Quatuor Meije

Oriane Pocard Kien viola Roxanne Rabatti violin Khoa-Nam Nguyen violin Manon Gillardot cello The programme revolves around two major figures of the string quartet: Jos

Oriane Pocard Kien viola

Roxanne Rabatti violin

Khoa-Nam Nguyen violin

Manon Gillardot cello

The programme revolves around two major figures of the string quartet: Joseph Haydn, the Austrian composer of the eighteenth century, and his first quartet from Op. 76, in G major. As the first movement, marked "Allegro con spirito", indicates, the work is full of mischief, optimism and vitality.

Once regarded as light music, the string quartet was revolutionised by Haydn, who expanded its parts and made its harmonies more complex. In doing so, he placed the string quartet on the same level as the symphony.

Dmitri Shostakovich. By turns criticised and acclaimed, the composer embodies the artist subjected to the overwhelming will of a brutal and totalitarian power. The great cycle of fifteen quartets was the testament to this complex relationship: works that were concealed and deliberately more "classical". They reflect the composer's inner struggles.

The tenth quartet takes up the characteristics peculiar to Shostakovich. Sarcasm, irony, violence and lyricism are the great themes of this piece.