Henry Holst String Quartet

Henry Holst ( 1899-1991) founded the Henry Holst String Quartet in 1931. Holst was born in Denmark and studied at the Royal Danish Conservatory under Axel Gade and Carl Nielsen. In 1923, he was appointed leader of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, but in 1931 he moved to Manchester as a Professor at the Royal Manchester College of Music. The move to Manchester led to the formation of the Henry Holst String Quartet with Charles Taylor (second violin), Herbert Downes (viola) and Anthony Pini The ensemble was recognised as fine quartet, touring extensively in the UK. They played a number of times in Liverpool for the Rodewald Concert Society in the 1934 and 1937 seasons. Herbert Downes left the quartet to lead his own quartet in 1935. Charles Taylor left to found his own quartet and was replaced by Reginald Stead as second violin. Reginald Stead later became the leader of the BBC Northern Orchestra. Anthony Pini joined the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 1932 and was replaced by John C Hock as cellist. The Henry Holst Quartet disbanded when Henry Holst formed the Philharmonia Quartet in 1941 at the instigation of Walter Legge to record for Columbia Records.