Allegedly, the impetus came from Baron Fürnberg, who was looking for entertainment with music in his remote Weinzierl Castle and commissioned a young composer, Joseph Haydn, to write a piece for four amateurs. The new genre met with considerable interest in the music-practising homes of the aristocracy and bourgeoisie, and soon won the hearts of professional musicians as well. And so the string quartet became a measure of the artistry of composers and contractors, from whom it requires not only virtuosity but also an exceptional ability to work together and maintain musical balance. We will find out how the masters do it during the Symmetries – 5th String Quartet Festival. The inauguration will feature the Messages Quartet with a presentation of chamber music masterpieces by Felix Mendelssohn and Johannes Brahms. The event will culminate with a concert by the superb Atom String Quartet, one of the few in the world and the first in Poland to prove that a string quartet, so classical in its line-up, can play jazz and improvise thrillingly, seeking inspiration in Polish folk melodies and contemporary music. Someone may say that in the 21st century we’ve moved far away from the basics outlined by Papa Haydn. Perhaps we have, but doesn’t that just prove the brilliance and vitality of his idea?

21 January 2026, 7pm
Messages Quartet
In programme: Felix Mendelssohn, Johannes Brahms

22 January 2026, 7pm
Young Stage

23 January 2026, 7pm
Young Stage

24 January 2026, 7pm
Atom String Quartet

In the photo: Atom Strong Quartet, photo by Zosia Zija & Jacek Pióro