“For the Atrium Quartet, to couple Beethoven and Shostakovich seemed self-evident: in the realm of the string quartet, these composers dominated their respective eras, and both made an indelible mark on the history of the genre. They left a number of works with similar features; both men juxtapose strongly contrasted moods, shifting rapidly from violence to meditative inwardness, from insouciance to melancholy. Moreover, it is well known that thirteen of Shostakovich’s fifteen quartets were premiered by the Beethoven Quartet, founded in Moscow in 1923. This formation had made a name for itself by performing the complete cycle of Beethoven quartets in 1927, for the commemoration of the centenary of the composer’s death. Because of the demise of its cellist, Sergey Shirinsky, it was unable to give the premiere of Shostakovich’s String Quartet no.15, which was entrusted to the Taneyev Quartet - whose cellist Joseph Levinson subsequently became the mentor of the Atrium Quartet. So, a Beethoven-Shostakovich coupling? Self-evident, no doubt about it.” Hélène CAO

Atrium String Quartet

Beethoven. Quartet No.10 in E flat Major, op.74 "Harp"

Shostakovich. Quartet No.5 in B Major, op.92

“From the first bars of the Mozart we can appreciate the quartet's beautiful

balance and blend of sounds, and we're quickly aware, too, that the music is

being played with real understanding: all the dynamics and articulation marks

scrupulously observed, and contributing to a strong overall view of each

movement's expressive character.”

                                                                              Gramophone, 17.04.2004

Mozart. Quartet No.15 in D Minor, KV 421

Tchaikovsky. Quartet No. 3 in E flat Minor, op.30

Shostakovich. Quartet No.7 in F sharp Minor, op.108