Budapest Quartet

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The Budapest Quartet (Hungarian Budapest vonósnégyes ) was a string quartet that existed from 1917 to 1967 and was one of the most famous chamber music ensembles of its time. The first cast consisted of the Hungarians Emil Hauser, Imre Pogányi, István Ipolyi and the Dutch Harry Son, who worked at the Budapest Opera . Later Russians and Ukrainians joined the quartet. It was founded in Budapest in 1917 . The ensemble made its debut with its first concert in Kolozsvár that same year . International tours through several continents followed from 1920. In 1938, due to the tense situation in Europe, the quartet moved to the USA , where it was based at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC until 1962 . Former member Harry Son and his wife Marianne were arrested in Amsterdam in 1942 and murdered in Auschwitz . In the 1940s there was a collaboration with the Hungarian conductor George Szell of the Cleveland Orchestra , who accompanied the quartet on the piano. In 1967 the quartet broke up.

The quartet became known for their warm, expressive interpretations, which ranged from classical to contemporary music such as Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók . It was one of the most successful string quartets of the time. The quartet also made a name for itself by recording Beethoven's chamber music works . The quartet was signed to Columbia Records for over 30 years .

Members

First violin :

  • Emil Hauser (1917–1932)
  • Josef Roismann (1932–1967)

Second violin:

  • Alfred Indig (1917–1920)
  • Imre Pogány (1920-1927)
  • Josef Roismann (1927–1932)
  • Alexander Schneider (1932–1944 and 1955–1967)
  • Edgar Ortenberg (1944–1949)
  • Jac Gorodetzky (1949–1955)

Viola :

  • István Ipolyi (1917-1936)
  • Boris Kroyt (1936-1967)

Violoncello :

  • Harry Son (born Henri Mozes Son) (1917–1930)
  • Mischa Schneider (1930–1967)

literature

  • Nat Brandt: Con Brio: Four Russians Called the Budapest String Quartet

Web links