This programme of string quartets offers a journey through three emblematic works, each revealing a unique facet of musical history and expression. Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No. 2, composed when he was only eighteen, unfolds with ardent, impassioned Romanticism. Inspired by Beethoven, the young composer weaves throughout the work a recurring motif drawn from one of his early songs—a restless musical question that resurfaces like a heartbeat. The music moves between tension, lyrical fervour, and tender instability, capturing the emotional turbulence of youth.
With Ginastera’s First String Quartet, the language shifts dramatically. Written in 1948, it bursts with rhythm, percussive gestures, and modern textures. Rooted in Argentine folklore yet firmly part of the avant-garde, the piece blends violence, mystery, and invocation. Spectral dances, whispered sonorities, and raw, almost ritualistic energy make this quartet an intense and gripping experience.
The programme concludes with Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 16, his final completed work. Beneath an outward simplicity reminiscent of Classical style, Beethoven distils a luminous, sometimes playful wisdom. The famous final movement, bearing the inscription “The difficult decision”, meditates on necessity, doubt, and resolution. “Muss es sein? Es muss sein!” — the music smiles with philosophical lightness, both profound and serene.
Together, these three quartets form a striking panorama: from the burning Romanticism of Mendelssohn to the earthy modernity of Ginastera, and the clear, moving introspection of Beethoven’s last work — a triptych that reveals the full expressive power of the string quartet.
