Major & minor Oslo String Quartet

• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827): Quartet no. 11 in F minor op. 95:
• 1 Quartet no. 11 in F minor op. 95: I. Allegro con brio 04:30
• 2 Quartet no. 11 in F minor op. 95: II. Allegretto ma non troppo 07:09
• 3 Quartet no. 11 in F minor op. 95: III. Allegro assai vivace ma serioso. Piu Allegro 04:41
• 4 Quartet no. 11 in F minor op. 95: IV. Larghetto espressivo. Allegretto agitato. Allegro 04:53
• Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828): Quartet no. 15 in G major D887 op. 161:
• 5 Quartet no. 15 in G major D887 op. 161: I. Allegro molto moderato 14:44
• 6 Quartet no. 15 in G major D887 op. 161: II. Andante un poco moto 11:18
• 7 Quartet no. 15 in G major D887 op. 161: III. Scherzo allegro vivace – Trio allegretto 06:51
• 8 Quartet no. 15 in G major D887 op. 161: IV. Allegro assai 10:25
• Total Runtime 01:04:31

Info for Major & minor

The present recording features both one of the longest and one of the shortest quartets in the string quartet repertoire. There is no denying that Schubert´s last string quartet is great in every sense of the word, but Beethoven´s “Quartetto Serioso”, although minor in size, is by no means dwarfed by it when it comes to sheer artistic quality; both quartets are indeed major works and a staple on the diet of any string quartet of merit. Even so, the concept of minor and major immediately springs to mind when contemplating putting these two completely different masterpieces on the same album. Duration apart, there is the obvious question of tonality: one work in F minor, the other in G major, which is simple enough and by itself justifies the album title. But things get more complicated the moment we subject the two works to a closer scrutiny.

Oslo String Quartet

Oslo String Quartet
is widely recognized as one of the most versatile string quartets of our day. Since it was founded in 1991 it has established a reputation as an ensemble that unites high artistic standards with a degree of playfulness and an absolute integrity. The quartet's concerts and recordings have consistently received acclaim, both by the public and by critics. The Oslo String Quartet plays on instruments loaned by Dextra Musica and the ensemble is supported by Arts Council Norway. The current members of the quartet are Geir Inge Lotsberg and Liv Hilde Klokk (violins), Are Sandbakken (viola) and Øystein Sonstad (cello).

Booklet for Major & minor