"An absolute triumph. Their playing has everything you could possibly wish for” (BBC Music Magazine). Since coming together as a quartet in 1993 and making their debut in 1996, the Jerusalem Quartet has impressed critics and moved audiences with striking interpretations of time-tested quartet repertoire and beyond. The members of this foursome have grown together as artists, becoming “a virtuosic ensemble with a glorious, meaty sound and irresistible panache” (The Guardian).
Highlighting their range, the Quartet’s program reflects three centuries of quartet repertoire, spanning the early Classical through twelve-tone modern styles. The program also encompasses countless moods: the clarity of Haydn’s monothematic movements, the teeming darkness and vigor of Shostakovich, and one of Dvořák’s loveliest slow movements.
Concert Details
Estimated duration: 1 hour and 50 minutes
Brief welcome remarks
Joseph Haydn – String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 50, No. 1, 'Prussian'
23 min
Dmitri Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 12 in D-flat Major, Op. 133
27 min
Intermission
20 min
Johannes Brahms – String Quartet No. 3 in B-flat Major, Op. 67
35 min
Listen to the music on Spotify
All timings are approximate. Program and artists subject to change.
Featured Performers
JERUSALEM QUARTET
Alexander Pavlovsky and Sergei Bresler, violin
Ori Kam, viola
Kyril Zlotnikov, cello
“Passion, precision, warmth, a gold blend: these are the trademarks of this excellent Israeli string quartet.”
Such was the Times’ (London) impression of the Jerusalem Quartet. Since the ensemble's founding in 1993 and subsequent 1996 debut, the four Israeli musicians have embarked on a journey of growth and maturation. This journey has resulted in a wide repertoire and stunning depth of expression, which carries on the string quartet tradition in a unique manner. The ensemble has found its core in a warm, full, human sound and an egalitarian balance between high and low voices. This approach allows the quartet to maintain a healthy relationship between individual expression and a transparent and respectful presentation of the composer's work. It is also the drive and motivation for the continuing refinement of its interpretations of the classical repertoire as well as exploration of new epochs.
The Jerusalem Quartet is a regular and beloved guest on the world’s great concert stages. Recent appearances include a Beethoven quartet cycle at Wigmore Hall in London; a Bartok cycle at the Salzburg Festival; their third annual String Quartet seminar in Crans Montana Switzerland; and since 2022 a residency at the Jerusalem Academy of Music.
Since 2005, the Jerusalem Quartet has released 16 albums for Harmonia Mundi, which have been honored with numerous awards such as the Diapason d'Or and the BBC Music Magazine Award for chamber music. Their latest releases include a unique album exploring Jewish music in Central Europe between the wars including a collection of Yiddish Cabaret songs from Warsaw in the 1920s, featuring Israeli Soprano Hila Baggio. In 2020, the Jerusalem Quartet released the second (and last) album of their complete Bartók cycle.
Highlights of the upcoming 2023/2024 Season include tours of Sweden, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland; and appearances in the quartet Biennales in Paris, Lisbon, and Amsterdam. Alongside the quartet’s regular programs, they will bring back the “Yiddish Cabaret”, and will perform a Bartok Cycle in the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, October and April will feature return tours to the North America, with visits to New York, Miami, Denver, Houston, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Ann Arbor, and Portland, among others. In June, the quartet will tour China, South Korea, and Japan appearing in important venues such as Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, Seoul Arts Center.
Sample the Music
Joseph Haydn – String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 50, No. 1, 'Prussian'
Dmitri Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 12 in D-flat Major, Op. 133
Johannes Brahms – String Quartet No. 3 in B-flat Major, Op. 67