Bartók Cycle 1

with Belcea Quartet, Doric String Quartet

13:30 / Sun 28 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Bartók Cycle Sun 28 Jan

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Belcea Quartet

Photo : Marco Borggreve

Béla Bartók

String Quartet no. 1 (Belcea Quartet)

Béla Bartók

String Quartet no. 2 (Doric String Quartet)

In 1918, Bartók dedicated his Second String Quartet to the Waldbauer-Kerpely Quartet, the young ensemble that had premiered his First String Quartet eight years earlier. World War I made Bartók’s musicological fieldwork impossible, but it also influenced his style. While the First String Quartet still resonated with post-Romantic influences of Reger and Wagner, the Second is fully modernist – Bartók’s entire oeuvre can already be recognized here.

The String Quartet Biennale is pulling out all the stops with Bartók. His six string quartets will be 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, offer a glimpse into the workings of this extraordinary oeuvre.

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28

Jan.
Sunday
15:00 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Bartók Cycle 2

€ 25,00

28

Jan.
Sunday
16:30 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Bartók Cycle 3

€ 20,00

1

Feb.
Thursday
14:15 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Extending String Quartet: Around Bartók's Fifth

€ 28,00

29

Jan.
Monday
14:15 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Extending String Quartet: Fellow Travelers

€ 28,00

2

Feb.
Friday
14:15 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Extending String Quartet: Island Suite

€ 28,00

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Bartók Cycle 2

with Doric String Quartet, Jerusalem Quartet

15:00 / Sun 28 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Bartók Cycle Sun 28 Jan

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Doric String Quartet

Photo : George Garnier

Doric String Quartet

Alex Redington (violin)

Ying Xue (violin)

Hélène Clément (viola)

John Myerscough (cello)

Jerusalem Quartet

Alexander Pavlovsky (violin)

Sergei Bresler (violin)

Ori Kam (viola)

Kyril Zlotnikov (cello)

Béla Bartók

String Quartet no. 3 (Doric String Quartet)

Béla Bartók

String Quartet no. 4 (Jerusalem Quartet)

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.

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Related programmes

28

Jan.
Sunday
13:30 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Bartók Cycle 1

€ 25,00

28

Jan.
Sunday
16:30 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Bartók Cycle 3

€ 20,00

1

Feb.
Thursday
14:15 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Extending String Quartet: Around Bartók's Fifth

€ 28,00

29

Jan.
Monday
14:15 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Extending String Quartet: Fellow Travelers

€ 28,00

2

Feb.
Friday
14:15 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Extending String Quartet: Island Suite

€ 28,00

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Bartók Cycle 3

with Belcea Quartet, Jerusalem Quartet

16:30 / Sun 28 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 20,00

2024 Bartók Cycle Sun 28 Jan

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Jerusalem String Quartet

Photo : Felix Broede

Belcea Quartet

Corina Belcea (violin)

Suyeon Kang (violin)

Krzysztof Chorzelski (viola)

Antoine Lederlin (cello)

Jerusalem Quartet

Alexander Pavlovsky (violin)

Sergei Bresler (violin)

Ori Kam (viola)

Kyril Zlotnikov (cello)

Béla Bartók

String Quartet no. 5 (Belcea Quartet)

Béla Bartók

String Quartet no. 6 (Jerusalem Quartet)

If Bartók’s quartet oeuvre can be compared to that of Beethoven, his Fifth and Sixth quartets align with Beethoven’s late string quartets. The musical language is different, but the similarity in depth is striking. The rhythmic expansion of the Fifth is akin to Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge, while the introspection of the Sixth matches that of the slow movements in Beethoven’s works. In this way, Bartók concludes an unparalleled cycle of six quartets spanning thirty years.

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.

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Related programmes

28

Jan.
Sunday
13:30 uur

Order tickets

Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Bartók Cycle 1

€ 25,00

28

Jan.
Sunday
15:00 uur

Order tickets

Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Bartók Cycle 2

€ 25,00

1

Feb.
Thursday
14:15 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Extending String Quartet: Around Bartók's Fifth

€ 28,00

29

Jan.
Monday
14:15 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Extending String Quartet: Fellow Travelers

€ 28,00

2

Feb.
Friday
14:15 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Extending String Quartet: Island Suite

€ 28,00

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Coffee Talk

with Katy Hamilton

10:15 / Thu 1 Feb. / Foyerdeck 1 / Gratis

2024 Coffee Talk Morning Thu 1 Feb

Katy Hamilton

Photo : Helena Cooke

Katy Hamilton

presenter

Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair and join writer and presenter Katy Hamilton and her guests. You’ll hear personal stories and anecdotes and get a glimpse of the complex world backstage. Each morning, Katy will welcome musicians and composers who will take a closer look at the string quartet. Each day’s guests will be announced the day before.

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3

Feb.
Saturday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

2

Feb.
Friday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

31

Jan.
Wednesday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

30

Jan.
Tuesday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

29

Jan.
Monday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

Back

Coffee Talk

with Katy Hamilton

10:15 / Fri 2 Feb. / Foyerdeck 1 / Gratis

2024 Coffee Talk Fr 2 Feb Morning

Katy Hamilton

Photo : Helena Cooke

Katy Hamilton

presenter

Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair and join writer and presenter Katy Hamilton and her guests. You’ll hear personal stories and anecdotes and get a glimpse of the complex world backstage. Each morning, Katy will welcome musicians and composers who will take a closer look at the string quartet. Each day’s guests will be announced the day before.

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3

Feb.
Saturday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

1

Feb.
Thursday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

31

Jan.
Wednesday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

30

Jan.
Tuesday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

29

Jan.
Monday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

Back

Coffee Talk

with Katy Hamilton

10:15 / Mon 29 Jan. / Foyerdeck 1 / Gratis

2024 Coffee Talk Mon 29 Jan Morning

Katy Hamilton

Photo : Helena Cooke

Katy Hamilton

presenter

Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair and join writer and presenter Katy Hamilton and her guests. You’ll hear personal stories and anecdotes and get a glimpse of the complex world backstage. Each morning, Katy will welcome musicians and composers who will take a closer look at the string quartet. Each day’s guests will be announced the day before.

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3

Feb.
Saturday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

2

Feb.
Friday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

1

Feb.
Thursday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

31

Jan.
Wednesday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

30

Jan.
Tuesday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

Back

Coffee Talk

with Katy Hamilton

10:15 / Sat 3 Feb. / Foyerdeck 1 / Gratis

2024 Coffee Talk Morning Sat 3 Feb

Katy Hamilton

Photo : Helena Cooke

Katy Hamilton

presenter

Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair and join writer and presenter Katy Hamilton and her guests. You’ll hear personal stories and anecdotes and get a glimpse of the complex world backstage. Each morning, Katy will welcome musicians and composers who will take a closer look at the string quartet. Each day’s guests will be announced the day before.

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2

Feb.
Friday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

1

Feb.
Thursday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

31

Jan.
Wednesday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

30

Jan.
Tuesday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

29

Jan.
Monday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

Back

Coffee Talk

with Katy Hamilton

10:15 / Tues 30 Jan. / Foyerdeck 1 / Gratis

2024 Coffee Talk Morning Tue 30 Jan

Katy Hamilton

Photo : Helena Cooke

Katy Hamilton

presenter

Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair and join writer and presenter Katy Hamilton and her guests. You’ll hear personal stories and anecdotes and get a glimpse of the complex world backstage. Each morning, Katy will welcome musicians and composers who will take a closer look at the string quartet. Each day’s guests will be announced the day before.

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3

Feb.
Saturday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

2

Feb.
Friday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

1

Feb.
Thursday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

31

Jan.
Wednesday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

29

Jan.
Monday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

Back

Coffee Talk

with Katy Hamilton

10:15 / Tues 31 Jan. / Foyerdeck 1 / Gratis

2024 Coffee Talk Morning Wed 31 Jan

Katy Hamilton

Photo : Helena Cooke

Katy Hamilton

presenter

Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair and join writer and presenter Katy Hamilton and her guests. You’ll hear personal stories and anecdotes and get a glimpse of the complex world backstage. Each morning, Katy will welcome musicians and composers who will take a closer look at the string quartet. Each day’s guests will be announced the day before.

Related programmes

3

Feb.
Saturday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

2

Feb.
Friday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

1

Feb.
Thursday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

30

Jan.
Tuesday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

29

Jan.
Monday
10:15 uur

Foyerdeck 1

Coffee Talk

Gratis

Back

Early Haydn

with Australian String Quartet

09:30 / Fri 2 Feb. / Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 23,00

2024 Early Haydn Fr 2 Feb

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Australian String Quartet

Photo : Jacqui Way

Australian String Quartet

Dale Barltrop (violin)

Francesca Hiew (violin)

Christopher Cartlidge (viola)

Michael Dahlenburg (cello)

Nigel Westlake

String Quartet no. 3 ‘Sacred Sky’ (Dutch premiere)

Joseph Haydn

String Quartet op. 33 no. 1

The Australian String Quartet has a particular fondness for music that originates from their homeland, and one such piece that exemplifies this is Sacred Sky by Nigel Westlake. The composition was written specifically for the quartet, and it holds a special place in Westlake’s heart, as it was composed in memory of his sister. Drawing inspiration from a number of her seascape paintings that depict nameless locations on the east coast of Australia, Westlake created a work that explores the themes of nature and meditation. Similarly, Haydn also found inspiration in nature, as evidenced by his use of the sunrise and a picturesque whale in his oratorio, The Creation.

Does coincidence exist? The young composer and violinist Joseph Haydn – not yet “Papa”, but rather “puppy” Haydn – played with three random other string players for the Viennese Count Von Fürnberg. The accidental harmony was so pleasing that the count asked Haydn for more repertoire for this combination. In the works that followed, Haydn laid the foundation for the string quartet, the medium that has given us so much beautiful music. In the concert series Early Haydn, the classical beauty of Haydn’s Opus 33 is in the hands of a different quartet every morning.

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31

Jan.
Wednesday
14:15 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Extending String Quartet: Quartet & Country

€ 28,00

1

Feb.
Thursday
20:15 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Evening concert: Dr Lou Bennett AM/Paul Stanhope, Mozart, Britten

€ 40,00

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Early Haydn

with Kitgut Quartet

09:30 / Wed 31 Jan. / Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 23,00

2024 Early Haydn Wed 31 Jan

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Kitgut Quartet

Photo : Raphaël Blasselle

Kitgut Quartet

Amandine Beyer (violin)

Naaman Sluchin (violin)

Josèphe Cottet (viola)

Frédéric Baldassare (cello)

Joseph Haydn

String Quartet op. 33 no. 5

Johann Albrechtsberger

Fuga in c op. 1 no. 4

Franz Schubert

String Quartet no. 7

Old music is alive and the number of quartets dedicated to historically informed performance practice is increasing. The Kitgut Quartet of Amandine Beyer immerses itself in the time of Haydn, Albrechtsberger, and Schubert, three composers embedded in the classical Viennese music style. Schubert is the youngest and seems to represent a different era, but his Seventh string quartet is based on classical principles.

Does coincidence exist? The young composer and violinist Joseph Haydn – not yet “Papa”, but rather “puppy” Haydn – played with three random other string players for the Viennese Count Von Fürnberg. The accidental harmony was so pleasing that the count asked Haydn for more repertoire for this combination. In the works that followed, Haydn laid the foundation for the string quartet, the medium that has given us so much beautiful music. In the concert series Early Haydn, the classical beauty of Haydn’s Opus 33 is in the hands of a different quartet every morning.

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31

Jan.
Wednesday
11:30 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Masterclass

€ 20,00

30

Jan.
Tuesday
20:15 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Evening Concert

€ 45,00

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Early Haydn

with Leonkoro Quartett

09:30 / Tues 30 Jan. / Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 23,00

2024 Early Haydn Tue 30 Jan

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Leonkoro Quartett

Photo : Nikolaj Lund

Leonkoro Quartett

Jonathan Schwarz (violin)

Amelie Wallner (violin)

Mayu Konoe (viola)

Lukas Schwarz (cello)

Joseph Haydn

String Quartet op. 33 no. 3

Wolfgang Rihm

String Quartet no. 9 ‘Quartettsatz’

“Of a new, entirely special kind,” that’s how Haydn describes his set of six quartets Opus 33, written in the refined Vienna of summer 1781. Wolfgang Rihm lives in a different world, in the frenzied world of today. But the clever playfulness that Haydn possessed, and that is so clearly heard in his String Quartet op. 33 no. 3, is also present in Rihm’s contemporary musical language. Rihm describes the playing of the Leonkoro Quartett as follows: “Enchanting quartet playing, like it hasn’t been heard in a long time.

Does coincidence exist? The young composer and violinist Joseph Haydn – not yet “Papa”, but rather “puppy” Haydn – played with three random other string players for the Viennese Count Von Fürnberg. The accidental harmony was so pleasing that the count asked Haydn for more repertoire for this combination. In the works that followed, Haydn laid the foundation for the string quartet, the medium that has given us so much beautiful music. In the concert series Early Haydn, the classical beauty of Haydn’s Opus 33 is in the hands of a different quartet every morning.

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29

Jan.
Monday
22:45 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Late Beethoven: Opus 132

€ 25,00

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Early Haydn

with Marmen Quartet

09:30 / Mon 29 Jan. / Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 23,00

2024 Early Haydn Mon 29 Jan

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Marmen Quartet

Photo : Marco Borggreve

Marmen Quartet

Johannes Marmen (violin)

Laia Valentin Braun (violin)

Bryony Gibson-Cornish (viola)

Sinéad O'Halloran (cello)

Joseph Haydn

String Quartet Op. 33 No. 6

Toru Takemitsu

A Way A Lone

In his Opus 33 quartets, Haydn embarked on new paths: no more Sturm und Drang, but more space for humor. Number six not only demonstrates the lighter style of these works, but also Haydn’s masterful refinement. Takemitsu’s mysterious A Way a Lone, based on a fragment from James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake, offers a serious contrast.

Does coincidence exist? The young composer and violinist Joseph Haydn – not yet “Papa”, but rather “puppy” Haydn – played with three random other string players for the Viennese Count Von Fürnberg. The accidental harmony was so pleasing that the count asked Haydn for more repertoire for this combination. In the works that followed, Haydn laid the foundation for the string quartet, the medium that has given us so much beautiful music. In the concert series Early Haydn, the classical beauty of Haydn’s Opus 33 is in the hands of a different quartet every morning.

Want to listen to the complete Early Haydn-series? Come and see Leonkoro Quartett, Kitgut Quartet, Simply Quartet, Australian String Quartet and Tetzlaff Quartett!

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29

Jan.
Monday
17:00 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Selected by

€ 25,00

28

Jan.
Sunday
23:00 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Late Beethoven: Opus 131

€ 25,00

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Early Haydn

with Simply Quartet

09:30 / Thu 1 Feb. / Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 23,00

2024 Early Haydn Thu 1 Feb

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Simply Quartet

Photo : Cristina Ferri

Simply Quartet

Danfeng Shen (violin)

Antonia Rankersberger (violin)

Xiang Lyu (viola)

Ivan Valentin Hollup Roald (cello)

Joseph Haydn

String Quartet op. 33 no. 4

Thomas Larcher

Lucid Dreams

Thomas Larcher’s fourth string quartet is titled “Lucid Dreams”, with the name taken from the transparent second movement, reminiscent of stained glass church windows – in contrast to the darkly shaded outer movements. This interplay of contrasts is also a defining feature of Haydn’s music. The Simply Quartet from Vienna, known for their cutting-edge performances, is the perfect ensemble to give voice to the broad range of colors found in this music.

Does coincidence exist? The young composer and violinist Joseph Haydn – not yet “Papa”, but rather “puppy” Haydn – played with three random other string players for the Viennese Count Von Fürnberg. The accidental harmony was so pleasing that the count asked Haydn for more repertoire for this combination. In the works that followed, Haydn laid the foundation for the string quartet, the medium that has given us so much beautiful music. In the concert series Early Haydn, the classical beauty of Haydn’s Opus 33 is in the hands of a different quartet every morning.

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1

Feb.
Thursday
22:30 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Late Beethoven: Opus 135

€ 25,00

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Early Haydn

with Tetzlaff Quartett

09:30 / Sat 3 Feb. / Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 23,00

2024 Early Haydn Sat 3 Feb

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Tetzlaff Quartett

Photo : Giorgia Bertazzi

Tetzlaff Quartett

Christian Tetzlaff (violin)

Elisabeth Kufferath (violin)

Hanna Weinmeister (viola)

Tanja Tetzlaff (cello)

Joseph Haydn

String Quartet op. 33 no. 2

Alban Berg

String Quartet op. 3

In late 1779, Haydn’s contract with the Esterházy family expired, allowing him to publish his work elsewhere. This meant that he could promote his Opus 33 string quartets as “new and special” compositions. The second quartet in this series, known as “The Joke”, concludes with a series of confusing musical fragments. Similarly, Alban Berg’s string quartet could also be considered “new and special”, as it was one of the first atonal quartets. However, despite its atonal nature, the twenty-six-year-old composer relied heavily on the late Romantic style, with the influences of Wagner and Mahler never far away.

Does coincidence exist? The young composer and violinist Joseph Haydn – not yet “Papa”, but rather “puppy” Haydn – played with three random other string players for the Viennese Count Von Fürnberg. The accidental harmony was so pleasing that the count asked Haydn for more repertoire for this combination. In the works that followed, Haydn laid the foundation for the string quartet, the medium that has given us so much beautiful music. In the concert series Early Haydn, the classical beauty of Haydn’s Opus 33 is in the hands of a different quartet every morning.

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3

Feb.
Saturday
20:15 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Closing Concert

€ 45,00

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Evening Concert: Britten, Schubert

with Belcea Quartet, Raphaël Merlin

20:15 / Sun 28 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 45,00

2024 Evening Concert Sun 28 Jan

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Raphaël Merlin

Photo : Julien Mignot

Belcea Quartet

Corina Belcea (violin)

Suyeon Kang (violin)

Krzysztof Chorzelski (viola)

Antoine Lederlin (cello)

Raphaël Merlin

Cello

Benjamin Britten

String Quartet no. 3

Benjamin Britten

Suite no. 3 for cello (Antoine Lederlin)

Franz Schubert

String Quintet in C

“The Serenissima” is the title of the final movement of Britten’s Third String Quartet. In this movement, which he wrote in Venice, Britten quotes from his opera Death in Venice. He was extremely weak and could hardly attend the rehearsals of the Amadeus Quartet and died two weeks before the premiere. The meditative work ends with an unresolved chord, called “a question” by Britten – a remarkable conclusion to a grandiose oeuvre.

Schubert also reaches depths in the monumental String Quintet, one of his last works, that only reveal themselves on the border between life and death. This masterpiece is played often, but a truly excellent ensemble like the Belcea Quartet is needed to do the quintet full justice. In Britten’s First Cello Suite, Antoine Lederlin demonstrates the quality that characterizes the individual Belcea players.

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27

Jan.
Saturday
22:30 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Late Beethoven: Opus 127

€ 25,00

28

Jan.
Sunday
13:30 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Bartók Cycle 1

€ 25,00

28

Jan.
Sunday
16:30 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Bartók Cycle 3

€ 20,00

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Evening concert: Dr Lou Bennett AM/Paul Stanhope, Mozart, Britten

with Australian String Quartet, Dr Lou Bennett AM

20:15 / Thu 1 Feb. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 40,00

2024 Evening Concert Thu 1 Feb Voice

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Dr. Lou Bennett

Photo : Dr. Romaine Moreton

Australian String Quartet

Dale Barltrop (violin)

Francesca Hiew (violin)

Christopher Cartlidge (viola)

Michael Dahlenburg (cello)

Dr Lou Bennett AM

Composer, Voice

Dr Lou Bennett AM / Paul Stanhope

nyilamum – song cycles for string quartet and voice (world premiere)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

String Quartet no. 15 KV 421

Benjamin Britten

String Quartet no. 2

The Australian String Quartet, founded in 1985, represents the string quartet tradition on the oldest continent in a unique way. All four musicians are skilled in playing a beautiful Guadagnini instrument. Furthermore, the ensemble is renowned for presenting challenging programs with an Australian connection. During the String Quartet Biennale, their distinguished compatriots Lou Bennett and Paul Stanhope will be showcasing the world premiere of * nyilamum – song cycles, their composition for string quartet, this time featuring the addition of the human voice.

Mozart’s Fifteenth String Quartet, which is the second of the six quartets dedicated to Haydn, is a dramatic piece that foreshadows the poignant late string quartets of Beethoven. Similarly, in his Second String Quartet, Britten adopts a serious tone. The piece was written in 1945 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Purcell’s death. Just a few months prior, Britten and Yehudi Menuhin had toured the just liberated German concentration camps, an experience that undoubtedly influenced the composition of this quartet.

*nyilamum – song cycles, a collaboration between Dr Lou Bennett AM, Paul Stanhope, and the Australian String Quartet (ASQ) in association with Binung Boorigan, has been commissioned by the ASQ with generous support from the nyilamum – song cycles Commissioning Circle and other donors.

The ASQ thanks its Major Partner – The University of Adelaide, Government Supporters – The Government of South Australia and Creative Australia, and Instrument Partner – UKARIA, along with Patron Maria Myers AC and members of the Artists’ Circle.

We acknowledge the Jaara Community and the stories they hold.

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2

Feb.
Friday
09:30 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Early Haydn

€ 23,00

31

Jan.
Wednesday
14:15 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Extending String Quartet: Quartet & Country

€ 28,00

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Evening concert: MASS

with Davóne Tines, Calder Quartet

20:15 / Fri 2 Feb. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 40,00

2024 Evening Concert Fr 2 Feb Voice

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Davóne Tines

Photo : Noah Morrison

Davóne Tines

Bass-baritone

Calder Quartet

Benjamin Jacobson (violin)

Tereza Stanislav (violin)

Jonathan Moerschel (viola)

Eric Byers (cello)

Franz Schubert

String Quartet no. 15

PRELUDE

Caroline Shaw - Entr'acte

KYRIE

Caroline Shaw - 1. Kyrie
Georg Friedrich Händel - Leave Me Loathsome Light from Semele HWV 58

AGNUS DEI

Caroline Shaw - 2. Agnus Dei
Tyshawn Sorey - Songs for Death: I. after Were You There

CREDO

Caroline Shaw - 3. Credo
Johann Sebastian Bach - ‘Mache dich, mein Herze rein’ from St Matthew Passion BWV 244

GLORIA

Caroline Shaw - 4. Gloria
Moses Hogan - Give Me Jesus

SANCTUS

Caroline Shaw - 5. Sanctus
Julius Eastman - Prelude to The Holy Presence of Joan d’Arc

BENEDICTUS

Igee Dieudonné/Davóne Tines - VIGIL

Contrasting religious music styles from Western European, Afro-American, and 21st-century traditions converge in Mass, a concert designed as a Catholic mass. Each of these cultures approaches beauty in a different way, yet they all critically examine how we deal with personal problems in our lives.

Originally designed as a work for bass-baritone and piano by American opera singer Davóne Tines, Mass has been adapted for the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam with the Calder Quartet performing and the voice and string quartet merging organically. The design and direction of Mass are in the hands of Lisenka Heijboer Castañón, whose love of music is the foundation for telling a story.

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Evening concert: Mozart, MacMillan, Brahms

with Brentano String Quartet, Hsin-Yun Huang

20:15 / Wed 31 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 40,00

2024 Evening Concert Viola Wed 31 Jan

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Brentano Quartet

Photo : Juergen Frank

Brentano String Quartet

Serena Canin (violin)

Mark Steinberg (violin)

Misha Amory (viola)

Nina Lee (cello)

Hsin-Yun Huang

Viola

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

String Quartet no. 20 KV 499

James MacMillan

Heart Speaks to Heart (European premiere)

Johannes Brahms

String Quintet no. 2

Almost all major composers have at times expanded the string quartet with a fifth instrument. This has resulted in monumental compositions such as Schubert’s quintet with two cellos. Brahms used sketches for his Fifth Symphony for a work with a symphonic design: his Second String Quintet convincingly pushes the boundaries of chamber music. Scottish composer James MacMillan also explored the possibilities of a quintet.

Good relationships with publishers are vital for composers. Mozart dedicated his KV 499 to his publisher and fellow Freemason Franz Anton Hoffmeister. At the age of 57, Brahms wrote to his publisher Simrock that his Second String Quintet would be his last composition, and that he would enjoy a quiet old age. Fortunately, he did not keep this promise, or we would have missed out on some wonderful works.

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Evening Concert

with Jerusalem Quartet

20:15 / Mon 29 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 40,00

2024 Evening Concert Mon 29 Jan

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Jerusalem Quartet

Photo : Felix Broede

Jerusalem Quartet

Alexander Pavlovsky (violin)

Sergei Bresler (violin)

Ori Kam (viola)

Kyril Zlotnikov (cello)

Bedřich Smetana

String Quartet no. 1 ‘From my Life’

Dmitri Sjostakovitsj

String Quartet no. 2 op. 122

Ludwig van Beethoven

String Quartet op. 59 no. 2 ‘Razumovsky’

A string quartet is generally absolute music. But sometimes composers give a programmatic hint in a title (Sibelius: Voces Intimae) or a subtitle (Beethoven: ‘Muss es sein?’). In “From my Life”, Smetana tells the story of his deafness, which began with a high-pitched ringing in his ear – that tone is heard in the fourth movement. This composition is a moving personal document.

The fifteen quartets of Shostakovich can be seen as one large personal document, and the dark Eleventh string quartet is no exception. The structure is exceptional: seven short, contiguous sections refer to the classical divertimento. Beethoven’s Eighth string quartet also features a minimal extramusical motif: in the third movement, a Russian theme appears as a tribute to the commissioner, the Russian ambassador Andreas Razumovsky.

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Evening Concert

with Orchestra of the 18th Century, Kitgut Quartet

20:15 / Tues 30 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 45,00

2024 Evening Concert Historically Informed Performance Practice Orchestra Tue 30 Jan

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Kitgut Quartet

Photo : Raphaël Blasselle

Orchestra of the 18th Century

Orchestra

Kitgut Quartet

Amandine Beyer (violin)

Naaman Sluchin (violin)

Josèphe Cottet (viola)

Frédéric Baldassare (cello)

Louis Spohr

Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra, Op. 131 Quartet

Maddalena Sirmen

String Quartet no. 2 in B-flat

Fanny Mendelssohn

String Quartet in E-flat

Ignaz Pleyel Sinfonia

Concertante in F

This original program proves that lesser-known composers can bring surprises. Spohr’s concerto is on the cusp of the Classical and Romantic periods, as is Fanny Mendelssohn’s quartet. Maddalena Sirmen, a Venetian student of Baroque composer Giuseppe Tartini, wrote her quartets when Haydn began to establish the form. Pleyel studied under Haydn and later became his amicable competitor in London.

Specialist in Baroque violin Amandine Beyer is a curious and inventive musician. The French musician and her founded Kitgut Quartet are joining forces with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century for this String Quartet Biennale, seeking the truth behind the notes through historically informed performance practice.

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Extending String Quartet: A story across time

with The Lute Legends, Butter Quartet

14:15 / Tues 30 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 28,00

2024 Extending String Quartet Historically Informed Performance Practice Tue 30 Jan

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Butter Quartet

Photo : Lukasz Rajchert

The Lute Legends

Lucas Harris (lute)

Wen Zhao (pipa)

Ronnie Malley (oud)

Arnab Chakrabart (sarod)

Butter Quartet

Anna Jane Lester (violin)

Chloe Prendergast (violin)

Isabel Franenberg (viola)

Evan Buttar (cello)

The historically informed Butter Quartet joins forces with the plucking specialists of Lute Legends. The program that the eight musicians put together speaks of the connection of various string instruments throughout the ages: their musical journey goes from Europe via the Middle East and Persia to China.

The music takes us from 18th-century Vienna via late Ottoman classical music to contemporary Chinese compositions incorporating traditional singing. When the Lute Legends and the Butter Quartet come together, they weave a story that spans time and distance. This shows what a string quartet can be in the present.

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Extending String Quartet: Around Bartók's Fifth

with Brentano String Quartet

14:15 / Thu 1 Feb. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 28,00

2024 Extending String Quartet Thu 1 Feb

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Brentano String Quartet

Photo : Juergen Frank

Brentano String Quartet

Serena Canin (violin)

Mark Steinberg (violin)

Misha Amory (viola)

Nina Lee (cello)

Béla Bartók

Burlesque from 44 Duos for 2 violins

Johann Sebastian Bach

Quaerendo invenietis, canon a 2 from the 'Musical Offering'

Johann Sebastian Bach

Contrapunctus VII from the 'Art of Fugue'

Béla Bartók

#141: Subject and Reflection from 'Mikrokosmos'

Henry Purcell

Fantasia No. 11

Béla Bartók

Mosquito Dance from 44 Duos for 2 violins

Joseph Haydn

Allegretto alla zingarese from Quartet in D Major, op. 20 no. 4

Béla Bartók

Marching Song from 44 Duos for 2 violins
Fairy Tale from 44 Duos for 2 violins

Béla Bartók

#113 Bulgarian Rhythm from 'Mikrokosmos'

Luciano Berio

Yossi from Duetti per 2 violini

Ludwig van Beethoven

Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando from Quartet in F Major, op. 59 no. 1

Béla Bartók

String Quartet no. 5

Mark Steinberg, the founder and primarius of the Brentano String Quartet, considers Bartók’s Fifth String Quartet to be a magnificent and beautiful work. Together with the other members of the Quartet, he has curated a program centered around Bartók’s piece. The program highlights the stylistic devices used by the composer by including works of other fellow composers, such as Purcell, Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, and Berio. Of course, Bartók’s Fifth Quartet is also played in the program.

Bartók’s Fifth Quartet features canons, mirrored voices, rhythms borrowed from folk music, and repetition of the same pitch. He utilized all the possibilities these compositional techniques offer to create this piece. After exploring these stylistic devices in the works of other composers, the listener hears Bartók’s Fifth Quartet with a different ear.

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Extending String Quartet: Fellow Travelers

with Ragazze Quartet

14:15 / Mon 29 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 28,00

2024 Mon 29 Jan

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Ragazze Quartet

Photo : Paulina Matusiak& Eddy Wenting

Ragazze Quartet

Rosa Arnold (violin)

Sarah Kapustin (violin)

Annemijn Bergkotte (viola)

Rebecca Wise (cello)

Antonín Dvořák

String Quartet no. 12 ‘American Quartet’

Béla Bartók

String Quartet no. 6

Against a backdrop of photos, the Ragazze Quartet plays music by composers with an American history: Fellow Travelers. Dvořák pursued fortune, Bartók was on the run. Both couldn’t settle in the New World, but they wrote some of their most beautiful compositions there.

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Jan.
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Extending String Quartet: Island Suite

with Solem Quartet, Ayanna Witter-Johnson

14:15 / Thu 2 Feb. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 28,00

2024 Extending String Quartet Fr 2 Feb

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Solem Quartet

Photo : Bertie Watson

Solem Quartet

Amy Tress (violin)

William Newell (violin)

Stephen Upshaw (viola)

Stephanie Tress (cello)

Ayanna Witter-Johnson

Singer, cellist, composer

Ayanna Witter-Johnson

Island Suite

Ludwig van Beethoven

Grosse Fuge op. 133

Béla Bartók

String Quartet no. 3

Songwriter, composer, pianist and cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson was inspired by Jamaican folk singing and tells the story of her ancestors with her “Island Suite” for the Solem Quartet. Almost a century before her, Bartók also immersed himself in folk music from Eastern Europe. And a hundred years before that, Beethoven transcended time in his Grosse Fuge; music that, as Stravinsky said, will always sound contemporary.

In their series Beethoven Bartók Now, the musicians of the English Solem Quartet combine the work of these two giants of music history with brand-new compositions. Their intention is to shed a new light on these iconic works by Beethoven and Bartók and to place both composers in a new context.

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Extending String Quartet: Quartet & Country

with Australian String Quartet, Dr Lou Bennett AM

14:15 / Wed 31 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 28,00

2024 Extending String Quartet Wed 31 Jan

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Australian String Quartet

Photo : Jacqui Way

Australian String Quartet

Dale Barltrop (violin)

Francesca Hiew (violin)

Christopher Cartlidge (viola)

Michael Dahlenburg (cello)

Dr Lou Bennett AM

Composer, Voice

Peter Sculthorpe

String Quartet no. 11 ‘Jabiru Dreaming’ part 1

Moya Henderson

Kudikynah Cave (European premiere)

Dr Lou Bennett AM

bayian woka (European Premiere) with Dr Lou Bennett AM

Jack Symonds

String Quartet no. 2 (European premiere)

Ludwig van Beethoven

String Quartet op. 59 no. 3

Join the Australian String Quartet as they explore the rich and diverse evolution of string quartet music in Australia. Guided in conversation and song with Yorta Yorta Dja Dja Wurrung, Dr Lou Bennett AM, this program celebrates the diverse composers of modern Australia alongside the European music that has influenced the Australian musical landscape. From First Nations Australian culture to the music of Sculthorpe, Symonds and Beethoven, this is the story of a quartet and country.

Dr Lou Bennett AM is a performer, songwriter, artistic director, composer and academic from the Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung people in Echuca, Victoria. As a musician and researcher, Lou’s work is committed to leading social change in Australia through arts-based practice and community engagement.Completing her PhD at RMIT in 2015, Lou’s dissertation discusses the importance and relevance of Aboriginal language retrieval, reclamation and regeneration through the medium of art to community health and wellbeing. As the McKenzie Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne, Lou continues to research the obstacles and ethical issues related to retrieving and transmitting Aboriginal languages cross-culturally and across different generations.

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Closing Concert

with Tetzlaff Quartett, Signum Quartett

20:15 / Sat 3 Feb. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 45,00

2024 Evening Concert Octet Sat 3 Feb

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Tetzlaff Quartett

Photo : Giorgia Bertazzi

Tetzlaff Quartett

Christian Tetzlaff (violin)

Elisabeth Kufferath (violin)

Hanna Weinmeister (viola)

Tanja Tetzlaff (cello)

Signum Quartett

Florian Donderer (violin)

Annette Walther (violin)

Xandi van Dijk (viola)

Thomas Schmitz (cello)

Felix Mendelssohn

String Quartet no. 2

Jean Sibelius

String Quartet op. 56 ‘Voces Intimae’

George Enescu

Octet op. 7

Does heaven exist? With two quartets on stage at the same time, we come pretty close. The closing concert of the String Quartet Biennale can rightly be called a celebratory concert: the Tetzlaff Quartett and the Signum Quartett demonstrate in Enescu’s famous Octet how the dialogue between string instruments becomes even more intense when you double the four voices.

The Tetzlaff Quartett and the Signum Quartett join forces in Enescu’s special Octet. But the intimacy of the quartet is also highlighted this evening in Sibelius’ Voces Intimae and Mendelssohn’s beloved Second String Quartet. The Tetzlaff musicians take the lead and showcase their unique sound character.

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Grass Roots

with Conﬂuence Quartet, Isidore String Quartet, Quartetto Indaco

11:30 / Sat 3 Feb. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 28,00

2024 First Time in the Netherlands Rising Stars Sat 3 Feb Young Talent

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Isidore Quartet

Photo : Charles Chessler

Conﬂuence Quartet

Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux (violin)

Lorraine Campet (violin)

Pierre-Antoine Codron (viola)

Volodia van Keulen (cello)

Isidore String Quartet

Phoenix Avalon (violin)

Adrian Steele (violin)

Devin Moore (viola)

Joshua McClendon (cello)

Quartetto Indaco

Eleonora Matsuno (violin)

Ida Di Vita (violin)

Jamiang Santi (viola)

Cosimo Carovani (cello)

Anton Webern

Langsamer Satz

Maurice Ravel

String Quartet in F

Joseph Haydn

String Quartet op. 20 no. 2

Billy Childs

String Quartet no. 2 ‘Awakening’

Germaine Tailleferre

String Quartet

Ludwig van Beethoven

String Quartet no. 11 op. 95

During the festival edition of 2024, many talented young string quartets can be heard. In the program section “Grass Roots”, the String Quartet Biennial presents three promises of the future: Quatuor Confluence, Isidore String Quartet and Quartetto Indaco. With an inventive approach to the repertoire, these three string quartets represent the youngest generation, a generation that is aware of the present and past.

This concert presents winners of three major string quartet competitions. All three will perform music that will showcase their character as a string quartet. The American Isidore Quartet won the Banff International String Quartet Competition, the French Quatuor Confluence took home the first prize at the Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition and the Italian Quartetto Indaco won the first prize at the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition.

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Introduction with Katy Hamilton

19:15 / Thu 1 Feb. / Foyerdeck 1 / € Free

2024

Katy Hamilton

Photo : Helena Cooke

Shortly before you enter the main hall (Grote Zaal) for the evening concert, writer and presenter Katy Hamilton will get into the music on the programme with you. She’ll talk with performers and composers, and together they’ll give you a good look at the music and behind the scenes. Each introduction will be followed by a warm-up act in the Entreehal, performed by quartets from various Dutch conservatories.

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Introduction with Katy Hamilton

19:15 / Fri 2 Feb. / Foyerdeck 1 / € Free

2024

Katy Hamilton

Photo : Helena Cooke

Shortly before you enter the main hall (Grote Zaal) for the evening concert, writer and presenter Katy Hamilton will get into the music on the programme with you. She’ll talk with performers and composers, and together they’ll give you a good look at the music and behind the scenes. Each introduction will be followed by a warm-up act in the Entreehal, performed by quartets from various Dutch conservatories.

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Introduction with Katy Hamilton

19:15 / Sat 3 Feb. / Foyerdeck 1 / € Free

2024

Katy Hamilton

Photo : Helena Cooke

Shortly before you enter the main hall (Grote Zaal) for the evening concert, writer and presenter Katy Hamilton will get into the music on the programme with you. She’ll talk with performers and composers, and together they’ll give you a good look at the music and behind the scenes. Each introduction will be followed by a warm-up act in the Entreehal, performed by quartets from various Dutch conservatories.

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Introduction with Katy Hamilton

19:15 / Sun 28 Jan. / Foyerdeck 1 / € Free

2024

Katy Hamilton

Photo : Helena Cooke

Shortly before you enter the main hall (Grote Zaal) for the evening concert, writer and presenter Katy Hamilton will get into the music on the programme with you. She’ll talk with performers and composers, and together they’ll give you a good look at the music and behind the scenes. Each introduction will be followed by a warm-up act in the Entreehal, performed by quartets from various Dutch conservatories.

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Introduction with Katy Hamilton

19:15 / Mon 29 Jan. / Foyerdeck 1 / € Free

2024

Katy Hamilton

Photo : Helena Cooke

Shortly before you enter the main hall (Grote Zaal) for the evening concert, writer and presenter Katy Hamilton will get into the music on the programme with you. She’ll talk with performers and composers, and together they’ll give you a good look at the music and behind the scenes. Each introduction will be followed by a warm-up act in the Entreehal, performed by quartets from various Dutch conservatories.

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Introduction with Katy Hamilton

19:15 / Tues 30 Jan. / Foyerdeck 1 / € Free

2024

Katy Hamilton

Photo : Helena Cooke

Shortly before you enter the main hall (Grote Zaal) for the evening concert, writer and presenter Katy Hamilton will get into the music on the programme with you. She’ll talk with performers and composers, and together they’ll give you a good look at the music and behind the scenes. Each introduction will be followed by a warm-up act in the Entreehal, performed by quartets from various Dutch conservatories.

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Introduction with Katy Hamilton

19:15 / Wed 31 Jan. / Foyerdeck 1 / € Free

2024

Katy Hamilton

Photo : Helena Cooke

Shortly before you enter the main hall (Grote Zaal) for the evening concert, writer and presenter Katy Hamilton will get into the music on the programme with you. She’ll talk with performers and composers, and together they’ll give you a good look at the music and behind the scenes. Each introduction will be followed by a warm-up act in the Entreehal, performed by quartets from various Dutch conservatories.

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Late Beethoven: Opus 127

with Belcea Quartet

22:30 / Sat 27 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Late Beethoven Sat 27 Jan

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Belcea Quartet

Photo : Marco Borggreve

Belcea Quartet

Corina Belcea (violin)

Suyeon Kang (violin)

Krzysztof Chorzelski (viola)

Antoine Lederlin (cello)

Ludwig van Beethoven

String Quartet no. 12 op. 127

In 1822, a letter arrived on Beethoven’s doorstep from St. Petersburg, addressed to “Monsieur Louis van Bethoven à Viennes”. The postal details on the letter required no further explanation to make their way into the hands of the rightful owner, afterall, he was Beethoven. The letter was from a wealthy aristocrat and devoted fan of the great Viennese composer, Nikolaus Galitzin, who also happened to be an amateur cellist. Galitzin had commissioned several quartets from Beethoven, inspiring the composer to return to the string quartet after more than a decade and embark on his late opus numbers in this genre – works that would become unparalleled in quartet literature.

In Jan Caeyers’ excellent biography of Beethoven, the chapter on the late string quartets is entitled “The Discovery of Heaven”. This is fitting, as these quartets, like Mulisch’s novel, open up a world beyond comprehension. Beethoven’s music expresses the essence of love and pain more powerfully than words ever could. At the height of his creativity, he explores the boundary between thinking and feeling, between matter and spirituality.

Want to listen to the full Late Beethoven-series? Visit Marmen Quartet, Leonkoro Quartett, Brentano String Quartet, Calder Quartet and Simply Quartet!

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Late Beethoven: Opus 130

with Brentano String Quartet

22:30 / Tues 30 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Late Beethoven Tue 30 Jan

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Brentano String Quartet

Photo : Juergen Frank

Brentano String Quartet

Serena Canin (violin)

Mark Steinberg (violin)

Misha Amory (viola)

Nina Lee (cello)

Ludwig van Beethoven

String Quartet no. 13 op. 130

Beethoven wrote his Thirteenth String Quartet during a period when he was plagued by family problems and poor health. After the premiere, he replaced the final movement, the Grosse Fuge, with a new finale. This shifted the emotional weight of the quartet onto the Cavatina, a work that brought Beethoven to tears every time he read his own notes. He could no longer listen to it…

In Jan Caeyers’ excellent biography of Beethoven, the chapter on the late string quartets is entitled “The Discovery of Heaven”. This is fitting, as these quartets, like Mulisch’s novel, open up a world beyond comprehension. Beethoven’s music expresses the essence of love and pain more powerfully than words ever could. At the height of his creativity, he explores the boundary between thinking and feeling, between matter and spirituality.

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€ 20,00

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Extending String Quartet: Around Bartók's Fifth

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Jan.
Wednesday
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Late Beethoven: Opus 131

with Marmen Quartet

23:00 / Sun 28 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Late Beethoven Sun 28 Jan

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Marmen Quartet

Photo : Marco Borggreve

Marmen Quartet

Johannes Marmen (violin)

Laia Valentin Braun (violin)

Bryony Gibson-Cornish (viola)

Sinéad O'Halloran (cello)

Ludwig van Beethoven

String Quartet no. 14 op. 131

Many consider Beethoven’s Fourteenth String Quartet the Mount Everest of his late quartets. For the composer himself, it was his favorite piece. A moving fugue is the first of seven parts that seamlessly transition into each other. The richness of ideas, mastery of form, inventiveness in variations, and emotional range make this quartet one of the very best works of art that humanity has produced.

In Jan Caeyers’ excellent biography of Beethoven, the chapter on the late string quartets is entitled “The Discovery of Heaven”. This is fitting, as these quartets, like Mulisch’s novel, open up a world beyond comprehension. Beethoven’s music expresses the essence of love and pain more powerfully than words ever could. At the height of his creativity, he explores the boundary between thinking and feeling, between matter and spirituality.

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uur

Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

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Late Beethoven: Opus 132

with Leonkoro Quartett

22:45 / Mon 29 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Late Beethoven Mon 29 Jan

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Leonkoro Quartett

Photo : Nikolaj Lund

Leonkoro Quartett

Jonathan Schwarz (violin)

Amelie Wallner (violin)

Mayu Konoe (viola)

Lukas Schwarz (cello)

Ludwig van Beethoven

String Quartet no. 15 op. 132

The very young Leonkoro Quartett is a rising star in the world of string quartets, having recently won several awards. The Berlin-based ensemble has received much praise for their performances of Beethoven’s music. Beethoven’s opus 132 – published as his fifteenth string quartet, but in reality the thirteenth he wrote – includes the moving “Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit”. The healthy and energetic members of the Leonkoro Quartett are now looking at this Himalayan piece of quartet literature from a contemporary perspective.

In Jan Caeyers’ excellent biography of Beethoven, the chapter on the late string quartets is entitled “The Discovery of Heaven”. This is fitting, as these quartets, like Mulisch’s novel, open up a world beyond comprehension. Beethoven’s music expresses the essence of love and pain more powerfully than words ever could. At the height of his creativity, he explores the boundary between thinking and feeling, between matter and spirituality.

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Late Beethoven: Opus 135

with Simply Quartet

22:30 / Thu 1 Feb. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Late Beethoven Thu 1 Feb

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Simply Quartet

Photo : Cristina Ferri

Simply Quartet

Danfeng Shen (violin)

Antonia Rankersberger (violin)

Xiang Lyu (viola)

Ivan Valentin Hollup Roald (cello)

Ludwig van Beethoven

String Quartet no. 16 op. 135

Ignaz Dembscher, the organizer of the premiere of Beethoven’s last string quartet, owed the composer money. In order to obtain the manuscript of Op. 135, Beethoven insisted that Dembscher pay first. When Dembscher asked, “Muss es sein?” (Must it be?), Beethoven famously replied with the canon, “Es muss sein, ja, ja. Heraus mit dem Beutel!” (It must be, yes, yes. Out with the purse!), and incorporated the conversation into his composition.

In Jan Caeyers’ excellent biography of Beethoven, the chapter on the late string quartets is entitled “The Discovery of Heaven.” This is fitting, as these quartets, like Mulisch’s novel, open up a world beyond comprehension. Beethoven’s music expresses the essence of love and pain more powerfully than words ever could. At the height of his creativity, he explores the boundary between thinking and feeling, between matter and spirituality.

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1

Feb.
Thursday
09:30 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Early Haydn

€ 23,00

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Late Beethoven: The Mind's Ear: Motion Beyond Silence

with Calder Quartet, Antoine Hunter, Urban Jazz Dance Company

22:30 / Wed 31 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Late Beethoven Wed 31 Jan

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Antoine Hunter

Photo : Richard Downing

Calder Quartet

Benjamin Jacobson (violin)

Tereza Stanislav (violin)

Jonathan Moerschel (viola)

Eric Byers (cello)

Antoine Hunter

Urban Jazz Dance Company

Dance, choreography

Urban Jazz Dance Company

Antoine Hunter & Zahna Simon

Julius Eastman

Joy Boy

John Cage

Quartet in 4 parts

Ludwig van Beethoven

String Quartet no. 13 op. 130 with Grosse Fuge op. 133

Feeling the music through vibrations – it’s said that this is how Beethoven was able to continue composing even when he became deaf. Dancers Antoine Hunter and Zahna Simon take this to an extreme, demonstrating just how well it’s possible. Despite their deafness, they have learned to interpret the vibrations of the music and express themselves through a mix of jazz ballet and urban dance. Together with the Calder Quartet, Hunter and Simon choreograph a performance to Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 13 and the Grosse Fuge.

In Jan Caeyers’ excellent Beethoven biography, the chapter on the late string quartets is called ‘The Discovery of Heaven’. And with good reason: like Mulisch’s novel, these quartets open up a world that goes beyond all understanding. Better than words, Beethoven’s music here conveys the essence of love and pain. At the peak of his creativity, he explores the border between thinking and feeling, between matter and spirituality.

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2

Feb.
Friday
20:15 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Evening concert: MASS

€ 40,00

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Masterclass

with Amandine Beyer

11:30 / Wed 31 Jan. / Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 20,00

2024 Masterclass Wed 31 Jan

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Amandine Beyer (Kitgut Quartet)

Photo : Laurent Becotruiz

Amandine Beyer

Violin

Amandine Beyer, a specialist in baroque violin, divides her time among various ensembles where she performs as a guest, collaborates with dancers, and she leads her own groups, including Gli Incogniti and the Kitgut Quartet. She shares her wealth of experiences with the Nácar Quartet.

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30

Jan.
Tuesday
11:30 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Masterclass

€ 20,00

29

Jan.
Monday
11:30 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Masterclass

€ 20,00

2

Feb.
Friday
11:30 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Masterclass

€ 20,00

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Masterclass

with Jerusalem Quartet

11:30 / Mon 29 Jan. / Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 20,00

2024 Masterclass Mon 29 Jan

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Jerusalem Quartet

Photo : Felix Broede

Jerusalem Quartet

Alexander Pavlovsky (violin)

Sergei Bresler (violin)

Ori Kam (viola)

Kyril Zlotnikov (cello)

Masterclass by members of the Jerusalem Quartet

The Jerusalem Quartet is among the cream of the crop in the international music scene. ‘Their playing has everything you could possibly wish for”, as BBC Music Magazine stated. How they arrived at this rich playing, the four members of the Israeli quartet will share with a young quartet from the Dutch String Quartet Academy or the Conservatory of Amsterdam during this masterclass.

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28

Jan.
Sunday
15:00 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Bartók Cycle 2

€ 25,00

28

Jan.
Sunday
16:30 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Bartók Cycle 3

€ 20,00

29

Jan.
Monday
20:15 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Evening Concert

€ 40,00

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Masterclass

with Mark Steinberg

11:30 / Tues 30 Jan. / Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 20,00

2024 Masterclass Tue 30 Jan

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Mark Steinberg (Brentano String Quartet)

Mark Steinberg

Brentano String Quartet

Masterclass by Mark Steinberg (Brentano String Quartet)

He is the founder of the Brentano String Quartet, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2022. He loves Iceland, the rhythm in Bartók, Schumann sung by Matthias Goerne, and early music has a special place in his heart: violinist Mark Steinberg is giving a masterclass to a young quartet from the Dutch String Quartet Academy or the Conservatory of Amsterdam.

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30

Jan.
Tuesday
22:30 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Late Beethoven: Opus 130

€ 25,00

31

Jan.
Wednesday
20:15 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Evening concert: Mozart, MacMillan, Brahms

€ 40,00

1

Feb.
Thursday
14:15 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Extending String Quartet: Around Bartók's Fifth

€ 28,00

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Masterclass

with Tabea Zimmermann

11:30 / Fri 2 Feb. / Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 20,00

2024 Fr 2 Feb Masterclass

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Tabea Zimmermann

Photo : Marco Borggreve

Tabea Zimmermann

Viola

She calls herself a musician who happens to play the viola, but Tabea Zimmermann is the queen among violists. Her rich, glowing tone has the power to sprinkle golden powder across the stage. In this masterclass, she will collaborate with a talented young quartet from either the Dutch String Quartet Academy or the Conservatory of Amsterdam.

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3

Feb.
Saturday
14:30 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Matinee

€ 25,00

31

Jan.
Wednesday
11:30 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Masterclass

€ 20,00

29

Jan.
Monday
11:30 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Masterclass

€ 20,00

30

Jan.
Tuesday
11:30 uur

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Kleine Zaal Muziekgebouw

Masterclass

€ 20,00

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Matinee

with Doric String Quartet, Tabea Zimmermann

14:30 / Sat 3 Feb. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Sat 3 Feb

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Doric String Quartet

Photo : George Garnier

Doric String Quartet

Alex Redington (violin)

Ying Xue (violin)

Hélène Clément (viola)

John Myerscough (cello)

Tabea Zimmermann

Viola

Robert Schumann

String Quartet no. 3 op. 41

George Benjamin

Viola, Viola

Paul Hindemith

Sonate for viola solo op. 25 no. 1

Felix Mendelssohn

String Quintet no.1

Schumann and Mendelssohn met for the first time in 1835; Robert as a critic and budding composer, Felix as the chief conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and a composer with several successes to his name. The two twenty-year-olds developed a deep friendship, in which they not only promoted and performed each other’s works, but also played chamber music together, played chess and billiards.

An additional viola in a string quartet offers a huge advantage: you can program a viola duo. George Benjamin wrote Viola, Viola for Yuri Bashmet and Nobuko Imai, and wanted to emphasize the melancholic, intimate character of the viola in this composition. But along the way, he discovered more and more possibilities to elicit symphonic sounds from the eight strings. Viola, Viola could prove to be the most voluminous work of this concert.

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28

Jan.
Sunday
13:30 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Bartók Cycle 1

€ 25,00

28

Jan.
Sunday
15:00 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Bartók Cycle 2

€ 25,00

1

Feb.
Thursday
17:00 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Selected by

€ 25,00

2

Feb.
Friday
11:30 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Masterclass

€ 20,00

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Opening Concert String Quartet Biennale 2024

with Danish String Quartet,

20:15 / Sat 27 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 45,00

2024 Evening Concert Sat 27 Jan

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Danish String Quartet

Photo : Caroline Bittencourt

Danish String Quartet

Frederik Øland (violin)

Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen (violin)

Asbjørn Nørgaard (viola)

Fredrik Schøyen Sjölin (cello)

Benjamin Britten

Three Divertimenti

Thomas Adès

The Four Quarters

Franz Schubert

Strijkkwartet no. 14 ‘Der Tod und das Mädchen’

In the opening concert of the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam, the past and present will come together in a spectacular way. In Adès’ The Four Quarters, the composer’s historical awareness merges with his contemporary musical language. In Three Divertimenti Adès’ fellow Brit, Britten, references his later string quartets. And of course, Schubert’s Der Tod und das Mädchen is an immortal masterpiece.

In Der Tod und das Mädchen, Schubert uses his own song as the theme for the variations of the second movement. The entire quartet is in a minor key, with the typical Schubertian melancholy evoked by a single major turn. The Danish Quartet, four modern thirty-somethings who love vintage cars and video games, fully understand the weltschmerz of ripe Schubert.

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28

Jan.
Sunday
11:00 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Sunday Morning Concert

€ 25,00

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P.S.

with Ruben Hein,

20:30 / Wed 31 Jan. / BIMHUIS / € 28,00

2024 Evening Concert Wed 31 Jan

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Ruben Hein

Singer, pianist, composer

Matangi Quartet/Ruben Hein

P.S. (song cycle for string quartet and vocals)

Thirty years after the release of the legendary album The Juliet Letters by Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet, the Matangi Quartet and singer-songwriter Ruben Hein present a 21st-century sequel to this masterful song cycle. The Matangi Quartet and Ruben Hein were inspired by the collected Dutch letters from the book P.S. by Jet Steinz and, with new compositions, add a contemporary chapter to the world of multidisciplinary music experience.

In P.S., letter texts take on the form of songs, and the sound and harmony are the source of movement, dynamics, and energy. The poetic fusion of word and music moves between clear lines and impressionistic soundscapes, and between written text and music.

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Selected by

with Animato Kwartet

17:00 / Wed 31 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Selected by Wed 31 Jan

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Animato Kwartet

Photo : Sarah Wijzenbeek

Animato Kwartet

Inga Våga Gaustad (violin)

Tim Brackman (violin)

Elisa Karen Tavenier (viola)

Pieter De Koe (cello)

Tristan Keuris

String Quartet no. 1

Edward Grieg

String Quartet no. 1

It’s no coincidence that the Animato Quartet has included Grieg’s First String Quartet in their program, as Primarius Inga Våga Gaustad is playing music from her fellow countryman. Grieg was inspired by the Norwegian nature and the view of spectacular fjords to create breathing space in the sound and achieve optimal resonance for the strings. In addition to Grieg, the Animato Quartet also represents the Dutch component with Tristan Keuris’ First String Quartet.

The Selected by series offers great works – alongside each other, in connection or contrast with each other. In an hour, you will hear the string quartet in its entirety: all times, styles, sounds, and colors.

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Selected by

with Doric String Quartet, Jelmer de Moed

17:00 / Thu 1 Feb. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Selected by Thu 1 Feb

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Doric String Quartet

Photo : George Garnier

Doric String Quartet

Alex Redington (violin)

Ying Xue (violin)

Hélène Clément (viola)

John Myerscough (cello)

Jelmer de Moed

Clarinet

Ludwig von Beethoven

String Quartet op. 18 no. 5

Thomas Adès

Clarinet Quintet ‘Alchymia’

Thomas Adès, a contemporary giant in his own right, praises the great composers of the past while his compositions reveal a fascination with music history. The Doric String Quartet invites Dutch clarinet virtuoso Jelmer de Moed to join them in creating the Adesian sound spectrum of ‘Alchymia’. Beethoven, too, learned from his colleagues, and in his String Quartet Op. 18 No. 5 in A Major, he modeled the piece after an early Mozart quartet in the same key.

The Selected by series offers great works – alongside each other, in connection or contrast with each other. In an hour, you will hear the string quartet in its entirety: all times, styles, sounds, and colors.

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3

Feb.
Saturday
14:30 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Matinee

€ 25,00

28

Jan.
Sunday
13:30 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Bartók Cycle 1

€ 25,00

28

Jan.
Sunday
15:00 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Bartók Cycle 2

€ 25,00

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Selected by

with Dudok Quartet Amsterdam

17:00 / Sat 3 Feb. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Première Sat 3 Feb Selected by

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Dudok Quartet Amsterdam

Photo : Green Room Creatives - Yuri Andries

Dudok Quartet Amsterdam

Judith van Driel (violin)

Marleen Wester (violin)

Marie-Louise de Jong (viola)

David Faber (cello)

Ludwig van Beethoven

String Quartet no. 10 op. 74 ‘Harp’

Bushra El-Turk

Three tributes for string Quartet (world premiere)

In 1809, Beethoven wrote three important works: the Fifth Piano Concerto, the Piano Sonata “Les adieux”, and his Tenth String Quartet. All these compositions – coincidence or not – are in the same key, E-flat major. The quartet is nicknamed the “Harp Quartet” because of the ample amount of pizzicato in the first movement. The techniques used by Bushra El-Turk in her contemporary idiom will be demonstrated by the members of the Dudok Quartet Amsterdam at the world premiere of her new string quartet Three tributes*.

The Selected by series offers great works – side by side, opposite each other; connected or contrasting. In an hour, you can hear the string quartet in its full breadth: all times, styles, sounds, and colors.

*Three tributes is co-commissioned for the Dudok Quartet Amsterdam by the Borletti-Buitoni Trust, West Cork Chamber Music Festival and the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam.

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Selected by

with Marmen Quartet

17:00 / Mon 29 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Mon 29 Jan Selected by

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Marmen Quartet

Photo : Marco Borggreve

Marmen Quartet

Johannes Marmen (violin)

Laia Valentin Braun (violin)

Bryony Gibson-Cornish (viola)

Sinéad O'Halloran (cello)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

String Quartet no. 6 KV 159

Garth Knox

Secret Letters (Dutch premiere)

Leoš Janáček

String Quartet no. 2

Garth Knox, former violist of the Arditti Quartet, has created Secret Letters as a four-part string quartet for the Marmen Quartet. Each part is a musical letter from one member of the quartet to the other three, in which that player writes their wish list for a new quartet. The comments of the colleagues trigger increasingly heated discussions. Janáček’s Second String Quartet also refers to letters, and the sixteen-year-old Mozart composed his sixth quartet in Milan – he surely wrote home about it.

The Selected by series offers great works – next to each other, opposite each other; connected or contrasting with each other. In an hour, you hear the full range of the string quartet: all times, styles, sounds, and colors.

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29

Jan.
Monday
09:30 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Early Haydn

€ 23,00

28

Jan.
Sunday
23:00 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Late Beethoven: Opus 131

€ 25,00

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Selected by

with Ragazze Quartet

17:00 / Tues 30 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Première Selected by Tue 30 Jan

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Ragazze Quartet

Photo : Paulina Matusiak & Eddy Wenting

Ragazze Quartet

Rosa Arnold (violin)

Jeanita Vriens-van Tongeren (violin)

Annemijn Bergkotte (viola)

Rebecca Wise (cello)

Felix Mendelssohn

String Quartet no. 6

Seung-Won Oh

Elegy in Me (World premiere)

When his beloved sister Fanny Mendelssohn died in 1847, Felix took time for himself in Switzerland to process this loss. There, he painted, went on mountain hikes, and composed his Sixth String Quartet. It would be one of his last completed works, as he died in the same year as his sister. Fanny was not allowed to pursue a career as a composer despite her talent, but nowadays, women composers are no longer a rarity. Her colleague Seung-Won Oh wrote a new string quartet titled Elegy in Me for the Ragazze Quartet.

The Selected by series offers great works – alongside each other, in connection or contrast with each other. In an hour, you will hear the string quartet in its entirety: all times, styles, sounds, and colors.

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29

Jan.
Monday
14:15 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Extending String Quartet: Fellow Travelers

€ 28,00

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Sunday Morning Concert

with Danish String Quartet

11:00 / Sun 28 Jan. / Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw / € 25,00

2024 Morning Sun 28 Jan

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Danish String Quartet

Photo : Caroline Bittencourt

Danish String Quartet

Frederik Øland (violin)

Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen (violin)

Asbjørn Nørgaard (viola)

Fredrik Schøyen Sjölin (cello)

Folk Music

Joseph Haydn

String Quartet op. 20 no. 3

It all started with a few arrangements by violinist Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen, appealing as an encore. This idea grew into something more, and the folk music of the far North now belongs to the standard repertoire of the Danish String Quartet. The musicians effortlessly blend the dance-like rhythms with Haydn’s classical notes.

“Music is a way to hang out with friends, and we hope we can continue to hang out for many, many years.” This quote from the Danish String Quartet, which is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this season, illustrates the character of the quartet, the way these musicians conquer the stage. Their friendship forms the basis for a natural and intense interplay that sets the ears on stalks.

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27

Jan.
Saturday
20:15 uur

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Grote Zaal Muziekgebouw

Opening Concert String Quartet Biennale 2024

€ 45,00

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'Trust' for String Quartet and Choir (2023)

with Belinfante Quartet, Karski Quartet, 12 amateur singers (in collaboration with Royal Visio)

17:00 / Thu 2 Feb. / BIMHUIS / € 28,00

2024 Extending String Quartet Fr 2 Feb

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Belinfante Quartet

Photo : Cosimo Beduini

Belinfante Quartet

Olivia Scheepers (violin)

Fiona Robertson (violin)

Henrietta Hill (viola)

Pau Marquès i Oleo (cello)

Karski Quartet

Kaja Nowak (violin)

Natalia Kotarba (violin)

Diede Verpoest (viola)

Julia Kotarba (cello)

12 amateur singers (in collaboration with Royal Visio)

Matijs de Roo

'Trust' for String Quartet and Choir (2023)

Leading up to the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam, young string quartets participated in the SQBA residency program where they collaborated with a group of blind amateur singers. Together, they explored what they had in common and what made them different, while learning to feel and inspire one another, communicate their boundaries, and work together as a team.

‘Trust‘ for String Quartet and Choir (2023) is the title of two programs developed by the Dutch Belinfante Quartet and the Belgian-Polish Karski Quartet, together with visiually impaired amateur singers. Composer Matijs de Roo wrote a piece that brings both groups together in a new sound world, an impressive culmination of a year and a half of collaboration. Royal Visio, the expertise center for visually impaired and blind people, was closely involved in the creation process.

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24 - 31.1.2026 Muziekgebouw

2024 Programme

All

Sat 27 jan

Sun 28 jan

Mon 29 jan

Tue 30 jan

Wed 31 jan

Thu 1 feb

Fri 2 feb

Sat 3 feb

27

Danish String Quartet,

Opening Concert String Quartet Biennale 2024

27

Belcea Quartet

Late Beethoven: Opus 127

28

Danish String Quartet

Sunday Morning Concert

28

Belcea Quartet, Doric String Quartet

Bartók Cycle 1

28

Doric String Quartet, Jerusalem Quartet

Bartók Cycle 2

28

Belcea Quartet, Jerusalem Quartet

Bartók Cycle 3

28

Introduction with Katy Hamilton

28

Belcea Quartet, Raphaël Merlin

Evening Concert: Britten, Schubert

28

Marmen Quartet

Late Beethoven: Opus 131

29

Marmen Quartet

Early Haydn

29

Katy Hamilton

Coffee Talk

29

Jerusalem Quartet

Masterclass

29

Ragazze Quartet

Extending String Quartet: Fellow Travelers

29

Marmen Quartet

Selected by

29

Introduction with Katy Hamilton

29

Jerusalem Quartet

Evening Concert

29

Leonkoro Quartett

Late Beethoven: Opus 132

30

Leonkoro Quartett

Early Haydn

30

Katy Hamilton

Coffee Talk

30

Mark Steinberg

Masterclass

30

The Lute Legends, Butter Quartet

Extending String Quartet: A story across time

30

Ragazze Quartet

Selected by

30

Introduction with Katy Hamilton

30

Orchestra of the 18th Century, Kitgut Quartet

24 - 31.1.2026
Muziekgebouw