Music in the Round, who each year in May curate Sheffield Chamber Music Festival, present their resident ensemble continuing to explore the full arch of Beethoven’s string quartets -- a fantastic introduction to the power of chamber music and this very special Sheffield-based group of musicians.
With a pairing drawn from early in the composer's lifelong dedication to the form and what is said to be his own favourite of these works. Inventive, syncopated, eccentric; the first of this pairing is playful, bright and full of longing. An intricate quartet follows, which turns from brooding intensity to monumental power, and left Schubert asking, “After this, what is left for us to write?“
Ensemble 360 has gained an enviable reputation across the UK not only for the quality and integrity of its playing, but also for its ability to communicate the music to a range of different audiences.
Formed in 2005, 11 musicians of international standing came together to take up residency in Sheffield with Music in the Round, establishing a versatile group of five string players, five wind players and a pianist.
The musicians believe that concerts should be informal, friendly and relaxed occasions, and perform ‘in the round’ wherever possible. Critical acclaim has greeted all the group’s CDs to date: Mozart and Spohr (ASV Gold), Beethoven and Poulenc (Nimbus Alliance).