Weinberg's complete quartets-volume 3 receives the same wholeheartedly welcome from the international press as the previous two volumes, with both the "Diapason D'or" rating from the French magazine "Diapason" and the recent nomination for the International Classical Music Awards 2024. How important is this international recognition for the Arcadia Quartet?

Certainly, it is a very important thing for us. We are honoured, especially because of the immense emotional involvement and focus we put into this project. We deeply cherish these complete Weinberg quartets. From the very moment we discovered his music, we felt a certain connection and understanding, and at the same time a feeling of wonder at the fact that he is an underrated composer, still so unknown as opposed to the recognition he deserves. So, this led us to try and help make it possible for Weinberg to gain recognition in music history for his worthful music. Therefore, given our commitment and desire, we were pleased to see that each album was greeted with such enthusiasm and such glowing critical acclaim. We are very honoured.

When and how was volume 3 of the Weinberg series recorded?

We recorded volume 3 last spring. We used to record in the spring and that's how we released the first three albums. Volume 4 will come out this summer, 2023.

As of 2021, Pentatone has started with the release of a series of records with the "Transilvania" Philharmonic Orchestra of Cluj, of which you are a member, under the baton of Lawrence Foster. In August the album "Remembering Tebaldi" was released, also nominated for the International Classical Music Awards. What is the history of this series, of which three discs have been released so far? How and when were they recorded and what's next?

Recording these albums with Maestro Foster, with whom we developed quite a close and mutually appreciative relationship, was also a very valuable experience for us. These albums have been recorded over the years, I can't remember exactly when, but the first album I know for sure was recorded before the pandemic period. I can say that the event was always dealt with professionally, both on our part and on the part of Master Foster and the soundmen. It was indeed a very nice experience and we also have a fairly close relationship with the maestro. This autumn we had a concert at the Cluj Philharmonic, where he wanted to put the spotlight on us, the quartet. We performed a piece for the quartet and orchestra, a Mozart serenade with solo instruments, and then Strauss' "Don Quixote". It was a concert in which, somehow, the Arcadia quartet was put in the spotlight by Maestro Foster.

We are currently in Oslo, Norway, as part of a Bartok festival. It's a marathon, with only chamber music being played every day from morning to night. Three days in a row we'll be playing three of Bartok's quartets. We found ourselves in a place that we are once again honoured to be a part of.