Ariel Quartet Released Third Beethoven Volume
The Cincinnati-based ensemble has shared the next installment of its ongoing recording cycle.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Classical
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The Ariel Quartet has released the album Beethoven: The Complete String Quartets Vol. 3 on the Orchid Classics label. This new collection features quartets Op. 127, 130, 131, 132, 133, and 135.
Why it matters
The ensemble recorded the cycle to document their specific artistic interpretation of these masterworks. They test their chosen themes and tempos in live concert performances before committing them to the studio recordings.
This release follows the first volume issued in April 2025 and the second volume released in November 2025. The group has performed the complete cycle six times throughout its history.
The players
Ariel Quartet
This ensemble serves as the Faculty Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music.
Alexandra Kazovsky
She is a violinist and member of the Ariel Quartet.
Gershon Gerchikov
He is a violinist and member of the Ariel Quartet.
Jan Grüning
He is a violist and member of the Ariel Quartet.
Amit Even-Tov
He is a cellist and member of the Ariel Quartet.
The details
The quartet members, who serve as the Faculty Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music, recorded these pieces to capture their distinct interpretation. The group formed in 2003 and has been refining their approach to these specific works for over two decades.
Timeline
The quartet began performing late Beethoven quartets in 2004.
The ensemble performed its first complete Beethoven cycle in 2013.
The first volume of the current cycle arrived in April 2025.
The second volume of the cycle was released in November 2025.
A complete box set is scheduled for release in March 2027.
Industry Dynamics
This release highlights the trend of long-term chamber music cycles that rely on the stability of an institutional residency at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music. It positions the group within a competitive field of quartets documenting authoritative versions of the Beethoven repertoire.
Listeners can access this new volume through the Orchid Classics label, marking the latest stage of the quartet's ongoing multi-year recording project. This release allows audiences to compare the group's current studio interpretations with their long history of performing these pieces in concert.
The takeaway
The sustained effort to record an entire cycle of major works reflects the deep level of preparation required for chamber music excellence. Listeners interested in the evolution of classical performance should follow how these studio recordings translate the ensemble's live concert tempos.
What happens next
The Ariel Quartet is scheduled to release a complete box set of the Beethoven string quartets in March 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in Classical music.
Source note: This article includes information reported by World's Leading Classical Music Platform.
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