Inside Eroica Flex Ensemble

• James Williamson (b. 1949):
• 1 Williamson: Couverture 07:21
• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827): Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55 "Eroica":
• 2 van Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55 "Eroica": I. Allegro con brio (Arr. for Piano Quartet) 16:40
• 3 van Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55 "Eroica": II. Marcia funebre. Adagio assai (Arr. for Piano Quartet) 12:40
• 4 van Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55 "Eroica": III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace – Trio (Arr. for Piano Quartet) 05:53
• 5 van Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55 "Eroica": IV. Finale. Allegro molto (Arr. for Piano Quartet) 11:22
• James Williamson:
• 6 Williamson: Encore 02:38
• Total Runtime 56:34

Info for Inside Eroica

You’re holding Flex Ensemble’s third album in your hands – Inside Eroica: an exciting programme that we are enormously proud to present! The following conversation between Martha Bijlsma and Gordon Williamson provides you with some insight into the creative process, our choices and how we landed Inside Eroica.

This is an unusual recording... I’m struggling to think of other examples of chamber music groups playing arrangements of symphonic repertoire. What drew you to this transcription of Beethoven’s Eroica for piano quartet?

Martha Bijlsma: "When we first found out about an arrangement for piano quartet of Beethoven’s Third Symphony, we were of course very curious! It seemed exciting and perhaps a bit crazy to play an entire symphony with just the four of us, but in fact, in the days before recordings, it was very common to hear and play transcriptions. It was a way to get to know the latest symphonic works, even if you lived nowhere near a big town or city. But even though the idea of transcribing symphonies wasn´t new, for us it offered a totally different and fresh perspective on a very familiar piece of music. Knowing that Ferdinand Ries, who was both a student and a friend of Beethoven, transcribed it, reassured us that we weren’t committing any musical crime by playing it.…“ (From the booklet interview)

Kana Sugimura, violin
Anna Szulc, viola
Martha Bijlsma, cello
Johannes Nies, piano

Flex Ensemble
Winners of the Gianni Bergamo Classic Music Award 2015 in Lugano, the four musicians of the Flex Ensemble have quickly established themselves as one of the most vibrant ensembles of their generation. Within a year of their formation, the Flex Ensemble was awarded 1st prize at the International Schumann Chamber Music Award in Frankfurt in 2013, where they also received a special prize for their interpretation of the Schumann piano quartet. They are the recipient of awards and prizes at the Kiejstut Bacewicz International Chamber Music Competition in Lodz/Poland, the Premio Trio di Trieste/Italy, and the Solti Foundation in England.

Based on this success, the Flex Ensemble has appeared at venues such as the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the Alte Oper Frankfurt, the Beijing Performing Arts Center, the Meistersingerhalle Nürnberg and Festivals such as the Festival de Musique de Menton, the Sommerliche Musiktage Hitzacker, the Heidelberger Frühling, and the Prishtina International Music Festival. On many occasions their performances have been recorded and broadcast live on German Radio (SWR and NDR Kultur) and Dutch Radio (Radio 4).

The Flex Ensemble’s dedication to the major piano quartet literature is complemented by their wish to enrich artists and audiences alike by commissioning new works. Their programs include world premieres Márton Illés, Gérard Pesson and Johannes Schöllhorn. They collaborate with a wide range of distinguished artists such as Wolfgang Güttler (double bass), Oliver Wille (violin), Albrecht Mayer (Oboe), Daniel Rowland (violin), Elsbeth Moser (Bayan) and Kostas Raptis (bandoneon).

In addition to their concerts the members of Flex Ensemble create and perform musical programs for children. They visit schools and let children experience chamber music of all possible styles and characters.

Formed in 2012, the members of the Flex Ensemble study at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media, working extensively with Oliver Wille. They had many inspiring masterclasses with Eberhard Feltz, Mark Gothoni, and Konrad Elser, to name a few. They are a scholar ensemble of Villa Musica, where they have worked with such influential mentors as Günther Pichler, the Artemis Quartett, and the Julliard String Quartet.

Booklet for Inside Eroica