Weinberg, Prokofjev and Beethoven — Quatuor Danel

Acclaimed quartet offers a unique vision on three quartet masters

Quatuor Danel presents their unique interpretation of the works of Mieczysław Weinberg, Sergei Prokofiev and Ludwig van Beethoven. Weinberg’s Seventh String Quartet is arguably his most exquisite work. While it is intimate, lyrical and serious, with a hint of Shostakovich, it is imbued with a warm humanity, seeking to connect rather than confront.

Prokofiev’s First String Quartet is similarly mild in tone, peppered with contrary accents. Beethoven’s magnificent String Quartet Op. 59, No. 1 features what is perhaps the most beloved – and most solemn – Adagio in the entire quartet repertoire.

Quatuor Danel has captured the complete string quartets of all three composers in acclaimed recordings. When Weinberg’s musical legacy was on the verge of fading into obscurity, Quatuor Danel brought it back into the light. In 2019, they performed all seventeen quartets of Weinberg over a single weekend at the Muziekgebouw. Their advocacy for this lyrical, musical kindred spirit of Dmitri Shostakovich has since gained widespread resonance.