Takács Quartet A Zeneakadémia saját szervezésű programja

The string quartet is a ‘sacred’ genre of chamber music: it is only the most accomplished composer who can write a truly good string quartet. Just four instruments and sixteen strings are at his disposal to produce the same dramatic effect as, say, a symphony or an opera. The father of the string quartet, Joseph Haydn, went as far as to say that he had no need of a fifth instrument, four was quite sufficient for him. This perfection is evident in one of the quartets written for Count Apponyi from the Opus 74 series. Through his similarly superb string quartets (he wrote 15 in all), Shostakovich was able to say to posterity all that could not be said in any other form. The masterpieces of Beethoven – for instance, the Razumovsky Quartets written for the Russian ambassador in Vienna – represent the bridge between these two geniuses. These works only come alive when the four musicians perform them as one (without suppressing their own personalities) in performances turning on the minutest details. The Takács Quartet are just such an ensemble, which is why every appearance of these world-renowned artists is a special occasion. The formation established under the leadership of Gábor Takács-Nagy by four students from the Liszt Academy in 1975 have worked in the US since 1983. During the 2015–2016 season they return to Carnegie Hall for two concerts, while they have had their own series in London’s Wigmore Hall for several years.