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Quatuor Ébène

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The Quatuor Ébène is a French string quartet from Boulogne-Billancourt, founded in 1999 at the local conservatoire. It came to international attention in 2004, when it won first prize in the string quartet category of the ARD International Music Competition, together with the audience prize and two prizes for interpretation. In 2006 the first record appeared, a live recording of three Haydn quartets. In 2009 BBC Music Magazine named the quartet Newcomer of the Year for a recording of the quartets of Ravel, Fauré and Debussy. The same record was Recording of the Year at the Classic FM Gramophone Awards. In 2010 it was Ensemble of the Year at the Victoires de la Musique Classique.

Music and breakthrough

The current members are the violinists Pierre Colombet and Gabriel Le Magadure, the violist Marie Chilemme since 2017 and the cellist Yuya Okamoto since 2024. Mathieu Herzog, Adrien Boisseau and Raphaël Merlin played in it earlier.

Influence

The quartet is known for its versatility. Besides classical and contemporary repertoire it plays jazz and crossover, such as the music from Pulp Fiction, arrangements of Beatles songs and a jazz version of Someday My Prince Will Come from Snow White. The 2010 album Fiction was named by NPR one of its fifty favourite albums of 2011. Its discography also includes Mozart, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Brazil, 'Round Midnight and Milestones: The Jazz Album. The New York Times called it a string quartet that can easily turn into a jazz band.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a jazz arrangement by the Quatuor Ébène and notice how four string players create swing and rhythm without drums or bass. Try to hear who plays the melody and who plays the accompaniment, and when.

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists