Ravel, Schumann: String Quartets Leonkoro Quartet

• Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937): String Quartet in F Major, M. 35:
• 1 Ravel: String Quartet in F Major, M. 35: I. Allegro moderato - Très doux 08:48
• 2 Ravel: String Quartet in F Major, M. 35: II. Assez vif - très rythmé 06:42
• 3 Ravel: String Quartet in F Major, M. 35: III. Très lent 10:13
• 4 Ravel: String Quartet in F Major, M. 35: IV. Vif et agité 04:43
• Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856): String Quartet No. 3 in A Major, Op. 41:
• 5 Schumann: String Quartet No. 3 in A Major, Op. 41: I. Andante espressivo - Allegro molto moderato 07:43
• 6 Schumann: String Quartet No. 3 in A Major, Op. 41: II. Assai agitato 06:38
• 7 Schumann: String Quartet No. 3 in A Major, Op. 41: III. Adagio molto 07:47
• 8 Schumann: String Quartet No. 3 in A Major, Op. 41: IV. Finale. Allegro molto vivace 07:22
• Total Runtime 59:56

Info for Ravel, Schumann: String Quartets

This debut album by the Leonkoro Quartet represents the culmination of their first years as an ensemble, years crowned with success and numerous prestigious awards. By bringing together in the same programme Maurice Ravel’s String Quartet in F major and Robert Schumann’s String Quartet in A major, Op. 41, No. 3, works that have accompanied them for a long time, they have created an album that bears witness to the brilliant beginnings of their collaboration. This album is therefore a materialisation of their enthusiasm, their passion and the source of inspiration that these two compositions represent for them.

Leonkoro Quartet

Leonkoro
in Esperanto: Lionheart, alludes not coincidentally to Astrid Lindgren’s children’s book about two brothers. The story juxtaposes the grave reality of death with a large and heartfelt yearning for comfort – a meaning that is made subject throughout the quartet‘s music.

In March 2022, the ensemble was honored with the coveted and highly endowed Jürgen Ponto Foundation Music Prize.

In April 2022, the four musicians won 1st prize at the International String Quartet Competition at Wigmore Hall London and were also awarded a total of 9 special prizes.

In May 2022, the ensemble was awarded with the 1st prize at Quatuor à Bordeaux Competition. They were able to convince not only the top-class jury, but also the audience who awarded them the Audience Prize as well as the Young Audience Prize. At the end of the month, they were appointed to the prestigious BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists program, of which the quartet will be a part from 2022 – 2024.

This was followed by the MERITO String Quartet Award in November 2022. Unlike a classical competition, the five selected ensembles do not know that they will be evaluated by a jury made up of renowned string quartet musicians over the course of a year and will demonstrate their artistic level in concerts. The MERITO String Instrument Trust will support the ensemble for four years with among other things, a composition commission.

In the summer of 2021, the Leonkoro Quartet got off to a brilliant start on the international stage when it became the youngest formation to be awarded 2nd prize (the 1st prize was not awarded) and the coveted Audience Prize at the international string quartet competition Premio Paolo Borciani.

In addition to studying chamber music with Heime Müller at the Musikhochschule Lübeck, the quartet has been studying with Günter Pichler (Primarius Alban Berg Quartett) at the Chamber Music Institute of the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía Madrid since 2020 with the generous support of Santander Consumer Bank AG.

The Leonkoro Quartet is fostered intensively by members of the Artemis Quartett at the Berlin University of the Arts. The four musicians received further artistic impulses from Alfred Brendel, Valentin Erben (Alban Berg Quartett), Reinhard Göbel, Rainer Schmidt (Hagen Quartett), Oliver Wille (Kuss Quartett), and Mathieu Herzog (Quatuor Ébène).

Booklet for Ravel, Schumann: String Quartets