Krettly Quartet
Encyclopedia
The Krettly Quartet was a French
string quartet
musical ensemble
active during the 1920s and 1930s. Its repertoire included avant-garde and modern works, and the group made early recordings of some of these.
2nd violin
viola
'cello
(1906–1986)).
Robert Krettly took part in the premiere of the Gabriel Fauré
Pianoforte Trio in D minor op 120, in Paris on May 12, 1923, with Jacques Patté (cello) and Tatiana Sanzévitch (piano). The quartet was in existence in March 1925, with Fournier as its cellist aged 19, when they premiered the string quartet by Catherine Murphy Urner
at the Salle Pleyel
, Paris
. This formation therefore preceded the appearance of Robert Krettly as second violin, with Jacques Thibaud
(1st violin), Maurice Vieux
(1884–1951) (viola) and André Hekking
(cello), in the premiere of the Gabriel Fauré string quartet (in E minor, op 121) at the Société Nationale de Musique
in Paris on 12 June 1925. Fournier had also studied with André Hekking, and with Lucien Capet
.
In 1929 Andre Navarra
(1911–1988) replaced Pierre Fournier as cellist, and by 1931 François Broos had replaced Georges Taine at the viola desk. Navarra made his debut as a soloist in 1931, at the Concerts Colonne
in Paris. Both Navarra and René Costard retired from the group in 1935, and in that year Costard established the French branch of Foldex maps.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
string quartet
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...
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...
active during the 1920s and 1930s. Its repertoire included avant-garde and modern works, and the group made early recordings of some of these.
Personnel
1st violin- Robert Krettly
2nd violin
- René Costard (retired 1935)
viola
- Georges Taine (active 1925)
- François Broos (active 1931-35)
'cello
- Pierre FournierPierre FournierPierre Fournier was a French cellist who was called the "aristocrat of cellists," on account of his elegant musicianship and majestic sound....
(before 1929) - André NavarraAndré NavarraAndré-Nicolas Navarra was a French cellist and cello teacher.-Early life:...
(1929–1935)
Origins and activities
The quartet took its name from the leader, the violinist Robert Krettly (b. 1891), who was brother of the cellist Odette Krettly (one of the teachers of Pierre FournierPierre Fournier
Pierre Fournier was a French cellist who was called the "aristocrat of cellists," on account of his elegant musicianship and majestic sound....
(1906–1986)).
Robert Krettly took part in the premiere of the Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Urbain Fauré was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th century composers...
Pianoforte Trio in D minor op 120, in Paris on May 12, 1923, with Jacques Patté (cello) and Tatiana Sanzévitch (piano). The quartet was in existence in March 1925, with Fournier as its cellist aged 19, when they premiered the string quartet by Catherine Murphy Urner
Catherine Murphy Urner
Catherine Murphy Urner Shatto was an American composer.-Life:Catherine Murphy Urner was born in Mitchell, Indiana, the third of seven children of Southern Illinois Normal College principal Edward Everett Urner and writer Jessie Robertson Urner...
at the Salle Pleyel
Salle Pleyel
The Salle Pleyel is a concert hall in Paris, France. The resident ensembles are the Orchestre de Paris and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.-History and Design:...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. This formation therefore preceded the appearance of Robert Krettly as second violin, with Jacques Thibaud
Jacques Thibaud
Jacques Thibaud was a French violinist.Thibaud was born in Bordeaux and studied the violin with his father before entering the Paris Conservatoire at the age of thirteen. In 1896 he jointly won the conservatory's violin prize with Pierre Monteux...
(1st violin), Maurice Vieux
Maurice Vieux
Maurice Edgard Vieux was a French violist whose teaching at the Conservatoire de Paris plays a key role in the history of the viola in France....
(1884–1951) (viola) and André Hekking
André Hekking
André Hekking was a French cellist. Born in Bordeaux, he studied with Charles de Bériot, touring Spain at fifteen. In 1909 he settled in Paris to become a teacher of the cello, having in the meantime gained a reputation throughout Europe as a virtuoso...
(cello), in the premiere of the Gabriel Fauré string quartet (in E minor, op 121) at the Société Nationale de Musique
Société Nationale de Musique
The Société Nationale de Musique was founded on February 25, 1871 to promote French music and to allow young composers to present their music in public...
in Paris on 12 June 1925. Fournier had also studied with André Hekking, and with Lucien Capet
Lucien Capet
Lucien Louis Capet was a French violinist, pedagogue and composer.-Career:Capet came from the Paris proletariat. By the age of fifteen, he had to maintain himself by playing in bistros and cafes...
.
In 1929 Andre Navarra
André Navarra
André-Nicolas Navarra was a French cellist and cello teacher.-Early life:...
(1911–1988) replaced Pierre Fournier as cellist, and by 1931 François Broos had replaced Georges Taine at the viola desk. Navarra made his debut as a soloist in 1931, at the Concerts Colonne
Concerts Colonne
The Colonne Orchestra is a French symphony orchestra, founded in 1873 by the violinist and conductor Édouard Colonne.-History:While leader of the Opéra de Paris orchestra, Édouard Colonne was engaged by the publisher Georges Hartmann to lead a series of popular concerts which he founded under the...
in Paris. Both Navarra and René Costard retired from the group in 1935, and in that year Costard established the French branch of Foldex maps.
Recordings
The Krettly Quartet made some significant recordings before 1936, including principally:- Fauré, String Quartet in E minor op 131,
- Ravel, String Quartet in F major,
- Honegger, String Quartet,
- MilhaudMilhaudMilhaud is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, String Quartet no 2 (Atonal), - BorodinBorodinBorodin , or Borodina is a Russian last name and may refer to:*Alexander Borodin , Russian composer and chemist*Alexander Parfeniyevich Borodin, Russian scientist in the field of rail transport...
, String Quartet no 3, Notturno