Beethoven
Quartetto Klimt

Quartetto Klimt

Duccio Ceccanti, violin
Margherita Di Giovanni, viola
Jacopo Di Tonno, cello
Matteo Fossi, piano

L. van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major op. 55 “Eroica” (version for piano quartet by F. Ries)

40’ | Admission €12

The Quartetto Klimt, a benchmark ensemble in the international chamber music scene, takes on one of the most demanding challenges in the repertoire: rendering the monumentality of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Third Symphony through the reduced forces of the piano quartet. In Ferdinand Ries’s transcription, the composer’s pupil and friend, the symphonic substance of the Eroica is condensed without losing its dramatic force and ideal tension.

Composed between 1802 and 1804, the symphony was initially connected to the figure of Napoleon, later rejected by Beethoven in favour of a more universal idea of heroism. The first movement, Allegro con brio, stands out for its propulsive energy and continuous thematic development. It is followed by the famous Funeral March. Adagio assai, a moment of intense expressive depth in which mourning takes on a collective and symbolic dimension. The Scherzo. Allegro vivace introduces new vitality, while the finale constructs a broad process of transformation leading to a conclusion of an affirmative and luminous character.

In the Teatro Bibiena, the proximity between performers and audience amplifies the immersive power of this chamber reading, restoring the Eroica in its most direct and vibrant dimension.

Text curated by Desirée Blundi