Biography

Exciting modern and topical programs, to initiate the audience unto their journeys of artistic discovery, to communicate music in an open-minded, uncompromising, yet in a poetic manner: this is the mission and the guiding principles that unite the seven musicians who constitute the Alban Berg Ensemble Wien.

This Ensemble, formed in 2016, comprises the renowned Hugo Wolf Quartet, pianist Ariane Haering as well as, solo flautist Silvia Careddu from The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and clarinetist Alexander Neubauer from the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. The Alban Berg Foundation bestows its imprimatur as a public acknowledgement of the esteem in which these musicians are held for their artistic vision, and in recognition of their innovative path in the spirit of Alban Berg, connected to the past while committed to the future.

A century ago, Schönberg, Berg and Webern founded their Society for Private Musical Performances to realize their highly personal visions of unorthodox concert situations and programming. Their artistic and interpretative vision, an openness towards all that is new and innovative as well as a unique instrumental combination provide the blueprint for the Ensemble: String quartet, flute, clarinet and piano are the core of the Alban Berg Ensemble Wien. Their goal is to rekindle the firey passion of the Second Viennese School's most romantic composer.

In addition to its own concert series in the Brahms Hall of the Wiener Musikverein each year, the Alban Berg Ensemble Wien started organising a festival at Lake Ossiach in 2018. The second edition of the "Bergfrühling" Festival will take place from 30 May to 1 June 2019.

Programmes

Programme proposals

Berg: „Hier ist Friede“ from „Altenberg-songs“, Op. 4
Brahms: String Quartet in A minor, Op. 51 No. 2
Schönberg: Chamber symphony No. 1, Op. 9 (authorised version for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano by Anton Webern)
Strauß: Emperor Waltz, Op. 437 (arranged by Arnold Schönberg)

Cerha: 5 pieces for clarinet, cello and piano
Brahms: Clarinet Trio in A minor, Op. 114
Shostakovich: Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57

Schumann: Piano Quartet, Op. 47
Penderecki: Quartet for clarinet & string trio
Debussy: String Quartet, Op. 10 

Schubert: Adagio & Rondo concertante, D 487
Berg: Lyric Suite
Brahms: Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34

Korngold: Suite op. 23
Mendelssohn: Sextet op. 110 for piano, violin, 2 violas, cello und double bass

Mozart: Flute Quartet KV 285
Crumb: Vox Balenae
Schubert: Piano Quintet in A major „Trout“

Dvořák: Serenade in E major, Op. 22 (arranged for octet by Nicholas Ingman)
Janáček: Concertino
Dvořák: Piano Quintet in A major, Op. 81

Haydn: Symphony No. 104 in D major
Beach: Theme and variations, Op. 80
Dvořák: Quintet in G major, Op. 18 

Mozart: Prague Symphony, KV 504 (arranged by Johann Nepomuk Hummel)
Hersch: Variationen on a theme by Hugo Wolf
Wheeler: Sextet
Martinů: La revue de la cuisine

Schumann: Andante und variations
Berg: Piano sonata Op. 1 (arranged for string sextet by Heime Müller)
Strauss: Sextet from Capriccio
Schnittke: Serenade
Saint-Saëns: Carnaval des Animaux

Berg: Excerpts from Wozzeck
Mahler: Symphony No. 4 (arranged by Erwin Stein)