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Artemis Quartet is a subscriber for the Echo Klassik Awards

On October 9 2016 in Berlin, took place the Echo Klassik Awards, which are a kind of European Grammy Awards. For the chamber music section, the album which includes recording string quartets of Johannes Brahms No. 1 and 3, records signed by Artemis Quartet, received the grand prize. An award that the quartet members have dedicated to Friedemann Weigle, until recently the band violinist, who left this world shortly after the recording of this album. It needs to be mentioned that Artemis Quartet also won the Echo Klassik Award for chamber music in 2015, for the album with musical pieces signed by Felix Mendelssohn.

Currently, the band is formed by violonist Vineta Sareika and Anthea Kreston, violist Gregor Sigl, Friedemann Weigle's replacement, and cellist Eckart Runge. Süd Deutsche Zeitungscrie writes: Artemis Quartet interpretation is technically at the same level with the best bands of this genre in the world, which distinguishes them is the intensity of expression.

The band was formed in 1989 at the University of Music in Lübeck. The mentors Walter Levin, Alfred Brendel, also the quartets Alban Berg, Juilliard and Emerson, were their guide. Starting 1996, when they won the grand award of the Competition Borciani in Italy and Artemis Quartet began to get known internationally.

Brahms an inspiration for the innovators after him.

Chamber band's discography so far it focused on recording the great masterpieces of quartets literature, works signed by Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn and now, Brahms. It is the latest album by Artemis Quartet, released on 11th of September 2015, album that takes part in the campaign "Vote for classical music disc of the year 2016 ''. This albums is dedicated to the name that culminates culture's string quartet. Brahms is a composer whose chamber opposite are full of harsh critics. In fact, he struggles to overcome the huge model of Ludwig Van Beethoven's quartet.

With only 3 scores left, Brahms creation in the string quartet genre, it can seem as insignificant at first sight. But why so little? Maybe he was a bit too harsh with himself, maybe he considered that he didn't have anything left to say about this genre after Beethoven. Cellist Eckart Runge said about the Brahms program : In his string quartets, Brahms insisted , on one side, to maintain the Beethovenian tradition, and on the other side, he created a music that inspired the innovators after him, such as Arnold Schönberg.

We will listen two brahmsiane opposites included on the album of Artemis Quartet, Quartet No. 1, Op. 51 in C minor and Quartet No.3 in B flat major op 67. It took two decades for the first string quartet by Brahms to complete it, in 1873. The third quartet is a score full of Mozartian references and Baroque allusions. Without doubt, Brahms's string quartets manage to bring something new. Extreme emotions, unbridled passion, brilliant virtuosity on a profound and refined architecture. Brahms music is like a narrative stream, it has an ongoing drama with fragments loaded with tension, sweet and delightfully bright landscapes.

Artemis Quartet's interpretation is impressive because of the variety of shades and colours, in with which Brahms's music is recounted. The four musicians are feeling so good, they complement each other so naturally, that it gives you the feeling that Brahms composed this music specially for them.

Is a reference album in the chamber genre, in which I invite you to listen in premiere at CD Review (12,15) on the 19th and 20th of October at Radio Romania Music. Gabriel Marica