Gewandhaus-Oktett

Mendelssohn Oktett

Gewandhaus-Quartett

Gewandhaus-Quartett

Gewandhaus-Quartett

Gewandhaus-Bläserquintett

Chamber Concert: Quartett Oktett

A splendidly interwoven sound tapestry! The chamber concerts do not require a conductor – because our musicians love to count on each other in a smaller setting. This programme starts with string playing and a key work of the string quartet genre. Ravel’s piece was premiered in 1904 and is an inspiring example of the vibrant spirit in France at that time – where Cocteau advised the young avant-garde: »Cultivate what the public accuses you of, because that’s exactly what you are.« This is exactly what Ravel, as a »master of musical masks«, did in his only string quartet: he veiled the traditional norms of composition in his own characteristic way and created music that is refined and relatable – which may be peculiar, but nevertheless captivates with its grandiose sound effects and deep emotional worlds. Schubert’s Octet then takes us right into the heart of Romanticism: it was written after a difficult phase in his life, which he sought to »make as beautiful as possible« through his imagination. And so, exactly 200 years ago, he wrote the opulent work in a true creative frenzy, with which he wanted to »pave his way to the great symphony« – and indeed, it widens the intimate chamber music sound to the limits of the orchestral. One of the emotional highlights is the Adagio, a »song without words« typical of Schubert with an elegiac melody and a flow of notes passing by. The finale begins with sombre sounds, but it then develops passionately – and leads to a spectacular conclusion to this gripping milestone, about which a contemporary wrote: »Mr Schubert’s composition is worthy of the author’s recognised talent, full of light, pleasant and intriguing.«