Beethoven up close: NCPA’s ambitious two-year quartet project marks the 200th anniversary of the composer’s death

Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and more come together in a compelling mix of celebrated masterpieces, lesser‑known gems and unique reductions of iconic orchestral works at the 30th edition of Artie’s Festival India, to be held on May 20 and 24 at the National Centre for the Performing Arts’ Experimental Theatre.

The festival balances renowned masterpieces with lesser‑known compositions. “We are embarking on a great adventure: performing the complete cycle of Beethoven’s 16 string quartets. Two Beethoven quartets will be systematically performed in every concert we present over the next two years. The idea behind this programme, titled ‘Mostly Beethoven’, is to present one or two additional works — long or short, well known or waiting to be discovered — as windows opening into other musical horizons,” says Gauthier Herrmann, a celebrated French cellist, producer and co‑founder of Artie’s Festival, who, along with Khushroo Suntook, chairman of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, devised the ‘Mostly Beethoven’ concept.

Marion Tassou (soprano), Nicolas Bourdoncle (piano), Mathilde Borsarello‑Herrmann (violin), Gauthier Herrmann (cello), and Marc Dossetto (video) performed at last year’s edition of the festival.
| Photo Credit:
Courtesy: NCPA

For this first series of concerts, we chose to perform orchestral works arranged for quartet. “It is refreshing not to have confined ourselves to the traditional string-quartet repertoire,” says Herrmann. Beethoven’s quartets are so monumental in their genius and craftsmanship that it is hard to find short pieces that don’t feel insignificant beside them. Also, 2027 will mark the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death, so the timing is perfect too.

Performing the complete quartet cycle all at once, or even within a single year, did not seem the most suitable challenge for either the NCPA or its audience. From a performer’s perspective, it is a colossal undertaking, so it felt more realistic to spread the project across two years. The aim is to complete the cycle by the end of 2027 through four two-week residencies in India.

Marion Tassou (soprano), Nicolas Bourdoncle (piano), Mathilde Borsarello‑Herrmann (violin), Gauthier Herrmann (cello), and Marc Dossetto (video) also performed at the festival, held in october 2025.
| Photo Credit:
Courtesy: NCPA

Beethoven’s quartets are often technically demanding and emotionally expansive. “But they are not inaccessible, and you don’t need to be a specialist to appreciate them. What Beethoven managed to express with only four instruments is extraordinary. It is a journey of the soul that takes us through every emotion: joy, sorrow, energy, meditation, introspection, happiness, and nostalgia,” explains Herrmann. All the audience needs is curiosity and the willingness to step into the concert hall, he adds.

What is fascinating about the ‘Mostly Beethoven’ project is presenting the complete cycle as a whole. “For audience members who plan to attend all eight concerts — four in 2026 and four in 2027 — the experience will be extraordinary. Equally compelling are the works we’ve chosen to place in resonance with Beethoven’s quartets. For this edition, we will perform Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581 — the celebrated clarinet quintet. It was suggested by Khushroo Suntook, and we are delighted with the choice, as this masterpiece radiates pure joy,” shares Herrmann.

Last year’s edition also featured a concert by Marion Tassou (soprano), Nicolas Bourdoncle (piano), Mathilde Borsarello‑Herrmann (violin), Gauthier Herrmann (cello), and Marc Dossetto (video).
| Photo Credit:
Courtesy: NCPA

Over the past decade India’s chamber-music audience has matured, and at the NCPA it now draws many young listeners. “Many who are not classical‑music enthusiasts are attending the concerts. We take pleasure in sharing this precious repertoire, which has accompanied us since youth. And, of course, everything evolves. When we first began in 2008, 30 editions ago, we focused exclusively on concerts: preparation and performance. Today, we work closely with social‑media teams,” says Herrmann.

Looking ahead to the festival’s place in the international chamber-music scene, Herrmann says, Herrmann says: “We have been coming to India for more than 25 years, and our love for the country, its people, food and the concert atmosphere has only continued to grow. Personally, I have been to India more than 70 times, and I still prepare for these journeys with the same joy and excitement.”

Artie’s Festival, will be held at NCPA Experimental Theatre on May 20 and 24, 7 p.m.

Published – May 19, 2026 09:02 am IST