Gramophone Magazine
December 2025
Editor's Choice

The Guardian Classical Albums of the Year
2025

Quatuor Diotima

Lachenmann: String Quartet No. 1 "Gran Torso"
Lachenmann: String Quartet No. 2 "Reigen seliger Geister"
Lachenmann: String Quartet No. 3 "Grido"

Quatuor Diotima presents Lachenmann: String Quartets, a powerful testament to their 25-year collaboration with visionary composer Helmut Lachenmann. Known for pioneering “instrumental musique concrète,” Lachenmann redefined the sonic possibilities of the string quartet. Their first meeting in 1998, originally just a one-week workshop, sparked a deep artistic bond and a shared fascination with his radical approach to sound and listening. This album is the result of hundreds of hours spent in rehearsal, performance, and conversation – a tribute to a composer who has become a central figure in contemporary music. Lachenmann: String Quartets captures not only the evolution of a musical language, but also the story of a transformative and enduring partnership.

"For all three quartets, a macrocosm of underworldly music finds both refinement and yet abandon in this standout recording." - Gramophone Magazine, December 2025