Pavel Haas Quartet is one of the most outstanding quartets in Europe at present. Based in Prague they naturally specialise in the wide range of quartets by the great Czech masters. It is a great pleasure to welcome them back to Bantry to open this year’s Festival. It is becoming de rigeur to open quartet-centred Festivals like ours with one of Haydn’s numerous and miraculous creations. Janá?ek’s two quartets have become irresistible to modern audiences and musicians for their passionate declamation, comparative brevity and the fascinating back story of the septuagenarian composer’s love life. Dvo?ák’s late quartets are a thing of great wonder – the G major is renowned for its glorious Adagio
