Fitzwilliam Quartet
Encyclopedia
The Fitzwilliam Quartet is a string quartet
consisting of Lucy Russell and Jonathan Sparey, violin
s; Alan George, viola
; and Heather Tuach, violoncello.
Founded in 1968 by four Cambridge
undergraduates, the Fitzwilliam Quartet was one of the first of a long line of distinguished quartets to have emerged under the guidance of Sidney Griller at the Royal Academy of Music
. They originally became well known through their close personal association with Dmitri Shostakovich
, who befriended them following a visit to York
to hear them play. He entrusted them with the Western premières
of his last three quartets, and before long they had become the first ever group to perform and record all fifteen. These recordings gained many international awards, and secured for the quartet a worldwide concert schedule and a long term contract with Decca / London. They are known for using classical instruments for the appropriate repertoire, performing on both early and modern setups, sometimes within the same concert.
A new collaboration with Linn Records
began in May 2000 with Haydn’s Seven Last Words. Recordings continued with the Brahms clarinet quintet together with clarinet
ist Lesley Schatzberger. They have also made a disc of 20th century English songs with piano quintet (including Vaughan Williams’s On Wenlock Edge), in which they collaborated with James Gilchrist
and Anna Tilbrook.
Recent travels have taken them all over the world, to places such as the USA, South Africa
, Slovenia
, Russia
, Switzerland
, Germany
, Spain
, China
and India
. In 2008, their tour itinerary had them performing on the cruise ship
MS Columbus
around the Aegean
.
In addition to his Fitzwilliam duties, Alan George is also the Musical Director of the Academy of St Olaves chamber orchestra.
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
consisting of Lucy Russell and Jonathan Sparey, violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
s; Alan George, viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
; and Heather Tuach, violoncello.
Founded in 1968 by four Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
undergraduates, the Fitzwilliam Quartet was one of the first of a long line of distinguished quartets to have emerged under the guidance of Sidney Griller at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
. They originally became well known through their close personal association with Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
, who befriended them following a visit to York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
to hear them play. He entrusted them with the Western premières
Premières
Premières is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.-Population:-References:*...
of his last three quartets, and before long they had become the first ever group to perform and record all fifteen. These recordings gained many international awards, and secured for the quartet a worldwide concert schedule and a long term contract with Decca / London. They are known for using classical instruments for the appropriate repertoire, performing on both early and modern setups, sometimes within the same concert.
A new collaboration with Linn Records
Linn Records
Linn Records is a Glasgow-based record label which specialises in classical, jazz and Scottish music. It is part of Linn Products.-History:While Linn engineers were testing their flagship product, the Sondek LP12 turntable, they became frustrated with some of the specialist test LPs they were using...
began in May 2000 with Haydn’s Seven Last Words. Recordings continued with the Brahms clarinet quintet together with clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
ist Lesley Schatzberger. They have also made a disc of 20th century English songs with piano quintet (including Vaughan Williams’s On Wenlock Edge), in which they collaborated with James Gilchrist
James Gilchrist (tenor)
James Gilchrist is a British tenor specialising in recital and oratoria singing. He began his working life as a doctor, turning to a full-time music career in 1996...
and Anna Tilbrook.
Recent travels have taken them all over the world, to places such as the USA, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. In 2008, their tour itinerary had them performing on the cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
MS Columbus
MS Columbus
MS Columbus is a 15,000-ton, 420 passenger, luxury cruise ship owned by the Hapag-Lloyd cruise line. She was built in 1997, in Wismar, Germany. Her relative size allows her to transit the Great Lakes, one of the few modern cruise ships and the only German one able to do so...
around the Aegean
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
.
In addition to his Fitzwilliam duties, Alan George is also the Musical Director of the Academy of St Olaves chamber orchestra.