Utrecht String Quartet - Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Sallinen

Utrecht String Quartet

The Utrecht String Quartet has received rave reviews in the international press. No wonder, because the four musicians are constantly on the lookout for exciting combinations of well-known classical pieces and surprising pearls from the almost boundless world of the string quartet. In the Edesche Concert Hall the Utrecht String Quartet combines Tchaikovsky's 'First String Quartet' with Sibelius' famous string quartet 'Voces Intimae'. And with the 'Third String Quartet' by the Finnish composer Aulis Sallinen, the musicians show that Sibelius' music is still an important source of inspiration for the current generation of Finnish composers. Listen to the magisterial Utrecht String Quartet in three of the most beautiful string quartets from Finland and Russia.

Tchaikovsky. Stirred to tears

It is said that the writer Lev Tolstoy was so moved by Tchaikovsky's First String Quartet that he burst into tears during a performance next to the composer. The gripping middle section 'Andante cantabile' has become so popular that it is often performed as a stand-alone piece. When American singer Connee Boswell incorporated the melody into her song 'On the Isle of May' in 1940, it also became an instant hit in popular circles. The Utrecht String Quartet plays the original where it all started. And as a specialist in the Russian repertoire, the Utrecht String Quartet certainly has a name to uphold

Sibelius and Sallinen

Also in Finnish music the Utrecht String Quartet is more than at home. First violinist Eeva Koskinen is Finnish himself and knows the music of Sibelius like no other. The Utrecht String Quartet plays its profound string quartet 'Voces intimae' (intimate voices). Sibelius was so satisfied with the piece he wrote to his wife: "It has become something very beautiful. It's the kind of music that puts a smile on your lips the moment you die."

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