new release information MAY 2016 artist: Cypress String Quartet title: Beethoven The Early String Quartets, Op. 18 price: 2 CDs for price of 1-1/2 release date: May 2016 selection number: AV 2348 bar code: 822252234824

title: Beethoven The Late String Quartets, Opp. 127, 130, 131, 132, 133 (Große Fuge), 135 price: 3 CDs for the price of 2 release date: May 2016 selection number: AV 2356 bar code: 822252235623 about the releases The Cypress String Quartet completes their cycle of the genre’s greatest oeuvre with a two-album set of Beethoven’s six ground-breaking quartets, Op. 18, alongside a reissue of their previously self-released recording of the late quartets. For the past several seasons, the Cypresses have immersed themselves in performing Beethoven on tours throughout the United States and Europe as well as recording all 16 works plus the “Grande Fugue” (Große Fuge). The completion of their Beethoven cycle is a fitting celebration of the Bay Area-based ensemble’s 20th anniversary as well as their valedictory season: their final performance will take place in June 2016, preceded by a month-long Beethoven celebration performing all of the quartets throughouut the city of San Francisco. critical acclaim for the Cypress String Quartet “a tender, deeply expressive interpretation.” – The New York Times (on Schubert’s String Quintet, AV 2307)

“arresting clarity of sound … this young quartet is among the most impressive I have heard … [combining] the utmost scrupulousness and

seriousness with a sense of discovery. – Stereophile performance dates Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Cypress String Quartet performs all of Beethoven’s quartets over two weeks in a series of free concerts in various, unique public venues throughout San Francisco: May 4 Venue TBA May 5 Bayview YMCA May 8 The Castro May 13 San Francisco City Hall May 19 Yerba Buena Center for the Arts other performance dates: May 13, 20 Berkeley, CA Maybeck Studio May 14 Napa, CA Jarvis Conservatory May 22 Palo Alto, CA Woman’s Club May 31 – June 13 Sitka, AK Sitka Summer Music Festival June 26 San Francisco, CA San Francisco War Memorial – Farewell Concert

Cecily Ward violin

Tom Stone violin

Ethan Filner viola

Jennifer Kloetzel cello

Producer: Cecily WardRecording Engineer: Mark WillsherAssistant Engineers: Dann Thompson, Judy Kirschner & Robert GatleyDigital Editing & Mastering: Mark WillsherPhotos: Basil ChildersDesign: www.meyercreative.comRecorded at 96kHz 24 bit on the Skywalker Sound scoring stage using a matched pair of Sanken CO-100K microphones.©2012 Cypress Performing Arts Association. CSQBC012

www.cypressquartet.com912 Cole Street #137, San Francisco CA 94117

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Beethoven: The Late String Quartets When people discuss the greatest contributions to the arts in Western civilization, names such as Shakespeare, da Vinci and Beethoven inevitably arise. Proponents for Beethoven cite his five late quartets, which were the final major works that he completed. These masterpieces were forward-looking, yet they also refer back to Haydn, Mozart and Handel. They reveal Beethoven’s deep appreciation for classical Greek culture, its form, and proportions. The chance to play these great pieces inspired us to form the Cypress String Quartet. We could not imagine a meaningful musical life without them.

Our journey toward this recording began in the summer of 1996, when we sat down for our first rehearsals. Any quartet has to both create and discover a unique sound, and it was within J.S. Bach’s Chorales that we began to shape the collective Cypress voice. Later that summer, we added late Beethoven to our repertoire and his music has nourished and strengthened our sensibilities ever since. In the years that we have explored and reveled in this music – preparing for this recording – Beethoven has given us a context within which we could shape ourselves while exploring the emotional complexity of humanity. We have approached this recording with considerable humility, but even more joy. This is music to live by – music from which we have taken great inspiration and music that we offer to you in hopes of illuminating Beethoven’s lifelong heroic struggle with sound and silence.

Cypress String Quartet Known for its elegant performances, the Cypress String Quartet has been praised by Gramophone for its “sheer instrumental mastery” and by BBC Music Magazine for its

“beautifully rounded ensemble sound.” The Cypress Quartet was formed in San Francisco in 1996 and maintains a busy national and international tour schedule, making appearances on concert series and in venues including Cal Performances, Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, Stanford Lively Arts, Krannert Center and Ravinia Festival. Their collaborators have included artists such as Leon Fleisher, Jon Nakamatsu, Awadagin Pratt, Gary Hoffman, Atar Arad and James Dunham.

Through its signature Call & Response program, the Cypress Quartet commissions and premieres new string quartets from both emerging and celebrated composers. To date, the Cypress Quartet has commissioned and premiered more than 30 pieces, four of which were chosen for Chamber Music America’s list of “101 Great American Ensemble Works.”

The Cypress Quartet members received degrees from many of the world’s finest conservatories before coming together as a quartet. These include The Juilliard School, Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal College of Music (London), The Cleveland Institute of Music, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. After a residency at the Banff Centre and a fellowship at the Aspen Music Festival’s Center for Advanced Quartet Studies, the Quartet coached intensively in London with the Amadeus Quartet. Cypress members play exceptional instruments by Bellarosa, Bergonzi, Amati and Stradivarius.

These recordings were made possible through the generous support of Gloria Miner, Amy Rao and

Harry Plant, Wendy and Eric Schmidt, Robert Mailer Anderson and Nicola Miner, the Hewlett Foundation

and the San Francisco Grants for the Arts.

Special thanks to the late Norbert Brainin of the Amadeus Quartet for his inspiration and for

hearing something extraordinary in our group.His encouragement was important to us in

developing and pursuing our artistic vision.

We also wish to thank our families and dear friends for their many years of support

and encouragement.

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summary The Cypress String Quartet celebrates its 20th anniversary, which also marks their valedictory season, with the completion of its Beethoven cycle, releasing the six early, Opus 18 quartets, alongside a reissue of the late quartets.

promotion and marketing Media targets: Classical, Strings Highlights: Feature in Strings magazine tracklist Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) The Early String Quartets CD 1 String Quartet No. 1 in F major, Op. 18, No. 1 1. I. Allegro con brio 2. II. Adagio affettuoso ed appasionato 3. III. Scherzo. Allegro molto 4. IV. Allegro String Quartet No. 5 in A major, Op. 18, No. 5 5. I. Allegro 6. II. Menuetto – Trio 7. III. Andante cantabile con variazioni 8. IV. Allegro String Quartet No. 6 in B-flat major, Op. 18, No. 6 9. I. Allegro con brio 10. II. Adagio, ma non troppo 11. III. Scherzo. Allegro 12. IV. La Malinconia. Adagio 13. V. Allegretto quasi Allegro CD 2 String Quartet No. 2 in G major, Op. 18, No. 2 1. I. Allegro 2. II. Adagio cantabile 3. III. Scherzo. Allegro 4. IV. Allegro molto, quasi Presto String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 18, No. 3 5. I. Allegro 6. II. Andante con moto 7. III. Allegro 8. IV. Presto String Quartet No. 4 in C minor, Op. 18, No. 4 9. I. Allegro, ma non tanto 10. II. Scherzo. Andante scherzoso quasi Allegretto 11. III. Menuetto. Allegretto 12. IV. Allegro also available

Beethoven The Middle String Quartets AV 2318 (3 CDs)

The Late String Quartets CD 1 String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat major, Op. 127 1. I. Maestoso - Allegro (6:05) 2. II. Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile (14:44) 3. III. Scherzando vivace (8:54) 4. IV. Allegro (6:47) String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132 5. I. Assai sostenuto - Allegro (9:49) 6. II Allegro ma non tanto (8:32) 7. III. Molto Adagio - Andante (16:12) 8. IV. Alla marcia, assai vivace (2:14) 9. V. Allegro appassionato - Presto (6:31) CD 2 String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat major, Op. 130 1. I. Adagio ma non troppo - Allegro (14:18) 2. II. Presto (2:07) 3. III. Poco scherzoso: Andante con moto ma non troppo (7:25) 4. IV. Alla Danza tedesca: Allegro assai (3:57) 5. V. Cavatina: Adagio molto espressivo (6:34) 6. String Quartet in B-flat major, Op. 130: Original finale (1825): Grosse Fuge: Overtura - Fuga (Op. 133) (15:15) 7. String Quartet in B-flat major, Op. 130: Alternate finale (1826): Finale: Allegro (10:48) CD 3 String Quartet No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 131 1. I. Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo (5:44) 2. II. Allegro molto vivace (3:06) 3. III. Allegro moderato (0:43) 4. Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile-Piu mosso-Andante moderato e lusinghiero-Adagio-Allegretto- Adagio ma non troppo e semplice-Allegretto (14:27) 5. V. Presto (5:19) 6. VI. Adagio quasi un poco andante (2:13) 7. VII. Allegro (6:58) String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135 8. I. Allegretto (6:41) 9. II. Vivace (3:20) 10. III. Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo (7:17) 11. IV. Grave ma non troppo tratto - Allegro (6:56)