Stanford String Quartet
Encyclopedia
The Stanford String Quartet was formed in 1984 as a special project of the Stanford University
Department of Music.
became the first violinist. He was joined by Stanford faculty members Bernard Zaslov, viola and Stephen Harrison, cello. Alternating as second violinists were Zoya Lebin and Susan Frier.
, and the Tenth String Quartet by Stanford alumni William Bolcom, a faculty member at the University of Michigan
. The Quartet also programmed these works on a national tour commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of Stanford University
. The tour included performances at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
and at Alice Tully Hall
, New York City. The Quartet's New York City concert at Alice Tully Hall
was reviewed on February 4, 1989 by John Rockwell
, music critic for the New York Times. Rockwell said this of the Quartet: ". . . their playing epitomizes central European musicianship at its best: sensible, comfortable, unassuming . . ."http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE5DB1631F937A35751C0A96F948260&scp=1&sq=stanford+string+quartet&st=nyt
, at Paramount Hall and Skywalker Hall. Also on this initial signature CD is the String Quartet by Marc Neikrug, Stars the Mirror. This CD gave all three compositions their world premiere recording.
in 1989, the members of the Quartet were Phillip Levy and Susan Freier, violins; Bernard Zaslov, viola; and Stephen Harrison, cello. This quartet recorded a CD in 1993 that was released in 1994 on the Music & Arts label. The CD included compositions by Darius Milhaud
, Frank Bridge
, and Gabriel Fauré
.
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
Department of Music.
Personnel
Faculty member and violinist Andor TothAndor Toth
Violinist Andor John Toth , earned international celebrity as a soloist, concert artist, conductor and educator with a musical career spanning over six decades...
became the first violinist. He was joined by Stanford faculty members Bernard Zaslov, viola and Stephen Harrison, cello. Alternating as second violinists were Zoya Lebin and Susan Frier.
1987-89 Season
The Quartet's 1987-88 season included the world premiere of Bathsheba and Her Suitors, a composition by Jose Bowen commissioned by jazz flutist Hubert Laws and the Stanford String Quartet.1989-90 Season
The 1989-90 season was built around two compositions commissioned by the Quartet, String Quartet no. 9 by Ben JohnstonBen Johnston
Benjamin Burwell Johnston, Jr. is a composer of contemporary music in the just intonation system.-Johnston's music:...
, and the Tenth String Quartet by Stanford alumni William Bolcom, a faculty member at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. The Quartet also programmed these works on a national tour commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. The tour included performances at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and at Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. It is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and philanthropist whose donations assisted in the construction of the hall...
, New York City. The Quartet's New York City concert at Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. It is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and philanthropist whose donations assisted in the construction of the hall...
was reviewed on February 4, 1989 by John Rockwell
John Rockwell
John Rockwell is a music critic, editor, and dance critic. He studied at Phillips Academy, Harvard, the University of Munich, and the University of California, Berkeley, earning a Ph.D. in German culture....
, music critic for the New York Times. Rockwell said this of the Quartet: ". . . their playing epitomizes central European musicianship at its best: sensible, comfortable, unassuming . . ."http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE5DB1631F937A35751C0A96F948260&scp=1&sq=stanford+string+quartet&st=nyt
Signature Recording
The Johnston and Bolcom quartets were recorded in 1991 by Laurel Records in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, at Paramount Hall and Skywalker Hall. Also on this initial signature CD is the String Quartet by Marc Neikrug, Stars the Mirror. This CD gave all three compositions their world premiere recording.
New personnel
After the retirement of Andor TothAndor Toth
Violinist Andor John Toth , earned international celebrity as a soloist, concert artist, conductor and educator with a musical career spanning over six decades...
in 1989, the members of the Quartet were Phillip Levy and Susan Freier, violins; Bernard Zaslov, viola; and Stephen Harrison, cello. This quartet recorded a CD in 1993 that was released in 1994 on the Music & Arts label. The CD included compositions by Darius Milhaud
Darius Milhaud
Darius Milhaud was a French composer and teacher. He was a member of Les Six—also known as The Group of Six—and one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century. His compositions are influenced by jazz and make use of polytonality...
, Frank Bridge
Frank Bridge
Frank Bridge was an English composer and violist.-Life:Bridge was born in Brighton and studied at the Royal College of Music in London from 1899 to 1903 under Charles Villiers Stanford and others...
, and Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Urbain Fauré was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th century composers...
.