The Takács Quartet returns with new cellist Mihai Marica for a program that sets Beethoven’s deeply personal late style beside Mozart and a contemporary work rooted in Black American history. The ensemble approaches the repertory with the refinement and vitality that have made it a longtime Cal Performances favorite.

Mozart’s String Quartet in F major, K. 590 opens the recital. Carlos Simon’s Warmth from Other Suns draws inspiration from the Great Migration and the stories of Black Americans who resettled in northern cities during the 20th century. Beethoven’s innovative String Quartet in B-flat major, Op. 130 is performed with the dance-like finale published with the work.