Beethoven-Zyklus IV

Quatuor Ebène

Programme:
Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet No. 1 in F major, Op. 18/1, String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major, Op. 74 »Harp Quartet«, String Quartet No. 9 in C major, Op. 59/3 »Rasumowsky«

String Quartet No. 1 in F major was originally composed in 1799 as the second work of Opus 18. In 1801, Beethoven made significant revisions to the quartet, particularly the first two movements, decidedly surpassing Haydn in the process and deliberately placing it at the beginning of the series. The nickname »Harp Quartet« for Opus did not originate with Beethoven, but came from a review that commented on the harp-like pizzicatos in the first movement. The catchiness of this cheerful and light-hearted work (for Beethoven anyway) stands in contrast to his three earlier »Rasumowsky« quartets. The complexity of these pieces, which was unprecedented in string quartets, marks a turning point in Beethoven’s work. The very boldness and modernity of these works, which today seem so classical, were met with hostility and incomprehension – even among the musicians performing them. The cellist Bernhard Romberg trampled on his sheet music, others spoke of »mad music« and even Beethoven’s close collaborator, the violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh, initially considered the music a bad joke.

presented by dodenhof and swb
in cooperation with the Philharmonische Gesellschaft Bremen