Chiaroscuro

The phenomenon Mozart was a pioneer in many ways. For instance, he pushed the boundaries of chamber music by being the first to write works for piano quartet. The addition of the viola to the usual trio setting now offers many more possibilities, which Mozart used to the fullest.

His Second Piano Quartet is therefore one of the absolute highlights of his oeuvre. The first movement opens with a radiant energy, which is quickly followed by the intimate and lyrical second theme. The second movement forms the emotional centre of gravity of the work, which is further reinforced by its sober texture. The last movement is a typical, cheerful Rondo, which would not be out of place in one of his piano concertos.

The second part of the programme takes a completely different turn. Brahms’s Third Quartet is one of his darkest compositions. The introduction to the first movement is a clear omen for what follows: a menacing octave in the piano is answered by a pleading, insecure motif in the strings. The work is characterized by sharp contrasts, with Schubertian innocence quickly giving way to stormy and dark passages.

These quartets complement each other well and represent chiaroscuro in their interplay of darkness and light.

Floris van den Ende first threw himself into quantum physics, which he studied in Amsterdam and Vancouver, but ended up choosing the piano. He won several competitions and is studying at the LUCA School of Arts with Julien Libeer. In 2021 he was one of The Six young people who tracked the Queen Elizabeth Competition live for Klara and Canvas.

The other members of the Astari Quartet are Ukrainian violinist Anna Popil, the Belgian viola player Lucas Aerts and Polish cellist Urszula Markowska. Despite their young age, all three can already boast an impressive track record of study successes, glittering international competitions and concert performances.

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Piano Quartet no. 2 in E flat major, KV 493
• Johannes Brahms, Piano Quartet no. 3 in C minor, Op. 60

More info

www.astariquartet.com

with Floris van den Ende (piano), Anna Popil (violin), Lucas Aerts (viola) and Urszula Markowska (cello) photo Ivan Samoshko (Floris) and Nausikaä Brimmel (Astari Quartet)