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Christian Tetzlaff: ‘Following the score is freedom’

2026-05-12T11:57:00

_DSC9959 (c) Giorgia Bertazzi

German violinist Christian Tetzlaff has built a career defined by artistic independence. As he celebrates his 60th birthday, he speaks to Richard Bratby about the values that have shaped his musical life

There’s never a good moment to interrupt a string quartet in full flight. The finale of Dvořák’s op.105 in A flat major is audible through the door, and I’d hoped to stay out of sight until the double bar. No chance. As soon as he spots me, the group’s leader, Christian Tetzlaff, breaks off at once, and it’s evident from the smiles of the other three players that they’re wholly at their ease. The Tetzlaff Quartet has an afternoon’s rehearsal ahead of it before tonight’s concert at the University of Birmingham, and although the programme is substantial – the Dvořák, plus Schubert’s mighty G major Quartet D887 – these seem like musicians who take matters in their stride…

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