American Quartet

The Grammy Award-winning Juilliard String Quartet celebrates the 75th anniversary of its founding with a new recording from the heart of the quartet repertoire, featuring works by Beethoven, Bartók and Dvořák that resonate with the legacy of chamber music at the ensemble’s home, New York’s Juilliard School of Music. Sony Classical will release the new recording on April 2, 2021. Included are Ludwig van Beethoven’s String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 59, the second of the composer’s three “Razumovsky” quartets; Béla Bartók’s String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 87; and Antonín Dvořák’s String Quartet in F Major, Op. 96 “American.”This recording is the first by the Juilliard String Quartet to include Areta Zhulla, who became its first violinist in 2018. Like her colleagues – Ronald Copes, second violin; Roger Tapping, viola; and Astrid Schween, cello – Zhulla also teaches at the Juilliard School, where the ensemble is in permanent residence.

Formed in 2016, the Albion Quartet brings together four of the UK’s exceptional young string players who are establishing themselves rapidly on the international stage.

Named after the Greek goddess of hunting and the wilderness, The Artemis Quartett was formed in 1989 in Lübeck, Germany. They are recognized for their chamber music repertoire, most notably Beethoven’s string quartets and are considered to be one of the foremost string quartets in the world. Originally founded by four students of chamber music at Lübeck Conservatory, they came to international prominence when they won first prize at the ARD Wettbewerb in 1996, followed by another first prize at the Premio Borciani six months later. They were invited to the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, where they were able to expand their musical studies. In 1999, the Artemis Quartett made their debut at the Berlin Philharmonie, which led to the ensemble performing at international festivals all over the world. As the years progressed, the members of the quartet would change, but their performances and recordings continued to enchant critics and music lovers alike. The Artemis Quartett has performed with a variety of artists including Sabine Meyer, Elisabeth Leonskaya, Juliane Banse and Jörg Widmann. The Artemis Quartett’s recorded output includes releases such as Mozart: Flötenquartette (1997), Wolf, Zemlinsky, Webern & Berg: Streichquartett (1997), Beethoven: String Quartets Op. 95 & 59/1 (2005), Verklärte Nacht (2006), and Shostakovich (2019). The quartet has received many awards and accolades over the years including winning the Echo Klassik, Gramophone Award and the Diapason d’or for some of their recorded works.

Named after the Greek goddess of hunting and the wilderness, The Artemis Quartett was formed in 1989 in Lübeck, Germany. They are recognized for their chamber music repertoire, most notably Beethoven’s string quartets and are considered to be one of the foremost string quartets in the world. Originally founded by four students of chamber music at Lübeck Conservatory, they came to international prominence when they won first prize at the ARD Wettbewerb in 1996, followed by another first prize at the Premio Borciani six months later. They were invited to the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, where they were able to expand their musical studies. In 1999, the Artemis Quartett made their debut at the Berlin Philharmonie, which led to the ensemble performing at international festivals all over the world. As the years progressed, the members of the quartet would change, but their performances and recordings continued to enchant critics and music lovers alike. The Artemis Quartett has performed with a variety of artists including Sabine Meyer, Elisabeth Leonskaya, Juliane Banse and Jörg Widmann. The Artemis Quartett’s recorded output includes releases such as Mozart: Flötenquartette (1997), Wolf, Zemlinsky, Webern & Berg: Streichquartett (1997), Beethoven: String Quartets Op. 95 & 59/1 (2005), Verklärte Nacht (2006), and Shostakovich (2019). The quartet has received many awards and accolades over the years including winning the Echo Klassik, Gramophone Award and the Diapason d’or for some of their recorded works.

A typically rich programme, to celebrate the Zemlinsky Quartet twentieth anniversary, associating the two best-known of all Slavonic quartets and a trio, A homage to Mozart (K424) that the composer (also a violist) loved to play with friends. Irresistible!

The works of the eight composers on QUADRANTS 3 display both the broad scope of styles and energies that the string quartet can produce, while also highlighting the individual talents of each artist. The resident ensemble for QUADRANTS 3, Altius Quartet, who take their name from the Olympic motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger), handles each piece with skill and flair. The album begins with Bruce Babcock s The Present Moment. Richly harmonic, the piece is filled with themes that develop and recur like memories changing over time. Nora Morrow presents her uplifting, motivic Rose Moon, sonically emulating the image of a rose blooming with a touch of sentimentality.

Full-blooded quartet playing in the grand, classic manner: extrovert and eloquent is how the performances of the Escher String Quartet were described in a review of their recording of Mendelssohns first and fourth quartets in BBC Music Magazine. After completing the three-disc cycle of Mendelssohn quartets and earning further accolades, including a nomination to the 2017 BBC Music Magazine Awards the quartet now returns with a programme which leaves plenty of opportunity for their special brand of playing.