Ludwig van Beethoven - String Quartets, Op. 59 No. 3, Op. 95 & Op. 133 (Chiaroscuro Quartet)

Information

Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

• String Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59 No. 3 "Razumovsky"
• String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95 "Serioso"
• Grosse Fuge, Op. 133

Chiaroscuro Quartet

    Alina Ibragimova, violin

    Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux, violin

    Emilie Hörnlund, viola

    Claire Thirion, cello

Date: 2026

Label: BIS

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The Chiaroscuro Quartet continues its survey of Beethoven’s string quartets with three pivotal works tracing the composer's trajectory from conversational classicism to visionary modernism. Opening the recording, the ‘Razumovsky’ Quartet Op. 59 No. 3 in C major balances symphonic scale with a Mozart-inspired introduction and a vibrant fugal finale. In contrast, the radical Op. 95 ‘Quartetto serioso’ presents a stark, compressed structure marked by harmonic shifts and an unexpected major-key coda. Concluding the album, the Grosse Fuge stands as Beethoven’s most uncompromising, complex achievement, a revolutionary synthesis of fugue and variation that continues to reshape the boundaries of chamber music.

Formed in 2005, the Chiaroscuro Quartet features violinists Alina Ibragimova and Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux, violist Emilie Hörnlund, and cellist Claire Thirion. Acclaimed as “a trailblazer for the authentic performance of High Classical chamber music” (Gramophone), the ensemble performs on gut strings with historical bows, focusing on Classical and early Romantic repertoire. They have collaborated with leading artists such as Kristian Bezuidenhout, Trevor Pinnock, and Christophe Coin. Recent highlights include tours in Japan and the U.S., and performances at venues like Konzerthaus Vienna and the Berlin Pierre Boulez Saal. Their 2024–25 season includes returns to Wigmore Hall, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, and a North American tour.