The string quartet is considered by many to be the ultimate chamber music ensemble, that allows the deepest inner communication, the most perfectly balanced sonorities. Composers from the classical era to the present day have written more for this instrumentation than for any other small ensemble. With the repertoire bar so high, and so much of it – Beethoven´s late quartets perhaps regarded as the pinnacle – what a privilege it must be to play in a quartet.

It takes a lot of things to come together to be a great quartet. Individual personalities being important, yet the group as a whole needs to sound as one ´voice´. If one detail of balance, sound, articulation is a minuscule ´off´, the quartet as a whole is compromised. When you hear the truly great groups in concert, everything just seems in place. You feel confident and can lean back, knowing you are going to experience something amazing. This you get with the Danish String Quartet.

Four people that spend more time with each other than with anyone else, endless hours of preparations, rehearsing, travelling; it helps if you´re good friends. The four members of this quartet grew up together, playing football and music. When you meet them, the first thing you think is what great guys they are. It´s clear they know each other very well. There´s a lot of fun and laughter. And this comes across in their music. They´re refreshing, unpretentious and totally authentic in what they do. 

The musicians in quartets that have existed for many years know the inner workings of each other. So much is about sensing what´s happening. I often find it extraordinary how some groups can play so incredibly together without apparently any visual indications between them. It comes down to knowing each other, feeling the inner pulse in the music, sensing each other´s breathing and much more. 

The DSQ will play a multitude of varied repertoire at Fjord Classics, including Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, a world premiere by landsman Bent Sørensen, plus a program of Nordic folk music. They´ll have a busy schedule, but these are musicians that embrace everything they do with energy, freshness and joy. It promises to be something spectacular and it is an honour to be their host for 4 days.

Sean Lewis
Festival Manager