Thymos Quartet, Yann Dubost & Christoph Eschenbach
Biography Thymos Quartet, Yann Dubost & Christoph Eschenbach
Christoph Eschenbach
is a phenomenon amongst the top league of international conductors. Universally acclaimed as both a conductor and pianist, he belongs firmly to the German intellectual line of tradition, yet he combines this with a rare emotional intensity, producing performances revered by concert-goers worldwide. Renowned for the breadth of his repertoire and the depth of his interpretations, he has held directorships with many leading orchestras and gained the highest musical honours.
In exploring the conditions that led to the emergence of such a charismatic talent, we can look to his early years – born at the heart of a tempestuous, war-torn Europe in 1940, his early childhood was scarred by a succession of personal tragedies. It can truly be said that music was his saviour, and his life began to change when he learned the piano. Now, at the age of 80, his keen artistic curiosity is undiminished, and he still thoroughly enjoys working with the finest international orchestras. He is also well-known as a tireless supporter of young talent – this is his greatest passion, and he values his contribution to mentoring up-and-coming talent over and above his own distinguished career. Moved by the energy and the drive of young people – “Those one-hundred-percent artists”, as he calls them – he has a personal mission to pass the torch to the next generation. His discoveries to date include the pianist Lang Lang, the violinist Julia Fischer and the cellists Leonard Elschenbroich and Daniel Müller-Schott.
Christoph Eschenbach continues to explore new horizons and as of September 2019 is the new Musical Director of the Konzerthausorchester, Berlin.
Thymos Quartet
According to the philosophers of Ancient Greece, thymos means the breathing of the soul, the alliance between body and mind. Inspired by the spirit of this concept, the musicians of the Thymos Quartet created their ensemble in 2003 to share intense moments of music with wide audiences. The Quartet arose from the meeting of four musicians who won Distinction Prizes at both the Paris and Lyon music conservatories. From the outset they have aspired to a large repertoire embracing classical and contemporary music.
The Quartet has performed in renowned festivals, such as Amboise, Prades and Montpellier, and at various concert halls including the auditoriums of the Musée d’Orsay and of the Sorbonne, Théâtre Mogador, Salle Favart and Salle Pleyel, as well as in the French overseas departments and in several European cities. In August 2005, they were invited to play at the Ravinia Festival (Chicago) with pianist Christoph Eschenbach. The Thymos Quartet appeared in August of 2007 and 2010 at the International String Quartet Festival of Luberon (South of France). In May 2010 they played in the Grand- Théâtre de Bordeaux during an international chamber music competition and at the ‘Legendary Violins’ Festival at Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera. The 2011/12 season saw the Thymos Quartet perform works by Steve Reich with Karine Saporta’s dance company at the Cité de la Musique. They have also been guests at the Kennedy Center (Washington DC), the Salle Gaveau (Paris) for a Schubertiade with Christoph Eschenbach, the Festival Fougères Musicales (2010–18) and the Château de Maisons-Laffitte.
The Thymos Quartet has toured Brazil (2014), the USA (2016) and China (2017). In 2017, along with French actor Daniel Mesguich as narrator, they premiered the work Virginia Woolf and Beethoven devised by Professor Anne-Gaëlle Saliot (Duke University). The Thymos Quartet has performed in the International String Quartet Biennale at the Cité de la Musique in January of 2012, 2016, 2018 and 2020.
