The name of our ensemble is a tribute to Goethe and Brahms, who was inspired by the character of the "young Werther" in composing his third Piano Quartet. “Elective Affinities” – the title of our CD dedicated to Goethe, Mendelssohn, and Brahms – not only reflects the affinities between the composers and our connection to their music, but also expresses the deep “affinity of soul and spirit” within the Quartet: four distinct personalities that, like four elements blending together, create something new.