Dr. Michael Struck, a
member of the editorial board of the
Dr. Michael Struck
Brahms Complete Edition, will tell us
what goes into the preparation of a new critical edition and
the importance of both musicological research and musical
practice. We’ll learn how scholars identify and assess sources
to determine the composer’s intent and how they verify and
correct errors from previous editions which directly affect the
way a work is played and heard.
Dr. Jakob Hauschildt
Dr. Jakob Hauschildt is currently
preparing the new critical edition
of Brahms’ arrangements of his
string quartets for piano, 4 hands.
Dr. Hauschildt will share his research
and insights on the Op. 67 quartet in
particular.
This lecture promises to be very exciting as it will
include a performance of the Op. 67 quartet arranged
by Brahms for piano, 4 hands.
CONCERT BY THE MANHATTAN QUARTET,
featuring the Brahms String Quartet in B-flat major, Op. 67
in the Speigelsaal at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe.
VISIT TO THE BRAHMS
ARCHIVE AT THE
CITY UNIVERSITY
OF HAMBURG Built
on a foundation of items
donated by Brahms’s
stepbrother Fritz Schnack
and later significantly
expanded by acquisitions,
this collection of Brahms
documents is one of the
top three or four Brahms
collections worldwide.
It contains handwritten
music manuscripts and
composition sketches by Brahms, music manuscripts from the
estates of Joseph Joachim and Julius Spengel, about 2,600
letters (including 880 handwritten letters by Brahms and 730
letters to Brahms), documents and family papers, photos, and
concert programs.
VISIT TO THE
BRAHMS MUSEUM
IN THE COMPOSERS
QUARTER A typical
merchant’s house, built in
1751, has been the home
of the Hamburg Brahms
Museum now for almost four
decades. It is located close to
where Johannes Brahms’ birthplace stood until its destruction
in 1943. This portrayal of the life and work of Brahms
concentrates on the almost thirty years that Brahms spent in
Hamburg before going to Vienna. One of the Museum’s prized
possessions is the square piano (tafelklavier, c. 1859) that Brahms
used for giving lessons in the years 1861/1862. We’ll also visit
the Telemann Museum, which is just a few steps away.
EXCURSION TO THE
BRAHMS INSTITUTE
IN LÜBECK Founded in
1990 with the acquisition
of the Hofmann collection,
the Brahms Institute
houses one of the world’s
largest and most versatile
collections of Brahms
manuscripts and other source materials. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang
Sandberger, Director of the Institute, will be our guide as
we explore the collection’s important holdings: manuscripts,
engravings, the personal photo collection of Brahms and
much of his extensive correspondence with Robert and Clara
Schumann, Joseph Joachim, and other contemporaries.
Fees and Application Procedure
The faculty welcomes pre-formed quartets as well as individual
musicians. Acceptance will depend upon the number of applicants
and the need for balanced instrumentation in assembling the
participants into full quartets.
Arrival in Hamburg
Application & Deposit Deadline
Final Acceptance Notification
Payment in Full Due
Cello rentals will be available - contact Manhattan String
Quartet for rental fees and other information.
Departure
WEEK 1 Sunday, January 10, 2016 Sunday, January 17, 2016
Payment in full is due by October 15, 2015.
No refunds after October 15, 2015.
We strongly recommend personal travel insurance to
cover the possibility of your unexpected cancellation.
WEEK 2 Sunday, January 17, 2016 Sunday, January 24, 2016
FEES INCLUDE: 7 nights lodging in 4-star hotel in Hamburg,
Germany; daily breakfast and lunch, welcome reception and
dinner, farewell dinner, and conference activities. Conference
begins with dinner on Sunday evening and ends with breakfast
the following Sunday.
(per person)
Single Room
Participant USD $ 2,900
Guest
USD $ 2,250
September 1, 2015
September 15, 2015
October 15, 2015
Neither TFE Hotels nor MSQ Enterprises, Inc.
is responsible for personal property or personal injury.
To apply, fill out the Application Form and
mail it with your deposit to:
Double Room
USD $ 2,650
USD $ 1,950
MSQ Enterprises, Inc.
c/o John Dexter
115 W. 73rd Street, #7A
New York, NY 10023 (USA)
Tel: 212-874-4037
E-mail: manhattan.quartet@verizon.net
Fees include a non-refundable application deposit of
$500 per participant and $300 per guest. In the case of
applicants who are not accepted, deposits will be returned.
Prices do not include transportation to Hamburg, Germany.
REGISTER EARLY AS ENROLLMENT IS LIMITED!
Brahms in Hamburg Application Form (please print clearly)
Please select one session:
WEEK ONE: January 10-17, 2016 WEEK TWO: January 17-24, 2016
Last Name___________________________________________
Instrument(s) _____________________________________
First Name __________________________________________
Level:
Street Address _______________________________________
City ________________________________________________
State/Postal Code ____________________________________
Phone: (day) _________________________________________
Professional
Advanced
Intermediate
Chamber music experience: a lot moderate
Violinists must prepare both parts!
I am most comfortable playing 2nd Violin.
some
Pre-formed Quartets:
E-mail: _____________________________________________
I am coming as a member of a pre-formed quartet. The other
members of the quartet are as follows:
___________________________________________________
Guest Name(s): _______________________________________
___________________________________________________
LODGING: I desire
single room
double room
I will share a room with________________________________
New Participants Only:
Please check here if you are a new participant.
(evening/mobile)___________________________________
How did you hear about MSQ European Conferences?
Emergency Contact:
___________________________________ ______________
___________________________________________________
FEES include a non-refundable deposit of $500 per participant
and $300 per guest:
Participant – Single Room................................. USD $ 2,900
Participant – Double Room............................... USD $ 2,650
Guest – Single Room ........................................ USD $ 2,250
Guest – Double Room....................................... USD $ 1,950
DEPOSIT MUST ACCOMPANY REGISTRATION. PLEASE
MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO “MSQ ENTERPRISES, INC.”
Name
Telephone
APPLICATION DEPOSIT ENCLOSED
Participant(s)
Guest(s)
@
@
$ 500
$ 300
TOTAL DEPOSIT
=
=
$
ACTIVITIES for GUESTS and SPOUSES
While musician participants are engaged in quartet coaching
sessions, guests and spouses may take advantage of informally
organized tours to explore and discover Hamburg. These
tours are optional activities; entrance and/or other fees are
not included in the cost of the conference.
CULINARY
WALKING TOUR OF
ST. GEORG DISTRICT
From highly-decorated
historic buildings along
the Alster to interesting
small shops, the oldest
district of Hamburg has
much to offer. During
our 3-hour culinary
walking tour we’ll learn about the history and architecture
of the St. Georg district. We’ll also visit food shops and
restaurants, sampling a variety of culinary specialties.
VISIT TO MINIATUR
WUNDERLAND
Visit the world’s largest
model train set – a
miniature world that
snakes along eight
miles of track amid
fields, cities, even the
snowcapped Swiss Alps.
Miniatur Wunderland features realistic replicas of parts of
Scandinavia, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the USA.
Figurines about a half-inch (just over one-centimeter) high
represent people in all walks of life.
STEINWAY PIANO
FACTORY During
this private tour of the
Hamburg Steinway factory,
we’ll witness the entire
process of creating a piano,
starting with the raw wood
(walnut, pear, spruce), to the
various veneers (mahogany,
rosewood, pommele), the delicate work of regulating the
action, and the final tuning. Handcrafted by skilled artisans, it
is absolutely fascinating to see how Steinway’s incomparable
sound is achieved.
PRIVATE TOUR OF THE KUNSTHALLE ART MUSEUM
The Hamburger Kunsthalle is one of the largest and most
important museums of art in Germany. Its superb permanent
collection includes 17th-century Dutch masters Rembrandt
and Ruisdael, German Romantic-era works by Caspar David
Friedrich and Philipp Otto Runge, and important paintings
by Adolph Menzel and Max Liebermann. The outstanding
collection of modernist art features works by Max Beckmann,
Edvard Munch and the painters of the “Brücke” group.
AIRBUS FACTORY
TOUR We’ll take a tour
of the manufacturing
facilities where you will be
amazed and fascinated by
the assembly of the forward
and complete rear fuselage
sections. After taking this tour, you will never board an
airplane again without feeling a sense of awe!
ACCOMMODATIONS
ADINA HOTEL HAMBURG AM MICHEL
Located in the center of Hamburg in a quiet residential
area yet within walking distance of all the major sights,
the 4-star Adina Hotel Hamburg Michel will be our
home base for the conference.
The rooms are very spacious, each with a separate sitting
area and kitchenette, individual climate control, iPod
docking station, in-room safe, and complimentary WiFi.
The hotel also has an indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi and
sauna, and fitness center.
Included in the conference fee are seven nights lodging
at the Adina Hotel Hamburg, daily breakfast and lunch,
welcome reception and dinner, farewell dinner, and
conference activities.
Critically acclaimed as one of
Photo: Christian Steiner
America’s leading ensembles, the Manhattan String
Quartet is celebrating its 46th season this year. Hailed
by Michael Steinberg of the Boston Globe as “a
national treasure,” the Manhattan Quartet has appeared
throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, Canada,
Mexico and South America. Notable among its many
recordings is the complete cycle of 15 Shostakovich string
quartets which TIME magazine called “One of the most
important musical events of 1991.”
Curtis Macomber Calvin Wiersma John Dexter Chris Finckel
The group has been Quartet-in-Residence at Colgate
University since 1988 and has also held similar posts
at the Manhattan School of Music, Cornell University,
Grinnell College, Western Connecticut State University,
the Chamber Music Institute in Racine, Wisconsin and
Michigan’s Interlochen National Music Camp (for 21
summers). The Quartet’s teaching activities also include its
own annual KentMusic String Quartet Conference in June,
and annual European conferences focusing on major works
in the string quartet repertoire hosted in the cities where
these pieces were composed.
The Quartet appears regularly in the musical capitals of
Europe including Paris, Leipzig, Budapest, Prague and
Vienna. In 2005 they presented the Shostakovich quartet
cycle in Nagoya and Tokyo, Japan to sold-out audiences.
Since 1981 the Manhattan String Quartet has hosted
annual teaching and performing conferences in the United
States and Europe for young professional quartets and
amateur string players.
COMMENTS from PARTICIPANTS
“The richness of the experience was incomparable. I hesitate
to call it a ‘once in a lifetime experience’ because I am counting
on an encore tour and many more quartet experiences in the
future. Thank you for the opportunity of witnessing once again
your world-class musicianship and artistry.”
“The Prague experience was fabulous! You did a terrific job
of setting things up – it was a superbly planned and run
conference.”
“It was such an amazing and very special week - excellent
coaching, wonderful new people to meet, incredible new
insights!”
“It is unusual for members of a top-notch professional string
quartet to devote such time in sharing their ability to see the
beauty in music. You are not mere professionals but true
teachers who lead us out of ourselves into something new.”
“What a terrific week! Thanks so much for all your efforts to
provide us with a wonderful musical and cultural experience.
You are the best.”
“The experience was a dream! I am still on air. Thank you for
providing us with your many gifts including your personal
warmth and professionalism.”
“The Manhattan Quartet truly stands apart due to your love
for teaching and strong desire to further the tradition of
string quartet playing.”
References from past conferences
We are happy to provide you with several names and
telephone numbers of participants from our recent
conferences, just call us at +1 212-874-4037.
The Manhattan String Quartet
115 W. 73rd Street, Suite 7A
New York, NY 10023
presents
Return Service Requested
Non-Profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Pittsfield, MA
Permit No. 36
Brahms
in Hamburg
a conference on the Brahms String
Quartet in B-flat major, Op. 67
January 10-17 and
January 17-24, 2016
in Hamburg, Germany
www.ManhattanStringQuartet.com
The Manhattan String Quartet Press Acclaim
“The Manhattan String Quartet blends understanding, cohesion and
sharpness to convey the breadth and brilliance of these involving works.”
–TIME Magazine
Photo: Christian Steiner
“The group has an exceptionally bright, clear sound, technically very
precise and seamless. Its interpretations had more of an intellectual
burnish than the emotional quality that typifies a lot of European styles.”
–The Prague Post
Curtis Macomber Chris Finckel Calvin Wiersma John Dexter
“The Manhattan String Quartet’s response to this intensely personal
music is passionate and ultimately exhilarating. It is the very same
refusal to soften the blow of tragedy within the music that makes
listening to these performances a cathartic, deeply satisfying experience.”
–The Washington Times
Upcoming Manhattan String Quartet Workshops/Conferences
Fall 2015 and Spring 2016
New York, NY
String Quartet Workshops
Repertoire and dates to be announced
June 13-19, 2016
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Hamilton, NY
String Quartet Conference
NEW CONFERENCE!
June 20-26, 2016
KentMusic-Seattle
Cornish College of the Arts
Seattle, WA
String Quartet Conference