Virtuoso Quartet
Encyclopedia
Virtuoso String Quartet
A British quartet, founded by the Gramophone Company
(better known as HMV) in 1924 to be the first such quartet established specifically for recording.
In effect they displaced the Catterall quartet from their position recording for HMV.
Marjorie Hayward led them for the 15 years of their life. Raymond Jeremy and Cedric Sharpe previously performed in the Philharmonic Quartet
.
Personnel
Marjorie Hayward [Olive], first violin
Edwin Virgo, second violin
Raymond Jeremy, viola
Cedric Sharpe, cello
Concerts
1926/10: The first Bradford Festival of Chamber Music. . Brahms sextet op36 ; Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht
1926/12/11: St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Debussy quartet G minor; Mozart quartet in E flat (K.v. 428)
1927/6: John B. McEwen: two quartets
1927/10: Second Bradford Festival
1927/9/28, 1927/10/12&26: Aeolian Hall, London
1927: Wigmore Hall, London. Bax: Quartet 2, Oboe quintet, Piano quintet
1928/3/13, Town Hall, Chelsea: Chelsea Music Club 36th concert
1928/10/23: Town Hall, Oxford: Ravel
1928/11/22: Town Hall, Oxford
1930/3/26 Wigmore Hall: Bax
1930 As part of the Celtic Congress, University College concert hall, London; concert included work by John McCormack, the Welsh soprano Megan Foster, and the cellist, Beatrice Harrison
Acoustic recordings (4 sets; all premiere recordings):
Beethoven: no 8, E minor (Op. 59/2): late 1924
Tchaikovsky Quartet 1 in D, Op. 11: 1923
Franck: String Quartet in D: Premiere recording (1925)
Bridge Three Idylls: 1923.
Electrical recordings (6 sets and some singles)
Ravel: quartet; Introduction and Allegro
with John Cockerill, harpist.
Borodin: Nocturne
Debussy: Quartet G minor
Beethoven: No.9 in C Op.59/3
Beethoven: No.6 in Bb Op.18/6.
Glazounov: Orientale: 1928
Thomas: Mignon Gavotte 1928; HMV B 2784
Press Notices
"From the London station [BBC] we have had many good things during the past month, the pick being the Virtuoso Quartet in Mozart and Debussy…"
"Good as these Budapest party records are [Haydn op76/1, HMV D1075-7], they are beaten all round by those of the Virtuoso Quartet in Debussy's G minor… For vividness and sonority this is surely among the finest achievements of the [Gramophone] Company".
"… distinguished themselves as virile performers of Beethoven… put up so excellent a show [in Ravel]"
A British quartet, founded by the Gramophone Company
Gramophone Company
The Gramophone Company, based in the United Kingdom, was one of the early recording companies, and was the parent organization for the famous "His Master's Voice" label...
(better known as HMV) in 1924 to be the first such quartet established specifically for recording.
In effect they displaced the Catterall quartet from their position recording for HMV.
Marjorie Hayward led them for the 15 years of their life. Raymond Jeremy and Cedric Sharpe previously performed in the Philharmonic Quartet
Philharmonic Quartet
The Philharmonic Quartet was an English string quartet musical ensemble founded during the period of the First World War and remaining active until the early 1940s, by which time none of the original members were present in the group.- Original members :...
.
Personnel
Marjorie Hayward [Olive], first violin
Edwin Virgo, second violin
Raymond Jeremy, viola
Cedric Sharpe, cello
Concerts
1926/10: The first Bradford Festival of Chamber Music. . Brahms sextet op36 ; Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht
1926/12/11: St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Debussy quartet G minor; Mozart quartet in E flat (K.v. 428)
1927/6: John B. McEwen: two quartets
1927/10: Second Bradford Festival
1927/9/28, 1927/10/12&26: Aeolian Hall, London
1927: Wigmore Hall, London. Bax: Quartet 2, Oboe quintet, Piano quintet
1928/3/13, Town Hall, Chelsea: Chelsea Music Club 36th concert
1928/10/23: Town Hall, Oxford: Ravel
1928/11/22: Town Hall, Oxford
1930/3/26 Wigmore Hall: Bax
1930 As part of the Celtic Congress, University College concert hall, London; concert included work by John McCormack, the Welsh soprano Megan Foster, and the cellist, Beatrice Harrison
Acoustic recordings (4 sets; all premiere recordings):
Beethoven: no 8, E minor (Op. 59/2): late 1924
Tchaikovsky Quartet 1 in D, Op. 11: 1923
Franck: String Quartet in D: Premiere recording (1925)
Bridge Three Idylls: 1923.
Electrical recordings (6 sets and some singles)
Ravel: quartet; Introduction and Allegro
Introduction and Allegro (Ravel)
Introduction and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet and String Quartet was written by Maurice Ravel in 1905...
with John Cockerill, harpist.
Borodin: Nocturne
Debussy: Quartet G minor
Beethoven: No.9 in C Op.59/3
Beethoven: No.6 in Bb Op.18/6.
Glazounov: Orientale: 1928
Thomas: Mignon Gavotte 1928; HMV B 2784
Press Notices
"From the London station [BBC] we have had many good things during the past month, the pick being the Virtuoso Quartet in Mozart and Debussy…"
"Good as these Budapest party records are [Haydn op76/1, HMV D1075-7], they are beaten all round by those of the Virtuoso Quartet in Debussy's G minor… For vividness and sonority this is surely among the finest achievements of the [Gramophone] Company".
"… distinguished themselves as virile performers of Beethoven… put up so excellent a show [in Ravel]"