Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven published string quartets in series of six. Perhaps Bartók also wanted to tell his story in six quartets, as he was certainly aware of classical culture. Within his set of six, the middle two offer the most radical development. The music of the one-movement third String Quartet, the shortest of them all, is perhaps the least accessible of the entire cycle. In the Fourth, Bartók’s obsession with symmetry and reflection is ubiquitous.

The String Quartet Biennale presents Bartók on a grand scale, with all six of his string quartets performed in one afternoon by three world-renowned quartets: the Belcea Quartet, the Doric String Quartet, and the Jerusalem Quartet. Speaker Bas van Putten and Rebecca Wise, cellist of the Ragazze Quartet, delve into the composer’s life and, together with the musicians, provide a glimpse into the workings of this extraordinary oeuvre.