Classical Preview: Endellion return with more sounds of summer

Founded back in 1979, they are now in their tenth season in Leeds, a commitment they squeeze into a hectic schedule of tours that take them around the world. including regular visits to the United States.

Each season they bring a theme, this year including a work by Haydn, the "father of the string quartet".

How his works were to influence all that has happened since is linked

in each concert as we progress through the works of Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Janacek, Bartok and finally arriving at Benjamin

Britten.

It has not been devised in chronological order, so that next Tuesday we also hear one of Schubert's best-known melodies in the Rosamunde quartet, the evening ending with the deeply moving Intimate Letters by Janacek, a score that reflected some 700 letters the married composer wrote to the woman he loved.

The most fascinating juxtaposition comes with the highly progressive sounds of Bartok's Fifth surrounded by the conventions of Mozart and Haydn (Jun 8).

Beethoven, whose complete quartets the Endellion began recording a few

years back, has two slots, and will be responsible for the final work of the season when the opus 130 is to be played with its original

and highly demanding Grosse Fuge ending (Jun 29).

Endellion String Quartet, The Venue, Leeds, Apr 27, May 18, Jun 8 & 29. 0113 2243801.