Primrose Quartet - Primrose Quartet play Beethoven & Mozart (2025) [Official Digital Download]

The Primrose String Quartet was undoubtedly one of the most virtuosic ensembles ever assembled. Established by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), it featured the most prominent members from Arturo Toscanini’s legendary NBC Symphony Orchestra, and was named after the remarkable violist William Primrose. Born in Glasgow in 1904, Primrose began his career as a violinist studying with the great Eugène Ysaÿe before switching to the viola in his early 20s. He soon established a major solo career and was regarded as the leading viola soloist of his era. While playing in the NBC Symphony, Primrose made numerous solo recordings for the RCA label, and in 1938 a resident string quartet with members of the NBC Symphony was established. With the outstanding Josef Gingold, one of Eugène Ysaÿe’s prize students, on second violin, the 21-year-old Oscar Shumsky – whom Primrose declared to be ‘one of the greatest virtuosos I have ever heard’ – was appointed as the Quartet’s first violinist. With the American-born cellist Harvey Shapiro, who studied with Julius Klengel in Germany, the Primrose Quartet was finally established. According to Primrose, ‘I am quite convinced – and am conceited enough to say so – that no quartet ever played that had the instrumental ability of my quartet….The group had no cripple; we all played in a virtuoso matter.’

TRACKLIST

1. Primrose Quartet - I Allegro
2. Primrose Quartet - II Adagio cantabile - Allegro - Tempo
3. Primrose Quartet - III Scherzo: Allegro
4. Primrose Quartet - IV Allegro molto, quasi presto
5. Primrose Quartet - I Allegro ma non tanto
6. Primrose Quartet - II Andante scherzoso quasi allegretto
7. Primrose Quartet - III Menuetto: Allegretto
8. Primrose Quartet - IV Allegro - Prestissimo
9. Primrose Quartet - III Andante cantabile
10. Primrose Quartet - I Adagio - Allegro
11. Primrose Quartet - II Andante cantabile



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