Haydn, Mozart, later Beethoven: a string quartet program couldn’t be more classic. In fact, the Hagen Quartet, with its 40-year history, is one of the most traditional ensembles, even if it does not shy away from younger repertoire. “Classic” describes the flawless interaction between the four in the Prinzregententheater quite well: delicate, precise in the articulation, reserved in the vibrato, bright in the basic sound. Haydn’s D minor string quartet op. 76/2, the “Finth Quartet”, opens the evening with graceful lightness. The Hagens later also set heavier accents, using a harsh line in the minuet to show why it has the reputation of a “witch minuet”.
Hagen Quartet: Concert in the Munich Prinzregententheater – Munich
