Abel Tomàs violin
Vera Martínez Mehner violin
Jonathan Brown viola
Arnau Tomàs cello
Adrian Brendel cello
Beethoven String Quartet No 9 in C major Op 59 No 3
Razumovsky
Schubert String Quintet in C major D 956
String Quartet No 9 in C major Op 59 No 3 is the third of the famous Razumovsky cycle of string quartets, written as Beethoven entered his middle period when, having already confronted his impending hearing loss, he emerged as an heroic, revolutionising composer. This work was the best received and remains the most popular of the three Op 59 quartets, acquiring the nickname ‘Eroica’ for its glorious finale. The String Quinet in C major was Schubert’s final chamber work completed just two months before his death and not publicly performed for some 22 years. Today this sublime work is regarded as Schubert’s finest chamber work, indeed in all chamber music.