The Amadeus Quartet's early performances of Purcell's music, with their use of vibrato and 'full' tone, were criticized by some, like Imogen Holst, for not aligning with historical performance practice.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Mátyás Seiber's music uniquely combines elements of Bartók and Schoenberg with serious and light music, reflecting a synthesis of contemporary musical styles.
Recording & Production
This album features recordings from the Amadeus Quartet's early years (1950-1956) made by RIAS Berlin, a radio station in the American Sector of Berlin.
Composer Biography
Mátyás Seiber, a composer and lecturer at Morley College, was a student of Zoltán Kodály, became acquainted with jazz in New York, and later founded the first worldwide jazz courses in Frankfurt.
Performer Biography
The Amadeus Quartet maintained the same four members for nearly four decades, an unusual feat given the potential for musical and human conflicts.
Recording & Production
Many of the works on this album, including those by Bartók and Purcell, are being released for the first time, as the Amadeus Quartet never recorded them for commercial release.
Critical Reception
Mátyás Seiber considered Béla Bartók's String Quartets to be among his most representative works, comparable in importance to Beethoven's late quartets.
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Foote: Piano Quintet Op. 38 / String Quartets Opp. 32 and 70
Foote: Piano Quintet Op. 38 / String Quartets Opp. 32 and 70
Foote: Piano Quintet Op. 38 / String Quartets Opp. 32 and 70
