THE ARTAMIDAE QUARTET PRESENTED BY THE AUSTRALIAN STRING QUARTET PERFORM TWO OF BEETHOVEN’S EARLY STRING QUARTETS—WORKS WHICH DISPLAY THE COMPOSER’S MASTERY AND PROGRESSION OF THE CLASSICAL STYLE ESTABLISHED BY HIS FAMED PREDECESSORS, HAYDN AND MOZART

Ludwig van Beethoven’s Op. 18 string quartets stand as a testament to his mastery of the genre and his bold departure from classical conventions. They represent a bridge between the classical style of Haydn and Mozart and the revolutionary spirit of his later works.

String Quartet in G Major, Op.18 No.2 possesses a youthful spirit containing undercurrents of the musical innovations the composer was on the cusp of realising. It is a work of witty exchanges, intertwining themes, and playful conversation between the four instruments.

String Quartet in C minor, Op.18 No.4 is, in contrast to the G Major, a work of greater emotional depth. Dramatic gestures, turbulent emotions, and introspective explorations of the melancholy are juxtaposed against moments of playful respite and spirited triumph.