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Quartet

Series T

Chamber music ensembles are often compared to families because of the indispensable intimacy between their members. The ensembles of the string quartet series for this season show that in the best quartets family members often perform together. Three siblings play in both the Hagen and the Schumann Quartets, and there are two brothers in the Leonkoro Quartet. While the latter ensemble of sensational newcomers has only been on the scene since 2019, the Hagens have been performing together for more than 40 years with almost the same members. The Schumann Quartet, on the other hand, which is praised for its sensitive interpretations, was founded in 2007. The series is rounded off with another ensemble with decades of successful appearances on the stage: Quatuor Ébène, which has acquired an impressive group of followers with the elegance and rhythmic energy of its playing.

The riches of the string quartet literature would not have been possible without the pioneer Joseph Haydn – three of our concerts will open with works by him. One of the admirers of his innovative music, which is characterized by humour and vitality, was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose A major work is part of an outstanding set of quartets that he dedicated to his older friend and colleague. Whereas Maurice Ravel drew on the elegance of Mozart’s style in his wonderfully melodious and colourful string quartet, Béla Bartók and Wolfgang Rihm were more oriented towards the expressive force of late Beethoven. In his three string quartets, two of which are on the programme this season, Robert Schumann demonstrated his well-known feeling for poetic charm and innermost emotions. Beethoven’s final work for four strings concludes the series. For the profound introduction of the finale, the composer wrote the words “Must it be?” in the manuscript, then answered the question under the motto “It must be!” with spirited and optimistic music.

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Konzerte dieser Serie

Tuesday,

10 Oct 2023,
20:00

Chamber Music Hall