Zemlinsky Quartet - Franz Schubert: The First String Quartets (1-12) (2008) 4CD Box Set

In Metternich's Vienna, chamber music was the favourite distraction of a number of aristocrats and the leisure class as well as student Bohemia. By 1815, a teenaged Franz Schubert had already written (at least) ten scores for quartet, for the family circle, Hausmusik, without seeking to conceal his models borrowed from Haydn and, especially, Mozart. Natural melodic invention, amazingly elaborate harmonic skill and the spirit of the Lied did not fully assert themselves until the Quartettsatz of 1820, an Allegro assai, suddenly filled with anxiety, followed by 41 bars of an Andante suspended forever, ordinarily passed over in silence. Here, the Zemlinskys repeat the fantastic success that marked their previous performances of Dvorák's early quartets (PRD 350 028).

Founded in 1994 while the members were still students, the ZEMLINSKY QUARTET has become a much lauded example of the Czech string quartet tradition. The Zemlinsky Quartet won the First Grand Prize at the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition in 2010. They have also been awarded top prizes at the Banff International String Quartet Competition (2007), Prague Spring International Music Competition (2005) and London International String Quartet Competition (2006), where they also received the Audience Prize. The Quartet was recipient of the Alexander Zemlinsky Advancement Award in 2008. Other notable prizes include Beethoven International Competition (1999), New Talent Bratislava (2003), Martinů Foundation String Quartet Competition (2004), and the Prize of Czech Chamber Music Society (2005). In the season 2016/17, Zemlinsky Quartet was appointed as the residential ensemble of the Czech Chamber Music Society.

While students at the Prague Conservatory and the Academy of Performing Arts Prague, the ensemble was coached by members of renowned Czech string quartets including the Talich, Prague, Kocian and Pražák Quartets. The ensemble also took part in several master classes including ProQuartet, in France and Sommerakademie in Reichenau, Austria where they were awarded First Prize for the best interpretation of a work by Janáček. From 2005 to 2008, the quartet studied with Walter Levin, the first violinist of LaSalle Quartet. Their recent mentor has been Josef Klusoň, the violist of the Pražák Quartet.

Zemlinsky Quartet is named after the Austrian composer, conductor and teacher Alexander Zemlinsky (1871-1942), whose enormous contribution to Czech, German and Jewish culture during his 16-year residence in Prague had been underrated until recently. His four string quartets (the second one being dedicated to his student and brother-in-law Arnold Schönberg) belong to the basic repertoire of the ensemble. Since 2005, the quartet has maintained a special relationship with the Alexander Zemlinsky Foundation in Vienna.

The Zemlinsky Quartet performs regularly in the Czech Republic and abroad (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Monaco, Luxembourg, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Great Britain, Ireland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Canada, USA, Brazil, Japan, South Korea). Recent major appearances of the Zemlinsky Quartet include London’s Wigmore Hall, Cité de la Musique in Paris, Library of Congress, Place des Arts in Montreal, Prague Spring Festival, and their New York debut on Schneider/New School Concerts Series. Their vast repertoire contains more than 200 works ranging from Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Dvorak to works by contemporary composers. The members of the ensemble also perform as soloists and are individual prize-winners of several competitions (Concertino Praga, Spohr International Competition Weimar, Tribune of Young Artists UNESCO, Rotary Music Competition Nürnberg, Beethoven International Competition, Kocian International Competition).

Between 2006-2011, the Zemlinsky Quartet were Assistant Quartet-in-Residence at Musikakademie Basel in Switzerland. Music education is an important part of their professional life and during their tours, the quartet is often invited to give master classes to students of any age. They also perform educational concerts for students. Recently, František Souček and Petr Holman have been appointed Professors at the Prague Conservatory.







Zemlinsky Quartet
František Souček, violin
Petr Střížek, violin
Petr Holman, viola
Vladimír Fortin, cello

Tracklist:

CD1 (01:02:32)

String Quartet in various keys, D.18 (No.1)
01. I. Andante - Presto Vivace (5:21)
02. II. Menuetto (3:06)
03. III. Andante (4:13)
04. IV. Presto (4:05)

String Quartet in C major, D.32 (No.2)
05. I. Presto (4:56)
06. II. Andante (4:30)
07. III. Menuetto. Allegro (2:45)
08. IV. Allegro con spirito (8:03)

String Quartet in B flat major, D.36 (No.3)
09. I. Allegro (9:55)
10. II. Andante (4:29)
11. III. Menuetto. Allegro (5:21)
12. IV. Allegretto (5:48)


CD2 (01:00:52)

String Quartet in C major, D.46 (No.4)
01. I. Adagio - Allegro con moto (8:11)
02. II. Andante con moto (4:38)
03. III. Menuetto. Allegro (4:10)
04. IV. Finale. Allegro (4:23)

String Quartet in B flat major, D.68 (No.5)
05. I. Allegro maestoso (6:22)
06. II. Allegro (7:18)

String Quartet in D major, D.74 (No.6)
07. I. Allegro ma non troppo (7:18)
08. II. Andante con moto (4:13)
09. III. Menuetto. Allegretto (3:56)
10. IV. Allegro (4:51)

11. String Quartet Movement in C minor, D.103 (5:32)


CD3 (01:04:08)

String Quartet in D major, D.94 (No.7)
01. I. Allegro (6:23)
02. II. Andante con moto (5:01)
03. III. Menuetto. Allegretto (2:16)
04. IV. Presto (2:31)

String Quartet in B flat major, D.112 (No.8)
05. I. Allegro ma non troppo (8:10)
06. II. Andante sostenuto (7:49)
07. III. Menuetto. Allegro (4:56)
08. IV. Presto (5:13)

String Quartet in G minor, D.173 (No.9)
09. I. Allegro con brio (6:01)
10. II. Andantino (6:59)
11. III. Menuetto. Allegro vivace (3:29)
12. IV. Allegro (5:21)


CD4 (59:10)

String Quartet in E flat major, D.87 (No.10)
01. I. Allegro moderato (9:19)
02. II. Adagio (6:32)
03. III. Scherzo. Prestissimo (2:19)
04. IV. Allegro (7:55)

String Quartet in E major, D.353 (No.11)
05. I. Allegro con fuoco (6:43)
06. II. Andante (6:17)
07. III. Menuetto. Allegro vivace (3:00)
08. IV. Rondo. Allegro vivace (5:01)

String Quartet Movement in C minor, D.703 (No.12)
09. Allegro assai (9:32)
10. Andante sostenuto (41 first bars) (2:31)