Opening. Mozart and Beethoven

Playing together for a period of more than 30 years has definitely smartened the professional sensitivity of the Hagen Quartet, but one more trump of this unique ensemble includes kindred genes, as brothers and the sister are performing together.

The demanding and refined Austrian public has placed the Hagen Quartet at the top of chamber music performers, they prospered and still convincingly remain there after their brilliant debut in 1981 in the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival organised by Gidon Kremer. 

Whereas the guarantee of the homogeneously flowing and serene sound of this ensemble is Stradivarius instruments which are played not only by both the violinists but – which happens very rarely – all four members of the ensemble.

Being themselves Austrians, born and educated in Salzburg, the Hagens manage to perform the music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart nearly like folksongs, but the late, emotionally saturated and pithy string quartets by Ludwig van Beethoven as performed by them are genuine musical desserts.

Programme

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – String Quartet in B flat major KV 458 („Hunt”) and String Quartet in flat B major KV 589
Ludwig van Beethoven – String Quartet in C sharp major op. 131

Participants

Hagen Quartet:
Lukas Hagen, 1st violin
Rainer Schmidt, 2nd violin
Veronika Hagen, viola
Clemens Hagen, cello