The violin played by Pablo Hernán Benedí is an Andrea Amati from 1570, on loan from the 'Jumpstart Jr Foundation'.
Interpretation
The Chiaroscuro Quartet performs Classical period music on gut strings, contributing to their unique sound praised by critics.
Performer Biography
The Chiaroscuro Quartet, formed in 2005, is an international ensemble composed of violinists Alina Ibragimova (Russia) and Pablo Hernán Benedí (Spain), violist Emilie Hörnlund (Sweden), and cellist Claire Thirion (France).
Composition History
Beethoven meticulously prepared for his Op. 18 quartets by studying the quartets of his predecessors and making extensive sketches in workbooks and pocket books.
Composition History
The six string quartets published as Op. 18 were commissioned by Prince Franz Joseph Lobkowitz and occupied Beethoven for nearly two years, from 1798 to 1800.
Composition History
Beethoven waited until he had established himself as a composer for the piano before venturing into writing string quartets.
Critical Reception
When the Op. 18 quartets were published in 1801, they were generally well-received, though some conservative critics found the music "harsh and 'difficult'."
