Talich Quartet
Encyclopedia
The Talich Quartet is a Czech string quartet
founded in 1964, widely regarded as a leading chamber
ensemble
and winner of several Grand Prix du Disque
awards.
Violin II
Viola
Cello
Other past members include Jiří Najnar.
, and named after his famous uncle Václav Talich
, the conductor and founder of the Czech Philharmonic. They have performed at the Prague Spring International Music Festival and Casals Festival
. Specializing in works by Czech composer
s, they have premièred works by Viktor Kalabis
, Luboš Fišer
and Luboš Sluka
.
The quartet played for the first time in Paris on March 6 1975, with such success that they were invited to the United States in June 1976. However their North American debut is said to have been made in 1987.
They made many records for Calliope
and at least one with Collins Classics
. Their first Calliope recordings, of Dvořák
String Quartets Opp. 61 and 96, and of the Mozart
Clarinet Quintet with Bohuslav Zahradník and String Quartet, K 156, won the Grand Prix du Disque de l'Académie Charles Cros for 1977. Their intégrale (complete cycle) of Beethoven
quartets was recorded between the late 1970s and the early 1980s. The Mozart recording, and the Beethoven String Quartets Opp. 127 and 135 (CAL 1640), both won Diapason d'or awards.
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...
founded in 1964, widely regarded as a leading chamber
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
and winner of several Grand Prix du Disque
Grand Prix du Disque
The Grand Prix du Disque is the premier French award for musical recordings. The award was inaugurated by l'Académie Charles Cros in 1948 and offers prizes in various categories. The categories vary from year to year, and multiple awards are often made in any one category in the same year...
awards.
Personnel
Violin I- Jan Talich, Sr. (founder, 1964–1970)
- Petr Messiereur (1970–1997)
- Jan TalichJan TalichJan Talich, Jr. is Czech violinist and conductor.Jan Talich studied at the Prague Conservatory and later at the Prague Academy of Music under Václav Snítil. He received scholarships to further his education in both the USA with Shmuel Ashkenasi and then with Yfrah Neaman at the Guildhall School of...
, Jr. (1997 to present)
Violin II
- Jan Kvapil (1964–1994)
- Vladimir Bukač (1994–2000)
- Petr Maceček (2000 to 2011)
- Roman Patočka (2011 to present)
Viola
- Karel Doležal (original, 1964–?1970)
- Jan Talich, Sr. (?1970–2000)
- Vladimir Bukač (2000 to present)
Cello
- Evžen Rattay (original, 1964–1997)
- Petr Prause (1997 to present)
Other past members include Jiří Najnar.
Activities
The Talich Quartet was founded in 1964 by Jan Talich, Sr. (born 1945) while still a student at Prague ConservatoryPrague Conservatory
Prague Conservatory, sometimes also Prague Conservatoire, in Czech Pražská konzervatoř, is a Czech secondary school in Prague dedicated to teaching the arts of music and theater acting.- Instruction :...
, and named after his famous uncle Václav Talich
Václav Talich
Václav Talich was a Czech conductor, violinist and pedagogue.- Life :Born in Kroměříž, Moravia, he started his musical career in a student orchestra in Klatovy. From 1897 to 1903 he studied at the conservatory in Prague with Otakar Ševčík...
, the conductor and founder of the Czech Philharmonic. They have performed at the Prague Spring International Music Festival and Casals Festival
Casals Festival
The Casals Festival is a classical music event celebrated every year in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in honor of world renowned musician Pablo Casals.-Background:...
. Specializing in works by Czech composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
s, they have premièred works by Viktor Kalabis
Viktor Kalabis
-Life:Born in Červený Kostelec, a town in the Czech Republic, on February 27, 1923, Kalabis was an important 20th century Czech composer. Viktor was interested in music from a young age, but due to the Nazi occupation of Prague during the Second World War, he was unable to study music in Prague...
, Luboš Fišer
Luboš Fišer
Luboš Fišer was a Czech composer, born in Prague. He was known both for his soundtracks and chamber music. From 1952 to 1956 he studied the composition at the Prague Conservatory as a pupil of Emil Hlobil. From 1956 he studied at the AMU in Prague...
and Luboš Sluka
Luboš Sluka
Luboš Sluka is a Czech Contemporary Composer.-Life and career:Lubos Sluka was admitted to Prague Conservatory where he completed his studies in three subjects - percussion, conducting and composition. In 1951, Sluka was chosen as Arthur Honegger's student, as well as George Auric's assistant...
.
The quartet played for the first time in Paris on March 6 1975, with such success that they were invited to the United States in June 1976. However their North American debut is said to have been made in 1987.
They made many records for Calliope
Calliope
In Greek mythology, Calliope was the muse of epic poetry, daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne, and is now best known as Homer's muse, the inspiration for the Odyssey and the Iliad....
and at least one with Collins Classics
Collins Classics
Collins Classics was a record label which specialised in classical music. It was founded in 1989.Artists who recorded for the label included Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, the Duke Quartet, choral group the Sixteen, Harry Christophers and Joanna MacGregor....
. Their first Calliope recordings, of Dvořák
Antonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
String Quartets Opp. 61 and 96, and of the Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
Clarinet Quintet with Bohuslav Zahradník and String Quartet, K 156, won the Grand Prix du Disque de l'Académie Charles Cros for 1977. Their intégrale (complete cycle) of Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
quartets was recorded between the late 1970s and the early 1980s. The Mozart recording, and the Beethoven String Quartets Opp. 127 and 135 (CAL 1640), both won Diapason d'or awards.