The Horenstein Ensemble, founded 15 years ago by members of the Konzerthausorchester, has existed ever since in the rare formation of string quartet, clarinet, flute and harp. One of the five who have been with it since then is our associate principal cellist Andreas Timm. Listening to him, there is no doubt that it is definitely worth getting up for the Sunday matinee on January 28:

"In chamber music in particular, things sometimes happen spontaneously that you can't prepare for in rehearsals: As a player, you suddenly feel this tension that spontaneously arises between the audience and the performers on stage. You can explore these moments of extreme intensity even more, make a piano even more delicate, lend even greater tensioin to a pause... These are the moments when you can work magic as a chamber music ensemble. 

In very different formations, from duo or trio to quintet to septet, we can offer a wide range as an ensemble - a possibility that musicians would otherwise hardly have. As a result, the audience naturally experiences particularly exciting contrasts, which are rooted both in the different music-historical epochs and in the acoustic diversity of the instruments.

After several years, we have "Introduction et Allegro" by Maurice Ravel on the program again; for us as an ensemble of seven musicians, this was the "musical initial spark"!

Be it that we now have more life experience or more musical experience - each time we work together we bring a different basic feeling with us and discover new details even in familiar pieces.

Arthur Honegger's Sonatina for violin and cello, a work that is not often heard, also has a very special charm with its virtuoso, multi-faceted basic character. That's why I'm particularly looking forward to discovering something new here."

Solo violist Ferenc Gábor performed with Iván Fischer for the first time in Israel, when many years ago, our current honorary conductor stood in for Leonard Bernstein, who had fallen ill. Ferenc has worked closely with him at various venues for 18 years and is looking forward to the concerts on January 12 and 14, in which pieces by Bartók and Dvořák will be performed.

"What is very fascinating about the detailed work with Iván Fischer is that he always finds something new in the score. Inspired by our performance the night before, he not only corrects it in the next rehearsal, but continues to improve it so that the second concert becomes even more interesting.

Iván Fischer understands what lies deep within the music, behind the notes. And he has a fantastic sense of humour. Where you have to be serious, he is very serious and very demanding. But where you discover humour in the music, he sharpens it and pushes it to the limit. 

Among other pieces, we are playing Béla Bartók's 'Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta' from 1936, which in my opinion is his best work. It is central to Iván Fischer. It's difficult and very demanding, but it also has a lot of humour and a lot of wit. The slow movement describes a world catastrophe: The time when the wars started in Europe. Unfortunately, it is very topical. We can't thank the Swiss patron Paul Sacher enough, who commissioned this piece like he did so many others."

Hannah Mulac, part of our event management team and amateur cellist, is looking forward to the trio concert by Artist in Residence Augustin Hadelich, which the violinist will play on January 29 with two friends, cellist Marie-Elisabeth Hecker and pianist Martin Helmchen.

"I think that you can clearly hear in Augustin Hadelich's playing how he is completely dedicated to the music. I really like his full violin tone and I'm excited to see how he sounds in chamber music. For me, a piano trio is like a conversation between friends. Who has the lead, who is listening, who is complaining or consoling - it's fascinating to follow. The most recent of the four pieces that the three of them have chosen is György Kurtág's "Varga Bálint Ligaturája" from 2007, which the composer dedicated to the Hungarian music writer Bálint Varga in friendship. I think that's very nice, because it adds another facet to the theme of the evening, music and friendship."