Smetana Quartet

The Smetana Quartet was a Czech string quartet, which was from 1945 to 1989.

History

The Smetana Quartet arose from the String Quartet of the Czech Conservatory, which, while it had been founded by cellist Antonin Kouhout 1943 Nazi occupation. With Jaroslav Rybenský at the first and Lubomir Kostecky at the second violin and the viola Václav Neumann at the group gave their first concerts as the Smetana Quartet in November 1945 in Prague.

1947 Neuman left the quartet in order to concentrate on his conducting activities. Rybenský Then switched to viola and Jiří Novák played the first violin. 1949 an official connection with the Czech Philharmonic was made. The first foreign tour in the same year led to Poland. 1950 was followed by the first recording with a string quartet by Bedřich Smetana. 1952 Rybenský had to retire for health reasons and was replaced by Milan Škampa.

For many years was the quartet as the best Czech string quartet of its time. The Czech repertoire was played entirely from memory, which works a special intensity and intimacy verlieh.Von her many recordings are mainly the Electrola emphasized.

In 1967 the musicians were appointed as professors at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. Master classes at several conservatories followed. So they taught, founded in 1972 Kocian, the Martinů Quartet was founded in 1976 and founded in 1984 Nasdala Quartet.

Swell

  • Vladimír Šefl, Smetana kvarteto ( Supraphon, 1974)
  • Jirǐ Berkovec, The Smetana Quartet ( Orbis 1956)

Evidence

  • String Quartet (Ensemble )
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