Nicholas Angelich is a true master of the piano: his intimate knowledge of the repertoire, beautiful sound, and poetic phrasing make him a paragon of true musicianship. All these qualities are on all full display in this concert, in which Angelich is joined by the Ébène Quartet to perform Franck’s Quintet for Piano and Strings in F minor. Composed in the winter of 1878–1879, when Franck is said to have been was infatuated with one of his students, the quintet is an ultra-expressive work.

Their performance of Frank’s Quintet is followed by the Ébène Quartet’s stunning interpretation of Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 59 No. 1, “Razumovsky”. Renowned for their eclectic tastes, in their performance of the Beethoven string quartet, the Ébène Quartet once more affirms their place as one of the most promising ensembles of their generation.