Search - Ludwig van Beethoven :: Beethoven: String Quartets Op. 18 No. 6 & Op. 127

"The Henschel Quartet?s playing was as close to perfection as to be beyond reproach. Magical!" - THE STRAD Beethoven?s early string quartets clearly take their inspiration from the work of Mozart and Haydn, but even in Op. 18 No. 1, Beethoven?s personal style is already in evidence. The last of the Op. 18 quartets, No. 6, is also the most mature and individual of the set. The Op. 127 quartet is from later in Beethoven?s career, when he was already deaf and hearing the music only in his head. The Henschel Quartet has received the highest praise for its concert appearances; the ensemble?s recordings have received reviews nothing short of euphoric and have been awarded a number of top prizes. They recently recorded the complete Mendelssohn string quartets, and other recordings by the Henschel Quartet on Arte Nova include the string quartets Op. 20 and Op. 26 by Alberto Ginastera and Schubert's string quartets D.87 and D.810. The quartet performs regularly in prestigious chamber music cycles worldwide and is a guest at numerous renowned music festivals. "Performances of character and individuality?an approach that uncovers essential features of [Mendelssohn?s] style and personality." - GRAMOPHONE