Josef Suk, whose 'Meditation on an Old Czech Hymn 'St. Wenceslas'' is featured, was Antonín Dvořák's composition student and son-in-law.
Composition History
Dvořák's 'American' Quartet, Op. 96, was composed in just three days in June 1893, during his first summer in Spilville, Iowa, while teaching in New York City.
Performer Biography
The Albion Quartet, formed in 2016, comprises four exceptional young string players from the UK who are rapidly establishing themselves on the international stage.
Composition History
Dvořák's String Quartet No. 5 in F minor was completed shortly before his wedding in 1873, during a professionally difficult period that saw the rejection of his opera 'King and Charcoal Burner'.
Instruments
The members of the Albion Quartet perform on a fine collection of instruments, including a Stradivarius and a Guarnerius.
Recording & Production
This album is the first in a new series with Signum Records, with future releases planned to include more Dvořák string quartets and works by Walton and Britten.
Historical Context
Josef Suk's 'Meditation on an Old Czech Hymn 'St. Wenceslas'' was composed in 1914 around the outbreak of war, intended to resonate with Czech nationalist spirit.
