One of Norway's most acclaimed and beloved music ensembles has an anniversary this year. And Engegårdskvartetten fortunately does not let the big day pass in silence. On 14-16 November the group is organising a three-day festival to celebrate itself and the music. In addition to the ensemble's anniversary, it is also the 10th time they are organising the 123-festivalen.
With a passion for chamber music
- It was 20 years ago in Lofoten, at one of the very first editions of Lofoten Internasjonale Kammermusikkfest, that Knut Kirkesæther said to Arvid (Engegård, editor's note), “you cannot have a festival without a quartet”, says the quartet's violist Juliet Jopling.
That day a quartet was formed, and since then Engegårdkvartetten has played countless concerts together.
- We threw ourselves into a quartet life together with great eagerness and a fair amount of luck, Jopling continues. The musicians of Engegårdskvartetten all share the same enormous passion for chamber music. A driving force that radiates from the instruments, giving the quartet its unique sound. With a sharp eye for detail and a convincing communicative power, more and more listeners fall in love with the ensemble every year.
And this passion has endured since the quartet's tender beginnings, regardless of who has made it up. The quartet's original members were Atle Sponberg and Jan-Erik "Gusse" Gustafsson, in addition to Juliet and Arvid, who are still on board. They have now been joined by the violinist Amanda Håøy Horn and the cellist Jan Clemens Carlsen.
Highlights every day
The three-day festival consists of no fewer than seven concerts, with a varied and exciting programme. At the opening concert on 14 November the audience can experience the quartet's original line-up performing Grieg's mighty string quartet.
And the concerts come like pearls on a string. Among other things, on Saturday 15 November you can witness the quartet's album release. The ensemble is releasing a box set containing all of Mozart's 26 string quartets. On Sunday you can experience the concert performance "Eit Lysande Mørker", which the quartet performs together with Gjertrud Jynge, based on Jon Fosse's Septology, and "Ibsen møter Beethoven", in which Bjørn Sundquist reads Ibsen's Terje Viken over Beethoven's Op. 132 in A minor.
If you are interested in getting to know the ensemble's musicians better, they are also arranging a conversation with Tore Linné Eriksen in which the audience gets to know the musicians and all their supporters through all of the 20 years.
There is quite simply a great deal to experience, so it is important to set the weekend aside for everyone who wants to experience delightful string sounds. The festival is held at Sentralen in Oslo, and the full festival programme and tickets can be found on the website of 123-Festivalen.
We look forward to the festival and to 20 new years!
