Danish String Quartet

[Russ_H]

I attended a very enjoyable recital yesterday evening, given by the Danish String Quartet.

Haydn Quartet in F minor, Op.20 No.5
Nielsen Quartet No.3
Beethoven Quartet in A minor, Op.132

Not being a music critic, I am probably going to struggle to explain why I found their playing
to be so impressive, but I'll have a try.

I don't think I've ever heard such clarity before. The lines played by the various instruments
could be followed more easily than usual. This applied particularly in the Haydn, which is a
fairly light piece. The Nielsen, which I had not heard before, is more densely written, but the
clarity of line was still present.

The players cultivate (I think!) a slightly scruffy appearance - long hair, beards, very informal
clothing. The performance was very well received by the audience, and an encore was performed.

http://danishquartet.com/

I haven't heard a recording of their work, but I would strongly recommend attending a live
performance if an opportunity arises.

[Oldcrofter]

Beards, in Scandinavia, are "in" - at the moment, anyway. The young Viking gents have a nice line in gentle, self-directed humour.

http://danishquartet.com/the-quartet/

"We are three Danes and one Norwegian cellist, making this a truly Scandinavian endeavor. We are often joking about ourselves being modern Vikings – perhaps a touch more harmless than our ancestors – we are not pillaging cities or razing the English coastline! We are simply your friendly neighborhood string quartet with above average amounts of beard."

[Don Petter]

I thought I knew them well because of their recording of the complete Hindemith Quartets on CPO. But this was issued in, I think, 1997, and according to their website the beards only seemed to have coalesced in 2001.

Have they usurped the title of illustrious predecessors?

I see they hold that 'CD's are so old-fashioned'. (But so are greengrocers' apostrophes )

[amateur51]

I thought I knew them well because of their recording of the complete Hindemith Quartets on CPO. But this was issued in, I think, 1997, and according to their website the beards only seemed to have coalesced in 2001.

Have they usurped the title of illustrious predecessors?

It appears from the interview with the current DSQ on their website that the use of the earlier DSQ's name was entirely friendly and consensual

They're an interesting bunch, very chilled, nice boys