Quatuor Ébène sends its audience home on a round of good cheer

By Alexander Hall, 16 October 2021

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“an infectious devil-take-the-hindmost attitude, a whirligig of fun and high spirits”

Reviewed at Wigmore Hall, London on 15 October 2021

Haydn, String Quartet no. 27 in D major, Op.20 no.4, Hob III:34

Janáček, String Quartet no. 1 in E minor, "Kreutzer Sonata"

Schumann, String Quartet in F major, Op.41 no.2

Quatuor Ébène

The power of clarity: Quatuor Ébène at the Concertgebouw

Antonio D'Amato, 8th November

The Quatuor Ébène deliver striking clarity and deep musical understanding in performances of Mozart, Debussy and Brahms.

*****

Echoes of Youth: the Belcea and Ébène Quartets at Carnegie Hall

Edward Sava-Segal, 14th November

A concert of Mendelssohn and Enescu octets which proves that eight can be more than four plus four.

****1

A game of numbers: Belcea Quartet and Quatuor Ébène play octets

Alexander Hall, 28th May

Sometimes you just marvel at the level of musical inspiration and the virtuosic quality of the playing. The two octets by Mendelssohn and Enescu make a very satisfying pairing.

****1

New cellist, same radiating intensity: Quatuor Ébène at Zankel Hall

Edward Sava-Segal, 5th April

A programme consisting of works from three different centuries illustrated the French ensemble's versatility and acumen.

*****

Zinging strings: Janine Jansen leads an all-Stradivarius octet

Mark Pullinger, 19th December

Violin dealers J & A Beare celebrate its 130th anniversary in lavish style by bringing together eight of the Cremona luthier’s exceptional instruments for a concert directed by Dutch violinist, Janine Jansen.

****1

A greatly accomplished performance by the Quatuor Ébène at Zankel Hall

Edward Sava-Segal, 30th March

One would never had guessed that the Ébènes had not played Shostakovich's dark Eighth String Quartet before this tour, such was the way their performance transcended individual agony to address human despair in general.

*****

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Alexander Hall

Alexander Hall divides his time between London and Hamburg, where he had a career in academic administration and teaching. He reviews for Bachtrack and Opera Today, and has also reviewed for Classical Source. A connoisseur of the great orchestras of the world, his musical memories stretch back to Karajan/Berlin Phil, Mravinsky/Leningrad Phil, Bernstein/Vienna Phil, and he has seen most of the great conductors from the past, including Böhm, Klemperer, Kubelik, Ormandy and Szell.

Quatuor Ébène sends its audience at Wigmore Hall home on a round of good cheer