Quatuor Zaïde #1

The Zaïde Quartet celebrates Beethoven’s bicentennial with an extraordinary project: presenting his complete string quartets through the lens of traditional music. “Beethoven Folk”: an ambitious idea, and a resounding success!

Tarentella, Gypsy dances, Scottish and Celtic melodies: throughout his career, Beethoven often drew inspiration from the traditional music of Europe. Yet this fascinating side of his music has remained largely unexplored, as audiences have long been accustomed to hearing his work as art that stands apart from any outside influence. The musicians of the Zaïde Quartet invite us to discover this lesser-known side of Beethoven, uncovering the rich connections between his music and the folk songs of his time.

The result is a joyful concert that invites us to listen to Beethoven’s music with fresh ears, illuminated by this rich and unexpected repertoire. And to top it all off, the Quartet is releasing a complete recording of the works, recorded at the Auditorium, and will return to Dijon in May 2027 for a second instalment of Beethoven Folk. In a similar vein, violinist Viktoria Mullova will perform the composer’s complete sonatas throughout this season.

+ concert preceded by a participatory workshop on the fiddle (folk violin) with students from the École Supérieure de Musique Bourgogne-Franche-Comté at 7:00 p.m. in the foyer bar

First violin Charlotte Maclet
Second violin Leslie Boulin Raulet
Viola Céline Tison
Cello Juliette Salmona

^{Photos © Kaupo Kikkas}

Ludwig van Beethoven
Quatuor à cordes en si bémol majeur, op. 18 n° 6 

Zwiefacher, danse traditionnelle de Bavière

Ludwig van Beethoven
Quatuor à cordes en la majeur, op. 18 n° 5

Mutter es sind Bueda da,  
yodel du Tyrol

Ludwig van Beethoven
Quatuor à cordes en do mineur, op. 18 n° 4

Kolo vivo, air traditionnel serbe