Quatuor Ardeo

The three quartets in Beethoven's Opus 59 are certainly masterpieces in the string quartet repertoire.
The emotion that pierces us in the slow movement of the first, the cavalcade of the finale of the second, and the incredible fugue of the last quartet make this opus a must.

At the time the ‘Rasumovsky’ quartets were written, Ignaz von Schuppanzigh, Beethoven's favourite violinist, created the very first professional string quartet, giving Beethoven an ideal laboratory in which to explore new possibilities. Prior to this, string quartets had tended to be played in salons. Good amateurs entertained themselves by playing string quartets. By writing for the Schuppanzigh Quartet, which also performed in public concert series, Beethoven entered an entirely new arena.

Naturally, he turned this perspective entirely to his advantage; from that moment on, he could write his string quartets with complete freedom.
It is almost unimaginable that the six Opus 18 quartets and the Rasumovsky Quartets were written only five years apart.
Compared with Opus 18, which is still very much inspired by Haydn, Beethoven's three quartets in Opus 59 are much more personal. With four perfectly equal voices, Beethoven develops almost exalted constructions. Everything that happens in this music is absolutely essential. In Opus 59, Beethoven heralds an entirely new musical era.

BEETHOVEN
3 quartets op.59

This programme will be available from early 2025.