DOELENKWARTET
DoelenKwartet
The DoelenKwartet was created from the DoelenEnsemble, which was formed with the purpose of acquainting a new audience in Rotterdam with twentieth-century classical music. The DoelenKwartet's repertoire contains along with contemporary music a large number of early twentieth-century compositions. The quartet strives to put this music in historical perspective by ...
Members
Frank de Groot
viool
Maartje Kraan
viool
Karin Dolman
altviool
Hans Woudenberg
cello
Former members
Laurens van Vliet
viool
Sophia Torrenga
viool
Monique Bartels
cello
Biography DoelenKwartet
The DoelenKwartet was created from the DoelenEnsemble, which was formed with the purpose of acquainting a new audience in Rotterdam with twentieth-century classical music. The DoelenKwartet's repertoire contains along with contemporary music a large number of early twentieth-century compositions. The quartet strives to put this music in historical perspective by creating links in the programming to previous style periods. Thus works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Schumann are also part of the repertoire. An important source of inspiration for the quartet lies in its interactions with contemporary composers. The members of the DoelenKwartet find that direct contact with the composer provides a special insight into the music, often without need of much discussion. “Such a breathtaking interpretation, in the truest sense of the word, is certainly a very important acknowledgement for the composer – and a standard for string quartet ensembles of today and the future: the Fifth [Rihm quartet] must be like this”. (Balint Andras Varga, Universal Verlag) Various composers have written for the DoelenKwartet, which performs in the Netherlands and Europe.
1994
Outside De Doelen concert-hall the group performs for the first time as an ensemble in its own right.
1997
Peter-Jan Wagemans composes his first 'String Quartet' for the ensemble.
1998
Edward Top writes his 'String Quartet No. 1' for the Doelenkwartet.
1999
The quartet becomes a more established entity and performs under the name the DoelenKwartet in De Doelen concert-hall.
2001
The quartet meets Wolfgang Rihm at the Prime Festival in Groningen. Speaking about the quartet and a recording of his work, the composer says: “Your interpretations are noticeably carried and exalted by love and passion for this music. I am so pleased about this”. The quartet forges a strong artistic bond with the German new music label Cybele which from the time of its recording of Peter-Jan Wagemans' first string quartet leads to many notable productions.
2003
Edward Top writes 'Lied der Schwermuth' for the DoelenKwartet.
2004 - 2005
The quartet meets the prominent composers Henri Dutilleux in Paris and Harrison Birtwhistle at the Prime Festival in Groningen. Micha Hamel writes 'Le Phénix' for the quartet.
2006
Vanessa Lann composes 'Landscape of a Soul's Remembering' for the quartet.
2007
Under the title 'Stille stad, levende muziek' [Quiet city, living music], the DoelenKwartet performs music by contemporary Rotterdam composers (Oscar van Dillen, Friso van Wijck, Andreas Kunstein, Andreas Suntrop, Arend Niks) accompanying old films about Rotterdam at the Lantaren/Venster film house. The quartet meets John Adams at the Holland Festival in Amsterdam and Kevin Volans at the Gergiev Festival in Rotterdam. It brings out a live CD. Peter-Jan Wagemans composes his second 'String Quartet' for the DoelenKwartet.
2008
The quartet meets Steve Reich at the opening of the Red Sofa series in Rotterdam. The DoelenKwartet makes a successful debut at the Recital Hall of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw with a programme dedicated to the Donaueschingen Festival.
2009 - 2012
The DoelenKwartet scores a triumph at the Gergiev Festival with a theatrical concert, called 'Het verliefde hart' [The Enamoured Heart] wholly dedicated to Leoš Janáček in which his string quartets 'Kreutzer Sonata' and 'Intimate Letters' are the centrepieces. Simone Riksman (soprano) sings in the production directed by David Prins. James MacMillan composes 'Who are these Angels?' for the quartet.
In the discography you will find all recordings that have been released listed chronologically. We restrict ourselves to the title, the type of audio, year of publication or recording, label, list of guest musicians, plus any comments on the issue.
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