3 November 2008

MARTINŮ QUARTET

Lubomír Havlák violin, Irena Herajnová violin, Jan Jíša  viola, Jitka Vlašánková  cello

The Martinů Quartet was founded in 1976 at the Prague Conservatory. In their earlier years they won major prizes in eight international competitions, the most notable being in Portsmouth, Munich, Evian and Prague Spring. In 1985 the ensemble, with the approval of the Bohuslav Martinů Society, took the name of Martinů Quartet, while pledging to promote Martinů's chamber music. 

They have appeared all over Europe and have made regular tours of the USA, Canada and Japan. They have been heard at festivals, including Brighton, Warwick, Leamington, Bath, the City of London Festival, the Orlando Festival in Netherlands, Kuhmo in Finland and other venues in Sweden, Paris, Frankfurt-Mohan, Wigmore Hall in London, the Paris Opera de la Bastille, the Berlin Schauspielhaus, as well in mid-European festival at Europa-Musicale in Munich. The Martinů Quartet is a regular guest at The Prague Spring Festival.

They have recorded Martinů's string quartets for the Naxos label. In 2003 they released the works of Bodorová (Terezín Ghetto Requiem) and Stevenson which received an award of the CD of the Month on internet of British MW Classical Music Web. In 2004 they received respectful award MIDEM in Cannes as a best CD of the year in the solo/ensemble repertoire of 20th Century.

The Quartet made their first highly successful appearance at Luton Music Club in the 2002/03 season and are returning by popular demand.

Programme

Dvořák   Quartet in C major Op 61

Martinů   Quartet No 2 (1925)

Smetana   Quartet No 1 in E minor From my life

Aptly enough the Quartet are showcasing music from their homeland. Two of the composers, Dvořák and Smetana need no introduction to Luton audiences, of course. Dvořák’s C major quartet dates from 1881 and is reminiscent of Beethoven’s later period: in it he kept his normal use of national elements to a minimum because he was aware that a section of the public in Vienna, where it was to be first performed, harboured prejudices against the Czechs. Smetana’s first quartet is aptly titled From my life: it depicts his early romanticism, the days of his youth when he wrote dance music (in this case a polka), his love and marriage. Martinu’s second quartet dates from 1925. Although in his music generally he drew copiously from Czech folk music, Martinů was by no means a 20th century Smetana. The Czech influence is subtle, sometimes elusive; it is not possible to regard his music as a glorification or extension of Czech folk art, for the French manner also contributed much to his writing in the way of clarity, economy, refinement and precision.

Reviews

“The Martinu Quartet played...with such extraordinary homogenity of sound and technical ease that their reading sounded deceptively laid back. ... Here again the Martinu players showed their gift for finding the emotional heart of a piece. This was an exquisitely crafted and profoundly moving performance.”  The Strad

“A long-established Czech quartet of the old school with the kind of rich, heady sonority that provides profound satisfaction on its own terms.....in Haydn`s Op.74, No.3 there were chords of such breathtaking resonance, so perfectly in tune.…”  The Globe and Mail, Toronto

“From Paradise to Sweeping Fire: High Carat Chamber Music. The homogeneity is unbeleivable....In performance, as if wrapped in velvet, of Schubert`s Quartet No. 13, both in action in unison and replies, it was possible to hear four virtuoso players who respected each other with rare empathy. If you have the possibility, dear reader, to hear the Martinu Quartet, drop everything and for God`s sake, go to their concert!”  Luxemburger Wort

For more information, visit www.martinuquartet.eu