Pavel Haas Quartet
Encyclopedia
The Pavel Haas Quartet is a Czech
string quartet
which was founded in 2002. Their first album with the second quartets of Haas
and Janáček
won the 2007 Gramophone Award
for Chamber music
. The Gramophone reviewer David Fanning described their playing as "streamlined but full-blooded".
, some of whom had studied with the same teachers. Initially the group consisted of, besides Jarůšková, Kateřina Gemrotová (second violin), Pavel Nikl (violist), and Lukáš Polák (cellist). After its formation Polák decided to leave because of incompatibility, so the two quartets ended up exchanging cellists, with Jarůškova's husband joining the Haas Quartet and Polák joining the Škampa Quartet. Later the second violinist (Gemrotová) was replaced by Marie Fuxová, who in September 2008 was replaced by Eva Karová, the youngest member in the group at 25 years of age (in November 2009); the oldest was only 33.
The quartet is named after the Czech composer Pavel Haas
(1899–1944), who was deported from Czechoslovakia
in 1941, initially imprisoned at the work camp Terezin
, and finally died at Auschwitz
. Although aware of the significance of the circumstances of Haas's final years, the group did not intend to make a statement about the Holocaust, but rather selected the name primarily because of his importance to Czech music and in particular because of his three string quartets, all of which they have now recorded. Jarůšková has said: "We know personally the daughter of Pavel Haas. She doesn't like to speak about the time before the war. She showed us some papers and a book he wrote about her when she was born." Jarůšek added: "She also showed us the reviews. Every review of his Second Quartet was bad."
, Borodin Quartet
, and the Amadeus Quartet
. Other important mentors include Walter Levin
(founder of the LaSalle Quartet
) and particularly the Smetana Quartet
's viola player, Milan Škampa, who worked with the group over a period of many years. Jarůšková has said, “I once asked Milan Škampa to teach me how to build a quartet, how to live the life of a quartet. He said ‘It’s the most beautiful prison in the music world.'“
. Their recording contract with Supraphon
came from winning the Prague Spring Competition in May 2005, and has resulted in four CDs (see Recordings). The group got another early boost by winning First Place at the Premio Paolo Borciani
competition in Italy in June 2005. The group also received a Special Ensemble Scholarship from the Borletti-Buitoni Trust
in 2010.
Besides their first CD, which won the 2007 Gramophone Award
as the best chamber music
recording of the year, their second CD with the first Janáček quartet
and the first and third quartets of Haas
was selected by the Gramophone as an "Editor's Choice". Rob Cowan
, the reviewer, wrote: "To describe a CD as musically important is to court a certain level of controversy..., but I'll stick my neck out and claim extreme importance for this release. ... This is a superb release that deserves not merely to bask in the reflected glory
of its predecessor, but to share in it." Their third Supraphon disc with the two Prokofiev quartets (No. 1 in B minor, Op. 50
, and No. 2 in F major, Op. 92
) and his Sonata for Two Violins, Op. 56, was also selected by Gramophone as an "Editor's Choice" and was described by the reviewer David Gutman as "pitch perfect".
In April 2011, the quartet's recorded performance of Dvořák's last string quartet (No. 13 in G major, Op. 106
) was proposed by reviewer Jan Smaczny for BBC Radio 3
's "CD Review: Building a Library" as his personal top recommendation among rival performances.
Frankfurt and Philharmonie Essen
.
In 2007–2008 more concert tours came their way after they were nominated by the Cologne
Philharmonie as one of the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO) "Rising Stars". Tour venues included the Vienna Konzerthaus, Salzburg Mozarteum, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Cité de la Musique
, Paris, Cologne Philharmonie, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
, Stockholm Konserthuset
, Birmingham Symphony Hall and Carnegie Hall
's Weill Recital Hall in New York.
From September 2007 to September 2009 the quartet participated in the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme
. This program annually selects six to seven young artists and ensembles from around the world to make BBC recordings for broadcast and also sponsors a series of concerts in the United Kingdom
. This relationship resulted in the group's recording of three Beethoven string quartets (Op. 18 No.4, Op. 95, and Op. 135).
In the summer of 2009 the group travelled to Japan performing in Tokyo
, Nagoya, and Musashino
and recording the two Janáček quartets and the third Haas quartet for NHK television. From Japan they continued on to Australia with concerts in Sydney
, Adelaide
, Perth
, Newcastle
, Melbourne
, and Hobart
which featured the world premiere performances of Australian composer Paul Stanhope's String Quartet No. 2 (2009).
In the fall they performed in the UK, Switzerland, and Germany. A concert in Bonn
on 20 September included the Haydn String Quartet in D minor, Op. 76, No. 2 ("Fifths")
and the Dvořák String Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 97
(with violist Masumi Per Rostad of the Pacifica Quartet
). The performance was recorded by Deutsche Welle
and is available for download.
The European tour was followed by another tour to the United States with performances in Philadelphia, Middlebury, Vermont, Houston, Texas
, and Worcester, Massachusetts
. The fall tour included performances of Beethoven's String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1
, Britten
's Three Divertimenti, Dvořák's String Quartet Op. 106 in G major
, Haas's String Quartet No. 2
, Haydn's Op. 76 No. 2, Ravel's String Quartet in F major, Schubert's Allegro in C minor, D. 703 ("Quartettsatz")
, and Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 10
.
The Pavel Haas Quartet is a Czech
string quartet
which was founded in 2002. Their first album with the second quartets of Haas
and Janáček
won the 2007 Gramophone Award
for Chamber music
. The Gramophone reviewer David Fanning described their playing as "streamlined but full-blooded".
, some of whom had studied with the same teachers. Initially the group consisted of, besides Jarůšková, Kateřina Gemrotová (second violin), Pavel Nikl (violist), and Lukáš Polák (cellist). After its formation Polák decided to leave because of incompatibility, so the two quartets ended up exchanging cellists, with Jarůškova's husband joining the Haas Quartet and Polák joining the Škampa Quartet. Later the second violinist (Gemrotová) was replaced by Marie Fuxová, who in September 2008 was replaced by Eva Karová, the youngest member in the group at 25 years of age (in November 2009); the oldest was only 33.
The quartet is named after the Czech composer Pavel Haas
(1899–1944), who was deported from Czechoslovakia
in 1941, initially imprisoned at the work camp Terezin
, and finally died at Auschwitz
. Although aware of the significance of the circumstances of Haas's final years, the group did not intend to make a statement about the Holocaust, but rather selected the name primarily because of his importance to Czech music and in particular because of his three string quartets, all of which they have now recorded. Jarůšková has said: "We know personally the daughter of Pavel Haas. She doesn't like to speak about the time before the war. She showed us some papers and a book he wrote about her when she was born." Jarůšek added: "She also showed us the reviews. Every review of his Second Quartet was bad."
, Borodin Quartet
, and the Amadeus Quartet
. Other important mentors include Walter Levin
(founder of the LaSalle Quartet
) and particularly the Smetana Quartet
's viola player, Milan Škampa, who worked with the group over a period of many years. Jarůšková has said, “I once asked Milan Škampa to teach me how to build a quartet, how to live the life of a quartet. He said ‘It’s the most beautiful prison in the music world.'“
. Their recording contract with Supraphon
came from winning the Prague Spring Competition in May 2005, and has resulted in four CDs (see Recordings). The group got another early boost by winning First Place at the Premio Paolo Borciani
competition in Italy in June 2005. The group also received a Special Ensemble Scholarship from the Borletti-Buitoni Trust
in 2010.
Besides their first CD, which won the 2007 Gramophone Award
as the best chamber music
recording of the year, their second CD with the first Janáček quartet
and the first and third quartets of Haas
was selected by the Gramophone as an "Editor's Choice". Rob Cowan
, the reviewer, wrote: "To describe a CD as musically important is to court a certain level of controversy..., but I'll stick my neck out and claim extreme importance for this release. ... This is a superb release that deserves not merely to bask in the reflected glory
of its predecessor, but to share in it." Their third Supraphon disc with the two Prokofiev quartets (No. 1 in B minor, Op. 50
, and No. 2 in F major, Op. 92
) and his Sonata for Two Violins, Op. 56, was also selected by Gramophone as an "Editor's Choice" and was described by the reviewer David Gutman as "pitch perfect".
In April 2011, the quartet's recorded performance of Dvořák's last string quartet (No. 13 in G major, Op. 106
) was proposed by reviewer Jan Smaczny for BBC Radio 3
's "CD Review: Building a Library" as his personal top recommendation among rival performances.
Frankfurt and Philharmonie Essen
.
In 2007–2008 more concert tours came their way after they were nominated by the Cologne
Philharmonie as one of the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO) "Rising Stars". Tour venues included the Vienna Konzerthaus, Salzburg Mozarteum, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Cité de la Musique
, Paris, Cologne Philharmonie, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
, Stockholm Konserthuset
, Birmingham Symphony Hall and Carnegie Hall
's Weill Recital Hall in New York.
From September 2007 to September 2009 the quartet participated in the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme
. This program annually selects six to seven young artists and ensembles from around the world to make BBC recordings for broadcast and also sponsors a series of concerts in the United Kingdom
. This relationship resulted in the group's recording of three Beethoven string quartets (Op. 18 No.4, Op. 95, and Op. 135).
In the summer of 2009 the group travelled to Japan performing in Tokyo
, Nagoya, and Musashino
and recording the two Janáček quartets and the third Haas quartet for NHK television. From Japan they continued on to Australia with concerts in Sydney
, Adelaide
, Perth
, Newcastle
, Melbourne
, and Hobart
which featured the world premiere performances of Australian composer Paul Stanhope's String Quartet No. 2 (2009).
In the fall they performed in the UK, Switzerland, and Germany. A concert in Bonn
on 20 September included the Haydn String Quartet in D minor, Op. 76, No. 2 ("Fifths")
and the Dvořák String Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 97
(with violist Masumi Per Rostad of the Pacifica Quartet
). The performance was recorded by Deutsche Welle
and is available for download.
The European tour was followed by another tour to the United States with performances in Philadelphia, Middlebury, Vermont, Houston, Texas
, and Worcester, Massachusetts
. The fall tour included performances of Beethoven's String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1
, Britten
's Three Divertimenti, Dvořák's String Quartet Op. 106 in G major
, Haas's String Quartet No. 2
, Haydn's Op. 76 No. 2, Ravel's String Quartet in F major, Schubert's Allegro in C minor, D. 703 ("Quartettsatz")
, and Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 10
.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
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...
which was founded in 2002. Their first album with the second quartets of Haas
Pavel Haas
Pavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
and Janáček
Leoš Janácek
Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
won the 2007 Gramophone Award
Gramophone Award
The Gramophone Awards are one of the most significant honours bestowed on recordings in the classical record industry, often referred to as the Oscars for classical music. The winners are selected annually by critics for the Gramophone magazine and various members of the industry, including...
for Chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
. The Gramophone reviewer David Fanning described their playing as "streamlined but full-blooded".
Formation
The first violinist Veronika Jarůšková was inspired to form the quartet after she attended concerts by the Škampa Quartet in which her husband Peter Jarůšek was the cellist. She recruited other players in PraguePrague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, some of whom had studied with the same teachers. Initially the group consisted of, besides Jarůšková, Kateřina Gemrotová (second violin), Pavel Nikl (violist), and Lukáš Polák (cellist). After its formation Polák decided to leave because of incompatibility, so the two quartets ended up exchanging cellists, with Jarůškova's husband joining the Haas Quartet and Polák joining the Škampa Quartet. Later the second violinist (Gemrotová) was replaced by Marie Fuxová, who in September 2008 was replaced by Eva Karová, the youngest member in the group at 25 years of age (in November 2009); the oldest was only 33.
The quartet is named after the Czech composer Pavel Haas
Pavel Haas
Pavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
(1899–1944), who was deported from Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in 1941, initially imprisoned at the work camp Terezin
Theresienstadt concentration camp
Theresienstadt concentration camp was a Nazi German ghetto during World War II. It was established by the Gestapo in the fortress and garrison city of Terezín , located in what is now the Czech Republic.-History:The fortress of Terezín was constructed between the years 1780 and 1790 by the orders...
, and finally died at Auschwitz
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
. Although aware of the significance of the circumstances of Haas's final years, the group did not intend to make a statement about the Holocaust, but rather selected the name primarily because of his importance to Czech music and in particular because of his three string quartets, all of which they have now recorded. Jarůšková has said: "We know personally the daughter of Pavel Haas. She doesn't like to speak about the time before the war. She showed us some papers and a book he wrote about her when she was born." Jarůšek added: "She also showed us the reviews. Every review of his Second Quartet was bad."
Mentors
The Haas Quartet has studied and worked with members of the Quartetto Italiano, Quatuor MosaiquesQuatuor Mosaïques
The Quatuor Mosaïques is an Austrian string quartet, founded in 1987 by four members of the Concentus Musicus Wien, playing on historical musical instruments...
, Borodin Quartet
Borodin Quartet
The Borodin Quartet is a string quartet that was founded in 1945 in the former Soviet Union. It is one of the world's longest lasting string quartets, marking its 60th anniversary season in 2005....
, and the Amadeus Quartet
Amadeus Quartet
The Amadeus Quartet was a world famous string quartet founded in 1947.Because of their Jewish origin, violinists Norbert Brainin, Siegmund Nissel and Peter Schidlof were driven out of Vienna after Hitler's Anschluss of 1938...
. Other important mentors include Walter Levin
Walter Levin
Walter Levin is a German-born musician who founded and played first violin of the LaSalle Quartet at Colorado College. Levin was also professor of violin and chamber music for thirty-six years at the University of Cincinnati. Since 2002, he has been Adviser of the Chamber Music Chair at the Escuela...
(founder of the LaSalle Quartet
LaSalle Quartet
The LaSalle Quartet was a string quartet active from 1946 to 1987. It was founded by first violinist Walter Levin. The quartet played on a donated set of Amati instruments....
) and particularly the Smetana Quartet
Smetana Quartet
The Smetana Quartet was a Czech string quartet that was in existence from 1945 to 1989.- Personnel :1st violin* Václav Neumann , from 1943 to 1945* Jaroslav Rybenský, from 1945 to 1947* Jiří Novák , since 19472nd violin...
's viola player, Milan Škampa, who worked with the group over a period of many years. Jarůšková has said, “I once asked Milan Škampa to teach me how to build a quartet, how to live the life of a quartet. He said ‘It’s the most beautiful prison in the music world.'“
Awards and critical reception
The group won the 2004 "Vittorio E. Rimbotti" award in FlorenceFlorence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. Their recording contract with Supraphon
Supraphon
Supraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
came from winning the Prague Spring Competition in May 2005, and has resulted in four CDs (see Recordings). The group got another early boost by winning First Place at the Premio Paolo Borciani
Premio Paolo Borciani
The International String Quartet Competition "Premio Paolo Borciani" was created in 1987 in Reggio Emilia, Italy, and is dedicated to their famous fellow citizen, founder and first violin of the . Twenty years later, the Premio has now become one of the most prestigious competitions of the world,...
competition in Italy in June 2005. The group also received a Special Ensemble Scholarship from the Borletti-Buitoni Trust
Borletti-Buitoni Trust
The Borletti-Buitoni Trust was established as a charitable trust in 2002 to help young musicians throughout the world. The Trust assists classical instrumentalists, ensembles and singers in their early 20s and 30s to further develop their international careers with awards that fund tailor-made...
in 2010.
Besides their first CD, which won the 2007 Gramophone Award
Gramophone Award
The Gramophone Awards are one of the most significant honours bestowed on recordings in the classical record industry, often referred to as the Oscars for classical music. The winners are selected annually by critics for the Gramophone magazine and various members of the industry, including...
as the best chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
recording of the year, their second CD with the first Janáček quartet
String Quartet No. 1 (Janácek)
Leoš Janáček’s String Quartet No. 1, "Kreutzer Sonata", was written in a very short space of time, between 13 and 28 October 1923, at a time of great creative concentration. The work was revised by the composer in the autograph from 30 October to 7 November 1923.The composition was inspired by Leo...
and the first and third quartets of Haas
Pavel Haas
Pavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
was selected by the Gramophone as an "Editor's Choice". Rob Cowan
Rob Cowan
Rob Cowan is a British music broadcaster and writer.Employed by music publisher Boosey & Hawkes for nineteen years in various capacities, his first record review was published in 1967. He edited CD Review for four years from 1985 and became a co-presenter with jazz and classical music writer Keith...
, the reviewer, wrote: "To describe a CD as musically important is to court a certain level of controversy..., but I'll stick my neck out and claim extreme importance for this release. ... This is a superb release that deserves not merely to bask in the reflected glory
Basking in Reflected Glory
Basking in reflected glory is a self-serving cognition whereby an individual associates themself with successful others such that another’s success becomes their own....
of its predecessor, but to share in it." Their third Supraphon disc with the two Prokofiev quartets (No. 1 in B minor, Op. 50
String Quartet No. 1 (Prokofiev)
Sergei Prokofiev wrote his String Quartet No. 1 in B minor between 1930 and 1931 as a commission from the Library of Congress.-Analysis:...
, and No. 2 in F major, Op. 92
String Quartet No. 2 (Prokofiev)
-Background:Prokofiev, along with other Soviet artists, was evacuated from the major cities when the Nazis broke their non-aggression pact and invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. On August 8, 1941, Prokofiev traveled to Nalchik with other artists, among them his friend, musician Myaskovsky, actors,...
) and his Sonata for Two Violins, Op. 56, was also selected by Gramophone as an "Editor's Choice" and was described by the reviewer David Gutman as "pitch perfect".
In April 2011, the quartet's recorded performance of Dvořák's last string quartet (No. 13 in G major, Op. 106
String Quartet No. 13 (Dvorák)
Antonín Dvořák composed his String Quartet No. 13 in G major, Op. 106, , between November and December 9, 1895. 1895 was an eventful year for him: he returned to Europe from America and his sister-in-law and first love both died. Upon finishing the String Quartet No...
) was proposed by reviewer Jan Smaczny for BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
's "CD Review: Building a Library" as his personal top recommendation among rival performances.
Tours
During 2006–2007 the group performed in France, Germany, Italy and Great Britain, including at the Musée du Louvre, Paris, Alte OperAlte Oper
The Alte Oper is a major concert hall and former opera house in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The building was inaugurated in 1880. Many important works have been premiered at the Alte Oper, including Carl Orff's Carmina Burana in 1937....
Frankfurt and Philharmonie Essen
Essen
- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
.
In 2007–2008 more concert tours came their way after they were nominated by the Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
Philharmonie as one of the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO) "Rising Stars". Tour venues included the Vienna Konzerthaus, Salzburg Mozarteum, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Cité de la Musique
Cité de la Musique
The Cité de la Musique is a group of institutions dedicated to music and situated in the La Villette quarter, 19th arrondissement, Paris, France. It was designed by the architect Christian de Portzamparc and opened in 1995...
, Paris, Cologne Philharmonie, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden is Germany's largest opera house and concert hall with 2,500 seats.Opened on April 18, 1998, the new building's architecture incorporates the former central train station of Baden-Baden which, today, is the ticket sales hall and the Festspielhaus restaurant "Aida"...
, Stockholm Konserthuset
Stockholm Concert Hall
The Stockholm Concert Hall is the main hall for orchestral music in Stockholm, Sweden. Designed by Ivar Tengbom and inaugurated in 1926, it is the home to the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. It is also where the awarding ceremony for the Nobel Prizes, Polar Music Prize are held annually....
, Birmingham Symphony Hall and Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
's Weill Recital Hall in New York.
From September 2007 to September 2009 the quartet participated in the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme
BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme
BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme was devised by BBC Radio 3 Editor Adam Gatehouse and launched in 1999. It exists as part of the BBC's commitment to nurture young musical talent. Every autumn six to seven young artists who are beginning to make a mark on the national and international...
. This program annually selects six to seven young artists and ensembles from around the world to make BBC recordings for broadcast and also sponsors a series of concerts in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. This relationship resulted in the group's recording of three Beethoven string quartets (Op. 18 No.4, Op. 95, and Op. 135).
In the summer of 2009 the group travelled to Japan performing in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Nagoya, and Musashino
Musashino, Tokyo
is a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 137,222 and a population density of 12,788.63 persons per km². The total area is 10.73 km².The city was founded on November 3, 1947...
and recording the two Janáček quartets and the third Haas quartet for NHK television. From Japan they continued on to Australia with concerts in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
which featured the world premiere performances of Australian composer Paul Stanhope's String Quartet No. 2 (2009).
In the fall they performed in the UK, Switzerland, and Germany. A concert in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
on 20 September included the Haydn String Quartet in D minor, Op. 76, No. 2 ("Fifths")
String Quartets, Op. 76 (Haydn)
Joseph Haydn's string quartets, Op. 76 were composed in 1796 or 1797 and dedicated to the Hungarian Count Joseph Erdödy. The six quartets are the last complete set that Haydn composed...
and the Dvořák String Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 97
String Quintet No. 3 (Dvorák)
The String Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 97, B. 180, was composed by Antonín Dvořák during the summer he spent in Spillville, Iowa in 1893. It is a "Viola Quintet" in that it is scored for string quartet with an extra viola. It was completed in just over a month, immediately after he wrote his...
(with violist Masumi Per Rostad of the Pacifica Quartet
Pacifica Quartet
The Pacifica Quartet is an internationally recognized string quartet based in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, where they are faculty members at the University of Illinois. Its members are: Simin Ganatra, first violin; Sibbi Bernhardsson, second violin; Masumi Per Rostad, viola; and Brandon Vamos,...
). The performance was recorded by Deutsche Welle
Deutsche Welle
Deutsche Welle or DW, is Germany's international broadcaster. The service is aimed at the overseas market. It broadcasts news and information on shortwave, Internet and satellite radio on 98.7 DZFE in 30 languages . It has a satellite television service , that is available in four languages, and...
and is available for download.
The European tour was followed by another tour to the United States with performances in Philadelphia, Middlebury, Vermont, Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, and Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. The fall tour included performances of Beethoven's String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1
String Quartet No. 7 (Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven's String Quartet No. 7 in F major was published in 1808 as opus 59, No. 1. It consists of four movements:# Allegro in F major# Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando in B major# Adagio molto e mesto - attacca in F minor...
, Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
's Three Divertimenti, Dvořák's String Quartet Op. 106 in G major
String Quartet No. 13 (Dvorák)
Antonín Dvořák composed his String Quartet No. 13 in G major, Op. 106, , between November and December 9, 1895. 1895 was an eventful year for him: he returned to Europe from America and his sister-in-law and first love both died. Upon finishing the String Quartet No...
, Haas's String Quartet No. 2
String Quartet No. 2 (Haas)
Pavel Haas composed his second string quartet, Op. 7, titled "From the Monkey Mountains" , in 1925, three years after he finished his composition studies in Leoš Janáček´s masterclass.- Background :...
, Haydn's Op. 76 No. 2, Ravel's String Quartet in F major, Schubert's Allegro in C minor, D. 703 ("Quartettsatz")
Quartettsatz (Schubert)
The Quartettsatz in C minor, D. 703 was composed by Franz Schubert in December 1820. It is the first movement, the Allegro assai, of a Twelfth String Quartet which Schubert never completed...
, and Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 10
String Quartet No. 10 (Shostakovich)
Dmitri Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 10 in A flat major was composed in 1964. It was premiered by the Beethoven Quartet and is dedicated to his close friend Moisei Weinberg.The work has four movements:# Andante# Allegretto furioso# Adagio -...
.
Recordings
- 2006: SupraphonSupraphonSupraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
SU 3877-2 131 (1 CD; DDDSPARS CodeSPARS is an acronym for the Society of Professional Audio Recording Services. The SPARS code is a three-letter code that appears on some Compact Disc recordings telling the consumer whether analog or digital equipment was used in producing the recording...
; 57 min, 35 sec)- Works:
- JanáčekLeoš JanácekLeoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
: String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters"String Quartet No. 2 (Janácek)Leoš Janáček's String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters", was written in 1928. It has been referred to as Janáček's "manifesto on love".- Background :... - HaasPavel HaasPavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
: String Quartet No. 2, "From the Monkey Mountains"String Quartet No. 2 (Haas)Pavel Haas composed his second string quartet, Op. 7, titled "From the Monkey Mountains" , in 1925, three years after he finished his composition studies in Leoš Janáček´s masterclass.- Background :...
- Janáček
- Colin Currie, percussion; Kateřina Gemrotová, second violin
- Gramophone review
- 2007 Gramophone Award for Chamber
- BBC Music MagazineBBC music magazineBBC Music Magazine is a magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom by BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the BBC. Reflecting the broadcast output of BBC Radio 3, the magazine is devoted primarily to classical music, though with sections on jazz and world music. Each edition comes...
"Chamber Choice"; review
- Works:
- 2007: SupraphonSupraphonSupraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
SU 3922-2 131 (1 CD; DDDSPARS CodeSPARS is an acronym for the Society of Professional Audio Recording Services. The SPARS code is a three-letter code that appears on some Compact Disc recordings telling the consumer whether analog or digital equipment was used in producing the recording...
; 54 min, 42 sec)- Works:
- JanáčekLeoš JanácekLeoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
: String Quartet No. 1String Quartet No. 1 (Janácek)Leoš Janáček’s String Quartet No. 1, "Kreutzer Sonata", was written in a very short space of time, between 13 and 28 October 1923, at a time of great creative concentration. The work was revised by the composer in the autograph from 30 October to 7 November 1923.The composition was inspired by Leo...
, after Tolstoy's "Kreutzer Sonata" - HaasPavel HaasPavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
: String Quartet No. 1 - Haas: String Quartet No. 3
- Janáček
- Marie Fuxová, second violin
- Gramophone review ("Editor's Choice")
- BBC Music Magazine review
- Works:
The Pavel Haas Quartet is a Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
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...
which was founded in 2002. Their first album with the second quartets of Haas
Pavel Haas
Pavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
and Janáček
Leoš Janácek
Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
won the 2007 Gramophone Award
Gramophone Award
The Gramophone Awards are one of the most significant honours bestowed on recordings in the classical record industry, often referred to as the Oscars for classical music. The winners are selected annually by critics for the Gramophone magazine and various members of the industry, including...
for Chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
. The Gramophone reviewer David Fanning described their playing as "streamlined but full-blooded".
Formation
The first violinist Veronika Jarůšková was inspired to form the quartet after she attended concerts by the Škampa Quartet in which her husband Peter Jarůšek was the cellist. She recruited other players in PraguePrague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, some of whom had studied with the same teachers. Initially the group consisted of, besides Jarůšková, Kateřina Gemrotová (second violin), Pavel Nikl (violist), and Lukáš Polák (cellist). After its formation Polák decided to leave because of incompatibility, so the two quartets ended up exchanging cellists, with Jarůškova's husband joining the Haas Quartet and Polák joining the Škampa Quartet. Later the second violinist (Gemrotová) was replaced by Marie Fuxová, who in September 2008 was replaced by Eva Karová, the youngest member in the group at 25 years of age (in November 2009); the oldest was only 33.
The quartet is named after the Czech composer Pavel Haas
Pavel Haas
Pavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
(1899–1944), who was deported from Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in 1941, initially imprisoned at the work camp Terezin
Theresienstadt concentration camp
Theresienstadt concentration camp was a Nazi German ghetto during World War II. It was established by the Gestapo in the fortress and garrison city of Terezín , located in what is now the Czech Republic.-History:The fortress of Terezín was constructed between the years 1780 and 1790 by the orders...
, and finally died at Auschwitz
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
. Although aware of the significance of the circumstances of Haas's final years, the group did not intend to make a statement about the Holocaust, but rather selected the name primarily because of his importance to Czech music and in particular because of his three string quartets, all of which they have now recorded. Jarůšková has said: "We know personally the daughter of Pavel Haas. She doesn't like to speak about the time before the war. She showed us some papers and a book he wrote about her when she was born." Jarůšek added: "She also showed us the reviews. Every review of his Second Quartet was bad."
Mentors
The Haas Quartet has studied and worked with members of the Quartetto Italiano, Quatuor MosaiquesQuatuor Mosaïques
The Quatuor Mosaïques is an Austrian string quartet, founded in 1987 by four members of the Concentus Musicus Wien, playing on historical musical instruments...
, Borodin Quartet
Borodin Quartet
The Borodin Quartet is a string quartet that was founded in 1945 in the former Soviet Union. It is one of the world's longest lasting string quartets, marking its 60th anniversary season in 2005....
, and the Amadeus Quartet
Amadeus Quartet
The Amadeus Quartet was a world famous string quartet founded in 1947.Because of their Jewish origin, violinists Norbert Brainin, Siegmund Nissel and Peter Schidlof were driven out of Vienna after Hitler's Anschluss of 1938...
. Other important mentors include Walter Levin
Walter Levin
Walter Levin is a German-born musician who founded and played first violin of the LaSalle Quartet at Colorado College. Levin was also professor of violin and chamber music for thirty-six years at the University of Cincinnati. Since 2002, he has been Adviser of the Chamber Music Chair at the Escuela...
(founder of the LaSalle Quartet
LaSalle Quartet
The LaSalle Quartet was a string quartet active from 1946 to 1987. It was founded by first violinist Walter Levin. The quartet played on a donated set of Amati instruments....
) and particularly the Smetana Quartet
Smetana Quartet
The Smetana Quartet was a Czech string quartet that was in existence from 1945 to 1989.- Personnel :1st violin* Václav Neumann , from 1943 to 1945* Jaroslav Rybenský, from 1945 to 1947* Jiří Novák , since 19472nd violin...
's viola player, Milan Škampa, who worked with the group over a period of many years. Jarůšková has said, “I once asked Milan Škampa to teach me how to build a quartet, how to live the life of a quartet. He said ‘It’s the most beautiful prison in the music world.'“
Awards and critical reception
The group won the 2004 "Vittorio E. Rimbotti" award in FlorenceFlorence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. Their recording contract with Supraphon
Supraphon
Supraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
came from winning the Prague Spring Competition in May 2005, and has resulted in four CDs (see Recordings). The group got another early boost by winning First Place at the Premio Paolo Borciani
Premio Paolo Borciani
The International String Quartet Competition "Premio Paolo Borciani" was created in 1987 in Reggio Emilia, Italy, and is dedicated to their famous fellow citizen, founder and first violin of the . Twenty years later, the Premio has now become one of the most prestigious competitions of the world,...
competition in Italy in June 2005. The group also received a Special Ensemble Scholarship from the Borletti-Buitoni Trust
Borletti-Buitoni Trust
The Borletti-Buitoni Trust was established as a charitable trust in 2002 to help young musicians throughout the world. The Trust assists classical instrumentalists, ensembles and singers in their early 20s and 30s to further develop their international careers with awards that fund tailor-made...
in 2010.
Besides their first CD, which won the 2007 Gramophone Award
Gramophone Award
The Gramophone Awards are one of the most significant honours bestowed on recordings in the classical record industry, often referred to as the Oscars for classical music. The winners are selected annually by critics for the Gramophone magazine and various members of the industry, including...
as the best chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
recording of the year, their second CD with the first Janáček quartet
String Quartet No. 1 (Janácek)
Leoš Janáček’s String Quartet No. 1, "Kreutzer Sonata", was written in a very short space of time, between 13 and 28 October 1923, at a time of great creative concentration. The work was revised by the composer in the autograph from 30 October to 7 November 1923.The composition was inspired by Leo...
and the first and third quartets of Haas
Pavel Haas
Pavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
was selected by the Gramophone as an "Editor's Choice". Rob Cowan
Rob Cowan
Rob Cowan is a British music broadcaster and writer.Employed by music publisher Boosey & Hawkes for nineteen years in various capacities, his first record review was published in 1967. He edited CD Review for four years from 1985 and became a co-presenter with jazz and classical music writer Keith...
, the reviewer, wrote: "To describe a CD as musically important is to court a certain level of controversy..., but I'll stick my neck out and claim extreme importance for this release. ... This is a superb release that deserves not merely to bask in the reflected glory
Basking in Reflected Glory
Basking in reflected glory is a self-serving cognition whereby an individual associates themself with successful others such that another’s success becomes their own....
of its predecessor, but to share in it." Their third Supraphon disc with the two Prokofiev quartets (No. 1 in B minor, Op. 50
String Quartet No. 1 (Prokofiev)
Sergei Prokofiev wrote his String Quartet No. 1 in B minor between 1930 and 1931 as a commission from the Library of Congress.-Analysis:...
, and No. 2 in F major, Op. 92
String Quartet No. 2 (Prokofiev)
-Background:Prokofiev, along with other Soviet artists, was evacuated from the major cities when the Nazis broke their non-aggression pact and invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. On August 8, 1941, Prokofiev traveled to Nalchik with other artists, among them his friend, musician Myaskovsky, actors,...
) and his Sonata for Two Violins, Op. 56, was also selected by Gramophone as an "Editor's Choice" and was described by the reviewer David Gutman as "pitch perfect".
In April 2011, the quartet's recorded performance of Dvořák's last string quartet (No. 13 in G major, Op. 106
String Quartet No. 13 (Dvorák)
Antonín Dvořák composed his String Quartet No. 13 in G major, Op. 106, , between November and December 9, 1895. 1895 was an eventful year for him: he returned to Europe from America and his sister-in-law and first love both died. Upon finishing the String Quartet No...
) was proposed by reviewer Jan Smaczny for BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
's "CD Review: Building a Library" as his personal top recommendation among rival performances.
Tours
During 2006–2007 the group performed in France, Germany, Italy and Great Britain, including at the Musée du Louvre, Paris, Alte OperAlte Oper
The Alte Oper is a major concert hall and former opera house in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The building was inaugurated in 1880. Many important works have been premiered at the Alte Oper, including Carl Orff's Carmina Burana in 1937....
Frankfurt and Philharmonie Essen
Essen
- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
.
In 2007–2008 more concert tours came their way after they were nominated by the Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
Philharmonie as one of the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO) "Rising Stars". Tour venues included the Vienna Konzerthaus, Salzburg Mozarteum, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Cité de la Musique
Cité de la Musique
The Cité de la Musique is a group of institutions dedicated to music and situated in the La Villette quarter, 19th arrondissement, Paris, France. It was designed by the architect Christian de Portzamparc and opened in 1995...
, Paris, Cologne Philharmonie, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden is Germany's largest opera house and concert hall with 2,500 seats.Opened on April 18, 1998, the new building's architecture incorporates the former central train station of Baden-Baden which, today, is the ticket sales hall and the Festspielhaus restaurant "Aida"...
, Stockholm Konserthuset
Stockholm Concert Hall
The Stockholm Concert Hall is the main hall for orchestral music in Stockholm, Sweden. Designed by Ivar Tengbom and inaugurated in 1926, it is the home to the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. It is also where the awarding ceremony for the Nobel Prizes, Polar Music Prize are held annually....
, Birmingham Symphony Hall and Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
's Weill Recital Hall in New York.
From September 2007 to September 2009 the quartet participated in the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme
BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme
BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme was devised by BBC Radio 3 Editor Adam Gatehouse and launched in 1999. It exists as part of the BBC's commitment to nurture young musical talent. Every autumn six to seven young artists who are beginning to make a mark on the national and international...
. This program annually selects six to seven young artists and ensembles from around the world to make BBC recordings for broadcast and also sponsors a series of concerts in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. This relationship resulted in the group's recording of three Beethoven string quartets (Op. 18 No.4, Op. 95, and Op. 135).
In the summer of 2009 the group travelled to Japan performing in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Nagoya, and Musashino
Musashino, Tokyo
is a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 137,222 and a population density of 12,788.63 persons per km². The total area is 10.73 km².The city was founded on November 3, 1947...
and recording the two Janáček quartets and the third Haas quartet for NHK television. From Japan they continued on to Australia with concerts in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
which featured the world premiere performances of Australian composer Paul Stanhope's String Quartet No. 2 (2009).
In the fall they performed in the UK, Switzerland, and Germany. A concert in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
on 20 September included the Haydn String Quartet in D minor, Op. 76, No. 2 ("Fifths")
String Quartets, Op. 76 (Haydn)
Joseph Haydn's string quartets, Op. 76 were composed in 1796 or 1797 and dedicated to the Hungarian Count Joseph Erdödy. The six quartets are the last complete set that Haydn composed...
and the Dvořák String Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 97
String Quintet No. 3 (Dvorák)
The String Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 97, B. 180, was composed by Antonín Dvořák during the summer he spent in Spillville, Iowa in 1893. It is a "Viola Quintet" in that it is scored for string quartet with an extra viola. It was completed in just over a month, immediately after he wrote his...
(with violist Masumi Per Rostad of the Pacifica Quartet
Pacifica Quartet
The Pacifica Quartet is an internationally recognized string quartet based in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, where they are faculty members at the University of Illinois. Its members are: Simin Ganatra, first violin; Sibbi Bernhardsson, second violin; Masumi Per Rostad, viola; and Brandon Vamos,...
). The performance was recorded by Deutsche Welle
Deutsche Welle
Deutsche Welle or DW, is Germany's international broadcaster. The service is aimed at the overseas market. It broadcasts news and information on shortwave, Internet and satellite radio on 98.7 DZFE in 30 languages . It has a satellite television service , that is available in four languages, and...
and is available for download.
The European tour was followed by another tour to the United States with performances in Philadelphia, Middlebury, Vermont, Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, and Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. The fall tour included performances of Beethoven's String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1
String Quartet No. 7 (Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven's String Quartet No. 7 in F major was published in 1808 as opus 59, No. 1. It consists of four movements:# Allegro in F major# Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando in B major# Adagio molto e mesto - attacca in F minor...
, Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
's Three Divertimenti, Dvořák's String Quartet Op. 106 in G major
String Quartet No. 13 (Dvorák)
Antonín Dvořák composed his String Quartet No. 13 in G major, Op. 106, , between November and December 9, 1895. 1895 was an eventful year for him: he returned to Europe from America and his sister-in-law and first love both died. Upon finishing the String Quartet No...
, Haas's String Quartet No. 2
String Quartet No. 2 (Haas)
Pavel Haas composed his second string quartet, Op. 7, titled "From the Monkey Mountains" , in 1925, three years after he finished his composition studies in Leoš Janáček´s masterclass.- Background :...
, Haydn's Op. 76 No. 2, Ravel's String Quartet in F major, Schubert's Allegro in C minor, D. 703 ("Quartettsatz")
Quartettsatz (Schubert)
The Quartettsatz in C minor, D. 703 was composed by Franz Schubert in December 1820. It is the first movement, the Allegro assai, of a Twelfth String Quartet which Schubert never completed...
, and Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 10
String Quartet No. 10 (Shostakovich)
Dmitri Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 10 in A flat major was composed in 1964. It was premiered by the Beethoven Quartet and is dedicated to his close friend Moisei Weinberg.The work has four movements:# Andante# Allegretto furioso# Adagio -...
.
Recordings
- 2006: SupraphonSupraphonSupraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
SU 3877-2 131 (1 CD; DDDSPARS CodeSPARS is an acronym for the Society of Professional Audio Recording Services. The SPARS code is a three-letter code that appears on some Compact Disc recordings telling the consumer whether analog or digital equipment was used in producing the recording...
; 57 min, 35 sec)- Works:
- JanáčekLeoš JanácekLeoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
: String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters"String Quartet No. 2 (Janácek)Leoš Janáček's String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters", was written in 1928. It has been referred to as Janáček's "manifesto on love".- Background :... - HaasPavel HaasPavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
: String Quartet No. 2, "From the Monkey Mountains"String Quartet No. 2 (Haas)Pavel Haas composed his second string quartet, Op. 7, titled "From the Monkey Mountains" , in 1925, three years after he finished his composition studies in Leoš Janáček´s masterclass.- Background :...
- Janáček
- Colin Currie, percussion; Kateřina Gemrotová, second violin
- Gramophone review
- 2007 Gramophone Award for Chamber
- BBC Music MagazineBBC music magazineBBC Music Magazine is a magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom by BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the BBC. Reflecting the broadcast output of BBC Radio 3, the magazine is devoted primarily to classical music, though with sections on jazz and world music. Each edition comes...
"Chamber Choice"; review- 2007: SupraphonSupraphonSupraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
SU 3922-2 131 (1 CD; DDDSPARS CodeSPARS is an acronym for the Society of Professional Audio Recording Services. The SPARS code is a three-letter code that appears on some Compact Disc recordings telling the consumer whether analog or digital equipment was used in producing the recording...
; 54 min, 42 sec)- Works:
- JanáčekLeoš JanácekLeoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
: String Quartet No. 1String Quartet No. 1 (Janácek)Leoš Janáček’s String Quartet No. 1, "Kreutzer Sonata", was written in a very short space of time, between 13 and 28 October 1923, at a time of great creative concentration. The work was revised by the composer in the autograph from 30 October to 7 November 1923.The composition was inspired by Leo...
, after Tolstoy's "Kreutzer Sonata" - HaasPavel HaasPavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
: String Quartet No. 1 - Haas: String Quartet No. 3
- Janáček
- Marie Fuxová, second violin
- Gramophone review ("Editor's Choice")
- BBC Music Magazine review
- Works:
The Pavel Haas Quartet is a CzechCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
string quartetString quartetA 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...
which was founded in 2002. Their first album with the second quartets of HaasPavel HaasPavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
and JanáčekLeoš JanácekLeoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
won the 2007 Gramophone AwardGramophone AwardThe Gramophone Awards are one of the most significant honours bestowed on recordings in the classical record industry, often referred to as the Oscars for classical music. The winners are selected annually by critics for the Gramophone magazine and various members of the industry, including...
for Chamber musicChamber musicChamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
. The Gramophone reviewer David Fanning described their playing as "streamlined but full-blooded".
Formation
The first violinist Veronika Jarůšková was inspired to form the quartet after she attended concerts by the Škampa Quartet in which her husband Peter Jarůšek was the cellist. She recruited other players in PraguePraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, some of whom had studied with the same teachers. Initially the group consisted of, besides Jarůšková, Kateřina Gemrotová (second violin), Pavel Nikl (violist), and Lukáš Polák (cellist). After its formation Polák decided to leave because of incompatibility, so the two quartets ended up exchanging cellists, with Jarůškova's husband joining the Haas Quartet and Polák joining the Škampa Quartet. Later the second violinist (Gemrotová) was replaced by Marie Fuxová, who in September 2008 was replaced by Eva Karová, the youngest member in the group at 25 years of age (in November 2009); the oldest was only 33.
The quartet is named after the Czech composer Pavel HaasPavel HaasPavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
(1899–1944), who was deported from CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in 1941, initially imprisoned at the work camp TerezinTheresienstadt concentration campTheresienstadt concentration camp was a Nazi German ghetto during World War II. It was established by the Gestapo in the fortress and garrison city of Terezín , located in what is now the Czech Republic.-History:The fortress of Terezín was constructed between the years 1780 and 1790 by the orders...
, and finally died at AuschwitzAuschwitz concentration campConcentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
. Although aware of the significance of the circumstances of Haas's final years, the group did not intend to make a statement about the Holocaust, but rather selected the name primarily because of his importance to Czech music and in particular because of his three string quartets, all of which they have now recorded. Jarůšková has said: "We know personally the daughter of Pavel Haas. She doesn't like to speak about the time before the war. She showed us some papers and a book he wrote about her when she was born." Jarůšek added: "She also showed us the reviews. Every review of his Second Quartet was bad."
Mentors
The Haas Quartet has studied and worked with members of the Quartetto Italiano, Quatuor MosaiquesQuatuor MosaïquesThe Quatuor Mosaïques is an Austrian string quartet, founded in 1987 by four members of the Concentus Musicus Wien, playing on historical musical instruments...
, Borodin QuartetBorodin QuartetThe Borodin Quartet is a string quartet that was founded in 1945 in the former Soviet Union. It is one of the world's longest lasting string quartets, marking its 60th anniversary season in 2005....
, and the Amadeus QuartetAmadeus QuartetThe Amadeus Quartet was a world famous string quartet founded in 1947.Because of their Jewish origin, violinists Norbert Brainin, Siegmund Nissel and Peter Schidlof were driven out of Vienna after Hitler's Anschluss of 1938...
. Other important mentors include Walter LevinWalter LevinWalter Levin is a German-born musician who founded and played first violin of the LaSalle Quartet at Colorado College. Levin was also professor of violin and chamber music for thirty-six years at the University of Cincinnati. Since 2002, he has been Adviser of the Chamber Music Chair at the Escuela...
(founder of the LaSalle QuartetLaSalle QuartetThe LaSalle Quartet was a string quartet active from 1946 to 1987. It was founded by first violinist Walter Levin. The quartet played on a donated set of Amati instruments....
) and particularly the Smetana QuartetSmetana QuartetThe Smetana Quartet was a Czech string quartet that was in existence from 1945 to 1989.- Personnel :1st violin* Václav Neumann , from 1943 to 1945* Jaroslav Rybenský, from 1945 to 1947* Jiří Novák , since 19472nd violin...
's viola player, Milan Škampa, who worked with the group over a period of many years. Jarůšková has said, “I once asked Milan Škampa to teach me how to build a quartet, how to live the life of a quartet. He said ‘It’s the most beautiful prison in the music world.'“
Awards and critical reception
The group won the 2004 "Vittorio E. Rimbotti" award in FlorenceFlorenceFlorence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. Their recording contract with SupraphonSupraphonSupraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
came from winning the Prague Spring Competition in May 2005, and has resulted in four CDs (see Recordings). The group got another early boost by winning First Place at the Premio Paolo BorcianiPremio Paolo BorcianiThe International String Quartet Competition "Premio Paolo Borciani" was created in 1987 in Reggio Emilia, Italy, and is dedicated to their famous fellow citizen, founder and first violin of the . Twenty years later, the Premio has now become one of the most prestigious competitions of the world,...
competition in Italy in June 2005. The group also received a Special Ensemble Scholarship from the Borletti-Buitoni TrustBorletti-Buitoni TrustThe Borletti-Buitoni Trust was established as a charitable trust in 2002 to help young musicians throughout the world. The Trust assists classical instrumentalists, ensembles and singers in their early 20s and 30s to further develop their international careers with awards that fund tailor-made...
in 2010.
Besides their first CD, which won the 2007 Gramophone AwardGramophone AwardThe Gramophone Awards are one of the most significant honours bestowed on recordings in the classical record industry, often referred to as the Oscars for classical music. The winners are selected annually by critics for the Gramophone magazine and various members of the industry, including...
as the best chamber musicChamber musicChamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
recording of the year, their second CD with the first Janáček quartetString Quartet No. 1 (Janácek)Leoš Janáček’s String Quartet No. 1, "Kreutzer Sonata", was written in a very short space of time, between 13 and 28 October 1923, at a time of great creative concentration. The work was revised by the composer in the autograph from 30 October to 7 November 1923.The composition was inspired by Leo...
and the first and third quartets of HaasPavel HaasPavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
was selected by the Gramophone as an "Editor's Choice". Rob CowanRob CowanRob Cowan is a British music broadcaster and writer.Employed by music publisher Boosey & Hawkes for nineteen years in various capacities, his first record review was published in 1967. He edited CD Review for four years from 1985 and became a co-presenter with jazz and classical music writer Keith...
, the reviewer, wrote: "To describe a CD as musically important is to court a certain level of controversy..., but I'll stick my neck out and claim extreme importance for this release. ... This is a superb release that deserves not merely to bask in the reflected gloryBasking in Reflected GloryBasking in reflected glory is a self-serving cognition whereby an individual associates themself with successful others such that another’s success becomes their own....
of its predecessor, but to share in it." Their third Supraphon disc with the two Prokofiev quartets (No. 1 in B minor, Op. 50String Quartet No. 1 (Prokofiev)Sergei Prokofiev wrote his String Quartet No. 1 in B minor between 1930 and 1931 as a commission from the Library of Congress.-Analysis:...
, and No. 2 in F major, Op. 92String Quartet No. 2 (Prokofiev)-Background:Prokofiev, along with other Soviet artists, was evacuated from the major cities when the Nazis broke their non-aggression pact and invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. On August 8, 1941, Prokofiev traveled to Nalchik with other artists, among them his friend, musician Myaskovsky, actors,...
) and his Sonata for Two Violins, Op. 56, was also selected by Gramophone as an "Editor's Choice" and was described by the reviewer David Gutman as "pitch perfect".
In April 2011, the quartet's recorded performance of Dvořák's last string quartet (No. 13 in G major, Op. 106String Quartet No. 13 (Dvorák)Antonín Dvořák composed his String Quartet No. 13 in G major, Op. 106, , between November and December 9, 1895. 1895 was an eventful year for him: he returned to Europe from America and his sister-in-law and first love both died. Upon finishing the String Quartet No...
) was proposed by reviewer Jan Smaczny for BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
's "CD Review: Building a Library" as his personal top recommendation among rival performances.
Tours
During 2006–2007 the group performed in France, Germany, Italy and Great Britain, including at the Musée du Louvre, Paris, Alte OperAlte OperThe Alte Oper is a major concert hall and former opera house in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The building was inaugurated in 1880. Many important works have been premiered at the Alte Oper, including Carl Orff's Carmina Burana in 1937....
Frankfurt and Philharmonie EssenEssen- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
.
In 2007–2008 more concert tours came their way after they were nominated by the CologneCologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
Philharmonie as one of the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO) "Rising Stars". Tour venues included the Vienna Konzerthaus, Salzburg Mozarteum, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Cité de la MusiqueCité de la MusiqueThe Cité de la Musique is a group of institutions dedicated to music and situated in the La Villette quarter, 19th arrondissement, Paris, France. It was designed by the architect Christian de Portzamparc and opened in 1995...
, Paris, Cologne Philharmonie, Festspielhaus Baden-BadenFestspielhaus Baden-BadenThe Festspielhaus Baden-Baden is Germany's largest opera house and concert hall with 2,500 seats.Opened on April 18, 1998, the new building's architecture incorporates the former central train station of Baden-Baden which, today, is the ticket sales hall and the Festspielhaus restaurant "Aida"...
, Stockholm KonserthusetStockholm Concert HallThe Stockholm Concert Hall is the main hall for orchestral music in Stockholm, Sweden. Designed by Ivar Tengbom and inaugurated in 1926, it is the home to the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. It is also where the awarding ceremony for the Nobel Prizes, Polar Music Prize are held annually....
, Birmingham Symphony Hall and Carnegie HallCarnegie HallCarnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
's Weill Recital Hall in New York.
From September 2007 to September 2009 the quartet participated in the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists schemeBBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists schemeBBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme was devised by BBC Radio 3 Editor Adam Gatehouse and launched in 1999. It exists as part of the BBC's commitment to nurture young musical talent. Every autumn six to seven young artists who are beginning to make a mark on the national and international...
. This program annually selects six to seven young artists and ensembles from around the world to make BBC recordings for broadcast and also sponsors a series of concerts in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. This relationship resulted in the group's recording of three Beethoven string quartets (Op. 18 No.4, Op. 95, and Op. 135).
In the summer of 2009 the group travelled to Japan performing in TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Nagoya, and MusashinoMusashino, Tokyois a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 137,222 and a population density of 12,788.63 persons per km². The total area is 10.73 km².The city was founded on November 3, 1947...
and recording the two Janáček quartets and the third Haas quartet for NHK television. From Japan they continued on to Australia with concerts in SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, AdelaideAdelaideAdelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, PerthPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, NewcastleNewcastle, New South WalesThe Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and HobartHobartHobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
which featured the world premiere performances of Australian composer Paul Stanhope's String Quartet No. 2 (2009).
In the fall they performed in the UK, Switzerland, and Germany. A concert in BonnBonnBonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
on 20 September included the Haydn String Quartet in D minor, Op. 76, No. 2 ("Fifths")String Quartets, Op. 76 (Haydn)Joseph Haydn's string quartets, Op. 76 were composed in 1796 or 1797 and dedicated to the Hungarian Count Joseph Erdödy. The six quartets are the last complete set that Haydn composed...
and the Dvořák String Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 97String Quintet No. 3 (Dvorák)The String Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 97, B. 180, was composed by Antonín Dvořák during the summer he spent in Spillville, Iowa in 1893. It is a "Viola Quintet" in that it is scored for string quartet with an extra viola. It was completed in just over a month, immediately after he wrote his...
(with violist Masumi Per Rostad of the Pacifica QuartetPacifica QuartetThe Pacifica Quartet is an internationally recognized string quartet based in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, where they are faculty members at the University of Illinois. Its members are: Simin Ganatra, first violin; Sibbi Bernhardsson, second violin; Masumi Per Rostad, viola; and Brandon Vamos,...
). The performance was recorded by Deutsche WelleDeutsche WelleDeutsche Welle or DW, is Germany's international broadcaster. The service is aimed at the overseas market. It broadcasts news and information on shortwave, Internet and satellite radio on 98.7 DZFE in 30 languages . It has a satellite television service , that is available in four languages, and...
and is available for download.
The European tour was followed by another tour to the United States with performances in Philadelphia, Middlebury, Vermont, Houston, TexasHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, and Worcester, MassachusettsWorcester, MassachusettsWorcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. The fall tour included performances of Beethoven's String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1String Quartet No. 7 (Beethoven)Ludwig van Beethoven's String Quartet No. 7 in F major was published in 1808 as opus 59, No. 1. It consists of four movements:# Allegro in F major# Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando in B major# Adagio molto e mesto - attacca in F minor...
, BrittenBenjamin BrittenEdward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
's Three Divertimenti, Dvořák's String Quartet Op. 106 in G majorString Quartet No. 13 (Dvorák)Antonín Dvořák composed his String Quartet No. 13 in G major, Op. 106, , between November and December 9, 1895. 1895 was an eventful year for him: he returned to Europe from America and his sister-in-law and first love both died. Upon finishing the String Quartet No...
, Haas's String Quartet No. 2String Quartet No. 2 (Haas)Pavel Haas composed his second string quartet, Op. 7, titled "From the Monkey Mountains" , in 1925, three years after he finished his composition studies in Leoš Janáček´s masterclass.- Background :...
, Haydn's Op. 76 No. 2, Ravel's String Quartet in F major, Schubert's Allegro in C minor, D. 703 ("Quartettsatz")Quartettsatz (Schubert)The Quartettsatz in C minor, D. 703 was composed by Franz Schubert in December 1820. It is the first movement, the Allegro assai, of a Twelfth String Quartet which Schubert never completed...
, and Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 10String Quartet No. 10 (Shostakovich)Dmitri Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 10 in A flat major was composed in 1964. It was premiered by the Beethoven Quartet and is dedicated to his close friend Moisei Weinberg.The work has four movements:# Andante# Allegretto furioso# Adagio -...
.
Recordings
- 2006: SupraphonSupraphonSupraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
SU 3877-2 131 (1 CD; DDDSPARS CodeSPARS is an acronym for the Society of Professional Audio Recording Services. The SPARS code is a three-letter code that appears on some Compact Disc recordings telling the consumer whether analog or digital equipment was used in producing the recording...
; 57 min, 35 sec)- Works:
- JanáčekLeoš JanácekLeoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
: String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters"String Quartet No. 2 (Janácek)Leoš Janáček's String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters", was written in 1928. It has been referred to as Janáček's "manifesto on love".- Background :... - HaasPavel HaasPavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
: String Quartet No. 2, "From the Monkey Mountains"String Quartet No. 2 (Haas)Pavel Haas composed his second string quartet, Op. 7, titled "From the Monkey Mountains" , in 1925, three years after he finished his composition studies in Leoš Janáček´s masterclass.- Background :...
- Janáček
- Colin Currie, percussion; Kateřina Gemrotová, second violin
- Gramophone review
- 2007 Gramophone Award for Chamber
- BBC Music MagazineBBC music magazineBBC Music Magazine is a magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom by BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the BBC. Reflecting the broadcast output of BBC Radio 3, the magazine is devoted primarily to classical music, though with sections on jazz and world music. Each edition comes...
"Chamber Choice"; review- 2007: SupraphonSupraphonSupraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
SU 3922-2 131 (1 CD; DDDSPARS CodeSPARS is an acronym for the Society of Professional Audio Recording Services. The SPARS code is a three-letter code that appears on some Compact Disc recordings telling the consumer whether analog or digital equipment was used in producing the recording...
; 54 min, 42 sec)- Works:
- JanáčekLeoš JanácekLeoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
: String Quartet No. 1String Quartet No. 1 (Janácek)Leoš Janáček’s String Quartet No. 1, "Kreutzer Sonata", was written in a very short space of time, between 13 and 28 October 1923, at a time of great creative concentration. The work was revised by the composer in the autograph from 30 October to 7 November 1923.The composition was inspired by Leo...
, after Tolstoy's "Kreutzer Sonata" - HaasPavel HaasPavel Haas was a Czech composer who was murdered during the Holocaust. He was an exponent of Leoš Janáček's school of composition, and also utilized elements of folk music and jazz. Although his output was not large, he is notable particularly for his song cycles and string quartets.-Pre-war:Haas...
: String Quartet No. 1 - Haas: String Quartet No. 3
- Janáček
- Marie Fuxová, second violin
- Gramophone review ("Editor's Choice")
- BBC Music Magazine review
- 2009: BBC Music MagazineBBC music magazineBBC Music Magazine is a magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom by BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the BBC. Reflecting the broadcast output of BBC Radio 3, the magazine is devoted primarily to classical music, though with sections on jazz and world music. Each edition comes...
BBC MM305 (1 CD; DDDSPARS CodeSPARS is an acronym for the Society of Professional Audio Recording Services. The SPARS code is a three-letter code that appears on some Compact Disc recordings telling the consumer whether analog or digital equipment was used in producing the recording...
; 68 min, 19 sec)- Works:
- BeethovenLudwig van BeethovenLudwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
: String Quartet Op. 18 No. 4String Quartet No. 4 (Beethoven)Ludwig van Beethoven's String Quartet No. 4 in C minor was published in 1801 as opus 18, no. 4, and was written between 1798 and 1800. It consists of four movements:# Allegro ma non tanto# Andante scherzoso quasi Allegretto# Menuetto: Allegretto... - Beethoven: String Quartet Op. 135String Quartet No. 16 (Beethoven)The String Quartet No. 16 in F major, op. 135, by Ludwig van Beethoven was written in October 1826 and was the last substantial work he finished. Only the last movement of the Quartet op. 130, written as a replacement for the Große Fuge, was written later. It was premiered by the Schuppanzigh...
- Beethoven: String Quartet Op. 95 ("Quartetto serioso")String Quartet No. 11 (Beethoven)Ludwig van Beethoven's opus 95, his String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, is his last before his exalted late string quartets. It is commonly referred to as the "Serioso," stemming from his title "Quartett[o] Serioso" at the beginning and the tempo designation for the third movement.It is one of the...
- Beethoven
- Eva Karová, second violin (Op. 18 No. 4, Op. 135)
- Marie Fuxová, second violin (Op. 95)
- BBC Music Magazine Cover CD, May 2009 (available only with magazine subscription)
- 2009: Deutsche WelleDeutsche WelleDeutsche Welle or DW, is Germany's international broadcaster. The service is aimed at the overseas market. It broadcasts news and information on shortwave, Internet and satellite radio on 98.7 DZFE in 30 languages . It has a satellite television service , that is available in four languages, and...
(mp3MP3MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
for download; 52 min 55 sec)- Recorded 20 September 2009 at Beethoven-Haus, Bonn.
- Works:
- Haydn: String Quartet in D minor, Op. 76, No. 2 ("Fifths")String Quartets, Op. 76 (Haydn)Joseph Haydn's string quartets, Op. 76 were composed in 1796 or 1797 and dedicated to the Hungarian Count Joseph Erdödy. The six quartets are the last complete set that Haydn composed...
- Dvořák: String Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 97String Quintet No. 3 (Dvorák)The String Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 97, B. 180, was composed by Antonín Dvořák during the summer he spent in Spillville, Iowa in 1893. It is a "Viola Quintet" in that it is scored for string quartet with an extra viola. It was completed in just over a month, immediately after he wrote his...
- Haydn: String Quartet in D minor, Op. 76, No. 2 ("Fifths")
- Masumi Per Rostad, viola (Dvořák)
- 2010: SupraphonSupraphonSupraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
SU 3957-2 (1 CD; DDDSPARS CodeSPARS is an acronym for the Society of Professional Audio Recording Services. The SPARS code is a three-letter code that appears on some Compact Disc recordings telling the consumer whether analog or digital equipment was used in producing the recording...
; 60 min, 22 sec)- Works:
- ProkofievSergei ProkofievSergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
: String Quartet No. 1 in B minor, Op. 50 (1930-31)String Quartet No. 1 (Prokofiev)Sergei Prokofiev wrote his String Quartet No. 1 in B minor between 1930 and 1931 as a commission from the Library of Congress.-Analysis:... - Prokofiev: Sonata for Two Violins in C major, Op. 56 (1932)
- Prokofiev: String Quartet No. 2 in F major, Op. 92String Quartet No. 2 (Prokofiev)-Background:Prokofiev, along with other Soviet artists, was evacuated from the major cities when the Nazis broke their non-aggression pact and invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. On August 8, 1941, Prokofiev traveled to Nalchik with other artists, among them his friend, musician Myaskovsky, actors,...
, on Kabardinian themes (1941)
- Prokofiev
- Gramophone review ("Editor's Choice") Diapason d'OrDiapason d'OrThe Diapason d'Or is a recommendation of outstanding classical music recordings given by reviewers of Diapason magazine in France, broadly equivalent to "Editor's Choice", "Disc of the Month" in the British Gramophone magazine....
2010.- 2010: Supraphon SU 4038-2 131 (1 CD; DDDSPARS CodeSPARS is an acronym for the Society of Professional Audio Recording Services. The SPARS code is a three-letter code that appears on some Compact Disc recordings telling the consumer whether analog or digital equipment was used in producing the recording...
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- DvořákAntonín DvorákAntonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
: String Quartet No. 12, Op. 96String Quartet No. 12 (Dvorák)The American string quartet, opus 96 in F major, is the 12th string quartet composed by Antonín Dvořák. It was written in 1893, during Dvořák's visit to the United States. Dvořák wrote that the quartet - one of the most popular in the chamber music repertoire - is influenced by American folk music... - Dvořák: String Quartet No. 13, Op. 106String Quartet No. 13 (Dvorák)Antonín Dvořák composed his String Quartet No. 13 in G major, Op. 106, , between November and December 9, 1895. 1895 was an eventful year for him: he returned to Europe from America and his sister-in-law and first love both died. Upon finishing the String Quartet No...
- Dvořák
- BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
critic Jan Smaczny's top choice among recorded performances
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External links
- 2010: Supraphon SU 4038-2 131 (1 CD; DDD
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- 2010: Supraphon
- 2009: Deutsche Welle
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- 2009: BBC Music Magazine
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- 2007: Supraphon
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- 2007: Supraphon
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