Beethoven: String Quartets Nos. 7 & 8 / Ebene Quartet

“In themselves, Beethoven’s quartets represent an odyssey, a round-the-world voyage,” says Quatuor Ébène. The French ensemble is marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth with a global tour of 21 countries. In the course of their Beethoven Around the World tour, the Ébène will make live recordings in seven different cities: Vienna, Philadelphia, Tokyo, São Paulo, Melbourne, Nairobi and Paris. This first release, recorded at the Konzerthaus in Vienna, comprises the first two ‘Razumovsky’ Quartets, op 59 No 1 and op 59 No 2.

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REVIEW:

This acute sense of emotional timing distinguishes the Ébènes from many of their contemporary rivals. They present Beethoven unburdened by the weight of history or hindsight, leaving the quartets to unfold at the pace of their own narratives. There is a sense of tradition revived and renewed about these readings that should appeal to all but the most iconoclastic listener.

– Gramophone