Korngold and his Musical Origins

Following the proponents of Viennese post-romanticism (Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss), their musical heirs responded in different ways. Alexander von Zemlinsky took perhaps the most expected path, continuing his predecessors’ expressive tradition (his second quartet, an impressive work imbued with passionate storytelling, represents a cornerstone of the style). Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg and Anton Webern took the most radical approach through twelve-tone composition (Berg’s Quartet Op. 3 marked his first venture into atonality, beginning a modernist chapter while preserving lyrical qualities). Erich Wolfgang Korngold chose the most subversive direction when, exiled to America, he devoted his talents to film music. His third quartet is a magnificent blend of his Viennese heritage, the seriousness of those troubled times, and a brilliant virtuosity informed by fresh perspectives.

Avec le Quatuor Diotima
Yun-Peng Zhao violon
Léo Marillier violon
Franck Chevalier alto
Alexis Descharmes violoncelle