Next week Early Music Hawaii will present another delightful concert in its virtual season, the Diderot String Quartet with Harry Bicket in a program of 17th c. string music, called “Journey through Baroque Europe.” The program will include music by Castello, Biber, Muffatt, Krieger, and Durante.

The premiere will take place next Friday, March 12th at 7:00 pm and will be available until Sunday, March 21 at 10:00 pm. The program is presented free of charge, but of course donations to support this program are encouraged and welcomed.

The Diderot String Quartet is named after the eighteenth-century French philosopher and Boccherini enthusiast Denis Diderot—it brings a fresh approach to works of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Called “emotional, riveting, and ultimately cathartic” (The Wall Street Journal), Diderot came together in 2012 after having first met at Oberlin Conservatory and The Juilliard School. The four musicians share a background in historical performance and a passion for the string quartet genre; they found the thrill of exploring the quartet repertoire on period instruments to be irresistible. 

What makes this string quartet different from other string quartets? Primarily it’s the instruments which make all the difference—the quartet plays on period instruments with gut strings.

Here is a description of gut vs. steel strings as explained on Strings magazine:

Gut core These are the original type of strings and their design goes back several centuries. Typically made from sheep intestines, gut strings are lower tension than synthetic- or steel-core strings and have a complex tone that is rich with overtones. Because of the low tension and winding method, they are more pliable under the fingers than other strings, tend to have slower response, and require players to finesse the sound from their instruments with the bow. Gut-core strings also need more frequent tuning, especially if there is a rapid change in room temperature, like stepping under hot stage lights.

Steel core The steel E string was introduced for violins at the beginning of the 20th century and was followed by the other steel-core strings and various windings, usually chrome steel. The steel E quickly became widely used and cellists took to steel-core strings fairly quickly. In general, steel strings have a quick response and a clear, focused, brilliant tone. But, don’t expect a great deal of depth and tonal complexity from steel-core strings.

Here is a sample video of the Diderot String Quartet to give you a taste of a period string ensemble.

Mark your calendars now! The video link will be posted to the Early Music Hawaii website.