Pavel Haas Quartet is one of the most outstanding quartets in Europe at present. Based in Prague they naturally specialise in the wide range of quartets by the great Czech masters. It is a great pleasure to welcome them back to Bantry to open this year’s Festival. It is becoming de rigeur to open quartet-centred Festivals like ours with one of Haydn’s numerous and miraculous creations. Janáček’s two quartets have become irresistible to modern audiences and musicians for their passionate declamation, comparative brevity and the fascinating back story of the septuagenarian composer’s love life. Dvořák’s late quartets are a thing of great wonder – the G major is renowned for its glorious Adagio. 

Programme
Haydn: Quartet in G major 76/1
Janáček: String Quartet No.1 ‘Kreutzer Sonata’
Dvořák: Quartet No.13 in G major Op.106