Dvořák: String Quartet Nos. 5 & No. 12, "American - Suk: Meditation Albion Quartet

• Antonín Dvořák (1841 - 1904): String Quartet No. 5 in F Minor, Op. 9, B. 37:
• 1 String Quartet No. 5 in F Minor, Op. 9, B. 37: I. Moderato - Allegro con brio 13:49
• 2 String Quartet No. 5 in F Minor, Op. 9, B. 37: II. Andante con moto quasi allegretto 08:01
• 3 String Quartet No. 5 in F Minor, Op. 9, B. 37: III. Tempo di valse 02:46
• 4 String Quartet No. 5 in F Minor, Op. 9, B. 37: IV. Finale: Allegro molto 06:44
• String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96, B. 179 "American":
• 5 String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96, B. 179 "American": I. Allegro ma non troppo 09:42
• 6 String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96, B. 179 "American": II. Lento 07:34
• 7 String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96, B. 179 "American": III. Molto vivace 03:57
• 8 String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96, B. 179 "American": IV. Finale: Vivace ma non troppo 05:22
• Josef Suk (1874 - 1935): Meditation on an old Bohemian Chorale St. Wenceslas, Op. 35a:
• 9 Meditation on an old Bohemian Chorale St. Wenceslas, Op. 35a: Meditation on old Bohemian Chorale St. Wenceslas, Op. 35a 06:23
• Total Runtime 01:04:18

Info for Dvořák: String Quartet Nos. 5 & No. 12, "American - Suk: Meditation

Formed in 2016, the Albion Quartet brings together four of the UK’s exceptional young string players who are establishing themselves rapidly on the international stage.

This album marks the first release in a new Dvořák cycle with Signum Records, as well as future releases of Walton and Britten plus the premiere recording of Richard Blackford’s Kalon with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra later in 2019.

Having made their debuts last season at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam as well as the Auditorium du Louvre in Paris, the 2018/19 season sees the Albion Quartet’s debuts at the Wigmore Hall and at Town Hall/Symphony Hall Birmingham. They also continue their residency at London’s Kings Place, become quartet-in residence at the Stratford Festival of Words and Music and perform at the Oxford Lieder Festival.

Albion Quartet

Albion Quartet
Formed in 2016, the Albion Quartet unites four outstanding young string players, brought together by a shared belief in the visceral power of the string quartet. The upcoming season sees the quartet returning to the Wigmore Hall and Aldeburgh Festival, as well as continuing residencies at Sainte-Mere Festival in France and RWCMD in Cardiff. They will be making a number of broadcasts for BBC Radio 3, whilst continuing their recording projects for Signum Records, for whom they are exclusive artists.

Recent engagements from the 2017-18 season included performances at the Louvre in Paris, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Robert Schumann Gesselschaft in Frankfurt, Båstad Festival in Sweden, Festival of Music in Franconia and Rhine Valley Music Festival in Germany, as well as the Hay Festival in the UK. They were artists in residence at the Ryedale Festival, exploring the chamber works of Dvorak, and are currently recording a Dvorak cycle for their label, Signum Records. They have been invited back for an extended residency to explore the complete set of Mozart Haydn quartets, with the exciting addition that each one is to be paired with a brand new commissioned work.

Their commitment to new music has most recently seen a collaboration with Kate Whitley for a powerful and evocative song cycle, the ‘Charlotte Mew Songs’, recently performed with soprano Caroline Melzer. Over the summer the quartet is excited to be premiering and touring a new work by Freya Waley-Cohen, co-commissioned by Aldeburgh Festival, the Phillips Collection and Sainte-Mere Festival.

Upcoming performances include their US debut at the Phillips Collection in Washington, alongside appearances at several festivals including the Oxford Lieder, Stratford International, Belfast International, Cheltenham, Presteigne, and Lichfield, and participating in Beethoven cycles in the UK and Portugal.

Passionate about musical education, the quartet holds a residency at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, where they regularly give masterclasses and performances in the Dora Stoutzker Hall. As a Cavatina Chamber Music Trust ensemble, they also give frequent workshops at primary school level where they are thrilled to share the magic of chamber music with children from diverse backgrounds.

The members of the quartet play on a fine collection of instruments, including a Stradivarius and Guarnerius.

Booklet for Dvořák: String Quartet Nos. 5 & No. 12, "American - Suk: Meditation