The Calidore Quartet has embarked on a mighty project of recording all the Beethoven string quartets. Approaching the release of its final installment comprising the early op.18 quartets, the ensemble reflect on the challenges and quirks of these works
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We end our recorded cycle of Beethoven’s quartets with the set of six that began his journey with the genre, the op.18. Though such an order deviates from the usual presentation of this cycle, it is in many ways fitting to end at the beginning.
Journeying through the op.18s, one is aware of the musical revolution he is brewing in terms of style, development of ideas and extreme contrasts of emotion. Already from the beginning, Beethoven’s musical signature is clearly legible. These qualities would eventually lead to another beginning, the foundation of an entirely new artistic movement, which we refer to as Romanticism.
Though the op.18s are often most quartet players’ first foray into Beethoven’s music, they are by no means the easiest. Their transparency, elegance and robust shifts of character demand the most exacting levels of execution, poise and feeling. In the op.18, no.6, performers face the daringly intricate rhythmic interplay of the scherzo and in the very next movement, must grapple with the tectonic emotional shifts of the last movement’s revolutionary ’La Melanconia.’
Other thrilling conclusions, such as the finales of op.18 no.1 and no.4 make technical demands equal to anything in his later work (or that of many other composers), while the wistful melodies of op.18, nos.3 and 5 call on their interpreters to find a just proportion of subtlety and dynamism.Beethoven demonstrates the full powers of his imagination and depth of his feeling throughout these six works.
The op.18 quartets lay the foundation of the entire cycle, which collectively evokes the enduring relevance of Beethoven’s humanistic perspective. He was an artist who aimed to compose not for one portion of society, but rather to unite through our fundamental elements. His music’s immediacy is not contingent upon the century we live in, the country we come from, the generation we belong to, the beliefs we align with or other factors that may divide us. Beethoven’s quartets appeal to the emotional experiences we share in common as human beings, which are far more substantial than what may divide us. For these great works came to fruition through Beethoven’s courage to face, endure and overcome his life’s challenges.
In this spirit, our project came together in a very ’Beethovenian’ way. The forced separation during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, made us dream of ways to immerse ourselves once more in our craft and to share our music with audiences around the globe. Recording was a dream we all shared from our very inception as a quartet. And this difficult period opened the door for the possibility to make it a reality. We are grateful to the University of Delaware – where we serve as professors and Distinguished String Quartet in Residence – for providing us with the use of the magnificent Gore Recital Hall for the six recording sessions. We were also fortunate to be introduced to the legendary producer Judith Sherman, an artist whose passion for these works and uncompromising standards have made her the perfect partner in chronicling our interpretations of Beethoven.
Now, finding ourselves at the end of this endeavour, the contents of this recording project serve as a snapshot of our fourteen years of working, growing, listening and collaborating with one another. Our interpretation speaks to the influences of our teachers and the great traditions associated with this repertoire, but also to that of our own generation, contemporary research, style and experience. Though this music speaks in a language that is hundreds of years old, its message remains immediate, relevant and comforting to listeners of today and of generations to come even, and especially, in the most challenging of times.
Watch the Calidore Quartet’s self-portrait video here:
The Calidore Quartet’s album of Beethoven: The Early Quartets will be released on 24 January 2025 on Signum Classics.
Read: Session Report: The Calidore Quartet on recording Beethoven’s late quartets
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