Ensemble.si - Strings

Although earlier attempts at writing for string sextet came from composers such as Luigi Boccherini and Louis Spohr, it was the mid-19th-century masterpieces of Johannes Brahms that truly inspired many to explore the genre. Richard Strauss crowned his compositional legacy with Capriccio, a meta-opera that delves into the relationship between words and music in opera. The work opens with a string sextet, which also becomes the first topic of conversation in the drama.

Frank Bridge spent six years composing his sextet. Over that time, the early influence of Brahms gradually gave way to the colours of French impressionism and a growing sensitivity to sonority. Antonín Dvořák composed his sextet in 1878, expressing both his affection for classical forms and his deep connection to the folk music of his native Bohemia.

These works will be performed by a distinguished group of musicians: London-based violinist Lana Trotovšek, known for her intuitive and refined interpretations; violinist Matjaž Bogataj, who has served as principal second violin of the Bavarian State Opera Orchestra since the 2017/18 season; violist Gea Pantner Volfand, a member of the Accadémia String Quartet and a regular player with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra since 2012; violist Mladen Somborac, a member of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and a frequent collaborator with other ensembles; cellist Jaka Stadler, a long-standing member of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra since 2010; and cellist Primož Zalaznik, who joined the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra as a full member in 2018.