BEETHOVEN: String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135

WEBERN: Five Pieces, Op. 5; Six Bagatelles, Op. 9

SCHUBERT: String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, D. 810, “Der Tod und das Mädchen”

The Hagen Quartett has achieved a position of excellence among the finest ensembles of our time. For over four decades, the Hagen has performed worldwide and built a historic discography of nearly fifty recordings. Based in Salzburg, the Hagen Quartett celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2021. Beyond its extraordinary performances, the Quartet is distinguished by its remarkable fidelity to the musical score, reflected in the enormous success it has achieved over its long career.

Recent seasons have included performances in the major musical capitals of the world, including numerous concerts at the Wigmore Hall and the Cité de la Musique. The Hagen Quartett opened the First Biennial String Quartet Festival at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, toured Asia with three concerts in Tokyo, and shared the stage with Sol Gabetta and Jörg Widmann. Additionally, the Quartet recorded a highly anticipated Brahms program for Myrios Classics with pianist Kirill Gerstein.

The Hagen Quartett has performed regularly in North America for decades. Recent highlights include a complete Beethoven cycle at 92Y in New York, a Brahms program with pianist Kirill Gerstein at Duke University, and concerts in Boston, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Montréal, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.

The latest recording of the Hagen Quartett, featuring Mozart’s String Quartets K. 387 and K. 458, received the Diapason d’Or and the Choc de Classica award, as well as the prestigious ECHO Klassik (2016). In 2011, the Hagen celebrated its 30th anniversary with two recordings for Myrios Classics featuring works by Mozart, Webern, Beethoven, Grieg, and Brahms. That same year, the Hagen won the ECHO Klassik Award as Ensemble of the Year; in 2012, the Quartet was named Honorary Member of the Konzerthaus Vienna.

Shortly after its founding in 1981, the Hagen Quartett signed an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon, leading to the production of forty-five albums over the next twenty years, covering a wide repertoire and producing some of the most iconic string quartet recordings.

Lukas, Veronika, and Clemens Hagen are siblings who have played together for almost their entire lives; Rainer Schmidt joined the group in 1987. Throughout its career, the Hagen has collaborated with renowned artists such as György Kurtág, Maurizio Pollini, Mitsuko Uchida, Sabine Meyer, Krystian Zimerman, Heinrich Schiff, Jörg Widmann, and Nikolaus Harnoncourt.

The Hagen Quartett is regarded as the archetype of sound quality, ensemble performance, and genuine commitment to the works and composers. All four musicians pursue extensive teaching activities at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and the Hochschule in Basel, as well as in numerous international masterclasses.