Beethoven’s first quartet in the Op.18 set, in F Major, was actually the second quartet Beethoven composed, but was situated first in the published set because of his confidence in the quality of the work. The second movement, believed to be inspired by the tomb scene from Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, is the heart of the quartet, where Beethoven gives us some of his most expressive and beautiful writing. The finale, a Haydn-inspired movement full of wit and contrast, opens with a capricious line of triplets played by the first violin.

Grieg’s String Quartet No.1 is his only complete remaining quartet – an earlier work was lost, and his third quartet was never finished. It was written whilst Grieg was living on a farm in Hardanger, and in his own words “I have recently finished a string quartet which…is not intended to bring trivialities to market. It strives towards breadth, soaring flight and above all resonance for the instruments for which it is written” – surely a treat in the beautiful acoustics of Bardsea Church.

Inga Våga Gaustad, violin
Tim Brackman, violin
Elisa Karen Tavenier, viola
Pieter de Koe, cello

Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet in F major, Op.18, No.1
Edward Grieg String Quartet No.1 in G minor, Op.27

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