The Ariel Quartet presents a video performance from the first movement from Beethoven’s String Quartet op.18, no.5.
The quartet, comprising violinists Alexandra Kazovsky and Gershon Gerchikov, violist Jan Grüning and cellist Amit Even-Tov, will release recordings of the complete Beethoven String Quartets over two years, culminating in 2027 to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death.
The first volume will be released on 4 April 2025 on Orchid Classics, with subsequent volumes arriving in November 2025 and June 2026, with a special box-set release in March 2027.
The project marks a full-circle moment for the quartet, as Beethoven’s String Quartet in C minor op.18 no.4 was the very first piece the group tackled together as 13-year-olds in 1998. The members credit the work as kickstarting their passion for string quartets as a genre.
’Our teacher spoon-fed us repertoire just beyond our ability, knowing we were about to discover the addictive magic of playing string quartets. We spent our teenage years rehearsing in the school attic, immersing ourselves in the rich string quartet repertoire while learning to navigate both the music and our evolving relationships,’ says the quartet.
’Today, 27 years in and with three founding members still on board, our mission is to breathe life into the bread and butter of the string quartet repertoire while shining a spotlight on the compelling music of our time. This commitment led us to perform the complete Beethoven cycle before any of us turned 30.
’Our unusual journey has been fundamental in shaping who we are. Beyond the demands of our shared professional path, we have walked together as friends who have truly become family. From late-night debates about tempo and sight-reading marathons to raising our children alongside one another while balancing an international concert career, we have shared every stage of life. This closeness has created a deep and unique bond that continues to shape our identity, both on stage and beyond.’
The Ariel Quartet is a recipient of the Cleveland Quartet Award, granted by Chamber Music America in recognition of artistic achievement and career support. It serves as the faculty quartet-in-residence at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, and was formerly the resident ensemble of the Professional String Quartet Training Program at the New England Conservatory, from which the players obtained their undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Photo credit: Marco Borggreve.
Read: ‘These are by no means the easiest’: the Calidore Quartet on Beethoven’s early string quartets
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