Leonkoro Quartet - Press Reviews

Out of Vienna: Berg, Webern and Schulhoff
Leonkoro Quartet

The Leonkoro’s account of [Berg’s Lyric Suite] is as compelling as any. Their ensemble transparency never wanes, even as the music works itself into a state of dreamlike delirium… It’s a testament to the Leonkoro’s insightful approach that both [Webern’s] works seem equally emblematic of this endlessly rich period, and sound equally compelling.

David Weininger, New York Times, 13 February 2026

…[Alban Berg’s] juicily enigmatic Lyric Suite, played with dizzying iridescence and intuitive profundity, opens this remarkable disc.

Ken Walton, The Scotsman, 7 February 2026

[Webern’s Five Pieces] bears comparison with the finest on record. The opening Heftig bewegt and brief, scherzo-like third movement have a compelling expressive urgency, the second and fourth are rich in atmosphere and mystery, and the searching and melancholy final movement is played with impressive conviction… a rewarding album that leaves me looking forward to hearing the quartet’s next recording.

Christian Hoskins, Gramophone, February 2026

… [the Leonkoros] begin with refinement, intensity and beauty in Alban Berg’s Lyric Suite, they play Schulhoff’s Five Pieces with real chatter, the different dances spin to life with wit and quirky imagination, and Anton Webern’s later Five Movements for Quartet are really superbly focuses.

Andrew McGregor’s Record of the Week, BBC Radio 3 Record Review, 31 January 2026

Berg’s Lyric Suite was a fervent outpouring to his mistress, and the quartet aptly captures the moody sensuality of this intense, intricate music. The Andante amoroso swoons; the Allegro misterioso tiptoes on muted strings; the Presto delirando is positively coital. The playing is unflinching and seethes with imaginative detail.

Clive Paget, The Guardian, 30 January 2026

Tour: North American debut

They were never afraid to be understated, they featured splendid ensemble work, and they always exuded a unified and pleasing collective sense of the music. . . . They closed the concert with Felix Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 44, No. 2 which they attacked with an abundance of punch and passion. Their rapid passages were exhilarating and their flowing sections were as smooth as water. The Scherzo galloped yet had a beautifully graceful conclusion while the Andante was song-like in its appeal. The final movement was an exciting Presto that managed to be both agitated and slightly honeyed.

M L Rantala, Hyde Park Herald (Chicago), 7 April 2025

In addition to the youthful energy one might expect from this young group of players, they demonstrated mature intensity and well-rehearsed polish … After several rousing ovations, Leonkoro Quartet did a lovely encore of Crisantemi (chrysanthemums) by Giacomo Puccini. This thoughtful and moody piece was a perfect synopsis of their performance. They were very entertaining, and I hope to see them again.

Louis Harris, 3CR Chicago, 6 April 2025

In an ambitious and impressive performance at Union College Sunday, the Leonkoro String Quartet made its local debut in the Capital Region Classical series. . . . German composer Paul Hindemith (1895-1963) used to be big, but today his music is rarely heard, at least on this side of the Atlantic. The Leonkoro is taking up the cause of their fellow countryman. Hindemith’s Quartet No. 2 in F minor, which came before intermission, is a piece that demands attention.  At its most exalted, the music seared and crackled, moving like a house afire. Emotional extremes were everywhere, challenging the quartet in numerous ways. This was some of the best playing of the afternoon, as through the mayhem, the quartet held the line, steady as she goes. The last movement had a mind of its own and just kept going. The players let us know when the final bars were approaching by adding a new purposefulness and solidity to their sound. That, in turn, was met by a hearty ovation.

Joseph Dalton, Times Union, 31 March 2025

From the opening notes of Caroline Shaw‘s Entr’acte, it was immediately apparent that listeners were experiencing a string quartet of exceptional caliber. . . . The ensemble navigated Beethoven’s ambiguous emotional terrain [String Quartet No 15 in A minor, Op 132] with remarkable insight. Their approach to this ambitious, glorious, and angelic music honored Beethoven’s genius with technical aplomb and profound understanding. . . . As this extraordinary young ensemble continues its first North American tour, music lovers in Boston, Montreal, Chicago, Houston, and San Francisco have transformative experiences awaiting them. Based on this triumphant New York debut, their ascent to the highest echelon of international chamber ensembles seems not just likely but inevitable.

Edward Kliszus, Front Row Centre, 30 March 2025