Alexander String Quartet with Robert Greenberg, lecturer May 14, 2011

The Alexander String Quartet's unique Saturday Morning Series showcasing great quartet repertoire in its artistic and historical context returns to the city this January with San Francisco Performances. Hosted by SF Performances' music historian-in-residence Robert Greenberg, the SF series offers four programs with lectures focused on Bartok and Kodaly 10 a.m. SaturdayMay 14 at the Herbst Theatre. Tickets range from $46 to just $25.

Bartok and Kodaly, lifelong friends and champions of one another's impressive work, each uncovered the folk music traditions of their native Hungary, blending them with Romantic and modern strains in their repertoire. The quartets showcased in these programs are distinct, drawing on allusions and far-reaching influences.

The Saturday Morning Series is one of SF Performances' most popular. Greenberg, described as the "Elvis of music history and appreciation," brings charisma, humor and depth to his lectures, while the virtuosic ASQ opens up the great chamber repertoire for audiences through its clear-eyed interpretations. Together, they have delved into the quartet masterworks of Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Shostakovich and more since 1994.

Program 1
10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 15
BARTOK: String Quartet No. 1
KODALY: String Quartet No. 1, op. 2

Program 2
10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 19
BARTOK: String Quartet No. 2
KODALY: String Quartet No. 2, op. 10

Program 3
10 a.m. Saturday, March 12
BARTOK: String Quartets Nos. 3 and 4

Program 4
10 a.m. May 14
BARTOK: String Quartets Nos. 5 and 6

For more information call (415) 392-2545, or visit sfperformances.org

Official Website: http://www.sfperformances.org