THE ART OF CHAOS
Chaos can be unsettling, disruptive – even frightening. And yet, it fascinates. For centuries, people have seen it as both a threat and the origin of creation – from ancient myths to Friedrich Nietzsche’s famous line: “One must still have chaos in oneself to give birth to a dancing star.”
In this programme, we trace the tension between chaos and order through our own arrangements of Rebel’s Les Élémens and Rameau’s Zaïs, where the classical elements emerge from primordial disorder. Haydn’s Creation offers a biblical take, while Ligeti’s second quartet reflects the unpredictable structures of chaos theory. Into this vibrant flux, we weave fugues by Bach, culminating in the explosive intensity of Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge.
Short improvisations, based on 5 Transitions by Hungarian composer Samu Gryllus, offer spontaneous responses to the music – reminding us that chaos can be a powerful force for creativity.
Johann Sebastian Bach – The Art of the Fugue, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus I
Jean-Féry Rebel – Les Éléments: “Le Cahos”, arr. CSQ
György Ligeti – String Quartet No. 2
Jean-Philippe Rameau – Zaïs: Overture, arr. CSQ
Johann Sebastian Bach – The Art of the Fugue, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus II
Alfred Schnittke – String Quartet No. 3: I. Andante
Ludwig van Beethoven – Große Fuge in B-flat major, Op. 133
Between the works, improvised interludes are performed, inspired by Samu Gryllus (1976*): 5 Transitions for Chaos String Quartet (2024).
