The Wihan Quartet, formed in 1985, has been described by International Record Review as 'one of the best quartets in the world today'.
Composer Biography
Bedřich Smetana, the composer of String Quartet No. 1, was forced to leave his position at the Provincial Theatre and withdraw from social and musical life due to hearing loss.
Performer Biography
The Wihan Quartet won both the First Prize and the Audience Prize in the London International String Quartet Competition in 1991.
Composition History
Antonín Dvořák, the composer of String Quartet No. 12 'American', composed this work in just 14 days during a vacation among his Czech countrymen in Spillville, Iowa.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Smetana described his String Quartet No. 1, 'From My Life', as 'intimate and private music for four instruments talking about my life'.
Compositional Technique
Smetana's String Quartet No. 1 used symphonic techniques with brilliant effect for chamber music, a method previously only used by composers writing for symphony orchestra.
Composer's Artistic Vision
In his 'American' Quartet, Dvořák tried to capture the characteristics of American music, using pentatonic scales, syncopation, and melodic themes of typical American revue music.
