Emerson String Quartet: Shostakovich Cycle - Part 3
Poised on a knife edge between revealing and concealing personal meanings, Shostakovich’s middle three quartets are played by the renowned Emerson Quartet.
The third concert in the Emerson Quartet’s ongoing Shostakovich cycle brings to life some of the composer’s finest works in this genre.
The Seventh Quartet, condensed and lamenting, pays tribute to the memory of the composer’s first wife.
Next comes perhaps the most famous, No.8, which the composer is said to have seen as his own epitaph.
It dates from a time when Shostakovich was experiencing some of his darkest times under the Soviet regime.
When one ensemble played it to him, hoping for his comments, ‘Shostakovich, overwhelmed by this beautiful realisation of his most personal feelings, buried his head in his hands and wept’.
Its dedication, ‘To the victims of fascism and the war’, seems an official directive.
The concert closes with No.9, dedicated to his second wife, whom he married two years before completing it.
The Emerson Quartet kick off the evening in a free pre-concert talk with Professor Laura Tunbridge, reflecting on over 45 years of performing string quartets around the world.
The Emerson Quartet’s cycle continues with two further concerts next season.
Performers
- Emerson String Quartet
Repertoire
- Shostakovich: String Quartet No.7 in F sharp minor, Op.108; String Quartet No.8 in C minor, Op.110
- Interval
- Shostakovich: String Quartet No.9 in E flat, Op.117
- Encore:
- Bach: Chorale-prelude, Vor deinen Thron tret' ich, BWV.668 (fragment) arr. Udo Wesseipe for string quartet
Need to know
Queen Elizabeth Hall at 6pm: pre-concert talk. The Emerson String Quartet in conversation with Professor Laura Tunbridge reflect on over 45 years of performing string quartets around the world. Admission free.
Find out more and book the other two concerts that are currently available in the Emerson String Quartet: Shostakovich Cycle using the links below.
Emerson String Quartet: Shostakovich Cycle – Part 1
Emerson String Quartet: Shostakovich Cycle – Part 2
Dates & times
Price
- Standard entryFrom £15*
- Concessions25%**
* Excludes £3.50 booking fee.
Book as early as you can to ensure the best choice of tickets. Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.
** Limited availability. Read about concessions.
Tickets can only be sold through the Southbank Centre and our authorised agents, and can't be resold. You can return your tickets to the Southbank Centre for a credit voucher up to 48 hours before the event. Tickets resold on any third-party platforms will become invalid.
Get presale tickets
Members get the first chance to book our entire programme of events, including go-down-in-history gigs, concerts with world-class orchestras, and talks from cultural icons and political giants.
Multi-buy discount
Classical Music: Spring/Summer 2022
As part of our classical music multi-buy offer, book multiple Spring/Summer concerts in the same transaction to receive a discount:
- 3 – 4 events: 10% discount
- 5 – 7 events: 15% discount
- 8 – 10 events: 20% discount
- 11 – 14 events: 25% discount
- 15+ events: 30% discount
Discounts apply to selected events from February until June 2022 inclusive. Offer can't be combined with Autumn/Winter multi-buy.
Venue
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Our number one priority is the health and wellbeing of our visitors and staff.
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is open 90 minutes before events
Our address is: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. The nearest tube and train stations within 5-7 minutes walk are Waterloo (Northern, Bakerloo, Jubilee and Waterloo & City lines) and Embankment (District & Circle lines). There are also lots of bus routes with stops 2-5 minutes from our venues. For more information on getting here by road, rail or river.
Pre-booking online is recommended. Check our website on the day for returns. There’s no need to print your e-ticket – just show your phone to our Visitor Assistants on entry.
Some free events don't require a ticket. Found an event labelled FREE on our website with no way to book? Simply turn up on the day.
If you don't receive your e-ticket
Your e-ticket will be sent to you seven days before the event date from [email protected]. If you don't receive your e-ticket, and it's not in your junk or spam folder, please get in touch.
More information
Find out all you need to know about tickets, including concessions, group bookings, returns, credit vouchers and more, via the link below.
Get an overview of the seating layout of Queen Elizabeth Hall by downloading our seating plan.
Toilets
An accessible toilet is located in the foyer.
A Changing Places toilet is located on Level 1 Royal Festival Hall next to the JCB Glass Lift, for the exclusive use of disabled people who need personal assistance to use the toilet.
The facility includes a height-adjustable bench, tracking hoist system, a centrally-placed toilet, a height-adjustable basin and a shower. Please visit the Welcome Desk on Level 2, Royal Festival Hall, where a member of staff can provide you with the key. You can also use the phone next to the Changing Places toilet to speak to a member of staff. The facility is open daily 10am – 11pm.
Cloakroom
The Queen Elizabeth Hall cloakroom is closed. You won’t be able to bring any bags over 40 x 25 x 25cm into the Queen Elizabeth Hall, so please leave large bags at home.
We're cash-free
Please note that we're unable to accept cash payments across our site.
For step-free access from the Queen Elizabeth Hall Slip Road off Belvedere Road to the Queen Elizabeth Hall auditorium seating (excluding rows A to C) and wheelchair spaces in the Rear Stalls, plus Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer and the Purcell Room, please use the Queen Elizabeth Hall main entrance.
To reach this entrance, enter the Royal Festival Hall via the Southbank Centre Square Doors. Take the JCB Glass Lift to Level 2 and exit to the Riverside Terrace. Turn right to find the Queen Elizabeth Hall main entrance.
You can also use the external lift near the Artists' Entrance on Southbank Centre Square to reach Mandela Walk, Level 2.
For access to the Queen Elizabeth Hall auditorium seating rows A to C and wheelchair spaces in the Front Stalls, please enter via the Artists' Entrance in the Queen Elizabeth Hall Slip Road (Level 1).
Talk to a member of staff at the auditorium entrance if you have a disability that means you can’t queue, or you need extra time to take your seat. They can arrange priority entry for you as soon as the doors open.
Please bear with us while we update our access map to reflect the refurbishment of the Royal Festival Hall’s Level 2 foyer spaces. The step-free routes remain the same.
From a snack with coffee to cocktails and fine dining, plus some of London's best street food – it's all here on the Southbank Centre site.