Fitzwilliam String Quartet

One of the longest running string quartets in the world, The Fitzwilliam Quartet was founded in 1968 by four Cambridge undergraduates. The group quickly achieved international recognition through their interpretations of Shostakovich’s quartets and for their diverse repertoire.

In this specially curated recital to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Howard Assembly Room, they combine Shostakovich’s light-hearted but emotionally rich String Quartet No. 10 and his Octet for which they join forces with the Opera North String Quartet. They also perform Beethoven’s Harp quartet, Purcell’s Fantasia 10 and a new commission by Marcus Barcham Stevens, Double on Fantasia 10, inspired by the sacred associations of the number 10 and the themes and motifs from Purcell’s piece.

“…The Fitzwilliam Quartet, whom I admire very much. Thank you for a superlative performance of my thirteenth quartet.”

D. Shostakovich