Quatuor Béla

Information

DOORS 7PM, START 7.30PM

Guided by the personality and work of Béla Bartok, the quartet play and deliver programmes with sincere conviction. Recognized for its “diabolical technique” (Télérama), Quatuor Béla have become one of the leading European quartets working with contemporary composers such as Garth Knox, Kaija Saariaho and Francesca Verunelli.
Founded in 2006 by four musicians from the National Higher Conservatory of Music of Lyon and Paris, the Béla Quartet were brought together by a shared passion for the repertoire of the 20th century. The quartet is committed to championing new compositions and exploring the relationship between composers and performers.
This tour of NI will feature significant works of the classical repertoire with Beethoven’s Serioso Quartet, Fauré’s only string quartet and his final composition, alongside three new pieces by NI based composers Simon Mawhinney, Piers Hellawell and Pedro Rebelo.

PROGRAMME:

Fauré – Op. 121 (27 mins)
Hellawell Movement from Quartet (8 mins)
Rebelo New work premiere (10 mins)
Mawhinney Entendu (15 mins)
Beethoven Serioso Quartet Op.95 (20mins)

“…gutsy, soulful playing” Gramophone

“…the virtuoso performances are as fresh and vital as they are compelling.” Blair Sanderson, All Music.com

“The abandon with which the Béla’s dig into their strings at the beginning of the First Quartet – just listen to them, go!” Gramophone

“the Quatuor Béla’s Ligeti ranks with the best – and perhaps even higher.” Music Web International