What do you call two violins, a viola and a cello? A string quartet. And what is a string quartet? It’s an ensemble – and also one of the most important genres of chamber music. The four-piece is also a sort of experimental laboratory for new and unheard sounds – a theme that Pierre Boulez Saal is devoting itself to in the coming weeks under the banner of Quartet Summer. Starting off the series on 11.05.2023 is the American Jack Quartet, who are amongst the leading lights of the contemporary classical music scene. They are set to perform works by John Zorn, Caleb Burhans and Helmut Lachmann. Next up are the leaders of the future: the young string quartets of Berlin’s music academies (including the Barenboim-Said-Akademie), who will perform compositions at the Pierre Boulez Saal and academy’s open day (21.05). Also performing are the legendary Kronos Quartet, who will make a guest appearance at the Pierre Boulez Saal with a concert of seminal string quartet works from the 20th and 21st centuries (16.05). The musicians will also present a live musical documentation of the venue’s turbulent history as part of their mini residency. Further program items include Mozart’s “Haydn Quartets” played by the Austrian Hagen Quartet, a performance by the Danish String Quartet, and the Chiaroscuro Quartet who will play music in the original way: on gut strings. This wealth of big names means that even if you are a newcomer to chamber performances, you’re bound to quickly discover innovative and great music. Who knows: maybe one day you’ll be able to tell your friends about the time you heard all those legendary musicians playing live at the Pierre Boulez Saal…
Text: Hilka Dirks / Photos: Eva Vermandel; Caroline Bittencourt & Lenny Gonzalez
Pierre Boulez Saal, Französische Str.33d, 10117 Berlin–Mitte; map
Quartet Summer runs 11.05–09.06.2023 – you can check out the full program here.
@boulezsaal
