The string quartet, a combination oftwo upper voices, one middle andone lower, gives the composer theminimum requirement for fourpartharmony. This idea of a bareminimum has entranced composersfrom Haydn – who started it all –right through to the present day,and the attention that so many greatcomposers have given the genrehas created an almost unrivalledsuccession of masterful works;Beethoven’s seventeen quartetsacting almost as benchmarks,with Schubert, Brahms, Bartókand Shostakovich pitching in too.

Join Roy Stratford to explore howthe string quartet has adapted tochanging musical styles and becomearguably the most significant andfertile chamber music combination.