Martinu String Quartet

The Martinů Quartet (Czech: Kvarteto Martinů) is a Czech string quartet ensemble founded in 1976, originally under the name Havlák Quartet by students of Professor Viktor Moučka at the Prague Conservatory. In 1985, with the approval of the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation, the quartet assumed its present name Martinů Quartet, pledging to promote the chamber music of Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů. The quartet specialises in the works of Czech composers such as Smetana, Dvořák and Janáček, and especially the works of Bohuslav Martinů. They perform regularly at the Prague Spring Festival as well as concerts in many European Countries, the United States, Canada and Japan. The quartet also teaches chamber music performance at two annual chamber music workshops in the Czech Republic, which are open to both amateur and professional musicians.


 

  WIKIPEDIA Just added to our "Music for a Small Room" station playlist is Allegretto-Scherzando from Taneyev's String Quintet in C major, Op. 16. It's played by the Martinů Quartet and cellist Jiři Bárta on their new recording of the Russian composer's complete quintets for the Supraphon label. 'The string quintets emerge as near-orchestral giants,' writes critic David Nice in the June issue of BBC Music Magazine, 'I was knocked for six by these two works.' Written between 1903-04, the C major Quintet No. 2 was premiered in Leipzig in 1905. At around 40 minutes long, it's a large-scale piece cast in four movements, with an extra viola added to the usual string quartet line-up. The lively third movement 'teems with various tempos,' says booklet note writer Pravoslav Kohout, 'evoking mazurka, minuet, waltz and scherzo elements'.