Four “best friends” who met at music college in Copenhagen, the Novo Quartet have gone on to win multiple international awards. Currently BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists and Ensemble in Association at the Royal Northern College of Music, their recent debut album, TRACK 1, was named Editor’s Choice in Gramophone magazine. Keen champions of contemporary music, as well as contemporary fashion, they pair Beethoven’s most monumental, mysterious and sublime “late quartet” – reportedly the composer’s own favourite string quartet – with a modern and slyly teasing take on a Haydn minuet and trio by Grammy Award-winning US composer Caroline Shaw.

The Novo Quartet on Caroline Shaw's piece:

'Our first encounter with her sound world was through a shared concert we had with the wonderful violinist Mari Samuelsen, who had a great concept mixing Baroque pieces with minimalist music. Those two styles actually go really well together, because they’re both very “pure” kinds of music built on clear structures and simple ideas. That was actually our first real meeting with minimalistic contemporary music.

We think this piece is a great way into contemporary music for people who might normally feel a bit unsure or sceptical about it. It’s quite simple on the surface, but it really milks a lot of interesting harmonies and colours. There’s a strong pulse and a directness that makes it easy to listen to. “Entr’acte" is inspired by Haydn’s String Quartet op. 77 no. 2, which is why we programme the two works together. Unfortunately, no time for Haydn this time!'