he Paris-based Modigliani Quartet appeared at the Perelman Theatre at Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center Thursday,  October 6. 2025.  

The strikingly handsome and erudite Jonathan Coopersmith brilliantly explained the coming concert to us in a pre-concert talk.

The Quartet celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023. Hard to believe, since all four men look so young. In 2008, the Quartet signed a recording contract with the  Mirare label and since then have released 23 award-winning CDs. All four musicians play outstanding Italian instruments. YouTube has a video of the musicians talking about their 2018 visit to perform in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society (PCMS).

Amaury Coeytaux plays a 1715 violin by Stradivari.

Loic Rio plays a 1780 violin by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini.

Laurent Marfaing plays a 1660 viola by Luigi Mariani.

Francois Kieffer plays a 1706 cello by Matteo Gofriller.

The event began with Gyorgi Kurtág ‘s 12  Microludes. Each was no longer than a minute or more, establishing an essence of classicism, beautifully performed. It laid the foundation to further appreciate the two Beethoven works which were to follow. 

Beethoven’s Op. 18, No.1 was a youthful work, but in no way was it jejeune or commonplace. Thrilling elements unexpectedly burst onto our bodies, dissolving our clothing in the white-hot intensity of the quartet’s masterful playing. Their exceptional tonal beauty soothed our fevered brain, even as it slaked our craving libido. An absolutely majestic performance by the four young, handsome Frenchmen.

The four musicians returned to further startle and excite us with the later Beethoven quartet, Op. 59, No. 3, Razumovsky. Incredibly,  yet another incandescent performance spirited us away to Alpine heights, as we were helplessly held in thrall of the magnificence of their skill. We could breathe, but would we ever be able to speak again? Were we no longer in this dimension?? Impossible to even think or care as Beethoven’s splendor washed over us, balm for our parched souls.

Inexorably, Incredibly, we weren’t lost among the stars, but returned to our seats in Perelman Hall dry, clothed, and our atomic structure restored. Hosanna to these incredible, magnificent musicians, giving us perhaps the finest Beethoven Quartets to be heard anywhere.

The Program

Kurtág: Quartet, Op. 13, Microludes (Hommage à Mihály András)
Beethoven: Quartet in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1
Beethoven: Quartet in C Major, Op. 59, No. 3

The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society (PCMS) season continues with dozens of amazing programs and artists. For information and ticket availability, please visit ….www.pcmsconcerts.org .