As of 2016, the Emerson String Quartethas been around for 40 years. For comparison, here is a brief list of other awesome things that have been around for 40 years: Benedict Cumberbatch, The Muppet Show, the movie Rocky, the Blues Brothers, Big Red Gum, the game Whack-a-Mole, VHS tapes, and the Ramones’ debut album. In this episode, Emerson violinist Eugene Drucker talks about what it means to play for that long with the same musicians, about what has changed over the years, and about Emerson’s new 52-CD box set.

Music in this episode (all from Emerson String Quartet – Complete Recordings On Deutsche Grammophon):

• String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor. Franz Schubert.
• String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor. Ludwig van Beethoven.
• String Quartet No. 1.  Béla Bartók.
• String Quartet No. 17 (“The Hunt”). Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
• Symphony No. 15. Dmitri Shostakovich.
• 3 Madrigals. Bohuslav Martinů.
• Lyric Suite. Alban Berg.
• String Quintet for 2 violins, viola & 2 cellos in C major. Franz Schubert.

Audio production by Todd “The Arthropod” Hulslander with assistance from Mark DiClaudio and blitzkrieg bopping from Dacia Clay.