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Virtuoso Quartet

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Haydn serenade virtuoso quartet 1928


The Virtuoso String Quartet was a British quartet, founded by the Gramophone Company (better known as HMV) in 1924 to be the first such quartet established specifically for recording. In effect they displaced the Catterall Quartet from their position recording for HMV.

Contents

Marjorie Hayward led them for the 15 years of their life. Raymond Jeremy and Cedric Sharpe previously performed in the Philharmonic Quartet.

Grainger molly on the shore virtuoso quartet 1927


Personnel

  • Marjorie Hayward, first violin
  • Edwin Virgo, second violin
  • Raymond Jeremy, viola
  • Cedric Sharpe, cello
  • Concerts

    1926/10: The first Bradford Festival of Chamber Music. Brahms sextet op36; Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht

    1926/12/11: St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Debussy quartet G minor; Mozart quartet in E flat (K.v. 428)

    1927/6: John B. McEwen: two quartets

    1927/10: Second Bradford Festival

    1927/9/28, 1927/10/12&26: Aeolian Hall, London

    1927: Wigmore Hall, London. Bax: Quartet 2, Oboe quintet, Piano quintet

    1928/3/13, Town Hall, Chelsea: Chelsea Music Club 36th concert

    1928/10/23: Town Hall, Oxford: Ravel

    1928/11/22: Town Hall, Oxford

    1930/3/26 Wigmore Hall: Bax

    1930 As part of the Celtic Congress, University College concert hall, London; concert included work by John McCormack, the Welsh soprano Megan Foster, and the cellist, Beatrice Harrison

    Acoustic recordings (4 sets; all premiere recordings)

    Beethoven: no 8, E minor (Op. 59/2): late 1924

    Tchaikovsky Quartet 1 in D, Op. 11: 1923

    Franck: String Quartet in D: Premiere recording (1925)

    Bridge Three Idylls: 1923.

    Electrical recordings (6 sets and some singles)

    Ravel: quartet; Introduction and Allegro with John Cockerill, harpist.

    Borodin: Nocturne

    Debussy: Quartet G minor

    Beethoven: No.9 in C Op.59/3

    Beethoven: No.6 in Bb Op.18/6.

    Glazounov: Orientale: 1928

    Thomas: Mignon Gavotte 1928; HMV B 2784

    Press Notices

    "From the London station [BBC] we have had many good things during the past month, the pick being the Virtuoso Quartet in Mozart and Debussy…"

    "Good as these Budapest party records are [Haydn op76/1, HMV D1075-7], they are beaten all round by those of the Virtuoso Quartet in Debussy's G minor… For vividness and sonority this is surely among the finest achievements of the [Gramophone] Company".

    "… distinguished themselves as virile performers of Beethoven… put up so excellent a show [in Ravel]"

    References

    Virtuoso Quartet Wikipedia