Quaternaglia Guitar Quartet

History

In 1992, Sidney Molina, Daniel Clementi, Eduardo Fleury and Breno Chaves began to experiment with the guitar quartet repertoire and much of their initial work was dedicated to discovering the adequate sound for the formation, since, at the time, it still did not have an established set of works and records with which to orient them. As the fruits of this arduous research process began to be performed in concert halls in the city of São Paulo, Quaternaglia Guitar Quartet gained recognition and in 1993 was given a sponsorship by Banco do Estado de São Paulo (Banespa) to perform in various cities in the interior of the state.

In 1994, Daniel Clementi was replaced by Fabio Ramazzina and with him, the group recorded their first album in 1995. Quaternaglia (JHO) includes the first recording of guitarist Sergio Abreu’s transcription of Bachianas Brasileiras No.1 by Villa-Lobos and the complete works for guitar quartet by the Cuban composer Leo Brouwer. This inaugural album set an example of a high level of artistic production for many other Brazilian classical guitar artists during the last half of the nineties and was immediately recognized by important musicians in Brazil such as the composer Gilberto Mendes.

In 1996, Quaternaglia made their first appearance abroad at the First International Abel Carlevaro Guitar Festival in Montevideo, Uruguay and in 1998, the group reached international acclaim after receiving the Ensemble Prize at the International Guitar Contest of Havana, Cuba. QGQ has also toured the United States a total of eleven times (1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015) performing in important chamber and guitar series such as Guitarists of the World, Allegro Guitar Series, Chamber Music Sedona, Friends of Music, and the Round Top Festival. The group was also performed in Europe, Latin America and Australia.

Their second album, Antique (Comep), with transcriptions of Renaissance and Baroque pieces was one of the finalists of the Classical Music Sharp Prize, the Brazilian equivalent of the Grammy. The group also received the 1997 Carlos Gomes Prize for Best Chamber Ensemble of the Year, awarded by the Culture Department of São Paulo.

In 1999, Breno Chaves was substituted by Paulo Porto Alegre and a year later, the quartet released their third album entirely dedicated to Brazilian music. Forrobodó (Carmo/ECM), produced by Egberto Gismonti, marked the beginning of Quaternaglia’s direct contact with contemporary Brazilian composers and many of the pieces soon became influential in the world of modern guitar ensembles such as A Furiosa by Paulo Bellinati and Forrobodó by Egberto Gismonti.

In 2002 Quaternaglia was invited as a soloist by the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra (OSB) to perform Concierto Andaluz by Joaquín Rodrigo at the Municipal Theatre of Rio de Janeiro as part of the celebration of the composer’s centenary.

Also in 2002, Fernando Lima and João Luiz replaced Paulo Porto Alegre and Eduardo Fleury. With this configuration, the quartet toured the United States many times and premiered Journey of the Weary Souls and Quintet for Another Time both by Sergio Molina, commissioned by the International Guitar Festival at Round Top (TX, USA).

The 2004 CD Presença includes the first world recording of Quartet No. 1 by Radamés Gnattali and features pieces dedicated to Quaternaglia by the Brazilian composers Rodrigo Vitta, Paulo Tiné, Douglas Lora and Sergio Molina. Two years later, QGQ also recorded their first DVD live at Itaú Cultural Hall, in São Paulo.

Paola Picherzky participated in the group between 2007-2010 and Chrystian Dozza is a member since 2009. In 2007, Quaternaglia made the Brazilian premiere of the Quintet for Another Time with the American pianist James Dick. In the following year, QGQ performed Gismontiana, a concert for four guitars and string orchestra written by the Cuban composer Leo Brouwer, as an invited soloist of OCAM (São Paulo University Chamber Orchestra) conducted by the composer himself in his first visit to Brazil.

Thiago Abdalla joined the group in 2010. Estampas was released on 2010 and Jequibau in 2012. In 2013 Quaternaglia was record live "Concerto Italico", by Leo Brouwer, with Havana Chamber Orchestra conducted by the composer himself. Brouwer's concerts for four guitar and orchestra were also performed in Belém, Aracaju, Rio de Janeiro and at Sala São Paulo with Heliopolis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Isaac Karabtchevsky. The CD Xangô was released in 2015 with works by Villa-Lobos, Almeida Prado, Ronaldo Miranda, João Luiz, Sérgio Molina, Chrystian Dozza and Paulo Bellinati

Quartet Members

Discography

Invited Appearances

DVD