‘Intimate Letters’ centres around the expression of romantic love through music and letters. Janáček’s string quartet no.2 was written as a reflection in music of over seven hundred letters he wrote to his beloved friend Kamila. Cecilia Damstrom took direct inspiration from the Janâček and was commissioned by Daniel Rowland, lead violinist of Arethusa quartet, to write a string quartet as part of the theme of letters and words. Serbian composer Isidora Zerbeljan was also commissioned by Rowland and the Stift festival (which he directs) to write a musical postcard to the festival from a location where they would be composing during their summer holiday. Bartók’s string quartet no.1 resulted from his unrequited love of violinist Stefi Geyer – he wrote to her in a letter that the motif was a lament for a love that was never realised.

Arethusa Quartet
Daniel Rowland, violin
Floor Le Coultre, violin
Dana Zemtsov, viola
Maja Bogdanović, cello

Damstrom Letters, String Quartet No.1
Janáček String Quartet No.2 “Intimate Letters’’ JW 7/13
Žebeljan An intimate letter from the Judean desert
Béla Bartók String Quartet No.1, Op.7