Quatuor Diotima

Quatuor Diotima’s concert bill for 4 October includes Pierre Boulez’ ‘Livre pour quatuor’. Do you find it too difficult? Incomprehensible? The fact is that the range of contemporary sounds is radically different from that of, say, Mozart or Schubert.
It is also a fact that Boulez’ music can be just as beautiful and moving. One simply has to be open to it. In this lecture recital, a day before the concert, Quatuor Diotima will be offering you some first aid. It will initiate you into Boulez’ ideas. And explain ways you can listen to this music. Every possible means will be offered you to enrich your listening experience during the concert.
Boulez’ 1948-49 ‘Livre pour quatuor’ has assumed mythical status due to its dense, complex writing and the incredible technical demands made of the performers. Quatuor Diotima is one of the few quartets in the world that has the full ‘Livre’ on its repertoire. And it is the final revised version whose first performance they gave, with the composer in attendance.