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Donald E. Osborne, Director California Artists Management 564 Market Street, Suite 420, San Francisco, CA 94104-5412 415 362-2787 / fax: 415 362-2838 / Skype: calartistsdon / Email |
Susan Endrizzi Morris, Director California Artists Management P.O. Box 2479, Mendocino, CA 95460-2479 707-937-4787 / cell: 415-302-1083 / Skype: sueendrizzi / Email |
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Szymanowski Quartet
Andrej Bielow, violin
Grzegorz Kotow, violin
“It was hard not to fall in love with the Szymanowski Quartet at the
Frick Collection |
Founded in Warsaw in 1995, the Szymanowski
Quartet has developed into one of the most exceptional international string
quartets of its generation.
Their sophisticated
programs present a perfect balance between intellect and passion,
characteristics with which the Szymanowski Quartet captivates its audiences at
prestigious festivals and concert halls in Europe, the United States, Asia,
Australia and South America.
The Quartet’s extraordinarily high standard has
been confirmed by numerous awards and distinctions. They took first prizes at
the “Premio Vittorio Gui” Competition in Florence and the “In Memoriam Dimitri
Schostakowitsch” in Hanover. They were prizewinners at the Osaka International
Chamber Music Competition and at the Melbourne International Chamber Music
Competition. From 2001 to 2003, the Szymanowski Quartet participated in the “New
Generation Artists Scheme” of BBC Radio 3 in London. In 2005 they were honored
with the “Szymanowski Award” of the Karol Szymanowski Foundation in Warsaw, the
only time ever given to a string quartet. In 2007 they were awarded the Medal of
Honor by the Polish government for their service to Polish culture.
The ensemble is a regular guest at internationally
renowned festivals such as Schleswig-Holstein and Rheingau, Mozartfest Würzburg,
Bregenz and Schwetzingen, Niedersächsische Musiktage as well Lockenhaus,
Luxemburg, London, Cheltenham, Bath and Perth.
In 2008 the Quartet founded the Lviv Chamber Music Festival, at the
UNESCO World Heritage site on the border between the Ukraine and Poland. The
Quartet’s concerts take them throughout the work with
performances in at major concert halls such as New York’s Carnegie Hall,
London’s Wigmore Hall, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Vienna’s Musikverein, the
Konzerthaus in Berlin and Grünewald Hall in Stockholm.
Regular tours to North America have brought appearances in New York,
Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Diego, Vancouver and Montreal.
Along with standard classical-romantic
repertoire, the Quartet has a strong commitment to contemporary music. It
performs the music of Magnus Lindberg, Elena Kats-Chernin, Philip Cashian,
Thomas Larcher and Andrew Toowey; some of whom have dedicated their works to the
Szymanowski Quartet.
Recordings from several seasons of BBC concerts
document the artistic versatility of the ensemble. More recently its recording
of Haydn, Bacewicz and Dvořák was released on the Avie label as well as a
classical / jazz crossover recording, “Pure Desmond.”
In spring 2009 the Quartet launched the record label
Cavi-music, which focuses on their namesake, composer Karol Szymanowski, in the
context of three music capitals: Paris, Vienna and Moscow.
The Szymanowski Quartet studied at the
Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hanover with their teacher and mentor Hatto
Beyerle. They continued to refine their performances working with Isaac Stern,
Walter Levin and the following quartets: Amadeus, Emerson, Juilliard and
Guarneri. Since 2000, they have been “Quartet in Residence” Musikhochschule
Hanover.
Updated June 2011 – please discard any previous versions
ANDREJ
BIELOW
Andrej Bielow was born in
1981 in Khmielnizkiy, Ukraine into a musical family. Soon after he began violin
lessons at the age of five, Prof. Michael Kuzniezow began to foster his
extraordinary talent. As a child, Bielow began giving concerts both at home and
abroad. He is a laureate of several well-known music competitions including the
ARD Music Competition in Munich and the Long-Thibaut Competition in Paris, and
was recipient of a scholarship from the Ukrainian Culture Fund. Since 1997
Andrej Bielow has lived in Hanover. In
2005 he became first violist of the Szymanowski Quartet, at the same time
intensely developing his solo career.
His wide-ranging repertoire includes 30
concerti for violin and orchestra. He plays a Stradivarius violin on loan from
the German Foundation of Musical Life.
GRZEGORZ
KOTÓW
Gzregorz Kotów was born in 1972 in Walbrzych, Poland. After studies in his home
country he transferred to the University of Music and Drama in Hanover, working
with Krzysztof Wegrzyn and Hatto Beyerlee on scholarships from the DAAD and the
Polish Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs. He is laureate of numerous
national and international competitions. His performances both as soloist and in
chamber music have taken him throughout the world. He currently teaches chamber
music at the University of Music and Drama in Hanover. Grzegorz Kotów plays a
violin made by Hans Schicker (Freiburg im Breisgau) in 1999.
VLADIMIR MYKYTKA
Vladimir Mykyta was born into a family of musicians in
1972 in Lviv, Ukraine and started taking violin lessons at the age of five.
He later attended the
school of music for exceptionally gifted children and youth at the Conservatory
in Lviv, where he studied with Artur Mykytka and Alexander Weissfeld. He studied
at the Academy of Music F. Chopin in Warsaw with Janusz Kucharski, and later
with Hatto Beyerle at the University of Music and Drama in Hanover.
Vladimir Mykytka is a laureate of many international competitions and teaches
chamber music at the University of Music and Drama in Hanover. In addition to
the Szymanowski Quartet, he works closely with other world-class musicians,
playing regularly as a duo with pianist Claudia Rinaldi.
Mr. Mykytka plays a viola made by Hans Schicker (Freiburg im Breisgau) in
1983.
MARCIN
SIENIAWSKI
Marcin Sieniawski was born in 1970 in Warsaw, Poland. He started cello lessons
at the age of eight. Following his early studies in Poland, he trained at the
National Conservatory P. I. Tschaikowsky in Moscow and then at the University of
Music and Drama in Hanover with Hatto Beyerle. As a youth, he was already winner
of several national competitions.
His chamber music concerts have taken him throughout the world. He currently
teaches chamber music at the University of Music and Drama in Hanover.
Marcin Sieniawski plays a cello made by Hans Schicker (Freiburg im
Breisgau) in 1996.
Critical Acclaim:
Review for their latest recording
(Szymanowski, Ravel and Laks):
“The
Szymanowski performs these familiar works with impeccable technical prowess and
professional polish. The piece is gorgeous and I’m happy to have the SQ’s new
recording of it. The SQ’s debut album was well received. The present program is
well-played and recommended.”
Fanfare Magazine – September / October 2011
An
enthusiastic 5-star review for their latest recording in FonoForum:
“To get an impression of the formidable intensity of this recording, a sampling of Schubert’s ‘Quartettsatz’ would already suffice. The work starts off in a near inaudible whisper, but very quickly reaches full throttle, as though it is on tenterhooks. The precipitous crescendos found throughout the work provide a further example of such rapid developments, characteristic of a wildly blazing passion. At times it seems as though the crust of Schubert’s nostalgic wounds bursts open, letting the long pent-up emotions suddenly spurt out.
This gripping and unusual
approach by the Szymanowski Quartet also marks the early Quartet Op. 18/2 by
Beethoven. Time and again the strings break the conventions regarding the kind
of inflections generally assumed to be used in classical style, driving the
cheerful character of the Scherzo to the brim of overexcitement by choosing a
very fast tempo and by letting the violin suddenly shriek like a slightly
hysterical person. In the Finale the first violin lays into the strings several
times, as though wanting to protest against the pleasant main theme, only to be
purring again sweetly the next moment. These readings, full of strong character,
together with the slow movement by Webern provide the context for Szymanowski’s
Second String Quartet. After their first CD, entitled ‘Paris’, the ensemble now
places the music of the composer from whom they derived their name against the
backdrop of Vienna, the city in which Szymanowski lived from 1911 to 1913. The
Second Quartet unites connotations of Wagner with French refinement and
polytonal dissonances à la Stravinsky
to form a masterpiece. The strings savor the work’s dazzling wealth of colors
with luminous power. A great achievement!”
Fono
Forum – May 2011
Concert at the Beethoven
House in Bonn:
“The Szymanowski Quartet played the music of their namesake with exceptional
elasticity and intensity, at times unbridled. One was left spellbound by the
‘Tarantella,’ the buzzing, circling lines hovering over them like a flock of
birds spinning off on the horizon. Even Schubert's ‘Quartettsatz’ was
performed in a unique manner by these four men. The unconventional,
mysterious opening embodied a restless nature that was typical of Schubert’s
works at that time. Rousing spirits from within, combined with a wonderful
instinct for playing together, the Szymanowski Quartet transformed Beethoven's
String Quartet Op. 18. No. 6 into exciting music. With beautiful
precision, but also ease, they tossed the motives in the first movement back and
forth; the Adagio was graceful and floating, but without losing its shape and
tactile pulse; the wayward Scherzo, earthy in tone and the Finale, Beethoven’s
portrait of melancholy, filled with deep thought. The highlight of the evening,
Schubert’s ‘Death and the Maiden,’ passionate and stirringly played. For
the encore: the Finale from Beethoven's String Quartet Op. 18. No. 2, performed
as freshly as if the ensemble were just starting the concert.”
Bonner General
Anzeiger - Nov. 22, 2010
Mainly Mozart Spotlight Series 2010
Headline: And they're off!
"If they play every concert on their North
American tour as well as they performed Friday night, their reputation on the
chamber music circuit should be assured. They displayed a rich ensemble sound, a
virtuosic first violinist, and an admirable precision. On paper, it appeared to
be too much of a good thing, but the Szymanowski Quartet was so well
disciplined, the performances so focused, and the music itself so riveting and
infectious, that listeners could not help but be swept along in the excitement.
This performance of Schubert was so striking and noble an interpretation. If you
can see them this weekend, you will be rewarded for your effort." San Diego.com
- February 6, 2010
"The four played with a genuine
joyfulness that might earlier have belonged to roving fiddlers. The young
ensemble is not pretentious or affected and rightfully can be included among the
greatest of their generation.” Kolner Stadt
Anzeiger (Germany) - January 29, 2010
"The Szymanowski String Quartet made a welcome return appearance. While
the sense of discovery that marked their first program two seasons ago was
missing, the pleasure was just as great. These are fine and elegant players.
There are any number of approaches to Haydn. The Szymanowski players go for
agility, clarity, and real finesse, qualities that mark all their work. The
concluding Mendelssohn quartet was an unalloyed delight. Mendelssohn tempi
can’t be too fast for me, and the initial Molto allegro vivace was taken
at a speed at the upper limits of the humanly possible. Yet the clarity and
delicacy of Mendelssohn’s transparent textures came through—qualities that
continued through the charming middle movements to the incandescent Presto
con brio finale. We hear a lot of string quartets in Vancouver: these
players, still very much making their name in the world, strike me as one of the
most refined and interesting of the groups we’ve had the pleasure of
considering."
Vancouver Sun - November 5, 2009
Headline: "Polish foursome shines in DC
debut"
"It's no surprise that the Szymanowski
Quartet is barely known here. The Polish group had never played in Washington
before Friday night's appearance. But after hearing the ensemble's warm sound,
smart musicianship and detailed interpretations, it's clear that wide
recognition is overdue. Haydn's Quartet in C had its elegance and wit in all the
right places. The ensemble also played music by its namesake in the Szymanowski
Second String Quartet. Just about every sound imaginable from a quartet gets
squeezed out of this difficult music, which the Szymanowskis delivered with
authentic panache. Mendelssohn's Quartet in D couldn't have made a stronger
contrast. This explosion of melody is like a day filled with sunshine and spring
flowers. Here, the Szymanowskis shone brightest, especially first violinist
Andrej Bielow, who effortlessly soared and trilled and negotiated flurries of
runs. Cellist Marcin Sieniawski was equally spirited, setting off sizzling
tremolos in the finale, which, at its bravura finish, brought many listeners
instantly to their feet. After this impressive Washington debut, one can only
hope this quartet returns soon, and often."
Washington Post
- November 9, 2009
“While the Bartok Romanian Folk Dances served as a fine
and light-spirited concert opener, the quartet soared with a dazzling
seriousness on the turf of Shostaskovich’s String Quartet No. 8, alternately
rigorous, pensive and structured with the artful torque this composer mastered
and the quartet showed its dynamic groupthink. The quartet shone the brightest
and dug in the deepest in the Szymanowski Nocturne. The score is vigorous and
challenging, but more muscular than heady. The quartet’s mission to make
Szymanowski more of a household name continues apace, with a recording project
just down the road.”
Santa Barbara News Press – November 5, 2008
“Surprises of a different sort characterised the
Szymanowski Quartet’s recital at the Frick Collection (16 March). This
13-year-old ensemble, based in Hanover, Germany, went from the lighthearted
jollity of Haydn’s Quartet in G major op.77 No. 1 to the cold war despair of
Shostakovich’s Quartet No. 8 in C minor, and in doing so, seemed to become an
entirely different group. The Haydn was all charming melodies, stylish phrasing
and liquid streams of notes; even the minor key adagio had a sunny quality, as
well as immaculate intonation. At the other emotional extreme, the Shostakovich
was rendered with darkly poignant emotions. This piece calls for contrasts:
deathlike brooding and cries of rage, lush, pensive melodies and barked
commands. The players used a palette of colours and textures that suited every
shift of mood. The second half of the programme offered Karol Szymanowski’s
‘Nocturne and Tarantella,’ a modest, impressionistic work originally conceived
for piano and violin, and rendered with warmth and taste in a quartet
arrangement. Beethoven’s G major Quartet Op. 18, No. 2 marked a return to
Haydnesque wit and charm. Violinist Andrej Bielow, who joined the quartet in
2005 (and who clearly defines its sound and approach), led with supple phrasing
and a big tone, and cellist Marcin Sieniawski brought lyricism to the Adagio
cantabile. As an encore, this excellent group offered a short Ukranian melody.”
The Strad - June
2008
“There is genuine excitement
about a young chamber ensemble on the way up. Thursday evening at the La Jolla
Athenaeum, the Szymanowski Quartet electrified the air with a sizzling
performance of choice quartet repertory. It has only been since 2005 that the
current first violinist Andrej Bielow has played with the ensemble, and this
young player clearly defines its sound and approach in the most positive way.
Brandishing a fresh, flexible, warm sonority, Bielow gracefully sculpted the
contours of the matching G Major Quartets by Haydn and Beethoven that bookended
the concert. He set an admirable standard that his colleagues (Grzegorz Kotow,
violin; Vladimir Mykitka, viola, and Marcin Sieniawski, cello) matched with
apparent ease. Szymanowski filled the opening Haydn Quartet, Op. 77, with the
composer's trademark panache, weaving his jaunty themes in witty dialogue and
enjoying the banter with unmitigated delight. We shared their joy because of
their unusually sweet and immaculately tuned sound, not to mention the
exuberance that motivated their exchange of ideas. Szymanowski moved from the
jollity of Haydn to Dmitry Shostakovich's C Minor Quartet, No. 8, one of the
most profound and dark works of the entire chamber music canon. This quartet is
a wonder to behold, especially in the hands of an ensemble as spiritually
attuned as Szymanowski. On occasion, these four Polish players were able to
imbue the work with a symphonic sweep that proved far more compelling than any
transcription. They launched into the ‘Allegro molto’ with white-hot passion,
careening its frenzied themes to the Gates of Hell and back. Not a shade of
pathos was overlooked in the “Allegretto” and concluding “Largo” movements. They
found austere beauty in the composer's despair and translated it with
soul-shattering acumen. Towards the quartet's conclusion, the cello offers a
poignant lament in its highest range, a theme that Sieniawski floated with such
unearthly delicacy that the room almost stopped breathing. At the conclusion,
the rapt audience rewarded the players with a generous silence--always the
highest praise--before breaking into well-earned applause. Szymanowski closed
with Beethoven's Quartet, Op. 18, No 2. Szymanowski relished every musical turn
of Op. 18, No. 2, whether it was loaded with irony or mere invention. Perhaps
the day will come--sooner rather than later I should think--that Szymanowski’s
name will be mentioned in the same breath as the Emerson, Tokyo, and Juilliard
Quartets. I suggest trying to hear them before they “arrive”--their passion for
the music on the way up is bracing!”
San Diego Union – March 28, 2008
Headline: “Polish
quartet delivers elegant performance - Group has a highly defined sense of
ensemble”
“For 60 seasons,
Vancouver’s Friends of Chamber Music have brought the world’s great string
quartets to town. On Tuesday evening Poland's Szymanowski Quartet became the
latest ensemble to make its FOC debut, with a program of quartets by Beethoven
and three modern composers. Elegant sound and a highly defined sense of ensemble
gives it both appeal and authority. A high-spirited reading of Beethoven’s early
G major Quartet, Opus 18, No. 2, was rendered with admirable precision and a
firm understanding. The interpretation of Ravel’s String Quartet was even more
impressive. These are performers who understand that Ravel is all about detail:
nuances of colour and texture were splendidly revealed in a performance that
combined finesse with a sense of restraint, intensifying the cool, enigmatic
beauty of Ravel’s singular masterwork. The exemplary Ravel notwithstanding, the
evening's revelation was the Quartet No 3 by Szymon Laks. This robust and vital
essay on folk motives is an enchanting discovery, played with winsome charm and
dashing intensity by the quartet. The Friends of Chamber Music are known as a
fiercely discerning audience; one hopes their warm reception of the Szymanowski
Quartet marks the start of a long relationship.”
Vancouver Sun
- March 27, 2008
“The members of the Szymanowski Quartet
seemed young and very earnest. The group had just reached the end of
Tchaikovsky’s hefty First String Quartet, careering with fiery, borderline
reckless attack toward its final chords. The fierce tempo, like a brisk sea
squall, felt invigorating after it was over. The Lento struck the audience into
total hush. The Warsaw group plays quiet with incredible control: still,
transparent pianissimos in the accompaniment and dark, urgent melodies in solo
parts. The effect is disarming - something that's vulnerable and comforting at
once. These are well-rounded players, but this special kind of quiet is what the
Szymanowskis do best. The concert’s highlight was the beautiful, anguished slow
movement of Szymon Laks’s Third String Quartet. Monday’s performance was a
powerful account of the grief and integrity written into the score.”
Montreal Gazette – March 20, 2008
“It
was hard not to fall in love with the Szymanowski Quartet at the Frick
Collection on Sunday afternoon. All professionals perform with intensity, but
playing from the heart is another matter. The sound was unusually warm, filling
this small space to capacity. The rough edges spoke more of humanity than of
technical weakness. Haydn’s Quartet in G had the requisite wit and clear
definition, but the listener also felt the earth under Haydn’s feet, reminding
us of his modest origins. The interrupted phrase and sudden silence, Haydn’s
trademarks, were equally important to the Shostakovich Eighth Quartet in C
minor, although Shostakovich used them for other purposes. This quartet is one
of the saddest stories ever told, and the Szymanowski players made sure that its
concluding slow movements broke our hearts.”
New York Times – March 18, 2008
Szymanowski Quartet shines in Ludwigshafen:
“The Szymanowski Quartet jumped in
for the cancelled Zehetmair Quartet with a large tone, almost vibrato,
throughout the entire piece. The sound of the Quartet, which is often quoted, is
remarkable and can be distinguished every moment.
“The four Polish musicians, who
studied at the Music University in Hannover, where they now are teaching,
performed with phenomenal polish and sharp intellectuality. They sound Viennese,
especially in the sweet sounding Scherzo Trio. Nothing can be improved.
Currently, the Szymanowski belong to the best of all the new string quartets
today!”
Mannheimer Morgen - May 4, 2007
“The
resulting effect of this mind meld was a spellbinding, passionate and dynamic
performance of difficult chamber works by Szymanowski,
W.A. Mozart and Franz Schubert. The Szymanowski Quartet responded to this music
by digging deeper and deeper, mining a range of expression and artistry to
convey Schubert's beautiful yet complicated music. They played thrilling
tremolos. Their crescendos and decrescendos were seamless. They had complete
command of the tempo changes, and they always maintained a wonderful sound.
Enthusiastic and sustained applause brought the ensemble back for an encore.”
Register-Guard (Eugene) - July 16, 2006
“The quartet’s delivery of the easy-does-it modernism of their namesake amounted to the evening’s highlight. The musicians moved adeptly, with four-as-one cohesion, from muted mystery to gnarled tonalities suggesting a parallel Bartók, and on to a surprisingly neat ending. The quartet fared well with the moving, mature classicism of Haydn. Count the Szymanowski Quartet as one in a crowded field of young quartets doing all the right things, and playing with a bold artistry worth keeping tabs on.” Santa Barbara Independent - March 16, 2006
“The
Szymanowski String Quartet
already attracts attention merely by entering the stage. For somehow the four
musicians from Warsaw look different from most established quartet players. This
is not due to them wearing extravagant clothing or sporting an uncommon
hairstyle. But they have a special way of moving and looking and are able to
create a tension throughout the room before having played the first note. The
four of them seem eager for the music, hungry, restless, insatiable. Insofar
their debut at the Rheingau Music Festival was something extraordinary right
from the beginning.”
Frankfurter Rundschau - July 27,
2005
“The Szymanowski Quartet have grown to become one of the most dynamic quartets of their generation having been adopted by the BBC. Haydn’s Opus 76 No. 4 certainly was a bright dawning for this promising young quartet. It was like having one of the major European festival events here in Rochdale.” Rochdale News – February 21, 2005
Headline: “Audience stamped the floor with enthusiasm”
“It did not take long for the large audience to realize that they were in for a special treat. The Szymanowski Quartet were as persuasive in these works from the mainstream repertoire as in their compatriot’s music. Their playing had all the qualities the listener hopes to hear – unanimity, sensitivity, power, warmth, expressiveness and brilliant execution. It is unusual at these concerts for the audience to signal its approval by stamping on the floor, but this outburst of enthusiasm was rewarded with a delightful encore: the minuet and trio from Haydn’s ‘Sunrise’ Quartet. One’s only regret was that there was not time for the other three movements. What a wonderful evening!”
Minehead (UK) – February 18, 2005
“The movement was played so professionally, each instrument retaining its characteristic sound without the suppressive blending which would flatten this lively work. I came away with a profound gratitude for the talents of the musicians who reveal so much.” Haslemere Herald – February 2005
“There was a real sense of
honoring the composer after whom they are named. From the outset, the players
captured an emotional pitch at once poetic and atmospheric, the muted string and
ethereal harmonies so sensual as to chime a defiantly exotic note against the
chapel’s faint echoes of nonconformist austerity. This was a vibrant and
wonderfully focused performance. After the interval, the quartet was joined by
Julius Drake for Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor, a massive work given a
positively symphonic force in this interpretation. The combination of Drake with
the coursing young blood of the Szymanowski made this a powerful experience. It
was all the more moving for defining tiny details of texture and rhythm with the
tenderness that must be the essence of chamber music, yet allowing the passion
to explode beyond the confines of the medium and reach a more majestic
firmament. The embraces at the end suggested that for the performers too, it had
been equally special.” The Guardian (London) – September 1, 2004
Headline: “An extraordinary ensemble reveals a masterpiece” (5 stars)
“What have I been doing for the past nine years to have missed the rise of the Szymanowski Quartet? Now that I have heard this Polish ensemble, I shall certainly become their celebrity stalker. Their intonation and blend are impeccable. And they seem to play with one heart, one mind, one purpose. What's more, they relish a challenge. Haydn’s Sunrise Quartet was sublime. Bartok’s magnificently fierce Third Quartet was delivered with a similar nobility, as well as tremendous precision. ‘What the Whaleship Saw’ seemed every bit as mesmerizing, due to the Szymanowski’s performance. Rarely can a new quartet making such technical and expressive demands have been premiered with such assurance.” The Times (London) - June 23, 2004
“The opening concert set a formidable standard to follow. Bartók’s Third Quartet followed, an account from the Szymanowskis, full of character – as was the performance of Haydn’s Sunrise Quartet that had opened the program.” Telegraph (London) - June 23, 2004
“At the lively (Aberystwyth) MusicFest, the Karol
Szymanowski Quartet showed just why they have gained a reputation as one of the
most charismatic quartets of their generation, with playing of the highest
calibre and string colours that were simply ravishing.”
The Guardian (London) – July 28, 2003
“This Warsaw foursome has
superb technical control, innate musicality and an extraordinary sense of
ensemble. Couple that with a deep understanding of their repertoire and an
involvement that communicates itself electrifyingly to an audience, and the
Szymanowski Quartet bears the hallmark of greatness. Aptly the recital opened
with the String Quartet No. 2 of the Polish composer whose name the quartet
bears. Szymanowski’s chamber music output was scant and is still rarely heard in
the UK. The second (and last) quartet was written in the Iate-1920s, a decade in
which he consciously embedded national folk elements into his music. The players
captured all of the work's peculiar beauty, reveling in the Polish rhythms and
inflected harmonies of this second movement Scherzo. The third movement - a
brilliant sophisticated fugue - summed up Gavin Bantock’s description of music
as ‘mathematics falling into water majestically.’ It was a reading of stunning
control and dynamic flexibility, in clarity, intelligence and huge commitment.
Watch this space: l guarantee
you will be hearing a lot more from this gifted young group.”
The Strad - May 2003
Szymanowski Quartet
discography
 |
“Paris: Dance &
Folklore” (Avi-Music 2009)
Szymanowski,
Ravel, Laks |
 |
“Pure Desmond &
Szymanowski Quartet: The Meeting of Minds” (PD & SQ 2006)
Brubeck,
Mehldau, P. Desmond, E. Sauter, J. Van Heusen, J. Williams, Björk |
 |
“Szymanowski Quartet:
String Quartets” (Avi 2006)
Haydn,
Bacewicz, Dvorak |
 |
“Brahms & Mozart:
Quintets. Karol Szymanowski Quartet” (BBC Music Magazine 2003)
With Ronald
Spaendonck, clarinet and
Lawrence Power, viola |
 |
“Karol Szymanowski
Quartet Live” (SQ 2000)
Beethoven,
Berg, Gershwin, Mozart, Shostakovich |
Additional live recordings available for download:
Ludwig von Beethoven - String Quartet in C
major, Op. 29: Presto
Recorded at Kammermusikfest, Lockenhaus,
Austria on July 9, 2007
With Dimitri Murrath,
viola
Karl Szymanowski - String Quartet No. 1,
Op. 37: Lento Assai. Allegro moderato
Karl Szymanowski - String Quartet No. 2,
Op. 56: Vivace, scherzando
Recorded at Hochschule für Musik und
Theater, Hanover, Germany on April 20, 2007
Ludwig von Beethoven - String Quartet in G
major, Op. 18/2: Allegro Molto. Quasi
Presto
Recorded at Symphony Hall, Birmingham, England on March 4, 2007