Joseph Haydn: Lobkowitz Quartets, Op. 77, Unfinished Quartet, Op. 103 Kocian Quartet

• Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809): String Quartet No. 66 in G Major, Op. 77 No. 1, Hob.III:81 "Lobkowitz":
• 1 Haydn: String Quartet No. 66 in G Major, Op. 77 No. 1, Hob.III:81 "Lobkowitz": I. Allegro moderato 06:47
• 2 Haydn: String Quartet No. 66 in G Major, Op. 77 No. 1, Hob.III:81 "Lobkowitz": II. Adagio 06:25
• 3 Haydn: String Quartet No. 66 in G Major, Op. 77 No. 1, Hob.III:81 "Lobkowitz": III. Menuet. Presto 04:09
• 4 Haydn: String Quartet No. 66 in G Major, Op. 77 No. 1, Hob.III:81 "Lobkowitz": IV. Finale. Presto 05:21
• 5 Haydn: String Quartet No. 67 in F Major, Op. 77 No. 2, Hob.III:82 "Lobkowitz": I. Allegro moderato 07:07
• 6 Haydn: String Quartet No. 67 in F Major, Op. 77 No. 2, Hob.III:82 "Lobkowitz": II. Menuet. Presto 04:26
• 7 Haydn: String Quartet No. 67 in F Major, Op. 77 No. 2, Hob.III:82 "Lobkowitz": III. Andante 07:38
• 8 Haydn: String Quartet No. 67 in F Major, Op. 77 No. 2, Hob.III:82 "Lobkowitz": IV. Finale. Vivace assai 05:42
• String Quartet No. 68 in D Minor, Op. 103, Hob.III:83 "Unfinished":
• 9 Haydn: String Quartet No. 68 in D Minor, Op. 103, Hob.III:83 "Unfinished": I. Andante grazioso 04:52
• 10 Haydn: String Quartet No. 68 in D Minor, Op. 103, Hob.III:83 "Unfinished": II. Menuetto ma non troppo presto 05:15
• Total Runtime 57:42

Info for Joseph Haydn: Lobkowitz Quartets, Op. 77, Unfinished Quartet, Op. 103

In 1894, Max Reger heard the Clarinet Sonatas of Brahms; immediately seduced by these works, he decided to follow in their footsteps and also started writing his sonatas. The result is a series of thoughtful and thought-provoking pieces.

The first two Sonatas Op. 49 date from 1900 and are remarkable works, simultaneously straddling the 19th and 20th centuries, both romantic and very progressive. While sonata form is clearly evident in the first two sonatas, greater formal clarity emerges in Sonata Op. 107 written 9 years later. More melodious and accessible, lightness, cordiality, even simplicity enliven this score. It was logical that violist Josef Klusoň and pianist Sachiko Kayahara lean on these pages of Max Reger in their series devoted to the Viola Through the Ages.

Because in the tradition of Brahms or Shostakovich, Reger has also laid down a transcription of his sonatas, this time for viola and piano. More than 100 years after his death, the German composer’s musical legacy is historically undisputed, even if his programming in concert halls remains rare. At the head of an incredibly rich catalog, including all genres except opera, Reger, who died at 43, had only 20 productive years to demonstrate that he was a key composer of this pivotal period that was the turn of the 20th century.

Josef Klusoň, viola
Sachiko Kayahara, piano

The Kocian Quartet
is a Czech classical chamber ensemble. Originally named the New String Quartet, it was founded in 1972 by three members of the Prague Symphony Orchestra and Pravoslav Kohout.

Zemlinsky Quartet
Founded in 1994 while the members were still students, the ZEMLINSKY QUARTET has become a much lauded example of the Czech string quartet tradition. The Zemlinsky Quartet won the First Grand Prize at the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition in 2010. They have also been awarded top prizes at the Banff International String Quartet Competition (2007), Prague Spring International Music Competition (2005) and London International String Quartet Competition (2006), where they also received the Audience Prize. The Quartet was recipient of the Alexander Zemlinsky Advancement Award in 2008. Other notable prizes include Beethoven International Competition (1999), New Talent Bratislava (2003), Martinů Foundation String Quartet Competition (2004), and the Prize of Czech Chamber Music Society (2005). In the season 2016/17, Zemlinsky Quartet was appointed as the residential ensemble of the Czech Chamber Music Society.

While students at the Prague Conservatory and the Academy of Performing Arts Prague, the ensemble was coached by members of renowned Czech string quartets including the Talich, Prague, Kocian and Pražák Quartets. The ensemble also took part in several master classes including ProQuartet, in France and Sommerakademie in Reichenau, Austria where they were awarded First Prize for the best interpretation of a work by Janáček. From 2005 to 2008, the quartet studied with Walter Levin, the first violinist of LaSalle Quartet. Their recent mentor has been Josef Klusoň, the violist of the Pražák Quartet.

Zemlinsky Quartet is named after the Austrian composer, conductor and teacher Alexander Zemlinsky (1871-1942), whose enormous contribution to Czech, German and Jewish culture during his 16-year residence in Prague had been underrated until recently. His four string quartets (the second one being dedicated to his student and brother-in-law Arnold Schönberg) belong to the basic repertoire of the ensemble. Since 2005, the quartet has maintained a special relationship with the Alexander Zemlinsky Foundation in Vienna.

The Zemlinsky Quartet performs regularly in the Czech Republic and abroad (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Monaco, Luxembourg, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Great Britain, Ireland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Canada, USA, Brazil, Japan, South Korea). Recent major appearances of the Zemlinsky Quartet include London’s Wigmore Hall, Cité de la Musique in Paris, Library of Congress, Place des Arts in Montreal, Prague Spring Festival, and their New York debut on Schneider/New School Concerts Series.

Their vast repertoire contains more than 200 works ranging from Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Dvorak to works by contemporary composers. The members of the ensemble also perform as soloists and are individual prize-winners of several competitions (Concertino Praga, Spohr International Competition Weimar, Tribune of Young Artists UNESCO, Rotary Music Competition Nürnberg,Beethoven International Competition, Kocian International Competition).

Between 2006-2011, the Zemlinsky Quartet were Assistant Quartet-in-Residence at Musikakademie Basel in Switzerland. Music education is an important part of their professional life and during their tours, the quartet is often invited to give master classes to students of any age. They also perform educational concerts for students. Recently, František Souček and Petr Holman have been appointed Professors at the Prague Conservatory.

Booklet for Joseph Haydn: Lobkowitz Quartets, Op. 77, Unfinished Quartet, Op. 103