Sparks

Gnister is Norwegian for ‘sparks’ and perfectly sums up what this young string quartet delivers: a concert in which tiny sparks suddenly flare up, ignite one another and grow into a fiery glow. In this programme, the Faros Quartet embarks on a musical journey brimming with vibrant ideas: from intimate emotion to fiery energy, from romantic depth to modern sharpness. Anton Webern’s Langsamer Satz opens the concert with a deeply romantic intensity. In this early work by the Austrian composer, the music glows from within. Long musical phrases, rich harmonies and an almost symphonic atmosphere create a soundscape full of longing and tenderness. The spark is warm and lyrical. The flames flare up in Edvard Grieg’s String Quartet No. 1 in G minor. A powerful opening motif recurs as a focal point throughout the entire composition, weaving the movements together into a single dramatic arc. Norwegian folk influences and striking contrasts lend the string quartet a raw and fiercely passionate energy. With Erwin Schulhoff’s Fünf Stücke for string quartet, sparks fly playfully in all directions. Dance rhythms, irony and jazz influences create sharp contours and unexpected colours. What began as an inner glow ends in rhythmic vitality and sparkling lightness. Programme Anton Webern, Slow MovementEdvard Grieg, String Quartet no. 1, op. 27Erwin Schulhoff, Fünf Stücke for string quartet, WV 68 ------------------------- >>> This concert is part of veelbeLEUVENd young classical A breath of fresh air is blowing through the classical music scene in Leuven. At veelbeLEUVENd, young and ambitious musicians curate their own concert series, providing performance opportunities for emerging talents.