QUARTET FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA
r HE Smetana Quartet, who will arrive in New Zealand next week, have been since 1951 the chamber music ensemble of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, and as such, for six years in person and in broadcast recitals, have represented Czech chamber music at home and abroad. Named after their great national composer, this Czech string quartet team was formed after some earlier attempts in 1943 in Prague, and gave their first public concert there on November 6, 1945. At that time the Quartet consisted of Jaroslay Rybensky and Lubomir Kostecky (violins), V. Neumann (viola) and Antonin Kohout (cello)-a group of players who had all been friends and costudents at the Prague Conservatoire under Professor Josef Micks. Since 1947, when Neumann (who wanted to devote his time to conducting) was replaced. by Jiri Novak, there has nm only one other change in the group. The present quartet, Jiri Novak (first violin), Lubomir Kostecky (second violin), Dr Milan Skampa (viola) and Antonin Kohout (cello) has therefore had, in the main, a relatively long period of ensemble playing. Due to its outstanding qualities, both in technique and in style, the quartet has established a high reputation since its founding. From the start, apart from the attention inevitably given to classical quartet work, the quartet have based
their repertoire and style of performance on the music of Czech composers. They play without the score, and consider this an integral part of their whole art of performance, not
because of any external impression created, but because of the conviction that it entails a far deeper understanding of the fundamental meaning of the work concerned. During their New Zealand tour for the Federation of Chamber Music Societies the quartet will give recitals, performing works by Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, Schubert, Prokofieff and Richter, and music by the four Czech composers, Novak, Dvorak, Janacek and their namesake, Smetana. The Smetana Quartet will be heard in five YC link programmes during
September, the first on Tuesday, September 3, at 8.0 p.m. In addition to these five programmes, the Quartet will be heard from provincial stations as
follows: 1XN, September 4; 1YZ, September 5; 2XG, September 9 2¥Z, September 10; 2XN, September 14; and 3XC, September 17.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19570830.2.8
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 942, 30 August 1957, Page 4
Word count
Tapeke kupu
370QUARTET FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 942, 30 August 1957, Page 4
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in