PCM8: Audacious and captivating Schubert from Alice Neary and the Elias Quartet

Sixteen of the finest string players around join forces on one stage to end the East Neuk Festival in a grand finale. 

Making their long-awaited debut in Japan, the Elias String Quartet embarks on the complete Beethoven cycle with a contrasting programme of early and late quartets.

The classy Elias String Quartet brighten the morning with enjoyable Haydn and Mendelssohn, but Britten doesn't sit quite right. 

Musica Viva claims to be the largest presenter of chamber music in the world, and in the last few years, they have brought world-renowned ensembles to Australia such as the Takács and Tokyo Quartets, as well as many exciting newer groups such as the Pacifica Quartet.

Music fans love to get the whole picture. We consume box-sets, bootlegs, alternate takes, and artist interviews – all in the name of completeness. Some people say a good CD library should have at least three Eroicas and five Fifths to be complete, while music magazines might recommend more. Of course, live music venues have their own shot at completeness when they schedule a “cycle”.