Barylli Quartet
Encyclopedia
The Barylli Quartet was a celebrated Austrian string quartet
classical musical ensemble
. It was first brought together in Vienna
during the War by Walter Barylli
, Konzertmeister of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
from 1939, but was re-founded in 1945. The reformed quartet actually appeared in public performance only from 1951 to 1960. In that period it was the 'home' quartet of the Vienna Musikverein.
2nd violin
Viola
Cello
(Many of the Westminster Records
recordings are with Krotschak, but the Salzburg concert of 1958 is with Brabec.)
(born in Vienna in 1921) studied at the Vienna Music Academy with the Philharmonic Konzertmeister Franz Mairecker, and in Munich
with Florizel von Reuter
. In 1936 Barylli gave his first public performance as a soloist in Munich, and made his first gramophone recordings in Berlin
. Over the next two years he made an international career as a soloist: but realizing the difficulty of a career as a travelling soloist in the turmoil of the late 1930s he instead won a place at the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
, of which he became Konzertmeister in 1939. The quartet was first formed from leading members of the Vienna Philharmonic, during the war. It was then reformed in 1945, but its work in public performance was mainly confined to the period 1951-1960.
Closely associated with the Vienna Musikverein, their work was principally with classic repertoire such as Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann
and Brahms. They gave many concerts in Europe and overseas. Among their various recordings are a complete Beethoven cycle and a near-complete Mozart cycle. They performed at the Salzburg Festival
, from which at least two live concerts (from 1956, Mozart Quintet with Antoine de Bavier, and 1958, of Beethoven, Schubert and Hindemith), have also survived as recordings. Their principal collaborations in chamber music were with Antoine de Bavier, Edith Farnadi
, Jörg Demus
, Paul Badura-Skoda
and the violist Wilhelm Hübner.
Emanuel Brabec, the group's cellist in 1958, taught at the Vienna Academy and was teacher of Nikolaus Harnoncourt
.
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
classical musical ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
. It was first brought together in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
during the War by Walter Barylli
Walter Barylli
Walter Barylli is an Austrian violinist who had a distinguished career based in his native Vienna, as Konzertmeister of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, founder and leader of the Barylli string quartet, and Professor of violin at the Vienna City Academy....
, Konzertmeister of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
The Vienna Philharmonic is an orchestra in Austria, regularly considered one of the finest in the world....
from 1939, but was re-founded in 1945. The reformed quartet actually appeared in public performance only from 1951 to 1960. In that period it was the 'home' quartet of the Vienna Musikverein.
Personnel
1st violin- Walter BarylliWalter BarylliWalter Barylli is an Austrian violinist who had a distinguished career based in his native Vienna, as Konzertmeister of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, founder and leader of the Barylli string quartet, and Professor of violin at the Vienna City Academy....
2nd violin
- Otto Strasser
Viola
- Rudolf Streng
Cello
- Richard Krotschak
- Emanuel Brabec
(Many of the Westminster Records
Westminster Records
Westminster Records was an American classical music record label, issuing original recordings from 1949 to 1965.It was founded in 1949 by Mischa Naida, the owner of the Westminster Record shop in New York City, businessman James Grayson, and conductor Henry Swoboda...
recordings are with Krotschak, but the Salzburg concert of 1958 is with Brabec.)
Origins
Walter BarylliWalter Barylli
Walter Barylli is an Austrian violinist who had a distinguished career based in his native Vienna, as Konzertmeister of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, founder and leader of the Barylli string quartet, and Professor of violin at the Vienna City Academy....
(born in Vienna in 1921) studied at the Vienna Music Academy with the Philharmonic Konzertmeister Franz Mairecker, and in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
with Florizel von Reuter
Florizel von Reuter
Florizel von Reuter was an American-born violinist and composer, a child prodigy who went on to an adult career, mainly in Germany, as distinguished soloist and teacher of violin...
. In 1936 Barylli gave his first public performance as a soloist in Munich, and made his first gramophone recordings in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Over the next two years he made an international career as a soloist: but realizing the difficulty of a career as a travelling soloist in the turmoil of the late 1930s he instead won a place at the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
The Vienna Philharmonic is an orchestra in Austria, regularly considered one of the finest in the world....
, of which he became Konzertmeister in 1939. The quartet was first formed from leading members of the Vienna Philharmonic, during the war. It was then reformed in 1945, but its work in public performance was mainly confined to the period 1951-1960.
Closely associated with the Vienna Musikverein, their work was principally with classic repertoire such as Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
and Brahms. They gave many concerts in Europe and overseas. Among their various recordings are a complete Beethoven cycle and a near-complete Mozart cycle. They performed at the Salzburg Festival
Salzburg Festival
The Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
, from which at least two live concerts (from 1956, Mozart Quintet with Antoine de Bavier, and 1958, of Beethoven, Schubert and Hindemith), have also survived as recordings. Their principal collaborations in chamber music were with Antoine de Bavier, Edith Farnadi
Edith Farnadi
Edith Farnadi was a Hungarian pianist. She was born in Budapest and began her studies at the age of 7 at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. She studied with Professor Arnold Székely . At the age of 9, she made her musical debut as a child prodigy...
, Jörg Demus
Jörg Demus
Jörg Demus is an Austrian pianist.At the age of six, Demus received his first piano lessons. Five years later, at the age of 11, he entered the Vienna Academy of Music, studying piano and conducting. He graduated in 1945, then 17 years old...
, Paul Badura-Skoda
Paul Badura-Skoda
Paul Badura-Skoda is an Austrian pianist.He won first prize in the Austrian Music Competition in 1947. In 1949, he performed with distinguished conductors like Wilhelm Furtwängler and Herbert von Karajan...
and the violist Wilhelm Hübner.
Emanuel Brabec, the group's cellist in 1958, taught at the Vienna Academy and was teacher of Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Nikolaus Harnoncourt is an Austrian conductor, particularly known for his historically informed performances of music from the Classical era and earlier. Starting out as a classical cellist, he founded his own period instrument ensemble in the 1950s, and became a pioneer of the Early Music movement...
.
External links
- Barylli discography http://hayes.cside2.jp/vinyl/bq.html.
- Barylli Quartet discography with album covers etc, http://www.bh2000.net/special/patzak/detail.php?id=879.