The cello gets some treasured time in the spotlight in HaydnBurgh: The Cello Strikes Back! The quartets of Haydn and his contemporaries give the vast majority of melodic material to the first violin, while the cello mostly provides rhythmic and harmonic support. Fortunately for cellists, Haydn writes those supporting figures in clever, creative ways so the cellist doesn’t get stuck with boring, formulaic music. Still, it’s nice to get the main tune sometimes! Each of the three pieces on this program features a beautiful cello melody- in fact, the first thing you will hear is the noble, lyrical theme of Op. 20 #2 played by cellist Cecilia Caughman.

Quartet Op. 20 #2 in C major

Quartet Op. 50 #3 in Eb major

Quartet Op. 74 #2 in F major