Schubert & Schnyder: String Quartets Belenus Quartet

• Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828): String Quartet No. 11 in E Major, Op. 125 No. 2, D. 353:
• 1 String Quartet No. 11 in E Major, Op. 125 No. 2, D. 353: I. Allegro con fuoco 08:02
• 2 String Quartet No. 11 in E Major, Op. 125 No. 2, D. 353: II. Andante 06:22
• 3 String Quartet No. 11 in E Major, Op. 125 No. 2, D. 353: III. Minuetto. Allegro vivace 03:07
• 4 String Quartet No. 11 in E Major, Op. 125 No. 2, D. 353: IV. Rondo. Allegro vivace 05:12
• Daniel Schnyder (b. 1961): String Quartet No. 4 "Great Places":
• 5 String Quartet No. 4 "Great Places": Ia. Shanghai 1928 03:30
• 6 String Quartet No. 4 "Great Places": Ib. Adventure I 00:47
• 7 String Quartet No. 4 "Great Places": II. Havana 1952 - Adventure II 02:28
• 8 String Quartet No. 4 "Great Places": III. Paris 1901 02:40
• 9 String Quartet No. 4 "Great Places": IV. Casablanca 1933 01:10
• 10 String Quartet No. 4 "Great Places": V. New York 1964 01:56
• Franz Schubert: String Quartet No. 8 in B-Flat Major, Op. 168, D. 112:
• 11 String Quartet No. 8 in B-Flat Major, Op. 168, D. 112: I. Allegro ma non troppo 13:25
• 12 String Quartet No. 8 in B-Flat Major, Op. 168, D. 112: II. Andante sostenuto 07:33
• 13 String Quartet No. 8 in B-Flat Major, Op. 168, D. 112: III. Menuetto. Allegretto 04:57
• 14 String Quartet No. 8 in B-Flat Major, Op. 168, D. 112: IV. Presto 05:12
• Total Runtime 01:06:21

Info for Schubert & Schnyder: String Quartets

Rarities and novelties: After their success at the competition "Franz Schubert and Modern Music" in February 2015, the quartet felt it was motivated on this occasion to make another recording after its debut CD in 2012, with a great common objective for the programme: to make the subjects of the competition the main emphases - Schubert and modern music. Daniel Schnyder's modern, extremely varied and effective work Great Places has been an important component and friend at concerts for some time. With his compositional diversity in sound and his characteristic urban images, Schnyder leads us through jazzy, oriental and French sounds.

On the other side, Schubert's music has an appeal like no other and thus the quartet immersed itself in the richness of two early Schubert string quartets. Of his eleven early string quartets, several have rarely been played and recorded: Above all, the quartet in E Major D353 was a new discovery for them. Although it was composed two years later than the other, it seems in all its freshness more youthful and maybe one could even say somewhat more immature than his string quartet in B-flat major D112. This quartet, although it was written earlier, already alludes to Schubert's later crypticism and inner turmoil. It is impressive how two pieces composed so close in time are so full of contrasts. The richness of his work will hopefully arouses your astonishment at his lesser performed quartets.

Belenus Quartett

Belenus
is the Celtic god of the arts and the name giver of the 2004 founded Belenus Quartet, which plays in its present formation since 2014. The Belenus Quartet performs regularly in Switzerland and Germany, but also tours in many different European countries. It's repertoire ranges from early Haydn Quartets all the way through to contemporary compositions. The Quartet is renown for its crossover-projects and the interaction with fellow contemporary musicians and composers. The performance of "A Tribute to Billie Holiday" at the famous Jazzfestival in St. Moritz with composer and Saxophonplayer Daniel Schnyder gained enormous resonance. A further musical highlight of the quartet, was the rehearsals and performance of the Schubert Quintet at the Mainz School of music (Musikhochschule Mainz) with the distinguished cellist, Valentin Erben (Alban Berg Quartet).

CD recordings of the Belenus Quartet demonstrate their musical brilliance and diversity - among them, recorded pieces from Haydn, Bartok and Schubert, as well as the fourth String Quartet of Daniel Schnyder. Just recently, a recording with Clarinet Quintets of Heinrich Baermann, featuring Rita Karin Meier, principal clarinet of the Opera House Zurich (Philharmonia Zürich), was released under the Label MDG Scene. The Belenus Quartet is currently being coached by Rainer Schmidt (Hagen Quartet) and Claudius Herrmann (Gringolts Quartet). Furthermore the quartet joined master classes with Walter Levin (LaSalle Quartet), Oliver Wille (Kuss Quartet), Natalia Prishepenko (Artemis Quartet), Eberhard Feltz (Music Conservatory Hanns Eisler Berlin) und Valentin Erben (Alban Berg Quartet). From 2008 to 2012, the quartet was instructed by Stephan Goerner. From 2009-2014 the Quartet furthermore completed a Chamber music graduate with Isabel Charisius (Alban Berg Quartett) at the Lucerne School of music (Musikhochschule Luzern).

At the 9th International "Franz Schubert and Modern Music 2015" Competition the quartet was awarded 1st Prize, as well as the Audience Award. As finalists of the chamber music competition of the "Migros Kulturprozent 2013", the quartet was included in the Concert Management of the "Migros Kulturprozent". Furthermore, the quartet won 1st Prize at the "Interpretation Competition for Contemporary Music 2012" at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), as well as at the "Kiwanis Competition 2012". At the "Hans Schaeuble Competition 2012" they were awarded 3rd Prize. In the years 2011/12/13, they won the "ORPHEUS Swiss Chamber Music Competition" Prize. At the "1st International Competition for String Quartet Sandor Vegh 2012" the quartet received a special award for the Best Haydn Interpretation.

„The Belenus Quartet is one of the most promising young string quartets. The exciting vitality, the intense and focused harmony, the sensitive richness in nuance, as well as the brilliantly powerful virtuosity are breath taking!“ Stephan Goerner, Carmina Quartet

Booklet for Schubert & Schnyder: String Quartets