The Dante Quartet – Four Centuries, Four Quartets

About The Dante Quartet – Four Centuries, Four Quartets

One of the best quartets in Britain explore how, in the words of T.S. Eliot, “Time present and time past are both perhaps present in time future, and time future contained in time past.”

Haydn’s magical conjuring of dawn anticipates Simpson’s musical depiction of the forming of the universe, both exploiting the gravitational pull of tonality to create and release tension, to propel and retard motion. Dillon shares their fascination with cosmic serenity and turbulence in his intense structural palindrome from 2010, which prepares us for the sweep back to Beethoven’s last major work, completing the chronological loop. Just as the sun must rise, so must it set: "Es muß sein!"

Joseph Haydn: Quartet Op 76 No 4, “Sunrise”;
Robert Simpson: Quartet No.7;
James Dillon: Quartet No.6;
Ludwig van Beethoven: Quartet No. 16, Op. 135