Beethoven: The Complete String Quartets, Vol. 2 Ariel Quartet

• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827): String Quartet No. 7 in F major, Op. 59 No. 1:
• 1 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 7 in F major, Op. 59 No. 1: Allegro 10:04
• 2 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 7 in F major, Op. 59 No. 1: Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando 08:55
• 3 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 7 in F major, Op. 59 No. 1: Adagio molto e mesto 13:10
• 4 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 7 in F major, Op. 59 No. 1: Thème Russe: Allegro 08:27
• String Quartet No. 9 in C major, Op. 59 No. 3:
• 5 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 9 in C major, Op. 59 No. 3: Introduzione: Andante con moto – Allegro vivace 10:48
• 6 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 9 in C major, Op. 59 No. 3: Andante con moto quasi allegretto 09:52
• 7 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 9 in C major, Op. 59 No. 3: Menuetto: Grazioso 05:12
• 8 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 9 in C major, Op. 59 No. 3: Allegro molto 06:09
• String Quartet No. 8 in E minor, Op. 59 No. 2:
• 9 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 8 in E minor, Op. 59 No. 2: Allegro 13:55
• 10 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 8 in E minor, Op. 59 No. 2: Molto adagio 12:36
• 11 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 8 in E minor, Op. 59 No. 2: Allegretto 07:30
• 12 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 8 in E minor, Op. 59 No. 2: Presto 05:29
• String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major, Op. 74:
• 13 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major, Op. 74: Poco adagio – Allegro 09:23
• 14 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major, Op. 74: Adagio ma non troppo 09:22
• 15 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major, Op. 74: Presto 05:02
• 16 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major, Op. 74: Allegretto con variazioni 06:45
• String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 95, ‘Quartetto serioso’:
• 17 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 95, ‘Quartetto serioso’: Allegro con brio 04:15
• 18 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 95, ‘Quartetto serioso’: Allegretto ma non troppo 07:19
• 19 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 95, ‘Quartetto serioso’: Allegro assai vivace ma serioso 04:23
• 20 Beethoven: String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 95, ‘Quartetto serioso’: Larghetto espressivo – Allegretto agitato – Allegro 04:36
• Total Runtime 02:43:12

Info zu Beethoven: The Complete String Quartets, Vol. 2

Das vor fast drei Jahrzehnten in Israel gegründete und heute in den USA ansässige Ariel Quartett hat sich international einen Namen gemacht mit Aufführungen, die kühne Interpretationsvision mit außergewöhnlicher technischer Meisterschaft verbinden. Dieser zweite Band ihres Beethoven-Gesamtzyklus konzentriert sich auf Beethovens heroische mittlere Schaffensperiode und präsentiert die drei ausdrucksstarken Razumovsky-Quartette op. 59, das edle Harfenquartett op. 74 und das intensive, kompakte Serioso-Quartett op. 95. Entstanden zwischen 1806 und 1810, markieren diese Werke einen entscheidenden Bruch mit der Klassik und zeichnen sich durch strukturelle Innovation, kontrapunktischen Reichtum und Momente tiefgründiger Lyrik aus. Von der Grandiosität des Zyklus op. 59 mit seinen russischen Volksmelodien über die lyrische Intimität des Harfenquartetts bis hin zur konzentrierten Dramatik des Serioso bietet das Ariel Quartett eine seltene Kombination aus Einsicht, Energie und Harmonie, die aus über 25 Jahren gemeinsamen Musizierens erwächst. Diese Aufnahme, produziert vom Grammy-Preisträger Jesse Lewis, fängt sowohl die Weite als auch die Intimität von Beethovens Vision ein und bietet ein eindrucksvolles Porträt eines Komponisten auf dem Höhepunkt seines Schaffens.

Alexandra Kazovsky, Violine
Gershon Gerchikov, Violine
Jan Grüning, Viola
Amit Even-Tov, Cello

Ariel Quartet A happy accident kickstarted our group in 1998, when we were 13 years old at a school for music and dance. Amidst stretching ballerinas and improvising jazz pianists, we were simply assigned to play together. Our teacher spoon-fed us repertoire just beyond our ability, knowing we were about to discover the addictive magic of playing string quartets. We spent our teenage years rehearsing in the school attic, immersing ourselves in the rich string quartet repertoire while learning to navigate both the music and our evolving relationships. Balancing a budding concert career with high school life was both challenging and rewarding, often providing excellent excuses to skip class. This lifestyle juxtaposition was on full display when we showed up to the prize-announcement ceremony of the 2003 Franz Schubert and Modern Music Competition in Graz, wearing pyjamas, ready to cheer on the prize winners – only to discover we were to be awarded the first prize ourselves…

Today, 27 years in and with three founding members still on board, our mission is to breathe life into the bread and butter of the string quartet repertoire while shining a spotlight on the compelling music of our time. This commitment led us to perform the complete Beethoven cycle before any of us turned 30, while also expanding the repertoire through commissions by established composers such as Mohammed Fairouz, Matan Porat or John Harbison. The joy of sharing the music we love with audiences in the most direct way remains the essence of our experience as musicians – it is the “glue” that has kept us together for more than half our lives. We were fortunate to have had inspiring mentors, including the members of the Cleveland Quartet, Walter Levin of the LaSalle Quartet, and the Amadeus Quartet. Over the past 12 years, succeeding the LaSalle Quartet as Quartet-in-Residence at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) has become a deeply fulfilling part of our lives. Sharing the experience we’ve gained onstage, we maintain individual studios, mentor young ensembles, and are particularly excited about the recent revival of the renowned graduate string quartet residency program.

Our unusual journey has been fundamental in shaping who we are. Beyond the demands of our shared professional path, we have walked together as friends who have truly become family. From late-night debates about tempo and sight-reading marathons to raising our children alongside one another while balancing an international concert career, we have shared every stage of life. This closeness has created a deep and unique bond that continues to shape our identity, both on stage and beyond.

Dieses Album enthält kein Booklet