Thomas Adès’ Alchymia has been hailed as ‘simply one of the best chamber music compositions of our time’ (Guardian). Inspired by the music of Shakespearean England, but with a voice all of its own, this major work for string quartet and basset clarinet was premiered in 2021 and has become an instant classic. Musica Viva Australia is excited to present the London-based Doric String Quartet performing this ‘magical and arresting’ (The Times) work with the ‘brilliance, charisma and sensitivity’ (The Mercury) of Australian clarinettist Lloyd Van’t Hoff.

Then the Doric String Quartet invites us to join them for a while on their multi-year project performing and recording Beethoven’s complete string quartets. We’ve arrived at the first of Beethoven’s radical ‘Razumovsky’ Quartets, which combines profound emotion with daring originality. The Strad’s response to this latest leg of the journey says it all: ‘Intelligent, spontaneous-sounding, technically immaculate.’

Artists

Doric String Quartet
Maia Cabeza Violin
Ying Xue Violin
Emma Wernig Viola
John Myerscough Cello

Lloyd Van’t Hoff Basset Clarinet

Program

Britten Three Divertimenti for String Quartet
Adès Alchymia
Beethoven String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59 No. 1 ‘Razumovsky’