Tátrai Quartet
Encyclopedia
The Tátrai Quartet was a Hungarian classical string quartet
founded in 1946 and based in Hungary. For the half-century after World War II it was one of the foremost string quartets in Hungary, specializing in Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn, and also in the first performance of works by Hungarian composers.
, founded the quartet in 1946 with leading members of the Budapest Capital Orchestra, later called the Hungarian State Concert Orchestra. Mihály Szűcs was concertmaster of the State Opera House, György Konrád was solo violist of the State Concert Orchestra, and Ede Banda was a professor at the Academy of Music and solo cellist of the State Concert Orchestra. The quartet won first prize at the Bartok String Quartet Competition in 1948. Tátrai soon afterwards took the first violin desk at the Hungarian State Orchestra and was still occupying it in 1982. In 1957 Tátrai founded the Hungarian Chamber Orchestra, which has no conductor, and remained its leader for more than two decades. The quartet was awarded the Kossuth prize in 1958. By 1982 it had given the first performances of 72 Hungarian works and the Hungarian premieres of 64 works by foreign composers. The group had a repertoire of over 300 works and a history of more than 2000 performances.
Their (more than 72) recordings on the Hungaroton
, Telefunken, and Muza labels include extensive surveys of Beethoven, Bartok, Mozart and Haydn.
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 1946 and based in Hungary. For the half-century after World War II it was one of the foremost string quartets in Hungary, specializing in Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn, and also in the first performance of works by Hungarian composers.
Personnel
The membership of the quartet changed several times but was led for its first 40 years by first violinist Vilmos Tátrai.- 1 violin:
- Vilmos Tátrai
- 2 violin:
- Mihály Szűcs (active 1967, in Kodály recording) (in Bartók recordings)
- István Várkonyi (active 1982, in Haydn recordings)
- viola:
- József Iványi (active 1967, in Kodály recording)
- György Konrád (active 1982, in Haydn recordings) (in Bartok recordings)
- cello:
- Ede Banda
Origins and activities
Vilmos Tátrai (1912-1999), Professor in the Franz Liszt Academy of MusicFranz Liszt Academy of Music
The Franz Liszt Academy of Music is a concert hall and music conservatory in Budapest, Hungary, founded on November 14, 1875...
, founded the quartet in 1946 with leading members of the Budapest Capital Orchestra, later called the Hungarian State Concert Orchestra. Mihály Szűcs was concertmaster of the State Opera House, György Konrád was solo violist of the State Concert Orchestra, and Ede Banda was a professor at the Academy of Music and solo cellist of the State Concert Orchestra. The quartet won first prize at the Bartok String Quartet Competition in 1948. Tátrai soon afterwards took the first violin desk at the Hungarian State Orchestra and was still occupying it in 1982. In 1957 Tátrai founded the Hungarian Chamber Orchestra, which has no conductor, and remained its leader for more than two decades. The quartet was awarded the Kossuth prize in 1958. By 1982 it had given the first performances of 72 Hungarian works and the Hungarian premieres of 64 works by foreign composers. The group had a repertoire of over 300 works and a history of more than 2000 performances.
Their (more than 72) recordings on the Hungaroton
Hungaroton
Hungaroton was the one and only record and music publisher company in Hungary for about 40 years.Hungaroton was founded in 1951, since then, its only competitors in the Hungarian music market were record labels like Melodiya, Supraphon and Eterna from other socialist countries. Previously called...
, Telefunken, and Muza labels include extensive surveys of Beethoven, Bartok, Mozart and Haydn.
Source
- Explanatory note in: J. Haydn: 6 "Apponyi" Quartets, op 71/74 (Hungaroton SLPX 12246-12248), Insert booklet p. 10. (Published in Hungary 1982).