Beethoven Cycle

Quatuor Ebène

Ludwig van Beethoven is a giant in the history of music. In addition to his 9 symphonies and 32 piano sonatas, the composer’s 16 string quartets also rank among his masterpieces. Composed over almost 30 years, from 1798 to 1826, they exemplify his creativity and his willingness to experiment. Time and again, Beethoven pushed the boundaries of the genre, influencing subsequent generations profoundly.

Quatuor Ebène, one of the world’s leading string quartets, now takes on this »Mount Everest of Chamber Music«. They first performed at the Musikfest in 2007 and received constant praise for their energetic and innovative interpretations. By the start of 2020, Quatuor Ebène had made live recordings of all of Beethoven’s string quartets on a tour encompassing 21 countries and 5 continents, under the motto »Beethoven around the World«. When the recordings were released that year in honour of the composer’s 250^th birthday, the reviews were glowing – here are just two examples: »Arguably the best complete recording of Beethoven's quartets to date« (RBB Kultur), »Beethoven can of course be played differently. But not better. And definitely not more moving« (Hamburger Abendblatt)

We are delighted to announce that our partner for this Beethoven Cycle is the esteemed Philharmonische Gesellschaft Bremen (Philharmonic Society of Bremen). Active for over 200 years, the society has a deep connection to Beethoven’s work. They also sponsored Quatuor Ebène's first appearance at the Musikfest in 2007. In the small auditorium of the Glocke, you can now experience Quatuor Ebène’s unique take on these works. In six concerts, early, middle and late quartets are deliberately juxtaposed so that the audience can experience for themselves that Beethoven’s early compositions are not mere preludes to his later works. With their emotional and spontaneous style, Quatuor Ebène promise to reveal hitherto unheard accents in terms of tempo, sound and articulation, guaranteeing a fresh perspective on each composition!

Tickets: € 50 / 40 / 30 per concert (concessions 20%)