Mozart - Six Quartets dedicated to Haydn - Roth Quartet

Mozart - Six Quartets dedicated to Haydn - Roth Quartet

Mozart - Six Quartets dedicated to Haydn - No. 14 in G major, KV 387 - No. 15 in D major, KV 421 - No. 16 in E-flat, KV 428 - No. 17 in B-flat, KV 458 ("Hunting") - No. 18 in A major, KV 464 - No. 19 in C major, KV 465 ("Dissonant") - Roth String Quartet - Feri Roth, 1st Violin / Jeno Antal, 2nd Violin / Nicolas Harsanyi, Viola / Janos Starker, Violoncello

From the notes for this highly outstanding but now practically forgotten LP set issued on the Mercury label c. 1951:

"The present recording of the six Mozart quartets dedicated to Haydn marks the debut on long playing records of one of the greatest string quartets of the 20th century - the Roth Quartet. Founded in 1922, the recording career of this ensemble began two years later and continued almost unbroken through the early 1940's.

The present personnel of the Roth Quartet includes Feri Roth, founder and first violinist, whose concert career began in Germany and has since brought him to America where he is Professor of Music at the University of California. Jeno Antal, second violinist, has been associated with Feri Roth and the Roth Quartet since 1926; and when not on tour with the Quartet is a member of the Cleveland Orchestra. Nicolas Harsanyi teaches at the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and has been with the Roth Quartet since 1948. Youngest member of the Roth Quartet is the brilliantly gifted 'cellist, Janos Starker. Starker has achieved international renown as a solo artist and also plays principle 'cello with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. As can be surmised, all four artists of the Roth Quartet are Hungarian-born, trained at the same school and in the same musical tradition.

The Roth Quartet has achieved special renown not only for its superlative performances of the classic and romantic chamber music repertoire, but also for its work on behalf of the contemporary masters. It was Maurice Ravel who once said: 'If I ever write another quartet, it will be dedicated to the Roth Quartet.' Albert Roussel composed his Quartet in D, Op. 45, for the Roth ensemble; and the Fourth String Quartet of Bela Bartok was given its world premiere by the Roth Quartet at Venice in 1931."

These are performances of great beauty - as well as recordings belonging in the "historically important" category.

LP transfers of material issued c. 1951 (Mercury MGL .

Includes cover and notes.