Artis Quartet

Wellesz: String Quartets

Egon Wellesz (1885–1974) was an Austrian composer, teacher and musicologist, a pupil of Arnold Schoenberg and an eminent scholar of Byzantine music. Wellesz left Austria for England in the wake of the Anschluss and spent the remainder of his life at Oxford University, where he taught from 1932. He wrote nine symphonies and nine string quartets, the latter series of works spread throughout his life. His earliest music is in a harsh but tonal style. There is a definite second period in which his music has a somewhat Brucknerian sound and towards the end of his life the music becomes more pan-tonal and serial in character. Wellesz’ works as a composer amount to at least 130 works in a variety of mediums; composing for the stage as well as for the concert hall. Recently, interest in Wellesz' music has increased, in particular his nine symphonies have been recorded to great acclaim. The Quartets performed on this CD are premiere recordings.

Piano Quartets

Nimbus Records is proud to present its first recordings with the Artis Quartett of Vienna. The first two Zemlinsky Quartets were recorded in the Concert Hall of the Nimbus Foundation in December of 1997. Quartets three and four are due for release in 1999. The Artis Quartett consists of Peter Schuhmayer (violin 1), Johannes Meissl (violin 2), Herbert Kefer (viola) and Othmar Müller ('cello). The Quartet was awarded the Medal of the Zemlinsky Foundation at a special concert in Vienna last year.

Recorded in the Concert Hall of the Nimbus Foundation, 3-5 December, 1999.

Webern: The Complete Works for String Quartet and String Trio

Recorded at Wyastone Leys, March 21st - 24th, 1999.

Mozart: Don Giovanni, K527 - version for String Quartet

Volume 4