Programme

The refectory of the Piarist monastery in Příbor will resonate with the sound of one of the finest Czech chamber ensembles – the Benda Quartet. The evening opens with Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in E minor, a work filled with restlessness, Romantic passion and brilliant compositional lightness. It ranks among the highlights of the composer’s chamber output and reveals his exceptional gift for melody and dramatic momentum. The ensemble will then join forces with cellist Jiří Hanousek in one of the greatest jewels of the chamber repertoire: Schubert’s String Quintet in C major. This monumental, almost symphonic work with two cellos unfolds a world of heavenly lyricism, subtle nuances and existential depth. Here, Schubert created music that touches the very essence of human emotion. The concert thus offers a journey from the impassioned Romanticism of Mendelssohn to the timeless, meditative beauty of Schubert’s masterful opus.

Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847): String Quartet No. 2 in E minor, Op. 44

— intermission —

Franz Schubert (1797–1828): String Quintet in C major, D. 956, Op. posth. 163