ARDITTI 51.3

Program

• Clara Iannotta: dead wasps in the jam-jar (iii) (2017) - 14'
• Arnold Schönberg: Streichquartett Nr. 3 op. 30 (1927) - 30'
• —
• Chaya Czernowin: Ezov (Ysop). Streichquartett Nr. 4 (2023–2024 EA) - 17'
  Auftrag Wien Modern im Rahmen von Schönberg 150, Arditti Quartet und Philharmonie de Paris, gefördert durch die Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung
• Iannis Xenakis: Tetras (1983) - 14'

Cast

• Arditti Quartet
• Irvine Arditti: Violine
• Ashot Sarkissjan: Violine
• Ralf Ehlers: Viola
• Lucas Fels: Violoncello
• Connor Shafran: Live-Elektronik

The Arditti Quartet is the only ensemble that stood on stage at every single edition of Wien Modern –  with one notable exception: the world's biggest project to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary London String Quartet in 2024 had to be postponed at short notice due to injury. Almost exactly one year later, the great adventure is happening exactly as planned: four evenings in the Mozart Hall and the Brahms Hall combine the four quartets by Arnold Schönberg with four major new commissions by Stefan Prins, Sarah Nemtsov, Chaya Czernowin and Hilda Paredes. Selected gems from collaborations with Iannis Xenakis, Salvatore Sciarrino, Luigi Nono and Clara Iannotta as well as an extra challenge by Peter Ablinger.

Composed a good 18 years after the expressionist Second, the comparatively classical Third String Quartet marks "Schönberg's intention to return to the 'great forms' of the classical-romantic tradition", and indeed – slightly paradoxically in a sonata form orientated entirely on the circle of fifths - "under the conditions of dodecaphony" (Carl Dahlhaus). The task of making audible Schönberg's rapid, complex development from 1904 to 1936 – over two world wars and several steps of emigration – on four almost consecutive quartet evenings is no small feat, even for the Arditti Quartet, which is trained in all the speeds of the 21st century. But the direct connection of Schönberg with Clara Iannotta’s subtle sound palettes and the wild lines and planes of Iannis Xenakis (you have to hear Tetras live at least once in your life!) definitely helps with orientation in this advanced-level frenzy of speed. The commissioned piece of the third Arditti evening is Chaya Czernowin's fourth string quartet entitled Ezov.

"Ezov is dedicated to the plant Ezov (hyssop), which refers to wild herbs, mosses or ferns and is known in various cultures for its symbolic richness. Ezov is closely associated with ideas of renewal, resilience, tenacity and healing through connection. Composed in this fateful time in our world, full of pain and suffering, Ezov is a piece that opens up to the attempt to find hope. The commission for this piece is a very special occasion for me, as it is linked to the 50th anniversary of the Arditti Quartet, to whom I dedicate it." (Chaya Czernowin)

Tickets for the respective concerts in November 2024 as well as the Festival Pass 2024 will also be valid for the new date and do not need to be exchanged. (Please note the earlier start times.)

Kuratiert von Irvine Arditti und Bernhard Günther
Produktion Wien Modern
Mit freundlicher Unterstützung von Stadt Wien Kultur im Rahmen von Schönberg 150
Kooperation Musikverein im Rahmen von Chaya Czernowin - Komponistin im Fokus