Aris Quartett-Newsblog
Aris in March: "On streaming statistics and standing Americans"
It was an eventful March for the musicians of the Aris Quartet:
It started right away on March 1st with a world premiere by the Austrian-American composer Lukas Ligeti in Stuttgart's Liederhalle. Ligeti dedicated the 4th string quartet entitled "Neostasis" to the Aris Quartet.
On March 8th, International Women's Day, the Aris Quartet broke new ground and released the very first "e-single" in its 15-year history with music by Fanny Hensel with Deutsche Grammophon (Universal Music).
A new format for new times - and extremely successful, as evidenced by the tens of thousands of streaming views in the first few weeks. For those who also want something for the eye, the DG has conveniently also published the matching video - take a look and enjoy the music of the composer, who is unfortunately only rarely performed.
On March 14, the ensemble once again traveled to North America. From North Carolina to Utah, the musicians were celebrated by euphoric US audiences with standing ovations - a particular highlight was their Canadian debut in the "Salle Pollack Hall" in Montreal. An important part of the quartet's work is always working with talented young musicians - this time in master classes at Weber State University and the University of Utah.
Fortunately, there was enough time for one or two excursions into the impressive natural surroundings - and the musicians were able to spend Easter tired but happy with their families.
New e-single released by Deutsche Grammophon
On March 8, 2024, the first e-single and the first e-video of the Aris Quartet will be released by Deutsche Grammophon.
In keeping with International Women's Day, the first movement of Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel's String Quartet in E flat major is released as a "Musical Moment".
The recording is available on all popular streaming portals.
World premiere of the 4th string quartet by Lukas Ligeti
On March 1, 2024, the Aris Quartet premiered the 4th string quartet "Neostasis" by Lukas Ligeti at the Liederhalle Stuttgart.
The work was commissioned by the Aris Quartet and made possible by the generous support of the Wilfried & Martha Ensinger Foundation.
Following numerous world premieres in recent years - for example by Misato Mochizuki, Kit Armstrong, Pierre-Dominique Ponnelle, Gerald Resch, John Woolrich and Konstantia Gourzi - the Aris Quartet once again demonstrates its great commitment to contemporary music, which was already awarded the prestigious Mamlok Prize in 2022.
New release on Deutsche Grammophon
The multi-prize-winning Aris Quartet joins the Rising Stars series on STAGE+ with a programme of music by the siblings Felix Mendelssohn and Fanny Hensel. First comes Hensel's sparkling Quartet in E flat of 1834 – a work that likely languished unperformed until it was finally published in 1989 and revealed as an important work of musical romanticism. Mendelssohn, meanwhile, composed his dramatic final quartet in 1847 in response to his sister's sudden death – and died himself only a few months later. To complete the programme, the Aris Quartet perform a sparkling string quartet arrangement of Mendelssohn's Song without Words Op. 102 No. 3.
Exclusively on STAGE+
A furious start to 2023
In the 14 years of our existence, we have rarely had such an intense, fulfilling and packed start to the new year:
We started with the legendary chamber music week at Schloss Elmau with the great Tabea Zimmermann (viola), followed by performances with Daniel Müller-Schott (cello) and Kit Armstrong (piano) - including the world premiere of Armstrong's new piano quintet at the Alte Oper Frankfurt. Special quartet highlights were, of course, our concerts at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, the Konserthuset Stockholm and our debut at the Philharmonie Cologne.
There is only little time to take a deep breath: already in February we are going on our first US tour, with concerts in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and many more!
Keep your fingers crossed for us, stay tuned and have a look at our Instagram channel!
Aris Quartett on BBC TV
It was a very special honour to be guests on the BBC TV 4 programme "New Generation Artists Presents" this spring.
The show was broadcast from the historic Coal Exchange in Cardiff/Wales on May 01st.
You can hear the last two movements of Felix Mendelssohn's famous String Quartet in F minor op.80.
Listen to our performance here!
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