Scan Magazine
|
Experience of the Month
|
Denmark
Experience of The Month, Denmark
Folk music, beer, and classical masterpieces – the Danish String Quartet does things its own way Unlike bungee jumping and seeing the Mona Lisa, a chamber music concert rarely appears on bucket lists of things to do before you die; but it should. With Asbjørn Nørgaard from the GRAMMY-nominated Danish String Quartet, SCAN Magazine explores how and why chamber music moves you. By Signe Hansen |
Photos: Caroline Bittencourt
Somehow, it is almost expected that bucket list experiences should be expensive, dangerous or only accessible to a selected few. However, thanks to the people who dedicate their lives to interpreting and presenting some of history’s greatest works of art, a string of highly evocative and moving experiences is right at hand. In fact, the only requirement to experience them is to let go of prejudice and apprehension. 88 | Issue 172 |
November 2024
“The greatest pieces of music in history, I perceive as extraordinary works of art. They are comparable to masterpieces like the Sistine Chapel or the Mona Lisa – creations of humanity that will always be important,” explains Nørgaard. “Take, for example, the last string quartets of Beethoven. For a string quartet, these are greater works of art than any painting, but you need to play them – you can't just look at the sheet music.
If we stop, to me, it would be like the Louvre closing its doors forever, and we could never see those paintings again. Of course, you can listen to recordings, but a live performance is something entirely different.” Since an early age, Nørgaard and his three fellow players, Frederik Øland, Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen, and Fredrik Schøyen Sjölin have dedicated themselves to their instruments. Formed when the four were in their teens, the quartet is, today, recognised as one of the world’s best, with reviewers in awe of their ability to turn even the most treasured classical pieces into unique experiences for the audience.