Image: Barbican Quartet © Andrej Grilc
Image: Camille Segers © France Dubois
Image: Karski Quartet © Filip Verpoest
Image: Debussy Quartet © Gilles Pautigny
Image: Tchalik Quartet © Steve Murez
Indivisible by Four, a string quartet ?
At least, that was the claim made by Arnold Steinhardt, first violinist of the Guarneri Quartet—the American ensemble that spanned decades (from 1964 to 2009) and whose legendary career the violinist recounted in a book of the same name*.
At the heart of his argument was the subtle balance and effort of renunciation required in the practice of the profession. But also the powerfully paradoxical idea that four excellent musicians are not enough to form an excellent quartet. This is because the latter requires maintaining a balance between ego and teamwork, independence and commitment: the fate of each individual is the fate of all four, thus inextricably linked .
In an era that is deeply polarized and dangerously individualistic, the lesson of the string quartet could well lie in humility. Who knows? Perhaps we will attract a handful of local officials to our concerts and convince them of the "therapeutic" virtues of our endeavor? That's all we can hope for...
To kick off the season, the24th Les Voix Intimesfestival offers four exceptional concerts, bringing together young European talent and established ensembles: the Karski, Debussy, Barbican, and Tchalik Quartets.
For those who dream of extending the musical enjoyment into the warmer months, this year we will be offering summer events in partnership with Les Midis Minimes... More information coming soon!
* Arnold Steinhardt, Indivisible by Four. A quartet in Pursuit of Harmony (1998).
Book your tickets or season tickets now and support the string quartet's adventure in Tournai!
