Skip to main content

Casal Quartett

“There are musical encounters that you will not forget too soon.” Philharmonie Luxembourg

Felix Froschhammer, Violin
Rachel Späth, Violin
Markus Fleck, Viola
Andreas Fleck, Violoncello

Trained by the Carmina Quartet, Alban Berg Quartet and with Walter Levin, important artistic impulses came from the collaboration with Martha Argerich, Sebastian Manz, Sol Gabetta, Gautier Capuçon, Emma Kirkby, Benjamin Schmid, Maurice Steger, Christoph Prégardien, Khatia Buniatishvili, Regula Mühlemann, Fazıl Say u. The emotional closeness to the audience, the involvement of artistic partners from various fields and the conceptual design of the programs are most important to the cQ. It cultivates the large core repertoire, but is always open to repertoire off the beaten track, convincingly advocates unknown works and their creators.

Through its intensive study of the historical instruments of the violin maker Jacobus Stainer and the fascinating music of the 18th century, the cQ has developed a unique quartet sound and style that sheds new light on the golden ages of the string quartet.

“Beethoven’s World”, the most extravagant production of the cQ to date, with 5 CDs and 12 works by 10 composers, released in September 2020, ties in directly with this project and sets a special accent for the anniversary year of the great composer. Not only is Beethoven to be honoured as an exceptional composer, but also his contemporaries who were composing at the same time, whose works influenced Beethoven and vice versa in the development of music as a whole. Of particular value is the rediscovery of the largely forgotten string quartet composers Adalbert Gyrowetz, Peter Hänsel, Gaetano Donizetti and Carl Czerny. The publication “Ballads & Quintets” crowns the so far productive collaboration with Fazıl Say in numerous concerts.

Awards:
ECHO KLASSIK 2017 (Weber Klarinettenquintett), 2015 („Genesis“ F.X.Richter) 2010 („Birth of String Quartet“)
PREIS der dt. SCHALLPLATTENKRITIK 2017 Auszeichnung (Weber), Nominierung 2017 („Russian Treasures“) & 2014 („Genesis“ F.X.Richter)
ICMA (International Classical Music Award) Nominierungen 2018 („Russian Treasures“), 2015 („Genesis F.X.Richter“) & 2011 („Birth of String Quartet“)
DIAPASON d’Or 2014 („Genesis“ F.X.Richter)
DIAPASON Decouverte 2012 („Birth of String Quartet“)
GRAMMY Nominierung 2014 („Genesis“ F.X.Richter)
Pizzicato Award 2019 (Paul Müller-Zürich), 2x 2017 („Russian Treasures“ & Weber), 2011 („Intenso“), 2009 (Mozart), 2006 („Tango Sensations“)

www.casalquartett.ch

Discography