BEETHOVEN 2020
Among the most active Greek ensembles of recent years, and daring in their artistic choices, the Athens String Quartet are tackling works of great importance and profound symbolism: The Art of Fugue [Die Kunst der Fuge], Bach’s last and incomplete monothematic work; and Beethoven’s prophetic, six-movement String Quartet No. 13, Op. 130, with its original finale, the Great Fugue [Große Fuge]. Alfred Schnittke’s astounding String Quartet No. 3 serves as a connecting link between the two: a multistylistic work, with direct allusions to Bach and Beethoven’s Große Fuge, as well as to Dmitri Shostakovich, who carried the art of the string quartet into the 20th century. A challenging programme, featuring emblematic works of the 18th, 19th, and 20th century.
– Johann Sebastian Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge: Subject and Contrapuncti 6, 4, 9
– Alfred Schnittke: String Quartet No. 3
– Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat major, Op. 130
(Original version, with movement VI: ‘Große Fuge’)
The Athens String Quartet
Apollon Grammatikopoulos violin
Panagiotis Tziotis violin
Paris Anastasiadis viola
Isidoros Sideris cello