Bartók and Schubert by the Diotima Quartet (2/3)

A few days ago, the Diotima Quartet played the 2nd of their 3 concerts including all of Bartók Quartets and Schubert last 3.

In April 2017, they had realized a tour de force, playing all 6 Bartók Quartets during the same evening. In a more usual approach, they are playing them over 3 concerts. What is a bit more unusual is their choice to couple them with Schubert late Quartets – many string quartets choose Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, or sometimes the 2nd Viennese school (it is quite interesting to confront the Hungarian masterpieces with Berg, Webern or Schoenberg works).

At the last minute, the Diotimas decided to change the order of the pieces, and play both Bartók before the intermission, the Schubert after.

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Bartók Quartets by the Diotima Quartet

At the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, the Diotima Quartet took up a challenge which is some kind of an achievement: play all 6 quartets written by Bartók in the same evening!

It is common to play these very demanding works over 2 or even 3 evenings, when played along with another composer, allowing to alternate (the Alban Berg Quartet had chosen Mozart at the TCE some years ago).

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