Ludwig van Beethoven - The Six String Quartets, Anh. 2 (Quartetto Alla Maniera Italiana)

Information

Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven (presumed)

CD1

• String Quartet in C Major, Anh. 2 No. 1
• String Quartet in G Major, Anh. 2 No. 2
• String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Anh. 2 No. 3

CD2

• String Quartet in F Minor, Anh. 2 No. 4
• String Quartet in D Major, Anh. 2 No. 5
• String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Anh. 2 No. 6

Quartetto Alla Maniera Italiana

    Giacomo Coletti, violin

    Stefano Raccagni, violin

    Alessia Menin, viola

    Anna Camporini, cello

Date: 2026

Label: Arcana

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In 1927, French musicologist Saint-Foix conjectured that an anonymous collection of six string quartets, preserved at the Berlin State Library, represented the adolescent experiments of a young Ludwig van Beethoven. Although cataloged under doubtful attributions awaiting further research, this mysterious manuscript predates the composer's official Op. 18 set. Utilizing a historically informed performance based on a rigorous study of the original Berlin parts, the Alla Maniera Italiana Quartet delivers the world-premiere recording of these Six Quartets Anh. 2. This project resurfaces a precious body of chamber music, offering a highly original contribution to the forthcoming Beethoven bicentenary.

Founded in Como in 2019, the Quartetto Alla Maniera Italiana explores 18th- to 20th-century chamber repertoire using a historically informed perspective, distinguishing itself on the international scene. Named after J.S. Bach’s Aria variata, the ensemble debuted in 2020 with the unexplored string quartets of Como-born composer Francesco Pasquale Ricci. Their refined aesthetic focuses on meticulous detail and inventive flair, shaped by guidance from masters like Hatto Beyerle and Christophe Coin. Part of the Le Dimore del Quartetto network, the quartet's rising prominence was recently recognized when they were named "Ensemble dell’Anno" by the Fondo Morosini in 2025.