The Belcea Quartet plays Beethoven, Haydn and Shostakovich

In its concerts on major international stages, the Belcea Quartet demonstrates what is possible in the art of subtle differentiation, liveliness and precision in chamber music ranging from explosive dynamic outbursts to intimate dialogues. The breathtaking homogeneity in the playing of the four adopted British musicians is legendary and without compare. This free and extremely dynamic performance style is inspired by the diverse cultural background of the ensemble, which was founded at the Royal College of Music in London. Romanian violinist Corina Belcea and Polish violist Krzysztof Chorzelski, two of the founding members, bring a range of artistic perspectives to the ensemble. At the same time, the musicians can draw on those traditions of string quartet playing that they acquired from their mentors: the members of the Amadeus and Alban Berg Quartets. With the addition of the French musicians Axel Schacher (violin), who is represented in today’s concert by Sébastien Surel, and Antoine Lederlin (cello), this broad spectrum is further enhanced, with all influences coming together in magnificent interplay. Their artistic openness is also reflected in the quartet's repertoire. In addition to music from the Classical and Romantic periods, they have also performed world premieres by Krzysztof Penderecki, Mark-Anthony Turnage and Thomas Larcher, and recorded the complete string quartets of Bartók, Beethoven, Brahms and Britten.