String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam 2018 — festival brochure (English)

STRING QUARTET BIENNAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAALE AMSTERDAM 27.1.— — — — —3.2.2018 MUZIEKGEBOUW

ProgrammE OVERVIEW

To book your tickets with a discount, go to the last page of this brochure.

WED 31.01.

09.30 Following

Kleine Zaal €17 EARLY HAYDN Foyerdeck 1 Free & COFFEE TALK

11.30 Atriumzaal

SAT 27.01.

20.15 Grote Zaal

€37

OPENING CONCERT

Hagen Quartett & Jörg Widmann clarinet

22.30 Grote Zaal

€15

LATE BEETHOVEN

Quatuor Danel

SUN 28.01.

Brentano Quartet: Renaissance Soundscape

€15

MASTERCLASS

Ruysdael Kwartet

with Philip Setzer (Emerson String Quartet)

13.15 Grote Zaal €20

EXTENDING STRING QUARTET Signum Quartett & Jörg Widmann & Sarah Maria Sun Jörg Widmann

17.00 Grote Zaal

SELECTED BY

€26

Cuarteto Quiroga: Schubert, Crumb

20.15 Grote Zaal €32 EVENING CONCERT

Emerson String Quartet & Quartetto di Cremona & Gary Hoffman: Shostakovich Octet, Schubert Quintet

22.30 Grote Zaal

Cuarteto Quiroga

€15

LATE BEETHOVEN

THU 01.02.

11.00 Grote Zaal

€24

SUNDAY MORNING CONCERT

€35

GRASS ROOTS / YOUNG TALENT Competition Winners & Lecture & Sound Workshop

09.30 Kleine Zaal €17 EARLY HAYDN Following Foyerdeck 1 Free & COFFEE TALK

Signum Quartett

13.00 Grote Zaal 17.00 Atriumzaal

€15

MUSICAL LECTURE

Quatuor Danel & Prof. Barry Cooper

11.30 Atriumzaal

Doric String Quartet: First Rehearsal

20.15 Grote Zaal

€32

EVENING CONCERT

Brentano Quartet

14.15 Kleine Zaal €20

EXTENDING STRING QUARTET Ruysdael Kwartet Louis Andriessen

22.30 Grote Zaal

€15

LATE BEETHOVEN

O / Modernt String Quartet 17.00 Grote Zaal

SELECTED BY

MON 29.01.

09.30 Kleine Zaal €17 EARLY HAYDN Following Foyerdeck 1 Free & COFFEE TALK

11.30 Atriumzaal €15 MASTERCLASS

Quartetto di Cremona

14.15 Kleine Zaal €20 EXTENDING STRING QUARTET Spaces

Diamanda Dramm & special guests

17.00 Grote Zaal

€26

SELECTED BY

Brentano Quartet: Mozart, Brahms

20.15 Grote Zaal

€32

EVENING CONCERT

Cuarteto Casals: Beethoven, Amanti

22.30 Grote Zaal

€15

LATE BEETHOVEN

Ruysdael Kwartet

Cuarteto Casals & Lucio Franco Amanti

TUE 30.01.

09.30 Kleine Zaal €17 EARLY HAYDN & Following Foyerdeck 1 Free & COFFEE TALK

Emerson String Quartet

11.30 Haitink Zaal*

Alex Ross

Free

CONVERSATIONS

14.15 Kleine Zaal €20 EXTENDING STRING QUARTET Ragazze Quartet & Katharine Dain & Marine Fribourg Voice

17.00 Grote Zaal €26 SELECTED BY Emerson String Quartet: Ives, Barber, Schumann 20.15 Grote Zaal €32 EVENING CONCERT

Quartetto di Cremona & Gary Hoffman & Lawrence Dutton: Schubert, Schönberg ‘Verklärte Nacht’

22.30 Grote Zaal

Signum Quartett

€15

* Conservatorium van Amsterdam

LATE BEETHOVEN

€15

€26

MASTERCLASS

Doric String Quartet: Haydn, Adès

20.15 Grote Zaal €35 EVENING CONCERT

Cuarteto Quiroga & Cappella Amsterdam & Katharine Dain

22.30 Grote Zaal

LATE BEETHOVEN

Doric String Quartet

09.30 Kleine Zaal €17 Following Foyerdeck 1 Free

EARLY HAYDN & COFFEE TALK

Quatuor Danel

11.30 Atriumzaal

€15

MASTERCLASS

Cuarteto Quiroga: Schubert ‘Der Tod und das Mädchen’

14.15 Kleine Zaal

17.00 BIMhuis

€20

EXTENDING STRING QUARTET DoelenKwartet & Dostojevski Kwartet

€26

SELECTED BY

Dudok Kwartet & Josep Puchades: Mozart, Ligeti

19.00 Grote Zaal

€29

EVENING CONCERT

The Impossible Voyage

09.30 Kleine Zaal €17 Following Foyerdeck 1 Free

EARLY HAYDN & COFFEE TALK

Cuypers Kwartet

11.30 Grote Zaal

Free

CONVERSATIONS

Keynote: Alex Ross

14.15 Grote Zaal

€29

MATINEE CONCERT

DoelenKwartet & Jan Rokyta: De Vries, Kurtág, Veress

17.00 Grote Zaal

€26

SELECTED BY

Signum Quartett: Janáček, Schubert

€15

FRI 02.02.

SAT 03.02.

20.15 Grote Zaal €41 CLOSING CONCERT

Quatuor Danel & O/Modernt String Quartet & Evelyn Glennie

A NEW STRING QUARTET FESTIVAL From 27 January to 3 February 2018 the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ will host the opening edition of the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam. This is the world’s first festival to be devoted to such an in-depth and extensive celebration of one of the most extraordinary classical music genres: the string quartet – chamber music in its most poetic form.

For an entire week Amsterdam will be the international focal point for string quartets and composers – world-renowned names and young talent alike – quartet devotees and new, intrigued listeners.

Immerse yourself each day in the world of the string quartet. From early in the morning until late at night the string quartet will be presented in all its facets.

Wake up to an Early Haydn and then enjoy a drink while the musicians shed light on the string quartet phenomenon during a Coffee Talk. Become better acquainted with the string quartet in a masterclass and the Extending String Quartet series.

Discover the canon of the string quartet repertoire in Selected By and enjoy truly extraordinary string quartet concerts in the evenings. Close the day with another in-depth plunge into the Late Beethovens, the greatest masterworks of the repertoire.

»In the course of the week, the listener will be exposed to the astonishing variety of timbres, styles, moods and narrative strategies that are possible within the realm of the string quartet.« Eugene Drucker, Emerson String Quartet

EARLY HAYDN & COFFEE TALKS

What better way to open the festival day than with a Haydn quartet? The graceful elegance and clarity of the six Opus 20 string quartets, also known as the ‘Sun’ quartets, almost mask the ingenuity of this delightful music.

These quartets form the laboratory in which he tested out and developed his ideas, laying the foundation for the entire genre.

During the String Quartet Biennale six different quartet ensembles open each festival day with a Haydn opus 20 and a surprising musical diversion.

mON 29 / TUE 30 / WED 31 / THU 1 / FRI 2 / SAT 3 09.30 → €17

Wake up with Haydn and go to bed with Beethoven. For those who truly want to submerge themselves in the festival, the Lloyd Hotel and the String Quartet Biennale offer a package deal. See sqba.nl for details.

MON 29 JAN 9.30 + COFFEE TALK

THU 1 FEB 9.30 + COFFEE TALK

SAT 3 FEB 9.30 + COFFEE TALK

Quartetto di Cremona

Signum Quartett

CUYPERS KWARTET

Haydn Koapeng

Haydn Mayke Nas

WED 31 JAN 9.30 + COFFEE TALK

Ruysdael Kwartet Haydn Colasanti

String Quartet no. 28, op. 20/1 Radici (world premiere)

Quartetto di Cremona kicks off this first Early Haydn concert with the opening quartet of the series and also performs the world première of Radici, especially composed for our festival by Silvia Colasanti.

In the slow movement of his 27th string quartet Haydn looks to the past, present and future and unites heaven and earth in a culmination of Baroque, Classicism and Romanticism.

TUE 30 JAN 9.30 + COFFEE TALK

EMERSON STRING QUARTET

Purcell Haydn

Chaconne and Fantasias String Quartet no. 25, op. 20/2

In opting for Purcell’s Fantasias and Chaconne, the Emersons go beyond the origins of the string quartet. In this music of Purcell one can hear the basic principles of the genre, which only reached full bloom a century later in Haydn’s string quartets.

String Quartet no. 27, op. 20/4 Komeng

Haydn Pärt

String Quartet no. 26, op. 20/3 Fratres

Haydn’s opus 20/3 opens with a solemn theme however it swiftly takes a turn, assuming the frivolous and light character that is so characteristic of this group of six quartets. This morning the Ruysdael Quartet balances on the crossroads between seriousness and lightheartedness – albeit in a completely different style – through the combination with Fratres by Arvo Pärt.

The contemplative void and pure beauty of Fratres comes across as a natural complement to Haydn.

FRI 2 FEB 9.30 + COFFEE TALK

QUATUOR DANEL

String Quartet no. 24, op. 20/6 Withorwithout

The Cuypers Quartet has been especially formed for the String Quartet Biennale.

It comprises four musicians who join forces in an experiment: it is their particular instruments rather than their shared passion for the string quartet that have brought them together. All four musicians have an instrument made by the 18th-century Dutch violin maker Cuypers. Coming from the same maker, surely these instruments will blend perfectly together in a string quartet.

In the following COFFEE TALK special attention will be paid to Dutch string instrument by Hubert de Launay. As a luthier, he researches this subject and feels the Dutch school of instrument building was in it's heyday not inferior to the Italian school.

Haydn String Quartet no. 23, op. 20/5 Goebaidoelina Reflections on the theme B-A-C-H By combining Haydn’s opus 20/5 with Reflections on the theme B-A-C-H in concert, the Quatuor Danel emphasises the Baroque elements that are still clearly present in Haydn’s work.

Coffee Talks with host Lex Bohlmeijer A marriage with four people: that’s how a string quartet is often being described. What motivates musicians to dedicate themselves – preferably for their entire lives – to this specific genre?

Every morning after the Early Haydn concert a small group of musicians will gather together to shed light on the string quartet phenomenon.

Listen to their discussion, while enjoying a cup of coffee and the view over the IJ river.

EXTENDING STRING QUARTET

mON 29 / TUE 30 / wED 31*/ THU 1 / FRI 2 14.15 → €20 *

On Wednesday 31 Extending String Quartet starts at 13.15!

The string quartet is not just a centuries-old tradition, but a living, evolving genre.

Experimentation takes place, new works are written and old ones are rediscovered.

Boundaries are explored, extended and blurred in the process. In Extending String Quartet the focus is on composers and musicians who offer new perspectives on the string quartet and breathe fresh life into the genre.

MON 29 JAN 14.15, Spaces

Diamanda Dramm & special guests

and differences between the string quartet and the human voice.

THU 1 FEB 14.15, Louis Andriessen

FRI 2 FEB 14.15, DoelenKwartet

Ruysdael Kwartet & Louis Andriessen

DoelenKwartet & Dostojevski Kwartet

WED 31 JAN 13.15, Jörg Widmann

Signum Quartett & JOrg Widmann & Sarah Maria Sun / VOICE

Works by a.o. Knox, Lachenmann, Sciarrino, Ligeti

Visman

Works by composition students from the CvA, Codarts KonCon

Diamanda Dramm embarks on a journey - with a detour via Lachenmann, Sciarrino and Ligeti - from the brand new Violin Spaces to the String Quartet by Knox.

TUE 30 JAN 14.15, Voice

Ragazze Quartet & Katharine Dain & Marine Fribourg / VOICE Widmann

Works by a.o. Sculthorpe, Shaw, Golijov, Nas, Bartók It has been said that of all musical instruments string instruments most closely resemble the human voice. The Ragazze Quartet puts this claim to the test and teams up with members of the Damask Ensemble to investigate the common ground

Octet (world premiere)

All five String Quartets

Jörg Widmann‘s string quartets are proof that the genre is alive and kicking.

His oeuvre, which is still steadily evolving, is already considered part of the canon and is included on the repertoire list of many quartets throughout the world. For this reason the German Signum Quartet decided to dedicate a major programme to him, immersing themselves in his works together with the composer himself.

Andriessen Miserere Berio Glosse for string quartet Cage String Quartet in Four Parts Andriessen Facing Death J. S. Bach Selection from

The Art of Fugue The Ruysdael Quartet meets Louis Andriessen in a programme with his work at its heart.

This afternoon they jointly describe the context of his string quartets, in word and music. Among other pieces the Ruysdael Quartet also plays music by John Cage, a tip from Andriessen himself: ‘John Cage’s String Quartet in Four Parts is a work that I highly regard – from the period that he still composed notes extremely well. What a superb piece.’

How is it for young musicians to play music while the ink is still wet on the page?

How does a composer feel when confronted with the first interpretation? And how do musicians and composers collaborate?

The DoelenKwartet is a renowned Dutch guartet specialised in contemporary music.

Having much experience in working together with many composers, it now helps young artists in the process of finding each other.

SELECTED BY

mON 29 / TUE 30 / wED 31 / THU 1 / FRI 2* / SAT 3 17.00 → €26

This concert takes * place in BIMhuis!

There is no such thing as a definitive list of essential, outstanding, monumental or pioneering works that constitute the canon of the string quartet. During the String Quartet Biennale various quartets will start to create one. From an individual perspective, each selects a number of diverse works, adding them to the String Quartet Biennale canon under the title SELECTED BY.

MON 29 JAN 17.00

Brentano String Quartet

Romanticism, of which Robert Schumann was one of the central exponents half a century earlier.

THU 1 FEB 17.00

SAT 3 FEB 17.00

Doric String Quartet

Signum Quartett

Haydn Adès

Janáček String Quartet no. 2

‘Intimate Letters’ Schubert String Quartet no. 13, D 804 ‘Rosamunde’

WED 31 JAN 17.00

Cuarteto Quiroga

Mozart String Quartet no. 19, K. 465 ‘Dissonance’ Brahms String Quartet no. 1, op. 51 / 1 Boundaries pushed twofold: Mozart pushes the limits of tonality with his extreme use of dissonances in the first bars, Brahms explores the boundaries of the string quartet by making demands of symphonic proportions with regard to volume and power.

TUE 20 JAN 17.00

Emerson String Quartet

Ives

Barber

R. Schumann

String Quartet no. 1 ‘From the Salvation Army’ String Quartet, op. 11 – II Molto adagio String Quartet no. 3, op. 41 / 3

Performing music by Samuel Barber and Charles Ives the Emerson String Quartet presents two of the best loved works of the American string quartet repertoire. These works are still permeated with European

Schubert

Crumb

String Quartet no. 14, D. 531 ‘Der Tod und das Mädchen’ Black Angels

Say the word ‘string quartet’ and Der Tod und das Mädchen inevitably springs to mind. The piece is indisputably a crowning work of the repertoire. So it’s only natural that this work was submitted for inclusion in the canon. All the more surprising that the Spanish Cuarteto Quiroga put forward Black Angels by Crumb as their second work. Although both works express the same theme of death, they could not be more divergent in terms of musical style. Crumb also includes a range of extra instruments, including maracas, crystal glasses and paper clips.

String Quartet no. 50, op. 64 / 3 The Four Quarters

With The Four Quarters by Thomas Adès, the Doric String Quartet brings the 21st-century into the canon. Adès succeeds in expressing substantial ideas with his evocative idiom without his music becoming complex or sacrificing its beauty.

FRI 2 FEB 17.00, NB locatie BIMhuis

Dudok Kwartet

Ligeti

Mozart Ligeti

String Quartet no. 1 ‘Métamorphoses nocturnes’ String Quintet no. 5, KV. 593 Sonata for viola

An anomaly within this string quartet canon: Ligeti’s first string quartet paired with Mozart’s fifth string quintet. This unusual combination of works is complemented by Ligeti’s viola sonata, which bridges the gap between the pieces.

Sehnsucht; longing. This subject has fired the imagination of many artists and composers, including Schubert and Janáček.

In Schubert’s ’Rosamunde’ the Signum Quartet senses a universally recognisable and extremely Romantic musical portrayal of longing. This is different from the personal longing felt by Janáček, who composed his second string quartet inspired by the extremely intimate, long-term correspondence between him and his unattainable love Kamila.

Evening concerts

»We almost never meet any other string quartets, which is a pity. We are like ships at night, passing each other silently in the big ocean, never knowing what the other one does. It will be fantastic to encounter other quartets and share our music and experience with them.« John Myerscough, Doric String Quartet

SAT 27 / SUN 28 / mON 29 / TUE 30 / wED 31 / THU 1 / FRI 2*/ SAT 3 20.15

On Friday the evening concert * ‘The Impossible Voyage’ starts at 19.00!

Following the evening concerts, one of the quartets concludes the day with one of Beethoven's late quartets. See Late Beethoven for more information.

SAT 27 JAN 20.15

SUN 28 JAN 20.15

TUE 30 JAN 20.15

THU 1 FEB 20.15

Hagen Quartett & JOrg Widmann / ClARINET

Brentano Quartet

Quartetto di Cremona & Gary Hoffman / CELLO & Lawrence Dutton / Viola

Quartetto Quiroga & Cappella Amsterdam & Katharine Dain / VOICE

Haydn Davidovsky Beethoven

String Quartet no. 49, op. 64 / 2 String Quartet no. 4 String Quartet no. 7, op. 59 / 1

One of the most celebrated American string quartets, the Brentano Quartet represents the pure-blood string quartet tradition. This quartet’s sound is not only revealed in their ensemble playing but also in their choice of programme: pure and clear.

MON 29 JAN 20.15 Widmann

Webern

Brahms

Clarinet Quintet (Dutch premiere)* Langsamer Satz for string quartet Clarinet Quintet op. 115

In the opening concert of the very first String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam two of chamber music’s household names share the stage: the Austrian Hagen Quartet and the German composer / clarinettist Jörg Widmann. Inspired by Mozart and Brahms, Widmann recently composed a new work for this instrumental combination, which is inseparably linked to the string quartet.

The Hagen Quartet also performs one of the most poignant pieces of the string quartet repertoire: Webern’s Langsamer Satz. * co-commission String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, CNDM Madrid, Wigmore Hall, Mozarteum Salzburg, Philharmonie Essen, Lugano Musica, Philharmonie de Paris

Cuarteto Casals

Beethoven Amanti Beethoven

String Quartet no. 5, op. 18 / 5 ReSolUtIo (world premiere) String Quartet no. 10, op. 74 ‘Harp Quartet’

Beethoven and the Italian-Canadian composer Lucio Franco Amanti find common ground in a topic that is not usually associated with the string quartet. According to the Spanish Cuarteto Casals the music of both composers shares the same DNA: improvisation.

Schubert Schönberg

String Quartet no. 15, D. 887 Verklärte Nacht

Two of the most beloved chamber music works. Both Schubert’s fifteenth string quartet and Schönberg’s Verklärte Nacht wind their way along the highest peaks and through the deepest valleys.

WED 31 JAN 20.15

Emerson String Quartet & Quartetto di Cremona & Gary Hoffman / CELLO

Bartók Webern Sjostakovitsj Schubert

String Quartet no. 3 6 Bagatellen op. 9 String Octet, op. 11 String Quintet in C, D. 956

The Emerson String Quartet and cellist Gary Hoffman together form the dream team for Schubert’s quintet, one of the most sublime and perfect chamber music works ever written.

Sánchez-Verdú La porte de l’Enfer

(world premiere) De la Rue Lamentaties Schönberg String Quartet no. 2 In this concert Cuarteto Quiroga and Cappella Amsterdam are suspended between the heaven of Schönberg and the hell of José Maria Sánchez-Verdú. The Spanish composer drew his inspiration for La porte de l’enfer – specially composed for this concert – from Auguste Rodin’s eponymous, colossal sculpture and poetry from the Second World War. The result is an imposing work for large choir and string quartet, a rare combination.

FRI 2 FEB 19.00

THE IMPOSSIBLE VOYAGE

demanding journey. It could be viewed as a mountain ascent; an optimistic, at times arduous climb, until one ultimately reaches the peak. Taking the music as her point of departure, Jorinde Keesmaat’s staging makes use of elements such as light and positioning, transforming The Impossible Voyage into a gesamtkunstwerk.

LLOYD HOTEL If the Muziekgebouw is the festival’s heart, the Lloyd Hotel is the festival’s home.

All the musicians will sleep, drink and eat together in the hotel, located just a couple of tram stops away from the Muziekgebouw.

So the Lloyd Hotel will also be part of the buzzing festival atmosphere for the whole week. The Lloyd Hotel is also the perfect place to stay for festival visitors; what could be better than sleeping and breakfasting among the musicians and then hearing them on stage?

SAT 3 FEB 20.15

Quatuor Danel & O / Modernt String Quartet Evelyn Glennie / PERCUSSION

DAY & NIGHT WITH THE MUSICIANS Especially for festival devotees and visitors, the Lloyd Hotel and the String Quartet Biennale offer a package deal that enables you to be present at the festival day and night.

CUARTETO CASALS, QUATUOR DANEL, DORIC STRING QUARTET Beethoven

Britten Shostakovich

String quartets op. 18 / 1; op. 18 / 3; op. 95; op. 131 and op. 135 String quartets no. 1, 2 and 3 String quartets no. 2, 4 and 15

Embark on a six-hour voyage, criss-crossing between the oeuvres of three monumental composers – fittingly entitled The Impossible Voyage. As the name suggests it will be a

Tsjaikovski String Quartet no. 1 Debussy String Quartet Masson Frum Glennie Light in Darkness Purcell Chaconne in G minor Janáček String Quartet no. 1

‘Kreutzer Sonata’ Xenakis Rebonds B Tenney Having Never Written a

Note for Percussion Golijov Tenebrae Schnelzer Apollonian Dances for

string quartet

(world premiere) The Quatuor Danel, O/Modernt String Quartet and the percussionist Evelyn Glennie team up to conclude the first edition of the String Quartet Biennale under the direction of Jorinde Keesmaat: tradition, experiment, overtone singing, baroque and avant-garde; a spectacular crowning event to top off a week that has redefined the limits of the string quartet.

Lloyd Hotel has a unique concept: the rooms vary from 1-to-5 stars. It's a place where travelers from all stripes can feel at home. The hotel is an icon of Dutch Design, located in a transformed historic building near the eastern docks. Over 50 designers and artists participated in the hotel, and it hosts ongoing exhibitions, talks and events, available to all guests.

Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy Oostelijke Handelskade 34 1019 BN Amsterdam lloydhotel.com

See sqba.nl or call +(0)20 561 3807 to book a room in the Lloyd Hotel with the special String Quartet Biennale-discount.

LATE BEETHOVEN

SAT 27 / SUN 28 / mON 29 / TUE 30 / wED 31 / THU 1 22.30 → €15*

In combination with evening concert €10!

Wake up with Haydn and go to bed with Beethoven. For those who truly want to submerge themselves in the festival, the Lloyd Hotel and the String Quartet Biennale offer a package deal. See sqba.nl for details.

Following the evening concert, take a plunge into the deepest waters of the string quartet.

The intense experience of listening to Beethoven’s late string quartets calls for the intimate setting of the darkest hours of the day. In these works Beethoven not only lays bare his innermost depths but also those of the listeners and the musicians. On five evenings of the String Quartet Biennale five top quartets conclude the festival day with one of these masterworks.

SAT 27 JAN 22.30

Quatuor Danel

der Fuge while simultaneously slowly building up the Grosse Fuge, thus deciphering the art of writing a fugue.

TUE 30 JAN 22.30

Signum Quartett

‘Muss es sein? Es muss sein!’ (‘Must it be?

It must be!’).

TUE 1 FEB 22.30

Doric String Quartet

MON 29 JAN 22.30

Ruysdael Kwartet Beethoven

String Quartet no. 12, op. 127

It is no coincidence that this series of Late Beethoven concerts kicks off with opus 127.

With the grand opening of the maestoso and the emotional adagio, this fantastic and captivating quartet sets the tone in an imposing fashion. From the very first notes the work confirms the unique standing of Beethoven’s late string quartets. Renowned for its championing of adventurous works the Belgian Quatuor Danel is the ideal ensemble to perform this energetic work.

SUN 28 JAN 22.30

O / Modernt String Quartet

Beethoven

Beethoven

String Quartet no. 14, op. 131

‘After this, what is there left for us to write?’

Schubert is supposed to have said after hearing Beethoven’s opus 131. Renowned for their intense ensemble playing, the Dutch Ruysdael Quartet performs this challenging and transcendental work in the second Late Beethoven concert.

The 40-minute quartet consists of seven, seamlessly connected movements and was far ahead of its time. Perhaps for this reason Beethoven himself considered it as his favourite.

Compared with its predecessors Beethoven’s fifteenth quartet seems to mark time with regard to scope and style – yet, from the very first note his intention to compose a quartet in grand style is evident and he achieves an unprecedented lucidity and transparency.

The German Signum Quartet perform this work with the clarity and vitality for which they are known.

WED 31 JAN 22.30

Cuarteto Quiroga

Beethoven Bach Kerer

Beethoven

Kunst der Fuge Fugal De/Constructing (world premiere) Grosse Fuge op. 133

In her new work the Swiss composer Manuela Kerer deconstructs Bach’s Kunst

String Quartet no. 15, op. 132

String Quartet no. 16, op. 135

Beethoven’s sixteenth and final string quartet is perhaps his most striking. Having repeatedly broken new ground with his previous quartets, he now returns to the basic crux. It is as if he musically reconciles himself with the dramatic events of his life, as he himself writes in the manuscript:

Beethoven

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

The cavatina – the sixth movement of Beethoven’s thirteenth string quartet – is considered by many to be the most sublime piece of string quartet music ever written.

The finale that he wrote for this work was not even considered as music at the time.

Beethoven had produced something so abhorrent in his day that the publisher advised him to compose a new finale before the work could be published. Later, this original movement was published after all, although as a separate work: opus 133, the Grosse Fuge. Today it is universally considered to be a masterwork; perhaps even Beethoven’s greatest musical achievement.

GRASS ROOTS & SPECIALS & Fringe Programme

SUN 28 JAN 11.00 Sunday Morning Concert

FRI 2 FEB & ZA 3 FEB 13.30 — 14.00

Renaissance Soundscape Brentano Quartet

Tiny Premieres: Signum Quartett presents #Quartweet The German Signum Quartet combines the string quartet and modern media in their #Quartweet project. They have asked numerous renowned composers to send in a Quartweet via Twitter: a composition of maximum 140 notes and rests (the equivalent of the maximum number of characters in a Tweet). However, young, new, old, as yet undiscovered and future composers are also invited to compose and send in a Quartweet!

Composers such as Monteverdi, Josquin and Ockeghem are not names that one immediately associates with the string quartet.

Although their music was not originally written for string quartet, the American Brentano Quartet feels strongly drawn towards the Renaissance sound world. With the string quartet as a new medium for early music, they breathe new life into these works from five centuries ago.

SUN 28 JAN 13.00 — 16.00

GRASS ROOTS Who are the string quartets of the future?

Grass Roots features six young string quartets surrounded by a special fringe programme.

The entire afternoon is devoted to making acquaintance with young talent and with the entire string quartet genre. As the entry ticket for Grass Roots gives the possibility of entering and leaving at will, listeners can select their own afternoon programme.

SUN 28 /TUE30 / FRI 2 / SAT 3

The fringe programme will take shape during the lead-up to the festival. Keep an eye on sqba.nl!

Winners of: → Banff International String Quartet Competition (Rolston String Quartet / US) → Melbourne International String Quartet Competition (Noga Quartet / GER) → Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition (Quatuor Akilone / FR) → Trondheim International String Quartet Competition (TBD in September) → Dutch up-and-coming talent (TBD) → Leo Samama lecture on the string quartet → Menno van Woerkom sound workshop

TUE 30 JAN & SAT 3 FEB 11.30

Keynote: Alex Ross Intimate Revolution: Experimentation and Subversion in String Quartets of the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries.

Alex Ross made his international breakthrough with ‘The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century’; the book made the New York Times’ top 10 and won international awards – not without reason.

In The Rest Is Noise he achieved a feat that many have attempted in vain: he wrote an accessible guide to 20th-century music.

SAT 3 FEB 14.15 SATURDAY MATINEE

DOELENKWARTET & JAN ROKYTA / CIMBALOM György Kurtág Sándor Veress Klaas de Vries

Officium Breve String Quartet no. 2 Stringed quintet for string quartet and cimbalom (world premiere)

The DoelenKwartet is a renowned Dutch quartet specialising in contemporary music.

The quartet celebrates its 25th anniversary with a new composition for string quartet and cimbalom by Klaas de Vries.

MASTERCLASSES & MUSICAL LECTURES

So many diverse quartets performed in the space of a single week; so much knowledge and experience to share. A masterclass provides the opportunity to delve deeper into the music and imparts new knowledge to musicians and audience alike. It is also a unique experience to follow the musical process from close by. During the String Quartet Biennale the musicians take masterclasses out of their traditional setting and dedicate them to topics that they consider essential for the string quartet. All Masterclasses and Musical Lectures are in English.

SUN 28 JAN 17.00

The Creation of Beethoven’s Late Quartets Musical lecture Prof. Barry Cooper & Quatuor Danel Beethoven left behind thousands of pages of virtually illegible musical sketches. Once deciphered they give insight into the creation process of his compositions. The British professor Barry Cooper is the leading international authority in this extremely fascinating field. In this musical lecture he delves into the sketches of Beethoven’s late string quartets together with Quatuor Danel.

WED 31 JAN 11.30, Round Robin

Emerson String Quartet Philip Setzer Three young quartet will be divided, mixed up and rotated. Everyone will encounter each other and Philip Setzer from the Emerson String Quatet. In this unusual setting they will work together on Webern’s 6 Bagatellen, which will also be performed by the Emerson String Quartet this evening.

THU 1 FEB 11.30, First Rehearsal

Doric String Quartet The Doric String Quartet exposes one of the least visible and most personal aspects of being a string quartet: the first rehearsal.

A new piece awaits on the stands; perhaps the notes are not even fully mastered yet – so, what happens when they rehearse a piece for the very first time?

FRI 2 FEB 11.30, Der Tod und das Mädchen

Cuarteto Quiroga

MON 29 JAN 11.30, Improvisation

Cuarteto Casals & Lucio Franco Amanti

SUN 28 / mON 29 / wED 31 / THU 1 / FRI 2 11.30 → €15

The Spanish Cuarteto Casals asked the composer Lucio Franco Amanti to write a work as an element of their Beethoven cycle with the goal of coming closer to the improvisatory heart of Beethoven’s music.

This work (to be heard in this Monday evening’s concert) motivated them to join forces with the composer and take a new step in their career: improvising. During the Biennale Lucio Franco Amanti will join the Cuarteto Casals in a masterclass and continue exploring this as yet uncharted territory for a string quartet.

Cuarteto Quiroga approaches a masterclass in the same way that they approach the string quartet. Starting from four diverse perspectives they display incredible precision and dedication in building a technical, substantial and contextual framework within which the students can find their own voice.

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TICKETS & DISCOUNT

Besides the involvement of the string quartets, our partners and organisational team, we rely on the support of all those who share our love for the genre; your support plays a crucial role in making the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam a great success. It also encourages us in the knowledge that we do not stand alone in our passion for the string quartet. Starting from €100 per year you can become a Friend of the SQBA and enjoy a special status / position in the months leading up to and during the festival.

You can follow the String Quartet Biënnale Amsterdam on Social media: Strijkkwartet Biënnale Amsterdam /@sqbamsterdam.

Through our Newsletter we send regular updates concerning the festival.

For an entire week the Muziekgebouw will be totally dedicated to the string quartet.

Enjoying the venue’s generous space, spectacular architecture and fantastic acoustic you can almost literally immerse yourself in the world of the string quartet – surrounded by a breathtaking view across the IJ river. The Muziekgebouw is about 10 minutes walking distance from Amsterdam Central Station.

Tickets for the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam are sold through the Muziekgebouw website and box office.

The Muziekgebouw website is not fully available in English. Therefor, if you don’t understand Dutch and wish to order tickets, it’s best to contact the Box Office of the Muziekgebouw via kassa@muziekgebouw.nl or tel. +31 (0)20 788 2000 (Mon — Sat, 12:00 ­­—18:00).

FESTIVAL DISCOUNT The festival discount offers full flexibility at festival prices. Nothing is stopping you from fully submerging yourself in string quartet!

3 — 6 CONCERTS → 20% DISCOUNT 6 — 9 CONCERTS → 25% DISCOUNT > 9 CONCERTS → 35% DISCOUNT

The String Quartet Biënnale Amsterdam is especially proud of it’s Founders, a group of individuals who, from the very beginning, have made this festival possible through their great support and generous contributions; and is thankful of it’s supporters, named and unnamed.

DAY TICKETS AND PASSE-PARTOUT Stichting Strijkkwartet Biennale Amsterdam Pieter de Hoochstraat 22 — 2 1071 EE Amsterdam

SPONSOR

info@sqba.nl sqba.nl

FUNDS & SUBSIDISERS

Design by Studio Farn, Leipzig in cooperation with Pawel Wolowitsch Printed by Drukkerij Raddraaier, Amsterdam PHOTO CREDITS

Stichting Doelwijk PARTNERS

To order day tickets or passe-partouts for the String Quartet Biennale outside of the Netherlands, please contact the Box Office of the Muziekgebouw via kassa@muziekgebouw.nl or tel. +31 (0)20 788 2000 (Mon — Sat, 12:00 ­­—18:00).

MUZIEKGEBOUW: Erik van Gurp; BRENTANO QUARTET: Juergen Frank; CUARTETO CASALS & CUARTETO QUIROGA: Molina Visuals; DIAMANDA DRAMM: Beata Szparagowska; DOELENKWARTET: Louis Haagman; DORIC STRING QUARTET: George Garnier; DUDOK KWARTET: Feiko Koster; EMERSON STRING QUARTET: Lisa-Marie Mazzucco; HAGEN QUARTETT: Harald Hoffman; JÖRG WIDMANN: Marco Borggreve; O/MODERNT STRING QUARTET: Rikard Westman; QUARTETTO DI CREMONA: Elisa Caldana; QUATUOR DANEL: Marco Borggreve; RAGAZZE QUARTET: Anne Claire de Breij; RUYSDAEL KWARTET: Bert Andrée; SIGNUM QUARTET: Irene Zandel.

EARLY BIRD AND CJP EARLY BIRD (13 — 30 years, limited availability): €10 CJP / STADSPAS 20% korting

Festival Line-Up 2018:

Brentano String Quartet Cuarteto Casals Quartetto di Cremona Quatuor Danel DoelenKwartet Doric String Quartet Dudok Kwartet Emerson String Quartet Hagen Quartett O / Modernt String Quartet Cuarteto Quiroga Ragazze Quartet Ruysdael Kwartet Signum Quartett

Check sqba.nl for details and book your tickets now! sqba.nl

»The String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam promises not only to nurture the hallowed ground of the great quartet tradition, but also to do the vitally important job of challenging the very existence of the established order, pushing the traditional boundaries of the form. The festival will open up new imaginative spaces, unraveling multiple strands of quartet playing and reweaving them to reveal unforeseen potentialities.« Hugo Ticciati, O / Modernt String Quartet